bentley university essays

Bentley Supplemental Essays 2023-24

Wondering how to approach the Bentley supplemental essays? If so, then this article is for you. We’ll start by going over Bentley essay expectations , including how many are required and which are optional. Then we’ll go more in depth, breaking down the Bentley University essay prompts one by one. Throughout, you’ll find plenty of advice and tips for how to write the best responses possible. But first, let’s discuss some Bentley highlights.

Each year, thousands of applicants apply to be part of Bentley ’s unique educational experience. Located in a suburban setting near Boston, Massachusetts, Bentley is a private school with 4,000 undergraduates. The school’s uniqueness comes from how it infuses arts and sciences into its business-focused education. Students can choose from 30 Bentley University majors, which each represent an interdisciplinary approach to business. Students can choose from majors like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Informational Technology in Accounting, each with its own core business curriculum.

Outside of the classroom, Bentley students have numerous opportunities and resources to expand their horizons. The college boasts more than 100 student organizations, and most students complete internships to prepare for their future careers. Bentley’s career services are highly applauded, leading to a 99% job placement rate for graduates after leaving the school. Collectively, Bentley’s offerings allow students to become business leaders with global mindsets, a variety of skills, and a dedication to making the world better.

Below, you’ll find some key Bentley statistics, such as the Bentley University acceptance rate and the Bentley University ranking. While these measures should not be your only reasons for applying , they are one way to determine how Bentley compares with others.

Bentley University Admissions: Quick Facts

• Bentley University Acceptance Rate:  58% – According to  U.S. News , the Bentley University ranking is #1 among Regional Universities in the North . Nationally, Forbes ranks Bentley #212 in its list of Top Colleges.
• 1 required (~650 word) personal statement
• 2 optional (~250 word) Bentley supplemental essays
• Bentley University Application:  Students must submit their Bentley University application through the  Common Application . After selecting your application deadline, prepare your Bentley University supplemental essays and personal statement, along with other  application materials .
• Early Decision I: November 15
• Early Decision II: January 15
• Regular Decision: January 15 
• Bentley University Essay Tip:  While the two Bentley supplemental essays are technically optional, we strongly recommend completing them. That way, you can ensure Bentley admissions officers have the fullest picture of who you are as a student and why you are a good fit for the school.

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website.

Does Bentley University have supplemental essays?

There are two Bentley supplemental essays: a Why Bentley essay and a Cultural Diversity essay. As you’ll notice during your college application journey, supplemental essay requirements vary from school to school. Some schools have multiple supplemental essays; others have none. While many schools have similar supplemental essay topics , you’ll still want to tailor your responses to each individual school you apply to.

Technically, both Bentley supplemental essays are optional, meaning that you can submit your application without them. However, if you truly wish to attend Bentley, then we recommend answering both prompts to the best of your ability. In doing so, you will not only show your dedication to attending the school but will also share more about what makes you a strong candidate.

Before you begin writing your Bentley supplemental essays, you should understand what the prompts are asking you. In the following sections, we will break down both of the Bentley University essay prompts in detail. Each of the Bentley supplemental essays has a 250-word limit, so you’ll need to make sure your essays are focused and concise while fully answering the prompt.

Optional Bentley Essay Prompt #1: Cultural Diversity essay

The first of the two Bentley University essay prompts is a Cultural Diversity essay. As such, it provides space for you to share aspects of your identity that have shaped your life and allow you to contribute a unique perspective to Bentley. Here is the prompt:

Optional Bentley Essay Prompt #1

Our students bring to campus a variety of experiences, cultures, and intersecting identities including race and ethnicity — aspects that are important to a rich educational experience and your success in college and beyond. you may use this section to discuss how race and ethnicity has affected your life, be it through discrimination, inspiration or otherwise. (250 words or fewer).

While some cultural diversity essay prompts are broad enough to focus on many aspects of identity, this one makes specific note of race and ethnicity. As such, you should focus on race and ethnicity if those parts of your identity are important to you. If not, you can always mention another aspect of your identity and how it has shaped you. 

Regardless of what you choose to discuss, you should not only illustrate how it shaped your life, but also how it will shape the way you contribute to Bentley. For example, maybe coming from an immigrant family and being the first to apply to college has inspired you to work hard to pursue your goals of higher education. Or, maybe the values your Dominican family taught you have given you so much joy and pride that you would be excited to share that with the Bentley community. Writing about your identity can be difficult, so be gentle with yourself and only write about what you are comfortable and willing to share. 

