波士顿学院

Welcome to Boston College

an overview of the university

Boston College is one of the oldest Jesuit, Catholic universities in the United States. U.S. News and World Report ranks Boston College 35th among national universities.

Boston College confers more than 4,000 degrees annually in more than 50 fields of study through 7 schools and colleges. Faculty members are committed to both teaching and research and have set new marks for research grant awards over the last ten years, more than $44 million in the last year alone.

The University has made a major commitment to academic excellence. It is in the process of adding faculty positions, expanding faculty and graduate research, increasing student financial aid, and widening opportunities in key undergraduate programs, such as foreign study, internships, community service, and personal formation.

Boston College has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, including a 43 percent increase in undergraduate applications over the past decade. During the same period, a remarkable increase in revenue from voluntary giving has helped to move the University's endowment to approximately $1.4 billion, among the 50 largest in the nation.

History

from the south end to chestnut hill

Boston College was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1863 and, with 3 teachers and 22 students, opened its doors on September 5, 1864. Through its first seven decades, it remained an exclusively liberal arts institution with emphasis on the Greek and Latin classics, English and modern languages, and philosophy and religion.

Originally located on Harrison Avenue in Boston's South End, where it shared quarters with Boston College High School, the University outgrew its urban setting toward the end of its first 50 years. It moved to then-rural Chestnut Hill, on the site of the former Lawrence farm, where ground was broken on June 19, 1909 for the construction of Gasson Hall. Gasson, known at the time as the Recitation Building, opened in March 1913. The three other buildings that would form the core of the campus ­ St. Mary's Hall, Devlin Hall, and Bapst Library ­ opened in 1917, 1924, and 1928, respectively.

During the 1940s, new purchases doubled the size of the main campus. In 1974, Boston College acquired Newton College of the Sacred Heart, 1.5 miles away. With 15 buildings on 40 acres, it is now the site of the Law School and residence halls housing more than 800 students.

Though incorporated as a University from its beginning, Boston College did not begin to fill out the dimensions of its University charter until the 1920s, with the inauguration of the Summer Session, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Law School and the Evening College. The 1930s saw the introduction of the Graduate School of Social Work and the College of Business Administration (now known as The Wallace E. Carroll School of Management). The schools of Nursing and Education (now the Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch School of Education) followed in 1947 and 1952. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences first offered doctoral programs in 1952, followed by the graduate schools of Education, Nursing, Management, and Social Work.

In 1927 Boston College conferred one earned bachelor's degree and 15 master's degrees on women through its Extension Division. By 1970 all undergraduate programs had become coeducational, and today women comprise more than half of the University's enrollment. In 1996 the Evening College became the College of Advancing Studies, offering master's as well as bachelor's degrees. That same year, the University's longest presidency, 24 years, came to an end when J. Donald Monan, S.J., became chancellor and was succeeded in the presidency by William P. Leahy, S.J.

In 1997, President Leahy announced the implementation plan for "Advancing the Legacy," BC's $260-million, five-year investment to strengthen education, reaffirm its Jesuit and Catholic mission, increase research, and improve the quality of student life.

In November 1999, Boston College launched a $400 million fund-raising campaign. "Ever to Excel: The Campaign for Boston College" will create 100 endowed faculty chairs, add $50 million to undergraduate and graduate financial aid, target support for academic centers, libraries, and selected undergraduate and graduate programs, and help fund new construction, including a planned student center and humanities building.

Boston College Facts

by the numbers

ENROLLMENT

14,395 total enrollment
9,081 full-time undergraduates
672 evening undergraduates (full- and part-time)
4,642 graduate and professional students (full- and part-time)

undergraduate student body

53% women
47% men
24% AHANA (African-American, Hispanic, Asian or Native American)
50 states represented
61 countries and territories represented (84 countries and territories are represented among undergraduate and graduate students)

freshman admission profile

Average SAT score of 1910 - 2110, Class of 2011
67% of undergraduate students received financial aid in 2007

faculty

675 full-time faculty
262 full-time women faculty
1:13 faculty-student ratio
98% faculty with doctorates
103 Jesuits live on the Boston College campus, making the University one of the larger communities in the Society of Jesus. About half are actively involved, full or part-time, in the University's faculty and administration. Twenty-three are graduate students or visiting scholars from more than 17 different countries. 

campus

Chestnut Hill, 118 acres
Newton, 40 acres
Brighton, 47 acres
Outlying properties, 179 acres

libraries

8 libraries
2.4 million volumes
More than 4.1 million units of microform
More than 210,000 government documents
7,200 linear feet of manuscripts and archival materials

academic programs

College of Arts and Sciences—30 undergraduate majors, 3 interdisciplinary majors, 17 interdisciplinary minors; 16 master's and 13 doctoral programs
Carroll School of Management—13 undergraduate concentrations; 4 master's and 2 doctoral programs
Lynch School of Education—4 undergraduate majors, 6 interdisciplinary majors; 15 master's and 6 doctoral programs
Connell School of Nursing—1 undergraduate program; 4 master's; and 1 doctoral program

Graduate School of Social Work—1 master's and 1 doctoral program
Law School—1 master's and 1 doctoral program
Woods College of Advancing Studies—12 undergraduate majors; 1 master's program and 8 professional studies certificates

degrees granted

Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Science
Master of Arts
Master of Arts in Teaching
Master of Business Administration
Master of Education
Master of Laws
Master of Science
Master of Science in Accounting
Master of Science in Finance
Master of Science in Teaching
Master of Social Work
Certificate of Advanced Educational Specialization
Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies
Doctor of Education
Doctor of Philosophy
Juris Doctor (Doctor of Law)

alumni

149,225 living undergraduate and graduate alumni

post-baccalaureate education, Class of 2006

26 percent continued on to graduate school immediately after graduation
89 percent plan on pursuing graduate studies in the future

athletics

27 varsity teams
All compete at the NCAA Division I level
More than 7,300 students participate in 37 intramural sports and 22 club sports.

Campus Tour

fulton hall

Fulton Hall, built in 1948 and renovated and expanded in 1995, houses the Wallace E. Carroll School of Management.

Campus Tourlower campus dining hall

The Lower Campus Dining Hall in Corcoran Commons opened in 1994 to favorable reviews for its grilled sandwiches, pizza, and the fireplace.  

