Boston College: A Comprehensive Overview

Boston College (BC), a private Catholic Jesuit research university situated in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, holds a prominent position in American higher education. This article delves into various facets of Boston College, including its history, academics, admissions process, student life, athletics, and notable aspects that define the institution.

Historical Foundation and Evolution

Founded on March 31, 1863, by John McElroy and the first Jesuit community in New England, Boston College initially resided in Boston's South End. In 1907, under the leadership of President Thomas I. Gasson, the university began its move to Chestnut Hill. Gasson envisioned the new campus as a "city upon a hill," a beacon of Jesuit scholarship. The main campus is now a historic district, showcasing early examples of collegiate gothic architecture in North America.

The early 20th century marked a period of significant expansion. By the 1920s, Boston College established the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the Law School, and the Woods College of Advancing Studies. Subsequent years saw the addition of the Graduate School of Social Work, the Carroll School of Management, the Connell School of Nursing, and the Lynch School of Education and Human Development. While the university conferred its first degrees on women in 1926, it became fully coeducational in 1970.

Academic Divisions and Programs

Boston College offers a wide array of academic programs across its nine colleges and schools, awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Candidates are required to apply to one of the four undergraduate academic divisions:

Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences: Offers a broad range of disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
Carroll School of Management: Focuses on business education, providing students with skills in leadership, finance, marketing, and operations.
Lynch School of Education and Human Development: Dedicated to preparing educators, counselors, and human development professionals.
Connell School of Nursing: Offers comprehensive nursing education, preparing students for careers in healthcare.

HCE (Human-Centered Engineering) major applicants have the option to indicate a second major in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences. Boston College's curriculum is known for its holistic approach, aiming to produce well-rounded individuals. The university emphasizes a strong core curriculum across various disciplines, supported by dedicated professors.

Admission Process

Boston College employs a thorough and thoughtful admission process, using the Common Application for undergraduate admissions. All candidates must submit their applications electronically. The Office of Undergraduate Admission values a diverse community of scholars.

Key Application Requirements:

Common Application: The standard application form used by many colleges and universities.
Boston College Writing Supplement: An essay that provides applicants the opportunity to share their unique perspectives and experiences. Applicants are prompted to respond to one of the first four prompts below (400 word limit):
1. Strong communities are sustained by traditions. Boston College's annual calendar is marked with both long-standing and newer traditions that help shape our community. Tell us about a meaningful tradition in your family or community.2.
2. In her July 2009 Ted Talk, “The Danger of a Single Story,” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie warned viewers against assigning people a “single story” through assumptions about their nationality, appearance, or background. Discuss a time when someone defined you by a single story.
3. Boston College’s Jesuit mission highlights “the three Be’s”: be attentive, be reflective, be loving - core to Jesuit education (see A Pocket Guide to Jesuit Education). If you could add a fourth “Be,” what would it be and why?
4. Human-Centered Engineering (HCE) Applicants only: One goal of a Jesuit education is to prepare students to serve the Common Good. Human-Centered Engineering at Boston College integrates technical knowledge, creativity, and a humanistic perspective to address societal challenges and opportunities.
High School Transcript: An official record of a student's academic performance.
School Report and Counselor Recommendation: Forms submitted by a counselor or school official, providing insights into the applicant's character and potential.

Read also: ACC Showdown: Virginia Tech Battles Boston College
Teacher Evaluations: Two evaluations from teachers who can speak to the applicant's academic abilities and personal qualities.
Application Fee: An $80 fee, although fee waivers are available for eligible students.
English Proficiency: International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency through TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test examination results.

Test-Optional Policy and Standardized Testing

Boston College has a test-optional admission policy. To reduce the cost associated with applying to college, Boston College provides applicants with multiple options to report your SAT and ACT score results. Boston College "super scores" exam results for students who have taken the SAT or ACT multiple times. Enrolled students will be required to submit official test score reports for all self-reported scores upon matriculation. Official standardized test results sent at the time of application or upon enrollment must be sent directly from the testing agency to Boston College (SAT Code: 3083 and ACT Code: 1788). If having score reports sent from the College Board or ACT to Boston College presents a financial hardship, applicants should have their high school counselor contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

Academic Expectations

Boston College seeks students who have pursued challenging courses in high school, typically including four years of English, Math, Social Science, Natural Science, and Foreign Language.

Read also: History of the BU Bridge

Admission Statistics

For the Class of 2028, Boston College received 35,475 applications and admitted 15.9% of applicants. The interquartile range of admitted students of the class of 2025 who submitted test scores possessed scores between 1450 and 1520 on the SAT and 33-34 on the ACT. The accepted class includes students from all 50 states and 75 foreign countries.

Campus Life and Student Activities

Boston College offers a vibrant campus life with numerous opportunities for student engagement. The university is located in a suburban setting on the outskirts of Boston, providing a balance between a peaceful campus environment and easy access to the city.