Optional Bentley Essay Prompt #2: Why Bentley essay

The second of the Bentley University essay prompts is the Why Bentley essay. Here is the prompt:

Optional Bentley Essay Prompt #2

Please tell us specifically and in your own words which aspects of bentley university prompted you to apply. in addition, if you are interested in a specific program/major, what attracted you to that program or area of study (250 words or fewer).

Like most why school essays, this essay is looking to understand why you want to attend Bentley specifically. To answer this effectively, you must name specific aspects of the Bentley experience that drew you to apply. Maybe you like the interdisciplinary nature of the Bentley University majors, or the fact that Bentley offers comprehensive career services. Name these specific offerings to demonstrate your knowledge, then be sure to connect them back to you. In general, it is best to avoid focusing on more surface level aspects of the school like its pretty campus or proximity to Boston. While these may be aspects that drew you to apply, they don’t distinguish Bentley enough from many other schools which have nice campuses or are located in Boston .  

The second part of this Why Bentley essay prompt is a Why Major question. The question asks which of the Bentley University majors interests you. If you do not have an intended major in mind and are applying undecided, you can avoid responding to that part of the question. However, if you do have an intended major, share details about why you chose that major. Maybe your experiences interacting with those from other cultures have led to an interest in Language, Culture and Business . Or perhaps, you have had a passion for taking apart computers for your entire life, and the Computer Information Systems major piques your interest.

Regardless of what you choose to write about in your essays, make sure you spend time reflecting on why you are drawn to the school and your major. The first step to writing great supplemental essays is getting in touch with your own thoughts and ideas . Before we go over some tips to help you when you’re ready to start writing your essays, let’s go over the Bentley essay requirements.

Bentley University Essay Requirements

As we shared above, there are two Bentley supplemental essays. However, they are listed as optional. As such, you may be wondering how many Bentley essays are actually required? 

The answer is technically one – your personal statement . Your personal statement is a critical part of your application, as it is the one essay intended to introduce you to the Bentley University admissions committee. In contrast to the supplemental essays, which tend to be school-specific, your personal statement can be the same for every school you apply to. Since you’ll be submitting your Bentley application through the Common App, you’ll need to respond to one of the Common App essay prompts .

The personal statement should showcase an important part of your life story or identity. However, it does not have to cover an extremely rare or extraordinary topic. Some of the best personal statements are about mundane and simple pleasures. Bentley University admissions officers want to know what makes you who you are, not who you think you should be.

The Bentley supplemental essays offer more real estate for you to share who you are. As such, even though they are not required, we recommend completing them to the best of your ability. Coming up, we will share tips for how to write the Bentley supplemental essays. 

How to write the Bentley supplemental essays?

Now that we have covered the Bentley University essay prompts, you might be wondering how to write your Bentley essays. Here are four tips to help you write strong Bentley supplemental essays:

Start early

Writing good essays can take 4-6 drafts. For this reason, we recommend starting the process as early as possible. Once you have selected your application deadline , start writing your essays at least 4-6 weeks before the deadline. This will give you ample time to dissect the Bentley University essay prompts. brainstorm ideas, draft, edit, revise, and polish your drafts.

Do a thorough brainstorm

Before you write your Bentley supplemental essays, brainstorm ideas for each of the prompts. The key to brainstorming is to avoid judging or second-guessing your ideas as you jot them down. The brainstorming stage is simply to get ideas on the page. You also do not have to brainstorm alone. Ask your friends and family to help you think of ideas based on what they know about you. While you ultimately should choose an idea that resonates with you first and foremost, your loved ones can sometimes shed light on topics that you hadn’t thought could work.

Be specific

As you consider topics for your Bentley supplemental essays, think of details that can help bring your stories to life. Details can include sights, sounds, smells, emotions, dialogue, or any other fact that comes to mind. These details can add color and character to your essay, allowing you to show and not tell your story. For example, if you want to express your early love of computers, maybe you share a memory of playing with computer parts and describe the feeling of your fingertips fumbling with the parts to show your excitement. For your Why Bentley essay, be specific about what draws you to the school. Your Why Bentley essay should be different from any other Why School essay you write.

Share your why

Both Bentley University essay prompts ask you to share your why , whether that is why your identity is important to you or why you want to go to Bentley. Make sure that in your response, you highlight the significance of your experiences and choices. That means doing some self-reflection; consider how these experiences have changed you and how your choices reflect your character. Telling the why is a critical part of your Bentley supplemental essays.

By now, you’re aware the Bentley supplemental essays are not actually required. So, you may still be asking yourself, do you actually need to write them? Is there any harm in not writing them? We’ll go further into this in the next two sections.

Are the Bentley essays optional?