Campus Tourlinden lane

A view that would have been familiar to any BC student in the 1920s, Linden Lane looking toward Gasson Hall. Campus Tour gasson hall

Boston College's first building on the Chestnut Hill campus. It was known as the Recitation Building, or variously, the Tower Building, when it opened in 1913. 

Campus Tour the dustbowl

Once the site of Boston College's first athletic venue—Alumni Field—the Dustbowl is now the outdoor focus of student social life.

Campus Tourhonors library

The Weston Jenks Honors Library was named for Counseling Services director "Sandy" Jenks, a revered mentor to hundreds of BC students.

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Campus Tourrobsham theater arts center

The main stage of the Robsham Theater Arts Center hosts dramatic, musical, and dance performances, as well as major lectures and symposia.

Campus Tourmerkert chemistry center

Opened in 1991, the Eugene F. Merkert Chemistry Center provides laboratory and classroom space for outstanding teaching and research.

Campus Tourst. ignatiusgate

The St. Ignatius Gate welcomes visitors to the lower campus.

Campus Tourvoute hall

Vouté Hall, dedicated in 1988, houses undergraduates, many of whom reside on the multicultural floor, for students who seek a worldly living experience.

Campus Tour

o'neill library and plaza

The O'Neill Library was dedicated in 1984 with a speech on the plaza by its namesake, then-Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. འ.

Campus Tour

burns library,

The John J. Burns Library of Rare Books and Special Collections houses some 12 million manuscripts and archival items.

Campus Tourbapst library

Bapst Library was BC's main library for 56 years, and now serves as a popular spot for quiet study.

Campus Tour

conte forum

Silvio O. Conte Forum seats about 8,600 for men's and women's intercollegiate basketball and hockey.

Campus Tour

mcmullen museum of art

The McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College is known for special exhibitions ranging from medieval religious objects to contemporary works by Irish women artists.

Academics

office of the provost and dean of faculties,

To achieve excellence a person must know how to reason, how to acquire and sort information, how to imagine what can’t yet be seen, how to speak and write, how to translate knowledge into wise action, and how to be both faithful and brave. No university can teach all of these skills and attributes, but men and women can learn them. Ultimately the role of a liberal arts education, which is a Boston College education, is to ask the questions that lead to learning, and so, to excellence, and to challenge students to discover who they are, what they are capable of knowing and doing, and how they want to live.
Students choose BC because they want to seize opportunities and shape the college experience that will have the greatest meaning. And this is the ultimate challenge that BC poses to young men and women; the challenge to craft a self that has been tested and is now prepared to undertake every ambition and goal—from strength, self-awareness, and confidence.
Each day BC students confront these challenges in the 1,400 courses, 56 majors and concentrations, and 21 interdisciplinary programs which expand throughout the schools.

·         College of Arts and Sciences

·         Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

·         School of Law

·         James A. Woods, S.J. College of Advancing Studies

·         Graduate School of Social Work

·         Wallace E. Carroll School of Management

·         William F. Connell School of Nursing

·         Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch School of Education

·      About

·      college of arts and sciences

·         The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest of the undergraduate colleges of the University. It offers either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree, depending upon the major discipline, and prepares its graduates for careers in a broad range of fields as well as graduate training in both professional and academic disciplines.

·         In the College of Arts and Sciences a student's program consists of required courses from the BC core curriculum, intensive study in a major field, and a choice of individual electives reflecting a student's personal interests.

·      Selecting the Class

·         Admission to Boston College has become increasingly competitive as more students with superior academic records, intellectual curiosity, and scholarly promise continue to apply. For the class of 2012, there were over 30,000 applications for 2,250 places in the four undergraduate divisions.

·         Although no minimum test score or class rank has been established, the Committee on Admission pays particular attention to students who have performed well in a demanding college preparatory curriculum, especially one that involves honors and AP courses. The Undergraduate Admission Office recommends that students pursue four years of coursework in English, social science, mathematics, foreign language, and laboratory science.  Coursework completed in 8th grade will not be considered.   

·         The majority of incoming freshmen to the University have achieved consistently high grades in their secondary schools and rank comfortably within the top 10 percent of their graduating classes. Competitive standardized test scores also have a bearing on the selection process. The test scores for the middle half of the admiited class of 2012 ranged from 1950 to 2220 on the SAT I, and 30 to 33 on the ACT.

·         In selecting students, the Committee on Admission looks for demonstrated evidence of academic ability, intellectual curiosity, strength of character, motivation, creativity, energy, and promise for personal growth and development. The Committee also carefully considers recommendations by counselors and teachers, the required personal statement and extracurricular activities. Requests for financial aid do not affect decisions on admission.

 Requirements

REQUIRED CREDENTIALS

Applicants should fill out the one-page Boston College Supplemental Application first, and then follow with the Common Application.

STANDARDIZED TESTING

Students have two options through which to complete the standardized testing requirement for admission to Boston College.

• The first option is for the applicant to complete the SAT I test and two SAT Subject Tests of the student's choice, both administered by the College Entrance Examination Board. For the SAT Subject Tests, students are encouraged to choose two exams in subjects they have enjoyed and highlight their particular academic strengths. Students who have previously taken the old examination must also take the new exam, although we will combine your best individual section scores, regardless of when you sat for the exam.
• As a second option, in place of both the SAT I and SAT Subject Tests, applicants may take the American College Test (ACT). Students who choose this option MUST also take the optional ACT Writing examination.

ACT results from the September administration, and SAT results from the October administration will be considered for the Early Action program.  Early Action and Regular Decision applicants must submit all standardized testing requirements (SAT I and 2 SAT Subject Tests or ACT with optional writing section) by the application deadlines. It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that the Office of Undergraduate Admission receives all standardized test scores.  Test scores must be sent directly to Boston College from the College Entrance Examination Board or the American College Testing Program. All standardized tests are used for evaluation in the admission process.

OPTIONAL CREDENTIALS

Because we review the applications of so many artistically talented applicants, we are only able to review supplemental art, music, or theatre pieces for the applicants listed below. Applicants who do not intend to formally pursue their talents at the University, but for whom The Arts have been a large part of their lives, are encouraged to tell us about their experiences in the "Short Answer" section of the Common Application.

·                                 For applicants to the Studio Art Major: A Fine Arts Faculty Committee is available to review portfolios of five to eight slides of artwork submitted by applicants to the Studio Art major only. All slides should be clearly identified and forwarded to the chair of the Department of Fine Arts, Devlin 434, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467. The admission office does not encourage the sending of videocassettes as part of an application.

