FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- How do I apply to be a Presidential Scholar at Boston College?
- What qualifications must an applicant have to be eligible for the Presidential Scholars Program?
- How are finalists selected?
- How many Scholars are selected each year?
- Will accepted students receive a scholarship?
- Will I live with other Presidential Scholars and will I have housing all four years?
- If I decide to study abroad my junior year, what happens to my scholarship?
- What activities/programs are held during the academic year for the Presidential Scholars?
- Are there activities for Scholars during the summer months?
How do I apply to be a Presidential Scholar at Boston College?
To apply to be a Boston College Presidential Scholar you simply apply through BC's Early Action application process and meet the early action deadline of November 1st. There is no separate Presidential Scholars application form.
What qualifications must an applicant have to be eligible for the Presidential Scholars Program?
There is no minimum GPA or SAT score requirement. However, we are looking for students with outstanding academic records, who hold leadership roles in their school and who are committed to and have a demonstrated interest in community service. Typically, the students selected are in the top 1-2 percent of the national pool of freshman applicants.
Letters of invitation are sent out to the finalists between Dec. 18-20th each year. Finalists visit Boston College (at the University's expense) for a weekend in February to learn more about the University, the Presidential Scholars Program, and the city of Boston. Personal interviews with faculty members and administrative staff and a written essay done over the weekend serve as the basis for the final choice of Presidential Scholars, who are generally notified in March.
How many Scholars are selected each year?
We invite 15 students to become Presidential Scholars. Once admitted to BC as Presidential Scholars, students remain in the program for their 4 years at BC provided they maintain a 3.5 GPA and remain model citizens of the BC community throughout that time. Presently, there are 68 Scholars in the program.
Will accepted students receive a scholarship?
Presidential Scholars receive a merit scholarship that covers full tuition at BC, regardless of financial need. If the merit award does not meet their financial aid requirements, Scholars receive additional grant and aid resources sufficient to meet full need. The cost of summer programs is fully covered by a separate award.
Will I live with other Presidential Scholars and will I have housing all four years?
Freshman Scholars are placed throughout campus and are fully integrated with all other freshmen. After freshman year, Scholars select their roommates; often Scholars do become roommates. Presidential Scholars receive 4 years of guaranteed on-campus housing.
If I decide to study abroad my junior year, what will happen to my scholarship?
Presidential Scholars are encouraged to study abroad. Boston College has a well established study abroad program with over 40 partnerships worldwide. Scholars who participate in a Boston College administered study abroad program will remain eligible for all their BC financial aid and any state and federal financial aid that they normally receive.
What activities/programs are held during the academic year for the Presidential Scholars?
Throughout each academic year the Presidential Scholars Program sponsors an Evening Speakers Series and Leadership 101 Sessions. The Evening Speakers Series brings prominent local and national leaders in a wide variety of fields to campus to share their experiences with the Scholars. The Leadership 101 Series provides workships focusing on one of a variety of practical skills such as time management, public speaking, information retrieval and research, proposal writing, committee and meeting leadership and interviewing techniques.
In addition, a variety of social events and community service projects are organized throughout the year to give Scholars the opportunity to gather in more informal settings.
Are there activities for Scholars during the summer months?
Yes, Scholars participate in three summer programs after their freshman, sophomore and junior years. During the summer after their freshman year Scholars explore the problems of hunger, homelessness and educational inequality in the Boston area through participation in a program modeled after PULSE, Boston College's nationally acclaimed course of study and service. Placements in recent years have included the Spectrum Boy's Unit, the Suffolk County House of Correction, Rosie's Place, the Labouré Center, the Italian Home for Children, the Project Bread Hunger Hotline, Haley House and St. Francis House.
During the summer following their sophomore year, Scholars travel to France for a month-long cultural study experience. In addition to language study, French history lectures, and visits to cultural sites, Scholars visit universities, hospitals, academic and business leaders, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, The European Court of Human Rights, and the city government of Strasbourg.
Following their junior year, Scholars work as interns in high-level professional settings. Designed to introduce them to the inner workings of the organizations that shape society, the internships include financial, government, corporate, and nonprofit institutions, depending on Scholar's individual preferences.
