Record 41,000+ and Counting Join Class of 2015 Applicant Pool

Tom Testa — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 20:25:29 +0000

A record 41,734 applications, – up 9 percent from last year – have been submitted to BU’s undergraduate programs from prospective students vying for one of 4,000 slots in next year’s freshman class. Extremely well prepared and more diverse than last year’s group, the applicants have a higher grade point average and SAT score averages (1,896) – up 22 points higher than last year’s. Forty-eight percent of those hoping for admission to the class of 2015 are in the top 10 percent of their high school class. In terms of diversity, the pool shows a 19 percent increase in applications from international students, mainly from China, Korea, and Taiwan, an 8 percent increase in the number of African American students and a 22 percent increase in Hispanic/Latino students.

Laurie Pohl, vice president for enrollment and student affairs, believes the record number of applications is due to the fact that high school seniors are responding to real changes at BU.

Those changes? As BU President Dr. Robert A. Brown outlined in his 2010 State of the University letter to the BU community, over the past five years, the University has put more money into growing the faculty and increasing financial aid. BU has also made significant investments in programs to support student life and student services, dormitories, concerts, and clubs.

This year’s applicants also show an increased interest in BU’s professional schools such as the College of Engineering, the College of Communication, and Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences — a trend that may reflect concern about the economy as students want to be equipped with the best possible skill sets upon graduation.

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact BU Admissions at 617-353-2300 or admissions@bu.edu

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Record 41,000+ and Counting Join Class of 2015 Applicant Pool