·                                 For applicants to the Music Major: Students interested in the music major or minor, or students interested in the Orchestra or Chamber Music Society can submit a CD or cassette to the Department of Music, Lyons 407, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.

·                                 For applicants to the Theatre Major: Students interested in the theatre major, or with a strong interest in theatre or dance, are encouraged to send samples of their works to the Office of Undergraduate Admission, Devlin 208, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.

·                                 Fo, r applicants interested in joining the Boston College Band: All instrumentalists, jazz vocalists, bassists, guitarists, pianists, and drummers wishing to submit recorded samples for review may send recordings to the Boston College Bands, Conte Forum 213N, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467. The CD or cassette should be clearly labeled with the name of the performer, instrument or voice, and the title of works played.

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to return any portfolios, tapes, videos, slides, or other pieces of work; therefore, we do not recommend that students send original copies. All materials must be received by the appropriate department by October 15 for Early Action candidates, and by December 1 for Regular Decision candidates. Submissions received after these dates will not be reviewed.

Deadlines

APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS

The application process to Boston College is a two-part process. Applicants must fill out the one-page Boston College Supplemental Application first which can be found on the Common Application web site, and then follow with the Common Application.

Important: We strongly encourage students should submit both the Supplemental Application and the non-refundable $70 application fee at www.commonapp.org as soon as possible.  If you wish to pay by a United States bank check, make the $70 fee payable to "Trustees of Boston College" and mail the payment to:

Office of Undergraduate Admission
Devlin Hall 208
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA  02467

If the application fee would cause financial hardship, U.S. citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents are eligible for application fee waivers.

Secondary school information (transcript(s) and recommendations) should be mailed to:
Undergraduate Admission Processing Center
P.O. Box 11
Randolph, MA  02368-0011

Boston College received over 30,000 applications last year. Sending the completed Supplemental Application ahead of time will allow the Office of Admission to open a file for you as early as possible. This will help to ensure smooth processing of your application. The Common Application should be submitted after students have sent in their Boston College Supplemental Application for Admission and application fee. Waiting to submit the Supplemental Application until you have finished all portions of the Common Application is not recommended.

It is the applicants' responsibility to see that all admission application materials are received by the Office of Undergraduate Admission no later than January 1, 2009. Please remember that January 1st is a deadline, not a due date. We strongly recommend that students submit their completed applications before January 1st.

ADMISSION DEADLINES

 EARLY ACTION

Academically outstanding candidates who view Boston College as a top choice for their undergraduate education, and who wish to learn of their admission early in their senior year, may consider applying through the Early Action program.

Early Action candidates must submit all credentials by the postmark deadline of November 1. The Admission Committee will communicate decisions no later than December 25. Decisions will not be communicated over the phone or via e-mail. Students should not call the admission office to inquire about their decision prior to December 25. Candidates for Early Action will be evaluated primarily on their high school record through the junior year. ACT results from the September administration and SAT results from the October administration will be considered for the Early Action program.  Early Action candidates must submit all required testing (SAT I and 2 SAT Subject tests or ACT with the optional writing section) by November 1st. 

Early Action at Boston College is a non-binding program; therefore, students admitted to Boston College in December will have until May 1st, the Candidate’s Reply Date, to make their enrollment decisions.

Boston College does not permit students to apply under our Early Action program if they are applying to a binding Early Decision program at another college. Students are free to apply to other Early Action and Regular Decision programs.

Because it is impossible to gauge the size and quality of the applicant pool at this early stage, admission is more selective for Early Action than during the Regular Admission period. Competitive candidates who are not admitted to Boston College under Early Action will be reconsidered during the Regular Admission evaluation process. Approximately 20% of candidates deferred at Early Action are admitted during the Regular Decision process. Decisions will be communicated in early April. Early Action candidates whose credentials are not competitive for admission to Boston College will be denied in December and may not
re-apply in January. This allows such candidates to move forward with the application process at colleges where they will be competitive for admission.

 REGULAR DECISION

All Freshman applicants should fill out and submit the Boston College Supplemental Application for Freshman Admission as soon as they know they will apply. The Common Application must be completed and submitted by January 1, 2009. Please remember that January 1st is a deadline, not a due date. In other words, January 1st is the last possible date we will accept your credentials. We strongly recommend that students submit their completed applications before January 1st.

Seniors in high school are strongly urged to complete their admission applications in December to avoid delays in review. Following receipt of application materials, the admission office will notify candidates whether their application is complete. Candidates will be notified of action taken on their applications no later than April 15. Decisions will not be communicated to applicants via telephone, facsimile, e-mail, or in person prior to April 15.

Admitted students should be aware that it is imperative that their enrollment confirmation documents submitted by May 1, 2009.

FINANCIAL AID DEADLINES

Please visit our Costs and Financial Aid page for complete details on Financial Aid Deadlines and Procedures.

Updated: July 21, 2008  Maintained: Office of Undergraduate Admission

The competition by John L. Mahoney

Applying to college has never been easier—or more stressful. BC’s director of admission explains why

Tour guide Matthew Putorti ’06 of BC’s Student Admission Program on the Bapst steps. Photograph: Lee Pellegrini

A radical change occurred in college admission in the late 1990s, the impact of which is still being felt. It marked what the writer Malcolm Gladwell might call a tipping point, as the accrual of changes elsewhere in society, and adjustments by college administrators, yielded unexpected consequences.

Related Links

• College enrollment 1970–2004, courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau (Excel spreadsheet)
• The 100 colleges with the lowest acceptance rates, courtesy of US News
• “Rejecting Early Decision” (audio), The Connection, November 8, 2002
• “Acceptance Rates Shift After Change in Policies,” Wall Street Journal, January 20, 2004
• More on the Common Application
• Articles cited:
• “Efficiency or Mediocrity?” Inside Higher Ed, November 2, 2005
• “The Truth About the Colleges,” New York Review of Books, November 3, 2005
• “The ‘millennials’ usher in a new era,” CNET News.com, November 18, 2005
• “The Net Generation Goes to College,” Chronicle of Higher Education, October 7, 2005
• “The need for speed,” Boston Globe, November 19, 2005
• “Lectures on the Go,” Chronicle of Higher Education, October 28, 2005
• “Can You Hear Me Now?” Chronicle of Higher Education, November 11, 2005
• Office of Undergraduate Admission

The seeds were demographic: In the early 1990s, after bottoming out, the population of 18-year-olds began a slow, steady rise. (To illustrate how precipitously the number of young high school graduates had previously plummeted, applications to Boston College dropped 29 percent in a mere six years, from 16,163 in 1985, to 11,516 in 1991.)