Technically, both Bentley supplemental essays are optional. This means you can submit your application with only one essay – your personal statement. However, as previously stated, we recommend writing the Bentley supplemental essays to make sure your application is as strong as possible.

Writing the Bentley supplemental essays showcases how serious you are about attending the school. It also gives Bentley University admissions officers a better picture of who you are, which can help increase your odds of being admitted. Therefore, if you really want to attend Bentley, take the time to write your Bentley supplemental essays. 

Does Bentley University care about essays?

Considering the Bentley supplemental essays are optional, you may wonder whether Bentley University cares about essays. Indeed, the school does care about essays. This is in large part because they use a holistic admissions process. Holistic admissions means that applicants are evaluated along a variety of measures, including grades, test scores, extracurriculars, recommendations, and essays. In doing so, they seek to get a full picture of a student’s abilities and strengths. Essays are a key way that they can determine what makes you unique from other students who may have similar grades and test scores.

Secondly, the fact that there are Bentley supplemental essays means that the school cares about them to a degree. Indeed, there are some schools that actually do not have supplemental essays. Furthermore, others do not require a personal statement. By having these Bentley University essay prompts as part of the application – even if they are optional – Bentley is communicating that they do indeed care about essays.

Now that we know that Bentley University will carefully review your essays, you’ll want to make sure you write the best essays possible. Below, you’ll find some tips to make sure your essays stand out from the thousands of essays Bentley admissions officers read each year.

How can I make my Bentley University essays stand out?

At this point, we hope you agree it is absolutely worth responding to the two optional Bentley supplemental essays. Therefore, here are a few tips for how to make your Bentley essays stand out :

Show, don’t tell

Whether you are writing your personal statement or Bentley supplemental essays, expressing your ideas through vivid details is going to strengthen your essays. After you have written your first draft of your Bentley essays, go back over them to look for places where you can illustrate your experience rather than simply say what happened. For example, instead of saying that you felt stressed working on a big project, describe the sleepless nights and the worries racing around your head. (And always connect back to why you were feeling that way!) 

Be authentic

Many students struggle with feeling like their life or interests aren’t worth writing about. In fact, every student has a story to tell. Avoid getting caught up in trying to figure out what admissions officers want to hear in your Bentley supplemental essays. Instead, write about what matters to you, in your own voice, and your connection to your experiences will naturally shine through.

Edit several drafts

It is uncommon, and highly unlikely, that the first drafts of your Bentley essays will be ready for submission. Spend time editing your drafts to make sure they are clear, concise, grammatically correct, and compelling. Ask for others to read your Bentley essays and incorporate their feedback while making sure your voice is not lost in the editing process. If someone suggests adding a vocabulary word you would never use, leave it out.

If you want more tips for how to make your Bentley essay stand out, check out this CollegeAdvisor resource on how to write better essays.

Bentley University Supplemental Essays – 5 Takeaways

In this article, we shared why Bentley University is a superb school and everything you need to know about the Bentley supplemental essays. If you do your research, you’ll find the Bentley University ranking and Bentley University acceptance rate only scratch the surface of what Bentley has to offer. Rather than focusing on these measures, make sure you take the time to explore Bentley so you can decide whether you could thrive at the school. If it’s the right fit for you, you’ll have plenty of great details to write about in your Bentley essays.

In turn, remember you also have a lot to offer the school. If you decide to apply to Bentley University, we hope you keep these five takeaways in mind to make sure you put your best foot forward:

Takeaways for Bentley University Supplemental Essays

1. write the supplementals.

We have shared how the Bentley supplemental essays are optional. However, we hope by now it is clear that writing them is overwhelmingly likely to strengthen your application for numerous reasons. As long as you take the time to write thoughtful responses to the Bentley University essay prompts, you will undoubtedly increase your odds of getting into the school.

2. Be specific in your essays

The Bentley University essay prompts can be thought of as a Why Bentley essay and a Cultural Diversity essay. Rather than speak generally about why you want to go to college or how you value diversity, provide specific examples and details to illustrate your points. In your Why Bentley essay, make sure you name specific reasons why you want to attend the school.

3. Put time into your essays

If you really want to go to Bentley, spend time editing and revising your essays. Make sure your essays reflect your best writing – not your first draft.

4. Be yourself

Write in your own voice and write about topics that matter to you. By doing so, your writing will be more compelling and enjoyable to read. And the more effective you’ll be at highlighting your individual strengths and characteristics.

5. Seek support

Writing about topics like your race or what you want to study can be challenging. Seek outside support from trusted teachers, mentors, friends, or even a CollegeAdvisor admissions specialist.

