Boston College: Supplemental Essays 2025-2026

Boston College, a top Jesuit university in Massachusetts, released updated supplemental essay prompts for the 2025-26 application cycle.

Students applying to BC must respond to one of four possible essay questions unless they’re applying to the Human-Centered Engineering major, in which case they must only respond to prompt #5.

The HCE major was launched in Fall 2021, with an emphasis on “experiential learning and application-based course offerings, giving students opportunities to work in collaborative teams and across disciplines to address critical issues in the areas of the environment, health, and energy.”

TTA Top Tip: When writing your Boston College supplement, start with a vivid, personal story that pulls the reader into your world. Go beyond simply narrating what happened — reflect on why the experience mattered, how it challenged or affirmed your values, and how it changed the way you see yourself or others. Because BC’s Jesuit mission emphasizes curiosity, ethics, and service, make an intentional connection between your story and how you will contribute to the BC community. The most compelling essays will blend authenticity, insight, and a clear sense of purpose, leaving the reader convinced that your perspective would enrich Boston College’s community.

BOSTON COLLEGE SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAY PROMPTS

Instructions: We would like to get a better sense of you. Please respond to one of the first four prompts below (400 word limit). Students applying to the Human Centered Engineering major should respond to Prompt #5 instead.

1. Strong communities are sustained by traditions. Boston College’s annual calendar is marked with both long-standing and newer traditions that help shape our community. Tell us about a meaningful tradition in your family or community. Why is it important to you, and how does it bring people together or strengthen the bonds of those who participate?

2. The late BC theology professor, Father Michael Himes, argued that a university is not a place to which you go, but instead, a “rigorous and sustained conversation about the great questions of human existence, among the widest possible circle of the best possible conversation partners.” Who has been your most meaningful conversation partner, and what profound questions have you considered together?

3. In her July 2009 Ted Talk, “The Danger of a Single Story,” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie warned viewers against assigning people a “single story” through assumptions about their nationality, appearance, or background.  Discuss a time when someone defined you by a single story. What challenges did this present and how did you overcome them?

4. Boston College’s Jesuit mission highlights “the three Be’s”: be attentive, be reflective, be loving – core to Jesuit education (see A Pocket Guide to Jesuit Education). If you could add a fourth “Be,” what would it be and why? How would this new value support your personal development and enrich the BC community?

Human-Centered Engineering (HCE) Applicants only: One goal of a Jesuit education is to prepare students to serve the Common Good. Human-Centered Engineering at Boston College integrates technical knowledge, creativity, and a humanistic perspective to address societal challenges and opportunities. What societal problems are important to you and how will you use your HCE education to solve them?

WANT TO READ MORE?

Are you thinking about applying to Boston College? Confused on how to start writing these essays? Contact us to discuss our Essay Guidance Program or Personal Application Boot Camp and improve your odds of admission with expert guidance.

Top Tier Admissions is tracking the 2025-2026 supplemental essay prompts for all top schools here — we look forward to supporting you!

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Siena Swift

Creative Content Coordinator at Top Tier Admissions

Siena is a Pomona College graduate and award-winning student journalist with a passion for impactful communication and global education. After guiding prospective students as a tour guide at Pomona and spearheading sustainability initiatives across the Claremont Colleges, Siena honed her skills in social media strategy and event programming as an admissions office intern. Since graduating, she has worked with Top Tier Admissions, where she now serves as the Creative Content Coordinator. In this role, Siena manages social media strategies, creates engaging content, and supports webinars. Her work combines her love for communication, education, and creativity, all while contributing to the growth and engagement of the Top Tier Admissions community.

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