The annual crop of high school graduates is now expected to continue growing for another three years, topping out at 3.2 million. That figure seems high now, but in fact it simply marks the age group’s return to its 1979 level. And yet no one would liken that earlier, relatively tranquil era in admission history to the current environment, with its professional coaching and high anxiety and torrent of applications to schools of varying selectivity. During the 1990s, forces besides demography were clearly at play.

To begin with, it was during that decade that selective colleges began operating their early decision plans (in which acceptance is binding) and early action plans (in which acceptance is not binding) to serve their own best interests, not necessarily those of high school students. Rather than adhering to a uniform ethical standard—that of applying a tougher measure to early candidates—they started encouraging recruited athletes, legacies, and non-financial-aid applicants to apply early. In that way, they could reduce their acceptance rates and at the same time ensure higher yields from the students they admitted—enhancing their rankings in US News & World Report. The recent bold gambit by Yale, Stanford, and Harvard to adopt single-choice early action programs (whereby students may apply early to one school only, but acceptance is nonbinding) can be viewed as an inevitable corrective to the madness—the glut of early applicants—fostered by colleges in the 1990s.

Two other changes during that decade contributed to the tipping point: Increasingly, high school graduates decided to go to college; and applying to college became easier. College participation rates rose for several reasons—including early intervention programs that lifted high school graduation rates, better counseling within high schools, declines in blue-collar jobs, and growth in the economy’s knowledge-based sectors. Applying to college got easier for two reasons—the Internet and the Common Application.

The Common Application was developed in 1975 by 15 private colleges in conjunction with the National Association of Secondary School Principals. In its first full year of operation, 83 schools participated. By 1990 the number had grown to 122. Since then, membership has more than doubled, to 275, including many prestigious institutions.

Boston College adopted the Common Application in 1998, and applications increased the following year by 21 percent, to 19,746. The quality and diversity of our applicants also increased, and the yield on admitted students declined just 2 percentage points. Life as we knew it in the Boston College admission office, and in other highly selective admission offices across the country, was suddenly more frenetic. Since 1999, applications have increased another 21 percent, and the upward trend seems likely to continue.

Surveying the college admission landscape today, i wonder, are we better or worse off than we were 10 years ago? I think the answer is both. We are clearly better off in that the Internet has broadened high school students’ field of vision and led them to explore a wider array of schools. As for the Common Application, the upward trajectory of the youth population would have dictated that colleges become more selective in any case, and that students would be applying to more colleges as a consequence. So, the fact that Boston College and many other colleges have opted to make the process more accessible and simpler should be judged as well intentioned and right. To not have done so, I’m convinced, would have reduced options and opportunities for students.

The University of Chicago and some other schools, however, have clung to the model of a unique application, and they would beg to differ. They maintain that they are preserving integrity in college admission by holding down the volume of applications and requiring students to make well-considered decisions about the colleges to which they will apply. Chicago’s admission dean, Ted O’Neill, says a good college admission process “is not like computer dating—it’s like love letters.” He says online applications eliminate individuality and produce “generic” and “utterly boring” essays. O’Neill’s comments, delivered at last year’s annual meeting of the College Board and reported by Inside Higher Ed, have drawn a mixed response from admission officers and high school guidance counselors. O’Neill also posits that the trends toward uniformity and centralization embodied in electronic admission could some day lead to a national clearinghouse through which students are assigned their college placement. Maybe so, but in light of the population and technology trends of the 1990s, my sense is that the transformation thus far has been inevitable.

Now for the downside. Put bluntly, the college admission process is today more unpredictable, more intimidating, more costly, and more time-consuming than ever before. For an essay in the New York Review of Books, the political scientist Andrew Hacker studied admission data for the entering freshman class of 2004 at a dozen of the most highly selective colleges and universities in the country (Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, Brown, MIT, Amherst, Dartmouth, Penn, Williams, Duke). “Collectively,” he writes, “admission officers at these schools considered 171,824 applications and turned down 145,962 for an overall acceptance rate of about 15 percent.” But contained in those totals, says Hacker, was a high degree of “redundancy,” as individual students applied to many of the schools, perhaps even to all of them. Today, it seems that the most highly selective colleges are virtually unattainable, that the next tier is brutally competitive, and so on, down the line. This trickling down of selectivity makes high school counselors increasingly reluctant to suggest sure bets to students. I submit that history will judge this as the time when the notion of the safety school disappeared.

The college admission process today seems stuck in a cycle from which it cannot be extricated. More students are applying to more colleges, which results in greater selectivity, which forces students to apply to more colleges, which causes more selectivity. Is the system destined for some kind of cataclysmic change in the years ahead—another tipping point? If so, what will survive, and how will we operate differently? I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I know what some of the stress points are and the direction I would like to see the college admission process take.

Let’s start with a key ingredient, this so-called millennial generation of students born since 1977, already different from those who came before. Stefanie Olsen, writing for CNET News.com in 2005, describes them well: “Children who were born when Netscape Communications went public are now 10 years old and have been raised on a steady diet of digital technologies that have fundamentally shaped their notions of literacy, intelligence, [and] friendship. . . . Their everyday lives are often characterized by immediate communication, via instant messenger, cellular conversations, or text messaging. No member of this generation, it can be assumed, would ever wait on a street corner for a late friend.”

Richard T. Sweeney, university librarian at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, in an interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education, says of the millennials, some of whom are now in college, “They want to learn, but they want to learn only what they have to learn, and they want to learn it in a style that is best for them.” This may account for a recent report in the Boston Globe that Amazon.com now allows customers to buy books one page at a time, that the physicist Stephen Hawking has published a condensed version of his landmark book A Brief History of Time entitled A Briefer History of Time, and that a British publisher has released The 100-Minute Bible, which reduces the Good Book to a 64-page paperback.