Now that you know how to write the Bentley supplemental essays, your task is to get started. Even though the college admissions process can be competitive, there are many parts of it – like the quality of your essays – that you can control. Give your best effort and you are sure to land yourself at an excellent college of your choice.

This essay guide was written by Courtney Ng. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Bentley University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Decision: Nov 15

Regular Decision Deadline: Nov 1

You Have: 

Bentley University 2023-24 Application Essay Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 250 words

Supplemental Essay Type: Why , Diversity

(OPTIONAL) Please tell us specifically and in your own words which aspects of Bentley University prompted you to apply. In addition, if you are interested in a specific program/major, what attracted you to that program or area of study? (250 words or fewer)

A classic Why Essay like this is a time-honored supplement tradition, and your answer can reveal a lot to admissions about your potential fit and overall commitment to the school. You don’t have too many words at your disposal, so brevity will be instrumental to a strong response. Spend some time on the Bentley website and get to know the school. Explore all areas that interest you (social clubs, volunteer organizations, research opportunities, academic programs, Greek life, etc.) to build your list of reasons for applying, and don’t forget to include information about why you’ve selected your chosen major (if applicable). The more detailed your response is, the more you will stand out from the pack.

(OPTIONAL) Our students bring to campus a variety of experiences, cultures, and intersecting identities including race and ethnicity — aspects that are important to a rich educational experience and your success in college and beyond. You may use this section to discuss how race and ethnicity has affected your life, be it through discrimination, inspiration or otherwise.  (250 words or fewer)

Applicants who choose to respond to this prompt likely have something in mind to say about how race and ethnicity have impacted their lives. Since you only have 250 words at your disposal here, our advice is to focus on you: your experiences, your intersecting identities, and your culture. This is an opportunity for you to address how race has played a role in your life and the ways it has inspired you and/or you have continued to rise above the obstacles set in your path by systemic injustices. Give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm, draft, and revise your response, as writing about topics as nuanced as these can be challenging, even for adults who have spent twice, thrice, or four times as many years on this earth as you. We have no doubt that you’ll be able to write a concise, meaningful story about the kind of person you are, the qualities you possess, and the ways in which you will succeed and positively contribute to any academic community.

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The Dos and Dont’s of Writing a College Essay

College admission officers read thousands of essays from prospective students, so it’s important to write something that stands out from the crowd. This is your chance to share something interesting about yourself — beyond your grades and test scores. 

Here are some “dos and don’ts” about writing a memorable college application essay.

Download college essay tips here!

Start early. It takes time to develop a topic, and most readers can tell if an essay is written at the last minute. The Common Application typically drops prompts in January, so you can start brainstorming by the end of junior year and during the summer before the application is due.  

Answer the question that is asked. You have a limited number of words to answer one question. Don’t sway off topic.

Choose a topic you’re passionate about. Be original; you’re more than a GPA or test score. Some of the best essays are about mundane topics presented in an interesting and meaningful way. 

Avoid broad generalizations or cliché topics. Narrow the experience or topic down. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if you could insert your friend’s name into the essay. If so, it needs more personalization and focus. 

Example: Instead of saying “I love to travel,” focus on one experience during a trip: a conversation you had with an elderly local woman while waiting in a line at a cafe in Italy — and how that impacted or changed you.

Appeal to a broad audience. Admission counselors come from diverse backgrounds with varying points of view. Make sure your topic appeals to a variety of perspectives. 

Talk in your voice. Express your point of view so the reader understands who you are. Being genuine will create a stronger essay versus writing what you think someone will want to hear. 

Hint: If you write about an important person in your life make sure it’s not all about them; it should be about you.

Avoid inappropriate or controversial topics. Stay away from personal criticisms, divisive issues or controversial topics such as religion and politics. If the reader is offended by your point of view, it is not going to benefit you. 

Keep the reader engaged. Your English teacher was right about the importance of a strong story hook. Be creative to grab the reader’s attention in the first sentence. Make the reader want to meet you!

Don’t plagiarize. If the essay is not your voice, the reader will know. Admission counselors can tell when the voice changes and have tools that help identify plagiarized segments of sentences. 

Use the correct name of the university. If you are writing an essay that mentions the name of a school, make sure it’s correct. When students reuse an essay for multiple institutions, a common mistake is forgetting to change the school name! 

Proofread. Use correct spelling and grammar. Spell-check doesn’t catch everything, so enlist friends, family members or teachers to proofread. 

Writing a college essay can be a source of stress for applicants, but the finished product will help admission counselors get to know you and explore how you would fit in to their college culture and community. And, you may also discover something interesting about yourself!

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Bentley University Undergraduate College Application Essays

These Bentley University college application essays were written by students accepted at Bentley University. All of our sample college essays include the question prompt and the year written. Please use these sample admission essays responsibly.

