FAQ
How can we help you?
Will my AP classes count?
Students with qualifying scores on AP, IB, or other accepted exams will be granted advanced placement. In most cases, you will not earn actual credit—rather, these exams will fulfill corresponding requirements in the University Core Curriculum or your major or minor. Consult the list of accepted exams and scores.
list of accepted exams and scores
What is Advanced Standing, and how do I apply for it?
Beginning with the Class of 2024, students who earned a total of 30 Advanced Placement units may be eligible for Advanced Standing and have the option to complete their undergraduate studies in three years. Students interested in this option should make an appointment with their Associate Dean after completing their first semester; no decisions on Advanced Standing will be made prior to that time. A decision to activate Advanced Standing should be made no later than the spring of Sophomore year.
Students seeking Advanced Standing should be prepared to show their Associate Dean a detailed plan to complete all degree requirements by the proposed graduation date. Approval for Advanced Standing by their Associate Dean must be granted before the start of their third year of undergraduate study.
What is a pre-major advisor?
All first-year students are assigned a pre-major advisor and will remain with their pre-major advisor throughout their freshman year regardless of major declaration. Students enrolled in Courage to Know and Freshman Topic Seminars in the fall semester will have their course instructor as their pre-major advisor.
There are some Perspectives and First-Year Writing Seminar courses that are designated as advising sections. Students may only take one advising section. Students who are not enrolled in an advising section will be assigned a pre-major advisor by the Academic Advising Center.
What is a major advisor?
All sophomores, after declaring their major, will be assigned a faculty advisor from their major department. Faculty advisors are assigned based on your primary major. Students who have a second major or minor should visit the department or contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies for advising. Students who have interdisciplinary minors should contact the director of their minor.
How do I find out who my advisor is?
Log into the Agora Portal. Under Accounts and Personal Info, click on Academic Advisor to find the name of your current advisor. Freshmen and undeclared sophomores with questions should contact the Academic Advising Center. All other students should contact their department.
After being in residence for at least three semesters and no later than the end of the drop/add period in the seventh semester, full-time undergraduate students may apply to their Associate Dean to accelerate their degree program by one semester. The following conditions apply:
Summer courses intended for acceleration must be taken at Boston College.
Any credits over 15 in a semester used for acceleration are charged the per credit rate for the semester they are taken. Financial aid will not cover these additional charges.
Students transferring into Boston College with first-semester sophomore status or above are not eligible to accelerate their program of study.
Students who have elected to take Advanced Standing are not eligible to accelerate their graduation further.
How do I add a course?
You may add classes from the time you register until the published add/drop deadline each semester. You may add and drop classes on your own; you don't need approval to add an open, unrestricted course.
If you have received approval from an instructor or department to be added to a restricted or closed course, submit an Approval/Override form.
What is the max number of classes I can take each semester?
First-year students are not permitted to overload during their first semester at Boston College. Second-semester freshmen who wish to overload with a sixth course of three or more credits must have completed 15 credits and received a 3.0 GPA during their first semester.
You are eligible to overload if you have earned at least a 3.0 overall cumulative GPA or a 3.0 GPA in the semester immediately prior to the one for which you seek an overload. If you are eligible, you may register online for the sixth course of three or more credits and a maximum of 24 credits, including labs and other one- and two-credit courses. You can add a sixth course only during the add/drop period each semester (from the first day of classes until the published add/drop deadline each semester).
Students with an overall cumulative GPA between 2.0 and 3.0 may, under exceptional circumstances, be allowed by their class dean to enroll in a sixth course. Students should visit the MCAS Associate Deans’ office in Stokes S132 to complete and submit a Course Overload Approval Form for review by their class dean.
Can I take a course at the Woods College of Advancing Studies or a hybrid course?
First-year students can't enroll in WCAS courses.
For sophomores, juniors, and seniors:
- You are limited to one WCAS course each semester.
- You can begin registering for WCAS courses on the first day of the semester through the end of the add/drop period.
- WCAS courses can be used to fulfill elective requirements.
- WCAS courses can't fulfill Core, major, or minor requirements. Students who wish to use a WCAS for Core, major, or minor credit must present a Course Substitution and Waiver Form with the appropriate approval.
- You can enroll in hybrid courses with the permission of your class dean (but you can't enroll in Saturday classes).
Auditing a Course
Undergraduate students may not audit a course in any semester of study.
How do I get a course from another institution approved?
Complete a Course Pre-Approval Form. You must choose courses from an accredited college or university. (We do not accept community college courses.)
In order to request that a course be evaluated to count for major or Core credit, you will need to attach a course description or syllabus with your completed form. Once you submit the form online, the relevant department will review your request before the form is sent to your Associate Dean for approval.
Courses taken at outside institutions will be counted for credit only if you are making up a credit deficiency. You can't make up more than 24 credits at outside institutions.
How do I declare my major or minor?
First-year students can email aac@jmswierski.com to declare a major or minor during their freshman year—with the exception of majors and minors that require an application.