Before I turn to the impact of these trends on college admission, consider the impact they’re already having on higher education. In an interview with the Chronicle, Patrick Thaddeus Jackson, an assistant professor of international relations at American University, says, “The ’sage on the stage’ is dying, if not dead already. Faculty members are no longer privileged sources of knowledge, so our job should be to get people to think critically and independently about things.” Thus, Jackson counts himself a proponent of podcasting; he records his lectures for online downloading to digital audio players, and encourages his students to listen to them before coming to class. Jackson says, “Think about how much classroom time yo, u would save if you didn’t have to lecture anymore. You free up all this interactive personal space between you and your students. It changes the classroom experience.” Steve DiFilipo, chief technology officer at Gloucester County College in New Jersey, goes a step further in another Chronicle article: “Forget ipods. Ipods are history. . . . From an academic point of view, the mobile phone will be the next killer device.”

As educators, we have an obligation to be open to the opportunities and benefits that technology offers, but we must also think critically about how the goals of education may be in tension with the means technology affords. The same tensions exist in the marketing of higher education. We need to avoid latching on to the latest technological craze just because it appeals to the next generation and we think we can make our admission operation look trendy. The goal should not be to give the next generation what it wants; it should be to market higher education in an accurate and honest way and then to deliver an educational experience that will prepare students for a complex world.

My concern is that the new technologies that so appeal to young people serve to saturate them with information. While they don’t seem overwhelmed by this, and, in fact, have become the consummate multitaskers, they are conditioned to move quickly through material that should be deliberately absorbed. We must be high-minded and thoughtful in the ways that we promote our institutions. We should strive not so much to dazzle with technology as to stimulate students to think about the intellectual and social opportunities we can offer them. Then, perhaps, we can achieve a tipping point that restores reason and sanity to a college admission process that seems out of control.

John L. Mahoney ’79, MAT’85, is the director of undergraduate admission at Boston College. His essay is drawn from a talk delivered to his staff at their annual retreat in January

Early Admission

is applying in the twilight of the process right for you?

With all the hype about early admission programs in the media, some students and counselors are beginning to wonder if waiting until the regular admission deadlines will be too late. Our goal in this essay is to explain some of the fundamentals regarding early admission programs and to offer some suggestions to consider as you decide if applying early is right for you.

In college admission today, there are three main types of early admission programs: Early Decision, Early Action, and Restrictive Early Action.  (Scroll to the bottom of this page to learn which program is offered at Boston College.)

 Early Decision institutions typically limit students to applying to only one Early Decision program. Most also allow students to apply to Early Action institutions, with the understanding that if they are admitted to the ED school they will attend and withdraw their other college applications. Usually, the only way students would be released from their commitment is if the financial aid package is not sufficient for them to afford the cost of attendance. One of the problems that some students encounter is that financial aid packages are not always provided at the time of the early offer. Admitted students may withdraw all of their applications in January, but then learn in the spring that they are not able to afford the Early Decision institution. These students are then left in the precarious situation of having no institution to attend.

Early Action programs allow students to apply ahead of time, but do not require that students attend the university. Early Action applicants to Boston College are free to apply to other schools during the Regular Admission process, and therefore can make an informed decision by May 1st. Institutions have different rules regarding whether or not students may apply to more than one Early Action school, so it is always best to review each of your potential schools' policies.

Restrictive Early Action programs vary, but generally give students the opportunity to learn of their admission early in their senior year of school without binding them to the college or university to which they are admitted. Some REA program only allow students to apply early to only one school, while others allow early applications to other EA schools, but not ED schools. All REA programs allow students to apply regular admission or rolling admission to other institutions and give them until May 1st to decide where they will attend.

Advantages:
Some institutions inform their applicants that they have a slight advantage in the admission process if they apply early. If a student shows the interest by applying early, the institution may be inclined to reward that interest in the process. At other institutions like Boston College, it is actually a bit more competitive to be admitted in the early process. Some applicants struggle with the decision to apply early to Boston College because they want to wait until the Regular Decision process when their application will be stronger, but they also want us to know that , Boston College is their first choice. In this case, adding a cover letter that explains their interest in the university to their Regular Decision application is a good alternative. In short, know your institutions, and how they view students who apply early.

Students who learn of their admission to an Early Decision school know in December where they will be going the following year. This can take a great deal of stress out of the process. Students admitted through an Early Action program can spend the first four months of the new year revisiting the school, investigating more opportunities that exist, and becoming comfortable with their upcoming decision. It can be a great way for students to focus more closely on their top choice schools.

Disadvantages:
Students who apply early do not have the chance to showcase a full semester of work from their senior year. If a student's application will grow stronger throughout the senior year due to a stellar performance in the classroom, enhanced test scores from the November or December testing date, or a variety of other factors, then applying early may not be the best option. Waiting until the application is at its most impressive stage is usually the way to go.

Students admitted to an Early Decision school cannot change their minds. We can't tell you how many conversations we've had with students who tell us that the spring of their senior year was instrumental in helping them to decide which school was right for them. If you are admitted ED, you no longer have the luxury of using your Senior Year to determine if the school is the right fit for you.

Students applying to a Restrictive Early Action program may miss out on special opportunities at other institutions. For example, at Boston College, to be considered for our four-year, full-tuition Presidential Scholarship, applicants must apply Early Action. If you want to apply early to another school who only offers the "Single Choice Early Action" version of Restrictive Early Action, you will be forced to make a difficult decision. While our policy allows students freedom of choice, we expect that you will adhere to any restrictive policies enforced at the other institutions you are considering.

Recommendations:
Early programs were designed for top students in an applicant pool to hear early from their top choice schools in order to make informed decisions in the spring. They were not created with the intent that all applicants would use the option. Some students would be better served waiting until the regular admission process. As previously stated, we recommend that you be in contact with each of the schools to which you are applying to determine if applying early is right for you.

Because Early Action, Early Decision, and Restrictive Early Action policies vary from institution to institution, it is critical that you are fully aware of the rules when applying early to a school. If you can't find the information about early admission programs on-line, we recommend that you call each of the schools to which you will apply in order to learn the details behind each school's policy. To get you started, let us share some information about Boston College's early program.

Restrictive Early Action at Boston College:
Boston College offers an Early Action program for top students who wish to learn of their admission in December. Early Action candidates must submit all credentials by the postmark deadline of November 1. The Admission Committee will communicate decisions no later than December 25. Candidates for Early Action will be evaluated primarily on their high school record through the junior year. SAT results from the October administration will be considered, but students need not have completed the two SAT Subject Tests. However, Early Action candidates must complete all required testing by the December administration date.

