Head-to-head · 34 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 79% chose BU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 34 self-reported decisions and ABA 509 filings.
Choice, not ranking
These are decisions, not opinions. Scholarship offers, location, intended practice, and personal fit are all priced into the split.
Cross-admit decision
Chose BU
Median scholarship (chose BU)
Median scholarship (chose BC)
View all-time (166 cross-admits)
Trend · BU's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2026 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2026 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2025 ABA Employment
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About BU vs BC
Across 34 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 79% enrolled at Boston University and 21% at Boston College. The split has shifted +83 points across the tracked cycles.
These numbers reflect every factor that goes into a real decision: scholarship offers, geographic preference, intended practice area, and fit. Choosing one school doesn't mean it's "better" — it means the pool of cross-admits, weighing their options, ended up there more often. Pair this with the scholarship distribution and employment outcomes above for full context.
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Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares Boston University and Boston College across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 34 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 34 applicants admitted to both schools, 79% chose to attend Boston University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #20 and #24, separated by just 4 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.
Both schools are located in Massachusetts — Boston University in Boston and Boston College in Newton — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.