Boston University

Essay prompts (2)

1. community2026-27300 words

   Applies to: All first-year applicants. BU requires one 300-word supplemental response in its member questions on the Common Application; applicants answer either this prompt or the 'What excites you' prompt.

   Reflect on a social or community issue that deeply resonates with you and explain why it is important to you.

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Boston University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

2. why us2026-27300 words

   Applies to: All first-year applicants. BU requires one 300-word supplemental response in its member questions on the Common Application; applicants answer either this prompt or the social/community issue prompt.

   What about being a student at Boston University most excites you?

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Boston University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

BU does not publish an AI-specific admissions policy. Its Statement on Application Integrity requires applicants to provide "credentials and statements that are authentic and representative of their achievements," and BU withdraws applications or rescinds admission/enrollment if inaccurate information or fraudulent documents are discovered.

How reviews use this page

When you request a review for a Boston University supplement, the feedback is grounded in exactly what you see here: the prompt itself, its word limit, and what the school publishes about its values and programs. That's the whole claim — calibrated to the prompt and the school's own published guidance, scored against a consistent rubric. Not insider knowledge, and never a rewrite: Second Read is a coach, not a ghostwriter. It flags weaknesses and tells you what to fix and why; it never writes a sentence of your essay.

Something wrong on this page?

A wrong deadline is worse than no deadline. If anything here doesn't match the school's official page, tell us — same-day fix is the goal.