Early Action is a non-binding program; therefore, students admitted to Boston College in December will have until May 1st, the Candidate’s Reply Date, to make their enrollment decisions.

Boston College does not permit students to apply under Early Action if they are applying to a binding Early Decision program at another college. Students are free to apply to other Early Action and Regular Decision programs.

Competitive candidates who are not admitted to Boston College under Early Action will be reconsidered during the Regular Decision evaluation process. Approximately 20% of candidates deferred at Early Action are admitted during the Regular Decision process. Decisions will be communicated in early April. Early Action candidates whose credentials are not competitive for admission to Boston College will be denied in December and may not reapply in January. This allows such candidates to move forward with the application process at colleges where they will be competitive for admission.

Choosing a Major

the ultimate decision

During the past few weeks, many students have called our office to inquire about which major to select when completing the Supplemental Application. Some common questions have been: "Does choosing a specific major affect my chances of admission?"; "What if I am not certain of which major to choose?"; "What if I select a major, but change my mind later on?" These are all excellent questions that deserve further clarification.

Our only expectation at this point is that you select one of our four colleges to which you will make an application: The College of Arts & Sciences, The Carroll School of Management, The Lynch School of Education, or The Connell School of Nursing. If you have aspirations to work in business, be an educator, or a nurse, you should apply to the appropriate professional school. If you are interested in the sciences, the arts, the humanities, or if you are undecided, you should apply to the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts & Sciences is the largest of our four colleges and has the most potential majors from which you can choose.

Aside from choosing the college, you need not make another decision if you are not ready. Some students have a strong interest in a particular major, but many are undecided. This is why the University exists. Boston College is a Liberal Arts university. The word "liberal" was derived from the word "free." College is about exploration, freedom of choice, and trying new things. You will have two full years before we expect you to have solidified your major choice. Furthermore, many of the students who come with a selected major will change their minds. Again, students have the option to change their major at any point during the first two years. Choosing a specific major at the application stage will not enhance or diminish your chances of admission.

Some students also want to know what happens if they are admitted to one college - Arts & Sciences, for example, but decide later that they want admission to the Carroll School. In this case, an internal transfer may be possible. We ask that all students remain in the college to which they were admitted for one full year. At that point, if they have maintained a 3.0 G.P.A., they may apply for an internal transfer to another college. The decision to grant a transfer will depend on space availability in the given college, but the university will do its best to accommodate the student's request.

Therefore, as an applicant, you should apply to the academic division from which you currently would like to earn your degree. If through your college course exploration you decide you would like to earn a degree from a different division, we will work with you then. In the meantime, keep an open mind, explore your many options, and if you have no idea what you'd like to major in . . . there's always "undecided."

Frequently Asked Questions

Application Requirements
Which high school courses do you recommend to make me more competitive in the application process?

While specific courses are not required, the Undergraduate Admission Office recommends that students pursue a strong college preparatory program including four units of English, mathematics, foreign language, laboratory science, and social science. The Committee on Admission also looks at the rigor of your high school program. Students challenging themselves with Honors, AP, IB, and/or college-level courses tend to be more competitive in the admission process.

Course Credit
Does Boston College award credit for Advanced Placement (AP) courses or for college courses that I took while in high school?

Generally speaking, at Boston College, Advanced Placement exams and college courses taken on a college campus during high school are used to fulfill University Core requirements and do not earn actual course credit. With an AP exam score of 4 or 5 or a college course grade of B or better, students receive "University Core equivalencies" and are exempt from the Boston College Core requirement in that academic area. Students must still take 38 courses as an undergraduate. Students who have taken multiple AP examinations and have earned the equivalent of 8 or more Boston College courses may apply for advanced standing. If granted, credit for these courses would be applied to the student's transcript, accelerating his/her date of graduation by one year. Students who accept this option must graduate in three years. Advanced standing decisions will be made after completion the student's first semester at Boston College. more...

Early Action
Does Boston College offer admission under an Early Action or Early Decision policy?

Boston College offers Early Action as an option to applicants. Early Action at Boston College is a non-binding process and is intended only for outstanding candidates who view Boston College as a top choice for their undergraduate education, and who wish to learn of their admission early in their senior year. Boston College does not permit students to apply under our Early Action program if they are applying to a binding Early Decision program at another college. Students are free to apply to other Early Action and Regular Decision programs. The university aims to fill no more than

30% of the freshman class through the Early Action process, therefore, Early Action at Boston College is more selective than Regular Decision. Students interested in applying Early Action must submit all required application credentials no later than November 1st of their senior year. Students will be notified of our decision before December 25th and have until May 1, the Candidate's Reply Date, to decide where they will enroll.

Are there any restrictions to your Early Action program?

Yes. Students who apply to a binding Early Decision program at another college or university may not apply Early Action to Boston College.

If I am not admitted through Early Action, can I reapply through Regular Decision?

The majority of students not admitted during the Early Action review process will be deferred to the Regular Decision review process. These students will automatically be reconsidered during the Regular Admission evaluation and notified of their decisions in April. These students should forward new grades and test scores as they become available. Approximately 20% of candidates deferred at Early Action are admitted during the Regular Decision process. Early Action applicants whose records do not meet Boston College's standards will be denied. These students may not reapply during the Regular Admission process.

Foreign Languages
Is there a foreign language requirement once a student arrives at Boston College?

To graduate from Boston College, students in the College of Arts & Sciences and the Carroll School of Management must show proficiency in a foreign language. Students may fulfill this proficiency by earning a score of 3 or better on a language AP examination (French, German, or Spanish) or by earning a score of 550 or better on the language SAT II examination in French, German, Spanish, or Italian (600 or better in Latin or Greek). Students wishing to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than those listed above, and those for whom English is not their first language, should consult their class dean. Otherwise, students must pass the intermediate level of a Boston College foreign language course. Students in the Carroll School of Management who have had four years of a foreign language in high school have fulfilled the requirement.

Honors Program
How are students selected for the Honors Program and what does membership entail?

