Does Boston College require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: Boston College is test-optional for the current application cycle, and students who do not send a score still get full consideration; this is the published policy as of November 2026, with no end date stated. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1430 to 1540.

Boston College does not require a score right now. Here is what the score bands say, whether your child should send one, and what to do this month.

By Nick Standlea, Test Prep Gurus. Figures may be quoted with attribution to Test Prep Gurus.

Boston College does not require the SAT or ACT. Boston College is test-optional for the current application cycle, and it admitted 15.7 percent of applicants for fall 2023.

The middle half of SAT senders scored 1430 to 1540. Among enrolled first-years who sent an ACT, the middle half scored 33 to 34.

28 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT. 16 percent sent an ACT. Both shares describe the fall 2023 class.

Boston College test policy

This is the policy Boston College publishes on its own admissions page.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the college's words	Source
Boston College	optional	current application cycle	Boston College offers a test-optional admission policy. Students who choose not to submit test scores will receive full consideration in our selection process.	Source

Optional means a student may choose whether to send a score.

Boston College scores, odds and costs

Score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023. Prices are for a year of college.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	36069
admits, fall 2023	5663
admit rate, percent	15.7
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1430
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1540
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	33
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	34
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	28
share who sent an ACT, percent	16
application fee, dollars	80
full price of a year, dollars	89493
average net price after aid, dollars	41704

Bands cover only enrolled first-years who chose to send a score, fall 2023 class.

Does Boston College require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

Boston College does not require the SAT or ACT for the current application cycle. Boston College is test-optional, and students who do not send a score still get full consideration. In the college's own words: "Students who choose not to submit test scores will receive full consideration in our selection process."

This is the published policy as of November 2026, with no end date stated. It is the rule that high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027, apply under today. Test-optional means sending a score is the student's choice.

For a closer look at the scores themselves, see our companion page, What SAT or ACT score do you need for Boston College? at https://www.prepgurus.com/blog/sat-act-score-for-boston-college.

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

Boston College names the current application cycle as the term its policy covers, with no end date stated. The page does not say anything about later cycles. So we do not assume a rule for fall 2027 that the college has not published.

Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring, so we tell families to check the Boston College admissions page again then. Juniors planning ahead should do the same.

Our advice is to prepare as if a score will help. A ready score keeps every door open, whatever the page says next spring.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1430 to 1540, and the middle half who sent an ACT scored 33 to 34. These bands describe the fall 2023 class, the latest federal count.

These numbers describe students who enrolled and chose to send a score. They do not describe every student who applied or got in. 28 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT, and 16 percent sent an ACT.

A score near 1540 on the SAT or 34 on the ACT sits with the strongest senders. A score near 1430 or 33 still sits inside the middle half.

For fall 2023, Boston College had 36,069 applicants and admitted 5,663 students, an admit rate of 15.7 percent. That makes Boston College a selective college.

Should my child send a score to Boston College?

Send a score to Boston College if it falls inside or above the band of 1430 to 1540 on the SAT or 33 to 34 on the ACT. A score below the band is one to think hard about, since your child is free to apply without it.

We tell families that at a selective test-optional college like Boston College, it is nearly always good to have a score, because a strong score bolsters the odds of getting in and most merit scholarships are keyed to one. Our rule is to earn the strongest score you can, then decide whether to send it.

Cost matters here too. The full price of a year at Boston College is $89,493, and the average net price after aid is $41,704. The college publishes a net price calculator, and we suggest families run it at home with last year's tax forms. The application fee is $80.

What should we do this month?

Sit a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT this month, both free at Test Prep Gurus, and compare each result with the Boston College band. Many students find that one test suits them better. Seeing both scores side by side makes the choice clear.

Then plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Our students prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just one section. That way every score they earn gives a full and honest picture.

To book a free mock SAT or free mock ACT, call us at 949.229.5359 or visit https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. We will go over the results with you and build a plan around your child's test dates.

Questions parents ask

Does Boston College require an SAT or ACT score?
Boston College does not require the SAT or ACT for the current application cycle.

Is Boston College test-optional?
Boston College is test-optional, and students who do not send a score still get full consideration.

What SAT and ACT scores do Boston College students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1430 to 1540, and the middle half who sent an ACT scored 33 to 34.

Should my child send a score to Boston College?
We tell families that at a selective test-optional college like Boston College, it is nearly always good to have a score, because a strong score bolsters the odds of getting in and most merit scholarships are keyed to one.

Could the Boston College policy change for fall 2027?
Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring, so we tell families to check the Boston College admissions page again then.

Ready to plan the next test date? Free mock SAT and free mock ACT at Test Prep Gurus, then a plan built on the result: prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step or 949.229.5359.

Method and sources: The policy shown is the one on Boston College's own admissions page, which names the current application cycle as its term. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file, so they do not describe students who applied without a score. Applicant and admit counts come from the same federal file, and prices come from the College Scorecard.