Located six miles outside of Boston proper with under 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Boston College is a private Catholic university with an exclusive acceptance rate. But with 21 Fulbright scholars in 2012 alone, you can see why being part of those accepted to Boston College is such a big deal. So how good do you have to be to get in and what can you do to get there? Keep reading to learn more.‍

What is the Boston College Acceptance Rate

‍The Boston College acceptance rate is 32%, making it a competitive college in terms of admittance. Their acceptance rate had been steadily decreasing over the years, meaning it’s becoming increasingly difficult to be admitted, but the Class of 2020 marked a change in that trend. The Boston College acceptance rate for the Class of 2019 was only 28%, meaning their acceptance rate actually went up this year. When you look at the Class of 2020, you’ll find:

       
•    81% of incoming freshmen are in the top 10% of their high school class
       
•    Average GPA is 3.92
       
•    On the old SAT, the mid-range score was 1950 to 2150
       
•    On the redesigned SAT, that’s about 1380 to 1490
       
•    Average ACT score is 31

Needless to say, the Boston College acceptance rate consists of students who excel academically. It’s a college with an impressive reputation and has produced notable alumni like John Kerry, Amy Poehler, Leonard Nimoy, and one of Robert Kennedy’s sons. It’s an intense university with a much higher acceptance rate than comparable competitive colleges.

Improve Your Chances of Acceptance to Boston College

Now that you have an idea of the type of student that’s part of the Boston College acceptance rate, we can focus on how to mold your academic career to make you more appealing. There is a nation-wide trend of placing increasingly difficult demands on students who want to attend prestigious schools like Boston College. So I’m going to give you some tips and tricks to improve your chances of being accepted by Boston College and other schools of its caliber.

Partner With a College Consultant

College consultants are relatively new to the industry and are becoming more necessary as the college application process becomes more demanding and daunting. Connecting with the right one means you’ll be working with a passionate coach who has been where you are right now and has not only been accepted into some of the top colleges in the country, but have even received handwritten notes welcoming them. They’re definitely someone you want on your side as you (and your parents) prepare for your future.

Show That You’re Ready for College

I don’t mean that you should walk around in college sweatshirts all day and profess your love all over social media. I’m talking about taking a rigorous high school course load with AP and IB courses, earning as many A’s as possible, and asking for help with your academics when you need it. AP and IB courses prepare you mentally for college course work and boost your GPA. Asking for help is a sign of strength. Whether you seek out help from your teacher or invest in a tutor, saying you don’t know and need help is an incredible display of maturity that will keep your GPA from tanking.

Do Some Serious Prep Work for the Standardized Tests

The ACT and SAT are designed to measure your college preparedness, showing the colleges you want to apply to that you possess the skills you need to succeed in that environment. Scoring well is incredibly important and you can boost your scores by doing the following:

       
•    Take the Pre-ACT and the PSAT. This allows you to see which test you do better in or feel more comfortable taking. Boston College accepts both exams and there’s no preference for one over the other.
       
•    Compare your scores to the averages for Boston College. Doing this shows you where you are right now and what areas you need to improve on to be ready for your application to Boston College.
       
•    Practice. You don’t have to re-take the Pre-ACT or the PSAT, but you should continue taking practice tests you find online or in books. The more you answer these questions and learn the test, the easier they will be for you on test day.
       
•    Find someone who scored better than you. I don’t mean you have to announce your score to everyone you know to find out this information. But working with someone who has already taken the exams and has a top score will improve your chances of doing well on the ACT or SAT.
       
•    Take the exam more than once. Boston College superscores the ACT and the SAT. This means they take your best subscores, even if they’re from different tests, and combine them to make your ultimate superscore. There is a small caveat: they will not combine scores from the old SAT with the redesigned SAT.

Remember to make an impact

Even though the statistics from the Boston College acceptance rate focus on grades and test scores, the admissions committee is looking for students who display leadership skills and care about the world around them. Be sure to get involved with extracurricular activities through your school and volunteer in the community. It’s also a great way to give yourself a brain break from all that studying you’ll be doing to keep your grades up and test scores high.

Boston College may be one of the more accepting competitive colleges, but it still demands academic excellence from its students. To make sure you have what it takes to be seriously considered by their admissions team, you should work with a college consultant, earn as many A’s and B’s as possible, ask for help, prepare for the standardized tests, and be involved in your community. Doing these things well will boost your chances of being part of the Boston College acceptance rate.

What are your thoughts on Boston College? Do you think their standards are too high or too low? Leave us a comment below and let us know your thoughts. We can’t wait to hear from you.