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors should visit individual departments to declare a major or minor.
For majors and minors that require applications, visit individual department websites for more information.
For information about minors in the Carroll School of Management Minors, visit the CSOM website. For information about minors in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, visit the LSEHD website.
How do I drop or withdraw from a course?
Students can drop a course from the time they register until the published extended drop deadline each semester. After the extended drop period, undergraduates may withdraw from a course by the published deadline each semester. See the Academic Calendar for extended drop and course withdrawal deadlines.
Students should complete a Course Withdrawal Form to be reviewed and approved by their Associate Dean. Students will not be permitted to drop or withdraw from courses after the published deadline. Students who are still registered at this point will receive a final grade for the semester.
Prior to withdrawing from a course, students are advised to consult with their Financial Aid advisor to discuss how a withdrawal might impact their financial aid package.
What's the difference between course drop and course withdrawal?
A course drop permanently removes a registered course from your student record. A course withdrawal eliminates the option to receive credit or final grade for a registered course. The grading mode is listed as “W,” indicating that you were registered for the course and withdrew after the add/drop deadline.
How do I receive an excused absence in extraordinary circumstances?
You must acquire a Dean’s note, which is a letter asking faculty to excuse your absence, from our office. You must be able to verify the circumstances leading to the excuse.
Generally accepted reasons for excused absence include:
- Death of an immediate family member
- Hospitalization
- Medical issue treated by a recognized medical service provider lasting longer than one week
- Mandated court appearance
The Dean’s office will not intervene to excuse absences for the following reasons:
- Minor illness or injury lasting less than one week
- Job Interviews or Career Fairs
- Extracurricular activities including club sports
- Travel/vacation/family events
What languages are offered to fulfill the language proficiency requirement?
Boston College has course offerings for Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, French, German, Greek (Classical or Modern), Hebrew, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Persian (Farsi), Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
How do I satisfy the language requirement?
You can satisfy the language requirement in three ways.
Course work: Successful completion of the second semester of an intermediate-level modern or classical language course or the successful completion of one modern or classical language course beyond the intermediate level
Testing: The achievement of a qualifying score on one of a number of exams, including Advanced Placement, SAT II Subject Tests, and International Baccalaureate exams. Consult the full list of qualifying exams and scores.
Native Proficiency: Students seeking to satisfy the language requirement by documentation of native proficiency should do so before the end of their first year of study. Postponement can result in a delayed graduation. Documentation of native proficiency ordinarily assumes evidence of post-elementary school education in the native language. Contact your academic dean’s office for more information.
How do I know what level of a language is appropriate for me?
Placement tests are conducted, in the appropriate foreign language departments, for a number of foreign languages, including, Arabic, Bulgarian, Mandarin Chinese, French, Greek (Classical or Modern), Irish, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Persian (Farsi), Russian, Spanish, and Turkish. For specific information consult the Academic Planning Workbook or contact the appropriate departments of foreign languages.
How does a leave of absence affect my standing?
Students on leaves of absence may not take courses to advance their status at Boston College without obtaining prior approval from the appropriate academic dean’s office. Students may not participate in extracurricular activities while on a leave of absence. If you take a leave of absence, you will have your graduation term adjusted to reflect your new anticipated graduation date.
How do I return from a leave of absence?
You must submit a readmission form no less than four weeks prior to the start of the semester in which you wish to return. Personal leaves of absence will be extended for no more than one year, although you may petition for renewal.
If you take a medical leave of absence, you will be provided with specific conditions for readmission. You must submit a readmission form no less than four weeks prior to the start of the semester in which you wish to return. University Health Services will review relevant documentation before making a recommendation for readmission to the Associate Dean. You will be provided with all required forms at the time your leave is granted.
What is an overload?
An overload is defined as enrolling in a sixth course of three or more credits in any given semester. Students can only add a sixth course only during the add/drop period each semester (from the first day of classes until the published add/drop deadline).
Who can overload?
Freshmen are not permitted to overload during their first semester at Boston College. Second-semester freshmen who wish to overload with a sixth course of three or more credits must have completed 15 credits and received a 3.0 GPA during their first semester. They may take their sixth course on a pass/fail basis, in which case the course may not be used to fulfill a major, minor, Core requirement, or corequisites.
Students are eligible to overload if they have earned at least a 3.0 overall cumulative GPA or a 3.0 GPA in the semester immediately prior to the one for which they seek an overload. If they are eligible, they may register online for the sixth course of three or more credits and a maximum of 24 credits, including labs and other one and two credit courses.
Students with an overall cumulative GPA between 2.0 and 3.0 may, under exceptional circumstances, be allowed by their class dean to enroll in a sixth course. Students should visit the MCAS Associate Deans’ Office in Stokes S132 to complete and submit a Course Overload Approval Form for review by their Associate Dean.
How can I learn more information about the program?
The Pre-Health Program is part of the Morrissey College’s Academic Advising Center located in Stokes South, Room 132. Stop by, email us, or call 617-552-4663 to schedule an appointment with an advisor.