Admission to the Honors Program is by invitation only. In recent years, admission has been offered to approximately the top 7% of admitted students. Each of the four undergraduate schools (College of Arts & Sciences, Carroll School of Management, Connell School of Nursing, and Lynch School of Education) offers its own Honors Program. While they differ in requirements and coursework, each provides extraordinary challenges: small classes, close attention from instructors, and a classroom community of highly focused students. Students take part in Honors courses throughout the first three years and finish the program in their senior year by completing an independent project or honors thesis with the guidance of a faculty member.

Housing
Is campus housing guaranteed to entering freshman students?

All admitted freshman applicants are guaranteed at least three years of on-campus housing, and half are guaranteed four years of on-campus housing. Boston College is unique in that our students choose to live off campus in their junior year, and return to campus in their senior year. In fact, nearly 99% of juniors living off-campus last year returned to campus for their final year. Boston College's Office of Residential Life works with sophomore students to assist them in locating off-campus apartments for the, upcoming year. The university informs students about every aspect of living off campus and hosts apartment fairs where students not only learn about various apartment locations, styles, and rent prices, but they also meet with real estate agents and landlords. Students generally live within a one-mile radius of campus. A Boston College bus shuttle services these areas throughout the academic year.

Interviews
How can I set up an interview with an admission counselor?

Interviews are not offered at Boston College. We do, however, understand the importance of prospective students making a connection with the university. We have many such opportunities available. Boston College's Eagle Eye Sessions which are offered daily throughout the academic year and during the summer (check the "Campus Visits and Tours" section for dates and times) are conducted by admission staff members and include a panel of undergraduate students offering their views of academic and student life at Boston College. Current undergraduate students are available in our reception area each day to greet visitors and speak about their experiences at Boston College. Staff members are also available throughout the day to answer individual questions that you may have. Prospective students may also spend an actual class day with a student. The Day Visit Program matches freshman and transfer applicants with a current Boston College student for the morning, including classes and an informal tour of the campus. For more information or to schedule a Day Visit, please contact the Day Visit Coordinator at least two weeks prior to your desired visiting date at (617) 552-3378. The office is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 am - 4:45 pm during the academic year.

Merit Scholarships
Does Boston College offer merit scholarships?

Boston College is committed to need-based financial aid and, therefore, offers very little merit money. The Presidential Scholars Program offers our only merit-based scholarship, and is awarded to the top 15 students each year. Presidential Scholars receive a full-tuition scholarship regardless of financial need. There is no separate application required to be considered for the scholarship. To be eligible, students must simply apply through the Early Action application process. Scholars are selected by the Committee on Admission based on academic excellence, demonstrated leadership ability, significant community service involvement and potential. Boston College awards all other money (more than 60 million dollars last year) through need-based financial aid.

ROTC
Can I be involved in ROTC at Boston College?

Yes. Army, Navy and Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs offer substantial financial aid opportunities for qualified and selected individuals. 

Army ROTC has an Extension Center on the Boston College campus and offers full-tuition scholarships with additional BC incentives.  More information can be found at http://www.bc.edu/rotc or (617-552-2580).

Navy ROTC (617-353-0474), providing full-tuition scholarships, and Air Force ROTC (617-353-4705), providing partial scholarships are based/hosted at Boston University.

Standardized Tests - SAT, ACT, TOEFL
Which standardized tests are required for admission, and what are the minimum scores required on the examinations?

Students have two options through which to complete the standardized testing requirement for admission to Boston College - the SAT I & SAT Subject Tests or the ACT. For students whose first language is not English, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is also required. All standardized tests are used for evaluation in the admission process and applicants are required to submit all standardized examinations by the required application deadline. It is important to note that standardized tests are only one portion of the application process. Students should not assume that scoring within or above the ranges found below will automatically result in a positive admission decision. Conversely, students with scores below these ranges should not necessarily assume a negative decision. (More specific details are found below.)

Students must select one of the following two options for standardized testing:

• The first option is for the applicant to complete the SAT I test and two SAT Subject Tests, both administered by the College Entrance Examination Board. For the SAT Subject Tests, students are encouraged to choose two exams in subjects they have enjoyed and highlight their particular academic strengths.
• As a second option, in place of both the SAT I and SAT Subject Tests, applican, ts may take the American College Test (ACT). Students who choose this option MUST also take the optional ACT Writing examination.

TOEFL - (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
For students whose native language is not English, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required. For students taking the TOEFL exam, a minimum score of 600 on the paper-based test (PBT), 250 on the computer-based test (CBT), or 100 on the Internet-based test (iBT) is strongly recommended.

Electronic Applications

instructions for submitting your application electronically

Boston College encourages students who wish to apply electronically to do so.  Application materials are available at www.commonapp.org.  All applicants are required to complete all portions of both the Supplemental Application for Admission (with the exception of the "optional" section) and the Common Application.  Students should submit both the Supplemental Application and the $70 application fee at www.commonapp.org as soon as possible. 

When you initiate your supplemental application online, you will be instructed to click on the "print preview" button in order to verify your information.  Your application number will appear at the bottom of this document.  You will need this application number in order to pay the fee online.

After the receipt of the online application, you will receive notification from Boston College within three business days.  A message will be sent to the email address provided on your application.  The message will contain confidential Boston College credentials, including your Eagle ID number and Username.  You will use your credentials to check your application status at www.bc.edu/agora.  Click here for additional information.

It is your responsibility to ensure that all credentials are sent to and received by the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

Costs and Financial Aid

COSTS

FINANCIAL AID

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

INDIRECT EXPENSES

The total cost of a Boston College education includes both fixed, direct expenses and indirect expenses. The direct expenses for resident students include tuition, fees, room and board. Students are billed by Boston College for direct expenses minus any scholarships, grants, and loans awarded. The indirect expenses include the cost of books and supplies, as well as travel and personal expenses.

Additional fees for science and laboratories, art studios, music lessons, and health insurance may increase billed costs. Financial aid packages may also be adjusted for transportation expenses, which vary based on the location of the student's permanent residence.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

All international students who do not hold US citizenship or US Permanent Residency status (in possession of a Greencard) should make arrangements for their financial obligations to Boston College and for their entire stay in the United States before leaving their homelands. There is no financial aid of any kind available for these undergraduate international students at Boston College. The visa forms will be mailed to students once they have been accepted and have verified they can meet the financial obligations set by Boston College. All international students who do hold US citizenship or a Greencard are fully eligible to receive financial aid.