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College Application Essays accepted by Bentley University

Onions anonymous, bentley university.

I watched my mother raise the hand that held the knife to wipe the tears falling down her cheek. “It’s just the onions,” she said, and then she continued chopping. Though I was only at the tender age of seven, I already knew better.

I am a hybrid...

Trail of Breadcrumbs Chandranata Rekso Sosrodjojo

My eyes were greeted by the luminous glow of fluorescent lights and sterile white walls of Rumah Sakit Bunda (Bunda Hospital). This was a stark contrast to the escalating chaos and barbarity in the dilapidated Indonesian streets. In due time, the...

Eclectic Appetite Anonymous

A few Thanksgivings ago, my mom decided to buy a whole pig and roast it herself. Unfortunately, the pig had a ghastly aroma which filled the whole house, and everyone immediately scolded her for the acrid smell ruining their Thanksgiving meal....

More Than My Hair Neidelyn Pina

I was five years old when I first had my hair "burned" at a beauty salon. There I was, not even knowing how to properly spell "hairdresser" and I probably knew more about the process than a thirty year old white woman. You're probably wondering...

Containing Multitudes Serina Lee

A scrawny boy in beat-up velcro sneakers ran past. Our tour guide Mohammed sighed heavily, “Angel Park is probably the only place where a young boy could be young. Outside, he's probably the head of the family, working three jobs to secure meals...

Challenging the Status Quo Anonymous

My home state of Idaho received a letter grade F in the year of 2015 when its education rankings were compared to those of other states all around the nation. I didn’t want to be held to this statistic. My friends and classmates were all aware of...

Recent Questions about Bentley University

The Question and Answer section for Bentley University is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

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Bentley University Requirements for Admission

Choose your test.

What are Bentley University's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:

• GPA requirements
• Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
• Application requirements

In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into Bentley University and build a strong application.

School location: Waltham, MA

Admissions Rate: 57.9%

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.

The acceptance rate at Bentley University is 57.9% . For every 100 applicants, 58 are admitted.

This means the school is moderately selective . The school expects you to meet their requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but they're more flexible than other schools. If you exceed their requirements, you have an excellent chance of getting in. But if you don't, you might be one of the unlucky minority that gets a rejection letter.

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies . We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Bentley University GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.

Average GPA: 3.79

The average GPA at Bentley University is 3.79 .

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. This school did not officially report its average GPA, but we've estimated it here using data from over 1,000 schools.)

With a GPA of 3.79, Bentley University requires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need at least a mix of A's and B's, with more A's than B's. You can compensate for a lower GPA with harder classes, like AP or IB classes. This will show that you're able to handle more difficult academics than the average high school student.

If you're currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.79, you'll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate . This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.

SAT and ACT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.

Bentley University hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Otherwise, don't."

Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to Bentley University will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. We therefore recommend that you consider taking the SAT or ACT, and doing well.

Bentley University SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.

Average SAT: 1332

The average SAT score composite at Bentley University is a 1332 on the 1600 SAT scale.

This score makes Bentley University Moderately Competitive for SAT test scores.

Bentley University SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The 25th percentile SAT score is 1280, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1400. In other words, a 1280 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1400 will move you up to above average .

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

SAT Score Choice Policy

The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.

Bentley University ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, Bentley University likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.

Average ACT: 29

The average ACT score at Bentley University is 29. This score makes Bentley University Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.

The 25th percentile ACT score is 28, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 32.

Even though Bentley University likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 28 or below, you'll have a harder time getting in, unless you have something else impressive in your application.

ACT Score Sending Policy

If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.

Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.

This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 29 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.

ACT Superscore Policy

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.

We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to Bentley University, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 29.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.

Bentley University considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require it.

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is moderately selective, strong academic performance will almost guarantee you admission . Scoring a 1400 SAT or a 32 ACT or above will nearly guarantee you admission. Because the school admits 57.9% of all applicants, being far above average raises the admission rate for you to nearly 100%.

If you can achieve a high SAT/ACT score, the rest of your application essentially doesn't matter. You still need to meet the rest of the application requirements, and your GPA shouldn't be too far off from the school average of 3.79. But you won't need dazzling extracurriculars and breathtaking letters of recommendation to get in. You can get in based on the merits of your score alone.

But if your score is a 1280 SAT or a 28 ACT and below, you have a good chance of being one of the unlucky few to be rejected.

Admissions Calculator

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are. Pick your test: SAT ACT

• 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
• 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
• 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
• 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
• 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in

How would your chances improve with a better score?

Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?

At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program . We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back.

Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:

• PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses . You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
• We guide you through your program step-by-step so that you're never confused about what you should be studying. Focus all your time learning, not worrying about what to learn.
• Our team is made of national SAT/ACT experts . PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers . You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
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There's a lot more to PrepScholar that makes it the best SAT/ACT prep program. Click to learn more about our program , or sign up for our 5-day free trial to check out PrepScholar for yourself:

Application Requirements

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of Bentley University here.

Application Requirements Overview

• Common Application Accepted
• Electronic Application Available
• Essay or Personal Statement Required for all freshmen
• Letters of Recommendation 2
• Interview Not required
• Application Fee $75
• Fee Waiver Available? Available
• Other Notes TOEFL or IELTS for non-native English speakers or minimum 577 (paper-based) or 90 (Internet-based) on the writing section of the SAT recommended for some freshmen

Testing Requirements

• SAT or ACT Considered if submitted
• SAT Essay or ACT Writing Optional
• SAT Subject Tests
• Scores Due in Office January 15

Coursework Requirements

• Subject Required Years
• Foreign Language 3
• Social Studies 3

Deadlines and Early Admissions

• Offered? Deadline Notification
• Yes January 15 March 30
• Yes November 1 7
• Yes November 15, January 7 December 30

Admissions Office Information

• Address: 175 Waltham, MA 2452
• Phone: (781) 891-2000 x2000
• Fax: (781) 891-3414
• Email: [email protected]

Other Schools For You

If you're interested in Bentley University, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to Bentley University.

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average SAT scores than Bentley University. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for Bentley University, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for Bentley University, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If Bentley University is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.

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Bentley University

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Bentley University

Bentley University is one of the nation's leading business schools, dedicated to preparing a new kind of business leader; one with the deep technical skills, a broad global perspective and high ethical standards required to make a difference in the world. To achieve our goal, we infuse our advanced business curriculum with the richness of the liberal arts. The results are graduates who are making an impact by turning their passions into success stories. Located on a classic New England campus minutes from Boston, Bentley is a dynamic community of leaders, scholars, and creative thinkers.

Academic programs.

• Communication
• Finance/Accounting
• International Business
• Liberal Arts

Student experience

• Co-op/Internship Opportunities
• Disability Services
• Intramural/Club Sports
• LGBTQIA Services
• Military/Veteran Services
• On-Campus Housing
• Study Abroad
• Undergraduate Research

Application information

Find out about requirements, fees, and deadlines

First-year applicants have graduated from high school or completed a high school equivalency exam. Students undertaking college coursework as part of their high school programs, or in order to satisfy high school diploma requirements, should apply as a first-year student. For more details including requirements and deadlines for First-year students visit our website.

Transfer students are students with a high school diploma or GED credential who have completed at least one semester of full-time study (or a minimum of 12 academic credits) at a college or university. For more details including requirements and deadlines for transfer students visit our website.

Additional Information

There are multiple ways to learn more about Bentley by visiting campus including an information session and tour, tour only or interviews. There are also specialty events like Fall Open House or Academic Exploration Session. Visit our website for details and to register at https://www.bentley.edu/undergraduate/visit .

I chose a school where I would be afforded opportunities to study what I was passionate about as soon as I entered campus. Brandon Samba, Finance Major

Admissions office

175 Forest St Waltham , MA 02452 , United States of America

[email protected]

Phone number

(781) 891-2244

For first-year students

Admissions website.

www.bentley.edu/undergraduate

Financial aid website

www.bentley.edu/offices/financial-assistance

For transfer students

New England

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Bentley University This college has been claimed by the college or a college representative.

• grade  A minus Overall Grade
• Rating 3.67 out of 5   803 reviews

Monthly Update

Bentley launches new Artificial Intelligence for Innovation major. Graduates will be equipped not just as programmers but as versatile professionals capable of navigating AI-driven environments. This major pairs well with other disciplines, enabling students to double-major and amplify their expertise in areas like Data Analytics, Public Policy, Sustainability, Health Science, or Philosophy. Learn More

Report Card

• Academics grade  B+
• Value grade  A
• Diversity grade  A
• Campus grade  B minus
• Athletics grade  B
• Party Scene grade  B+
• Professors grade  B minus
• Location grade  B+
• Dorms grade  B+
• Campus Food grade  C minus
• Student Life grade  A minus
• Safety grade  A minus
• Common App Accepted
• SAT/ACT Optional
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The modern business world is about more than just the bottom line. Businesses today are creating sustainable energy, developing life-saving drugs and inventing new technologies that change the way we live. At Bentley, you’ll see how looking after people and our planet matters just as much as making a profit. Along the way, you’ll become a force for doing the right thing and making the world a better place.