Student Demographics and Diversity

Boston College has become increasingly diverse. One-third of students now identify as AHANA (African, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American descent). The school's Jesuit affiliation fosters a large religious/spiritual community, complementing the diverse pool of students.

Extracurricular Activities and Sports

BC boasts 31 Division I sports teams and more than 40 intramural teams. The university provides free shuttle service to the MBTA for transportation into Boston & Cambridge. Additionally, free shuttle transportation is provided between BC campuses, as well as an extended loop connecting BC to the immediate Cleveland Circle neighborhood in Brighton for access to off-campus apartments, restaurants, and CVS. BC also provides speciality shuttle runs to a local mall and grocery store complex in Chestnut Hill.

Transportation and Accessibility

Logan International Airport in Boston is 7 miles from campus. Public transportation, rental cars, and taxis are available from the airport to campus. Amtrak trains and Greyhound buses provide service to Boston. Local public transportation to the college is provided by the Boston College branch of the Massachusetts Bay Transit authority's Green Line. From I-95 (also known as Rte. 128), take Exit 24 (Rte. 30). Proceed east on Rte. 30 (Commonwealth Ave.) for approximately 5 miles to the campus. From the west, take the Massachusetts Tpke. to Exit 17. At the first set of lights after the exit ramp, turn right onto Center St. and follow it to the 4th set of lights. Turn left onto Commonwealth Ave.

Student Culture

The majority of students are academically driven and passionate about extracurricular activities. There is a shared "work hard, play hard mentality" among students, with academics as a top priority.

AHANA

AHANA is the term Boston College uses to refer to persons of African-American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American descent. The term was coined at Boston College in 1979 by two students, Alfred Feliciano and Valerie Lewis, who objected to the name "Office of Minority Programs" used by Boston College at the time. They cited the definition of the word minority as "less than" and proposed, instead, to use the term AHANA which they felt celebrated social cultural differences. The term has become common on a number of other American university campuses.

Athletics

Boston College's athletic teams, known as the Eagles, compete at the NCAA Division I level. They have been members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) since the 2005-06 season.

Key Athletic Programs:

Football: The Eagles football team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the ACC. Home games are played at Alumni Stadium.
Ice Hockey: The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Hockey East. The men's team has won 5 NCAA Hockey Championships.
Other Sports: The Eagles compete in a wide range of sports, including baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.

The Eagle serves as the iconic mascot for Boston College.

Campus Facilities

Libraries

Boston College's eight research libraries contain over two million printed volumes. Including manuscripts, journals, government documents and microform items, ranging from ancient papyrus scrolls to digital databases, the collections have some twelve million items.

McMullen Museum of Art

The McMullen Museum of Art, located on Boston College's Brighton campus, was established in 1993. The museum is recognized for its multidisciplinary exhibitions that contextualize art within broader political and cultural narratives.

Chapels

The chapel for the university is located in St. Mary's Hall, the Jesuit residential facility. Additional BC chapels are Trinity Chapel on the Newton Campus, St. Joseph's Chapel in the Basement of Gonzaga Hall on Upper Campus, Simboli Hall Chapel on the Brighton Campus, and St. Catherine of Sienna Chapel in Cushing Hall.

Traditions and Notable Aspects

"For Boston"

"For Boston" is claimed to be America's oldest college fight song, composed by T. J. Hurley in 1885. It has two verses but the most commonly sung one is the first verse. Boston-based band Dropkick Murphys covered this song on their album Sing Loud, Sing Proud!. Changes have been made to the song, including reworking the phrase "for here men are men" into "for here all are one" in the first verse.

Red Bandanna Game

The Eagles annually wear red bandanna-themed uniforms in honor of fallen September 11, 2001 hero Welles Crowther, class of 1999.

Order of the Cross and Crown

The Order of the Cross and Crown, founded in 1939, is the College of Arts and Sciences honor society for seniors who have achieved an average of at least A−, as well as established records of unusual service and leadership on the campus.

Alumni Network

There are over 179,000 alumni in over 120 countries around the world. Boston College students have been recipients of Rhodes, Marshall, Mellon, Fulbright, Truman, Churchill, and Goldwater scholarships.

Recent Developments

Messina College

The Brookline campus is home to Messina College (formerly Pine Manor College), which includes several residence halls and other academic and athletic facilities. Messina College opened in July 2024 for over 100 first-generation college students. It offers associate degrees in applied data science, health sciences, general business, and applied psychology and human development.

"Soaring Higher" Campaign

The most recent and ongoing fundraising campaign, dubbed "Soaring Higher", was announced on September 28, 2023. The campaign aims to raise $3 billion, double the last campaign's goal.

Financial Matters

As of 2025, Boston College's endowment is $4.24 billion. The university's annual operating budget is approximately $1.02 billion. The typical Boston College graduate has a median starting salary of $59,200, and 42 percent of graduates feel their jobs make the world a better place.

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