A common area of concern among applicants to Boston College is when to take the two required SAT Subject Tests of your choice. It is important to point out that if students take the ACT with the optional Writing Exam, the SAT Subject Tests are not required. But for all other applicants applying either Early Action or Regular Decision, the examinations must be taken no later than December of their senior year. The following advice is for students who choose to take the SAT I & SAT Subject Tests and not the ACT.
Even though the deadline for applying Early Action is November 1st, applicants who have taken at least the SAT I before November 1st are eligible to apply Early Action to Boston College (even if they will not take the SAT Subject Tests until November or December). These students must then take the two required SAT Subject Tests before January 1. SAT Subject Tests taken in November or December will not be used in the Early Action review process, but are still requirements for admission. As we consistently tell our applicants, the Early Action process at Boston College is more competitive than the Regular Decision process. Given the strength of the applicants admitted at Early Action, we are confident their SAT Subject Test results will be equally as impressive. Students not admitted in the Early Action process may be deferred until the Regular Decision process. At that point, we will utilize the students' November or December SAT Subject Test scores in our evaluation of their applications.
In summary, all October SAT I and SAT Subject Test scores will be considered in the Early Action process. There is no need to rush October scores, as they should arrive by mid-November - in time to be considered for Early Action. November and December scores will not be included in the review of Early Action applications. Students who feel that the scores they earn on November or December exams will help to strengthen their applications should consider submitting their applications in the Regular Decision process.