What separated Boston University accepted vs. rejected applicants this cycle? Not grades or test scores, which were nearly identical, but the kind of activities, and luck with the waitlist. Boston University admits about 11% of applicants by its official rate, and in our sample a third of applicants ended up on its waitlist.
We compared 89 BU applicants from self-reported 2026 r/collegeresults posts: 36 admitted, 25 rejected and 28 still waitlisted. (Four admits came off the waitlist.) This is part of a larger comparison of accepted vs. rejected applicants at top colleges, which explains how the data was collected.
People who post results skew strong, so 40% of this sample got in, far above BU's real rate. Compare the two groups with each other, not with your own odds. A gap of a few people can be noise.
BU admitted student GPA and SAT: almost no difference
| Admitted | Rejected or waitlisted | |
|---|---|---|
| Median unweighted GPA | 3.95 (27 stated) | 3.94 (36 stated) |
| Median weighted GPA | 4.50 (25 stated) | 4.42 (36 stated) |
| Median SAT (scores sent) | 1535 (24 people) | 1520 (42 people) |
| Median ACT (scores sent) | 35 (12 people) | 35 (11 people) |
| Median AP/IB courses | 10 | 9 |
| National-level award | 69% | 70% |
The two groups were close on every academic measure. 9 of the 27 admits who stated a GPA had a 4.0, versus 8 of 36 among everyone else, and national-level awards were equally common. At BU, in this sample, the transcript and scores got you into the pool and nothing more, much like NYU.
Which activities BU admits listed more often
- Community service: 78% of admits versus 58% of everyone else, the biggest gap at BU.
- Tutoring or teaching: 53% versus 38%.
- A paid job: 47% versus 36%.
- Debate, speech or Model UN: 33% versus 23%.
- Journalism: 31% versus 21%.
And some showed up more often among applicants who weren't admitted:
- A named scholarship or fellowship: 22% of admits versus 40%.
- A varsity sport (not recruited): 33% versus 49%.
- Clubs and honor societies: 47% versus 58%.
- AP Scholar: 33% versus 45%.
- A selective summer program: 19% versus 28%.
Service is the notable result. Across top schools combined, community service made no difference at all, but at BU it was the clearest activity gap, along with tutoring. Work with other people, whether service, teaching, a job or debate, showed up more among admits than individual honors did. None of the 36 admits listed a research publication, versus 5 of 53 non-admits.
By the majors applicants listed, admit rates were fairly even, from 7 of 16 for computer science to 8 of 24 for engineering.
A third of BU applicants were waitlisted
32 applicants were waitlisted at some point (36%), and 4 were later admitted. That's one of the heaviest waitlist shares in our data, alongside Carnegie Mellon, Cornell and WashU. Our waitlist strategy guide covers what to do if you land there.
BU offers binding Early Decision, but no admit in this sample named it, so this data can't compare the rounds. Every admit who named a round applied regular decision.
What BU applicants can take from this
- Strong grades and scores were common in both groups. They didn't separate admits.
- Service and teaching stood out. Community service and tutoring were the clearest activity gaps.
- Plan for the waitlist. A third of this sample landed there, and few came off.
Boston University's College Intel page carries the same applicant-profile comparison, updated as new posts are logged.
Sources
- College Intel's tally of self-reported r/collegeresults posts, 2026 admissions cycle (445 posts logged as of Oct 17, 2026; 89 with a Boston University decision). Recruited athletes and transfer applicants excluded. Aggregates only; no individual post is reproduced, and no figure rests on fewer than 3 people.
- College Scorecard -- U.S. Department of Education (BU's official admission rate)