The tale of Boston University’s acceptance rate is a story that symbolizes the evolving landscape of elite college admissions. What started as a minimally competitive university that admitted well over half of its applicants back in the late aughts has transformed. Now, BU is a highly competitive school that nearly rivals the Ivy League in its historically low acceptance rates, which have dwindled over the last seventeen or so years. This shift, a trend that afflicts most elite schools nationwide, is making it more challenging than ever for ambitious students to get into the schools their parents could enter without breaking a sweat.

Ivy Coach has compiled nearly two decades of data from BU’s Common Data Set release to examine this phenomenon. So, without further ado, let’s track the transformation of an everyday college into a world-class institution that some of the nation’s top talent tries in vain to get into each year.

Boston University Early and Overall Acceptance Rates Over 17 Years

Boston University Class Year	Early Decision Acceptance Rate	Overall Acceptance Rate
Class of 2029	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Released
Class of 2028	28.03%	N/A
Class of 2027	26.09%	10.85%
Class of 2026	25.34%	14.36%
Class of 2025	32.16%	18.64%
Class of 2024	33.09%	20.09%
Class of 2023	29.98%	18.94%
Class of 2022	28.32%	22.09%
Class of 2021	29.55%	25.11%
Class of 2020	32.31%	29.43%
Class of 2019	43.09%	32.62%
Class of 2018	42.32%	34.51%
Class of 2017	40.11%	36.85%
Class of 2016	46.87%	45.61%
Class of 2015	41.68%	49.43%
Class of 2014	44.04%	57.97%
Class of 2013	39.96%	58.47%
Class of 2012	40.67%	54.30%

The Class of 2012 didn’t know what they had going for them. 54% of applicants managed to get into BU during the 2008-09 admissions cycle. However, loyal readers of Ivy Coach’s college admissions blog will take note of an unexpected quirk in the numbers. Any guesses? Bueller? Bueller? You know what, why don’t we tell you!

Until the Class of 2016 came around, Early Decision applicants to Boston University were less likely to be admitted than their Regular Decision counterparts! In other words, the students who were willing to commit to BU, who knew without a doubt that they wanted to spend four years on campus, actually had a lower chance of being admitted than those who couldn’t be bothered to demonstrate their interest early on. It’s lunacy!

The Changing Landscape of Boston University Admissions

This is an anomaly in elite college admissions because admissions officers at places like BU almost always prefer Early Decision applicants, who are far more likely to make the most of their time on campus than Regular Decision applicants. It comes as no surprise, then, that this quirk was ultimately short-lived.

Today, everything is in its proper place over at BU: Early applicants have an edge over the rest, and each year the university records a new record-low acceptance rate. But for the average applicant, this cause for celebration over at BU admissions is a sign of trouble. How is one supposed to get into BU faced with these odds?

Ivy Coach’s Assistance With Boston University Acceptance

Parents, trust in our expertise and track record. A well-rounded approach is no longer the ticket for BU admission. Succumbing to this misguided strategy will only make your child seem less admissible. So what are you to do? Our team of former elite college admissions officers, with their wealth of experience and knowledge, will help your child frame their application around a singular hook that will blow away Boston University in all of its strategic, highly competitive wonders. 

Turning to Ivy Coach to help your child optimize their odds of admission to Boston University allows you to rest assured that your child’s future is in good hands, even against these daunting odds (which, we might add, we predict will only get more competitive as time goes on!). To get started, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch with an outline of our services.