<p>Hello,
I am a high school senior looking to apply to BU. I wanted to know how difficult it really is. BU is one of my top choices along with GWU and U of Miami. I really like this university and i am thinking of applying early decision, However I am not sure if i have any chance of actually getting in. I am living in Geneva Switzerland right now and going to an international school. I was thinking that may be a plus even though I am a US citizen. Right now, my grades are well, alright. In Freshman year I was in the US and received all A+ with a nearly perfect GPA. The next year, I received anywhere from A- to a B-. This year i have received an average of 4.5- 5 out of 7, (about 1 B-/ C+ maybe) in the International Baccalaureate , which is not great. It is an extremely rigorous curriculum and it is challenging to receive top marks. On my SAT, i did not do fantastic, scoring a RC- 640 M-570 W- 640 for a total of 1850. I really like this school and want to apply, but also want to be realistic. It seems i do not fit within the average range, but not sure about that. I heard BU has some sort of program where you are basically accepted with an asterisk and you are accepted but have to take a year of basic courses with support until you join the regular program. My college advisor told me this program existed is they see potential in you but you did not fit there normal criteria. Is this true? Im sorry to dump this on you all, but i just wanted to ask some people who have gotten into BU or have experience with the school whether or not i have a chance of getting in or whether, realistically, it is not normally possible.
Thanks</p>
<p>My son and I sat through a program that BU ran that showed case studies of types of students who applied to BU and then we tried to guess who was accepted and why. In the session, they stated that if BU is your top choice, it is definitely worthwhile to apply Early Decision. The criteria for which they judge Early Decision Candidates is a little easier than regular decision. They also stressed the essay. Be creative. The fact that you have lived abroad for the last year is a plus for you! You need to make a point to include this in your essay or in your application. Since your grades slipped a little from your Freshman to Senior year, this may raise a flag. However, if you can explain why this occurred as you have above, this may remove the flag. If you really want to go to BU and are willing to enroll in the College of General Studies, you would need to check this box on the application. Finally, why do you want to go to BU? Make sure you say what about the school you particularly like as oppose to just wanting to be in Boston. They stressed that SATs and ACTs are not the most significant indicator for the school but you may want to take some classes to try to get better scores. The most important factor is that they want diversity in its student body, they want a student who is well rounded and has an interesting background and someone who is passionate about attending BU and what the school and city has to offer.</p>