Our students come from various locations, backgrounds, and cultures — elements that we know create a rich educational environment that will prepare you for success in college and beyond. The benefits of a Bentley education continue long after graduation. Top employers know that Bentley provides you with the skills needed to succeed in their organizations and in all areas of life. It's no surprise that large numbers of Bentley students have jobs lined up more than six months before they graduate.

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Analytics academy.

Bentley Campus

Bentley's Analytics Academy is a week-long pre-college program for rising juniors and seniors in high school and offers a unique opportunity to explore the vast potential of data and gain insights into the world of data sciences. Through engaging with guest speakers and hands-on learning, students can develop practical skills and knowledge while working on a capstone project, allowing them to apply their newfound abilities in a real-world setting.

Wall Street 101

Wall Street 101 Program is a competitive experiential learning program for rising high school juniors and seniors interested in global finance and investing, including stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Led by Bentley faculty with industry expertise, the program includes small classes, interactive simulations, and presentations by Wall Street professionals. Students gain hands-on experience with industry-standard databases, learn about financial technology's impact on the industry and introduce students to the art and science of human psychology of finance.

Business of Health Innovation

The week-long summer program showcases a cutting-edge curriculum centered around innovative technologies that revolutionize health, ranging from medical devices to digital health solutions and biotechnology. The program uniquely integrates business aspects of the health industry, with an emphasis on Boston's robust life sciences industry, offering students an unparalleled opportunity to explore the dynamic health ecosystem in one of the nation's health industry hubs. Additionally, the program will focus on digital health's impact on populations and how psychology and health behaviors inform wellbeing companies, empowering students to understand how new technologies and innovative ideas make populations healthier.

Bentley University Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

• Best Colleges for Accounting and Finance in America 11 of 828
• Best Colleges for Business in America 103 of 1,249
• Top Private Universities in America 124 of 936
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• Finance 257 Graduates
• Accounting 178 Graduates
• Business 140 Graduates
• Business Support Services 122 Graduates
• Liberal Arts and Humanities 120 Graduates
• Marketing 113 Graduates
• Information Science 41 Graduates
• Management Sciences and Information Systems 32 Graduates
• Actuarial Science 28 Graduates
• Managerial Economics 28 Graduates

Pre-College Programs - Summer 2024

Our pre-college programs provide high school students with a taste of college academics and a chance to experience life on campus. The following courses will be offered this summer: Analytics Academy, Artificial Intelligence in Finance, Business of Health Innovation, Introduction to FinTech, Investment and Trading Strategies, Macroeconomics & Financial Markets, Stock Market & Investment Research.

• Mix of Online and on Campus 100%
• On Campus 0%
• Money Hungry 38%
• Self interested 17%
• apathetic 11%
• Outgoing 4%
• Stressed 4%
• Looking for a great education and a great party 2%

Campus Life

• Business, ethics, and apathy 28%
• Prepared for the business man 26%
• Ambitious 9%
• Dedicated 6%
• Underestimated 6%
• Fast-paced 4%

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• Rating 5 out of 5   Excellent 187   reviews ( 23 %)
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Written discourse

Essays marked with a * received a distinction.