PAYMENT OF TUITION

Candidates accepted for admission are required to forward an Enrollment Confirmation Fee of $250. This nonrefundable fee will be applied toward the student's tuition in the second semester of senior year.,

Students accepted as residents are also required to submit an initial $250 Room Guarantee Fee. This is applied toward their first semester housing charges.

The enrollment confirmation payment and the room guarantee payment must be received by the Office of Undergraduate Admission postmarked by May 1, 2008. Any student whose payments are received after this date will not be guaranteed a place in the freshman class. For information about these payments or refunds due to formal withdrawal, contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission and the Office of Residential Life.

Tuition and fees for 2008-09 are payable semiannually on August 10 and December 15. A monthly installment payment plan is available. All charges, specified above apply to the 2007-08 academic year. Tuition and fees for 2008-09 will be set by the Board of Trustees at the February 2008 board meeting.

Boston College requires that all undergraduate resident students be enrolled with Health Services, and a mandatory Health/Infirmary fee is listed on the tuition bill. Massachusetts law now requires all full-time students to be covered by medical insurance in order to be protected in case of hospitalization or other costly outside medical services.

2008-2009 Financial Aid Application Checklist for Early Action Candidates:

2008-2009 Financial Aid Application Checklist for Regular Decision and January 2008 Freshman Applicants:

2008-2009 Financial Aid Application Checklist for Transfer Applicants:

APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID

Boston College offers a variety of grants, loans and employment to assist students in financing a Boston College education. All financial assistance, with the exception of the Presidential Scholars Program is awarded on the basis of need. Boston College is committed to providing funds to meet the full demonstrated need of every admitted student who has filed the required paperwork to apply for financial aid.

Overall, 62 percent of the Class of 2010 received some form of financial aid from Boston College. This assistance included more than $15.6 million in institutional need-based grants.

An application for financial aid will in no way influence an admission decision.

Need Analysis Documents

• Financial Aid applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA code number for Boston College is 002128.
• Students who wish to be considered for institutional grant funds should also complete the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile Application form. The CSS number for Boston College is 3083.
• All applicants must also submit copies of parent and student tax returns and W-2 statements.
• Other forms, such as the CSS Business/Farm Supplement and/or CSS Noncustodial Parent's Statement, may also be required.

Each of these required forms is fully explained in the following sections.

THE FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA)

The FAFSA is required in order to determine your eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial assistance. You should indicate Boston College, Title IV Institution code number 002128, Chestnut Hill, MA, in the College Release and Certification Section. The FAFSA may be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.The form cannot be filed before January 1, 2008.

NOTE: Although figures from a 2007 Federal Income Tax return are preferred, due to early priority filing deadlines, it may be necessary to provide estimates on the FAFSA form. Do not delay filing the FAFSA until tax forms are completed. The processed FAFSA takes approximately four to six weeks to reach Boston College.

CSS PROFILE FORM

Any student who would like to be considered for Boston College grants and scholarships is also required to file the CSS Profile Form published by the College Scholarship Service (CSS). The Profile Registration Form is available online at http://profileonline.collegeboard.com. You should indicate Boston College, CSS Profile code number 3083, as a recipient of your information on the Profile Registration Form. There is a fee required for processing this form. All parental information is required to be completed on the Profile Application Form regardless of dependency status.

Students who choose not to file the Profile Form will be considered for federal funds only, and will not be considered for any Boston College grants or scholarships awarded by the Office of Student Services.

NOTE: Although figures from a 2007 Federal Income Tax return are preferred, due to early priority filing deadlines, it may be necessary to provide estimates on the Profile form. Do not delay filing Profile until tax forms are completed. The processed Profile form takes approximately two to four weeks to reach Boston College.

TAX RETURNS AND OTHER REQUIRED FORMS

Federal Tax Returns

In order to be considered for financial aid, all students, regardless of dependency status, must submit signed copies of their own and their parents' Federal Income Tax Returns, including all schedules and W-2 forms. The 2006 tax returns are due by the priority deadline in the chart above. The 2007 tax returns should be submitted as soon as they are completed and are due no later than April 17.

In cases where parents are divorced, separated, or were never married, the noncustodial parent's taxes, including all schedules and W-2 forms, must also be submitted using the same schedule of deadlines in order to be considered for Boston College grants and scholarships.

If the 2007 income will be significantly different than the income reported on the 2006 tax return, a letter of explanation should be submitted with the 2006 tax returns.

Students must also submit copies of their own 2007 federal tax returns by April 17.

Business/Farm Supplement

This form should be completed by families who derive/lose income from a business (schedule C/E, sole partnership, partnership and/or corporation) and returned to the Boston College Financial Aid Processing Center with a signed copy of the most recent Federal Tax return filed for business, including all schedules and forms. The Business/Farm Supplement (PDF) can be downloaded at www.bc.edu/studentservices under FORMS or you can obtain the form by completing the PROFILE.

Noncustodial Parent's Statement

In cases where the parents are divorced, separated, or were never married, the Noncustodial Parent's Statement is required for any student who would like to be considered for Boston College grants and scholarships. In the fall of 2004, CSS introduced a web-based application process for the Noncustodial Parent's Statement. Instructions regarding this process will be provided when you complete the PROFILE.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Once the Office of Student Services has received the appropriate forms and has been notified by the Office of Undergraduate Admission that the student will be admitted, the application is reviewed, and a conditional award is prepared. The conditional financial aid award letter is mailed with the admission decision. If the appropriate forms have not been received by the time offers of admission have been made, a financial aid offer will not accompany the admission decision. The conditional award will be based on the financial aid application materials on file at the time the award is prepared, and is subject to change once the 2007 tax return and other documents are received. Changes in calculated financial need may result in adjustments in the aid award. Students applying after the priority deadlines listed in the chart above will be notified as soon as their file has been evaluated.

A final review of each student's application for financial aid is conducted commencing in May and continuing throughout the summer. All information initially provided will be validated against actual tax information and the information contained in other requested documents. Any discrepancies discovered during the validation process may result in adjustment of the amount of assistance offered.

Admission Procedures

The Basics

Since preparations for entering a college in the United States are complex, international students should begin their application process one year before intended enrollment. The information that you will find below should assist you in providing the answers to questions that many international applicants have. In addition to the information presented within the International Student web site, we also recommend that you explore our main admission site which offers additional information about Boston College. We hope that you will find the answers to your questions here and we look forward to reviewing your application in the coming months.