Boston University
What Boston University's own numbers say, from its Common Data Set 2025-26.
See your odds at Boston University →All 4 insights at Boston University PRO
Early DecisionBoston University
Boston University's ED number is inflated.
31% of Early Decision applicants get in, but that pool includes recruited athletes and legacies, admitted at far higher rates. Without them, our estimate is about 25%. Everyone else: 11%.
ED, as reported31%
ED, without hooks (estimate)≈25%
Everyone else11%
Source: Boston University's Common Data Set 2025-26; hooked share is an estimate (A12)
Getting harderBoston University
Getting into Boston University is 1.5× harder than in 2019.
The admit rate fell from 19% (2019-20) to 13% (2025-26).
2019-2019%
2025-2613%
Source: Boston University's Common Data Set 2025-26
WaitlistBoston University
Boston University's waitlist is a long shot: 4.6%.
479 of 10,393 students who stayed on the list got in.
Admitted off the list4.6%
Not admitted95%
Source: Boston University's Common Data Set 2025-26
Early DecisionBoston University
63% of Boston University's class is filled in Early Decision.
That leaves about 1,284 seats for 69,869 applicants outside ED.
Admitted Early Decision63%
Everyone else37%
Source: Boston University's Common Data Set 2025-26
6 more things the data says PRO
- The admit rate has moved down steadily, from 18.9% in 2019-20 to 12.8% in 2025-26. If the trend holds, expect about 9.0% in 2026-27.
- After ED, 1,284 of 3,449 seats were left for 69,869 other applicants: about one seat for every 54.
- ED applicants were admitted at 31%, against 11.0% for everyone else: 2.8 times the rate.
- Early Decision filled about 63% of the 2025-26 first-year class, more than 50% of similar colleges.
- 10,393 students stayed on the waitlist and 479 were admitted from it (4.6%).
- Applications rose 19% from 2018-19 to 2025-26 (64,481 to 76,776).
What students say PRO
From students' own posts on Reddit and admissions forums: self-reported, unverified, never used in your odds.
- Most admits who named a round (27 of 29) applied Regular Decision; 2 applied Early Decision.
- Most admits who shared scores had SAT about 1500-1600 or ACT 33-36, with GPAs mostly 3.8 to 4.0.
- Many admits founded something: a business, startup, nonprofit, club or program, often with real revenue, members or funding.
- Many admits did research, often with a professor or lab, including published papers, a first-author study or conference talks.
- Business, finance and economics are very common intended majors, usually with a club, internship or business of their own behind them.
- Students report Early Decision admits far more often (about 28%) than Regular Decision overall (about 11%), and that ED makes sense only if BU is the first choice and affordable.
- Students report BU offers other paths in: spring starts, a guaranteed transfer option, or General Studies, which students say also admits people with strong stats.
- Students report waitlist offers are rare (about 18 admitted off the list in one year), though some got a call after several weeks.
- Students report decisions can come late and in patches, and that merit aid is limited (about 8 percent of non-athletes) beyond trustee and presidential awards.
- Students report BU gives no need-based aid to international applicants, and aid offers were described as not enough to attend.
Every number, year by year: Boston University on Open College Data. Something wrong? Suggest a correction.