Amherst College vs. Boston University (BU) Overview
You’re wrestling with a tough question: “Should I go to Amherst or BU?“
Amherst College
Boston University (BU)
Can you get in?
Calculate Your ChancesCan you get in?
Calculate Your ChancesThis complete guide analyzes both the quantitative and qualitative differences between Amherst College and Boston University (BU). This comparison is particularly valuable at understanding the cultural nuances between the colleges since it uses student videos to capture the “vibes” of campus - these videos are exclusively available on CampusReel :)
Differences between Amherst College and Boston University (BU)
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s go through a general overview of the high-level differences between Amherst College and Boston University (BU). The table below summarizes some of the most important statistics around competitiveness, costs, etc.
| Amherst College | Boston University (BU) | |
|---|---|---|
| In-state Tuition | $50,562 | $48,436 |
| Net Price | $18,848 | $34,910 |
| Average Financial Aid | $47,490 | $32,975 |
| Total Undergraduates | 1795 | 16456 |
| Average SAT Scores | 1360 - 1553 | 1200 - 1410 |
| Acceptance Rate | 14 | 33 |
| Location | Boltwood Avenue | One Silber Way |
| City Name | Amherst | Boston |
WARNINGS: Based on net price alone, Amherst College is the cheaper option. However, this sticker price may not adequately represent the difference in living costs between Amherst and Boston. Amherst is in a New England and BU is in a New England - sometimes off campus meals and housing costs can dramatically vary between schools
Is Amherst College or Boston University (BU) Harder to get into? Which school is easier to get into?
If you’re looking at acceptance rate alone, then Amherst College is more difficult to get into. However, each college is looking to fill its incoming class with a variety of students with different strengths, backgrounds, etc.
Therefore, the acceptance rate alone is not a good indicator that Amherst College is a better school or will be more difficult for you specifically to get into. On the flipside, Boston University (BU) is easier to get into based on acceptance rate alone.
You can use the below college admissions predictor to determine your likelihood of acceptance at either school.
How Do Amherst Dorms Compare to housing Options at BU?
Both colleges provide on-campus living options. Amherst charges for on-campus living, while BU charges N/A for on-campus living. Most importantly, though, check out the video below for a sample of dorm tours at each school.
Amherst and BU student body differences
The table below helps demonstrate the student body differences as well.
| Amherst College , % | BU,% | |
|---|---|---|
| White | 42.120000000000005 | 43.04 |
| Hispanic | 13.43 | 10.79 |
| Black | 11.700000000000001 | 3.7699999999999996 |
| Foreign | 9.64 | 20.49 |
| Others | 23.1 | 21.9 |
How different is the Amherst College campus compared to Boston University (BU) campus?
The Amherst campus is located in Amherst, MA and is characterized as Suburb: Large (outside principal city, in urbanized area with population of 250,000 or more). The BU campus is located in Boston, MA and is characterized as City: Large (population of 250,000 or more).
Which school gives more financial aid?
Amherst provides $47,490 whereas BU provides an average of $32,975.
How does Amherst academics compare to BU?
When analyzing academics between Amherst College and Boston University (BU) we’ll look at both what current students are studying and also where they end up after graduation. After all, college should prepare you for a career! Analyzing each school’s outcomes is super valuable to understand the value of the degree.
| Majors | Amherst | BU |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture agriculture operations and related sciences | N/A | N/A |
| Natural resources and conservation | 10 | N/A |
| Architecture and related services | 4 | 10 |
| Area ethnic cultural gender and group studies | 29 | 9 |
| Communication journalism and related programs | N/A | 593 |
| Computer and information sciences and support services | 30 | 145 |
| Communications technologies technicians and support services | N/A | N/A |
| Personal and culinary services | N/A | N/A |
| Engineering | N/A | 382 |
| Education | N/A | 77 |
| Engineering technologies and engineering related fields | N/A | N/A |
Which is better: Amherst College or Boston University (BU)?
We’ve compared dorm life, costs, outcomes and more to provide the most complete comparison between Amherst and BU. But, you’re smart enough to know that numbers paint a terrible picture for truly understanding what each college and community is like. And, the real answer to which school is better is: the school that’s right for you. No matter who you ask, if they know what they’re talking about, the answer is the same: the “better” school is whatever is the best fit for you personally. That’s why it’s extremely important to check out all the videos on CampusReel for each school.
How does Amherst social life compare to BU?
It’s tough to understand the nuances of social life with data alone. That’s why we’ve brought in real student videos to show how Amherst social life differs from BU.
Check here.
Check here.