BU Sees Surge in Applicants despite Pandemic

In lieu of traditional campus visits, high school seniors turned to methods like virtual tours via iPhone, group chats, and Zoom calls with BU clubs to learn more about the University before they applied. Photo by Janice Checchio

BU Sees Surge in Applicants despite Pandemic

First-generation, international, and minority numbers rose, too

With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging across the country and large-scale unemployment still pervasive, college admissions teams expected to see a lower number of applicants applying to their schools compared to previous years. But the opposite rang true at many top schools—numbers surged. And BU is no exception. The University’s Admissions office reports a jaw-dropping 75,559 students applied to be a member of the Class of 2025, a 24 percent increase from last year and a new record, breaking the previous one set by the Class of 2022.

Amy Laskowski is a senior writer at Boston University. She is always hunting for interesting, quirky stories around BU and helps manage and edit the work of BU Today’s interns. She did her undergrad at Syracuse University and earned a master’s in journalism at the College of Communication in 2015. Profile

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