• * Analyzing and raising students’ awareness of textual patterns in authentic texts : Mohammad Umar Farooq
• Written Text Analysis : Gregory S. Hadley
• *Show an analysis of the whole text in terms of the main underlying text pattern. Identify the signals that indicate this pattern David Evans
• Critical discourse analysis: A letter to expatriate from the Rt. Hon. Sir Norman Fowler MP : Andrew Atkins
• * Teaching English Textual Patterns to Japanese Students : Michiko Kasuya
• * A analysis of a Korean student’s written English text : Yvette Murdoch
• A text analysis of 'Taking Failure by the Throat' : Marian Dawson
• Problems in processing text produced by a student : Alan Macedo
• Applying written discourse analysis in a Japanese EFL class :  Cindy Cunningham
• Referential discourse structures and the creation of text: an analysis of student writing samples : William Penny
• How to get away with things with words: An Examination of Written Texts : Jeremy Scott Boston
• A Text analysis of a newspaper article about Konglish taken from ‘The Korea Heral d' David Doms
• * Increasing comprehension and production of cohesion through conjunction : Thomas Warren-Price
• * An Evaluation of American Headway 3 Mary Umemoto
• Choose an authentic text in English. Analyze the text in terms of problem-solution, general specific or claim-counterclaim patterns.  Briefly discuss the challenges and opportunities that such text patterns present for teachers of English as a foreign language . Andrew Rolnick
• * The Use of Critical Discourse Analysis with Korean Adult Learners , Terry Faulkner   
• Do Students Need Critical Discourse Awareness? H. Douglas Sewell
• * Paraphrasing: An Introductory Unit In Paraphrasing in Academic Discourse   Deborah Novakova
• * The Value of Enhancing Students’ Critical Awareness of Discourse Philip Shigeo Brown
• * Science or Slaughter? Two Opposing Views on Japanese Whaling: a Critical Discourse Analysis Jason Peppard
• The Findings of Written Discourse Analysis and how they are Articulated in Learning English for Academic Purposes   Sandee Thompson
• * Two Views, Two Discourses: A Critical Analysis of how Ideology is Interpreted and Reinforced through Opinion Articles Michael Chang
• On Analysing a Problem-Solution Text Pattern Fernando Oliveira
• How to Raise Awareness of Textual Patterns Using an Authentic Text   Seiko Matsubara
• * The Politicisation of Death, Methods of Embedding Ideology within the News: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Two News Articles Michael Post
• * Genre analysis of the 'simple joke' (with TESL/TEFL applications) , Robert Murphy
• * Encouraging Problem-Solution Patterning and Co-Textual Referencing in L2 Written Discourse , Steven James Kurowski
• * Japanese Revisionists and the 'Comfort Women' Issue: A Comparison of Two Texts , Michael Cooper
• * 'One-on-One With Obama': An Analysis , Andrew Lawson
• * Genre Analysis of a Job Rejection Letter , Garcia Chambers
• Ideological Variations in the Representation of Hugo Chavez as a Democratic Leader in Two Different Cultures: A Critical Discourse Analysis , Parker Rader
• A Chinese Student's Text Analysis , Soti Vogli
• * Pedagogic applications of the Problem-solution pattern , Benet Vincent
• * Differing Opinions: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Two Articles Stefan Thomson
• * Trends in EBP: A Comparison of Market Leader's Writing Tasks to Findings in Written Discourse Joshua Durey
• Sexual Bias in Institutionalised Forms of Discourse Baljinder Gosal
• From Surface to W ider Context: Two Text Types Analysed , Sirkku Carey
• * Trends in EBP: a Comparison of 'Market Leader''s Writing Tasks to Findings in Written Discourse Joshua Drury
• An Analysis of Two Newspaper Articles in the Aftermath of the 2011 Japanese Tsuna mi Bruce Hope
• An Analysis of a Mexican EFL Tex tbook: A Written Discourse Perspective Elsa Fernanda Gonzalez
• * Korean News vs International News: A Critical Analysis of Two News Reports on North Korea Jonas Robertson
• Immigration Articles in Two Newspapers - A Multimodal Discourse  Dominic Castello
• Gender Relations in Institutionalized Discourses Mehboobkhan Ismail
• *  Critical Discourse Analysis: How the Washington Post and Moscow Times Reported the Russian Airstrikes in Syria   Laurie Knox
• * Critical Discourse Analysis of How Two Newspapers Reported the Treatment of Women at a Sumo Event in Japan Christine Pemberton

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Once a Sheriff’s Deputy in Florida, Now a Source of Disinformation From Russia

In 2016, Russia used an army of trolls to interfere in the U.S. presidential election. This year, an American given asylum in Moscow may be accomplishing much the same thing all by himself.

By Steven Lee Myers

Steven Lee Myers spoke to more than a dozen researchers and government officials for this article.

A dozen years ago, John Mark Dougan, a former deputy sheriff in Palm Beach County, Fla., sent voters an email posing as a county commissioner, urging them to oppose the re-election of the county’s sheriff.

He later masqueraded online as a Russian tech worker with a pseudonym, BadVolf, to leak confidential information in violation of state law, fooling officials in Florida who thought they were dealing with a foreigner.

He also posed as a fictional New York City heiress he called Jessica, tricking an adviser to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office into divulging improper conduct by the department.

“And boy, did he ever spill ALL of the beans,” Mr. Dougan said in a written response to questions for this article, in which he confirmed his role in these episodes.

Those subterfuges in the United States, it turned out, were only a prelude to a more prominent and potentially more ominous campaign of deception he has been conducting from Russia.

Mr. Dougan, 51, who received political asylum in Moscow, is now a key player in Russia’s disinformation operations against the West. Back in 2016, when the Kremlin interfered in the American presidential election, an army of computer trolls toiled for hours in an office building in St. Petersburg to try to fool Americans online.

Today Mr. Dougan may be accomplishing much the same task largely by himself, according to American and European government officials and researchers from companies and organizations that have tracked his activities since August. The groups include NewsGuard, a company that reviews the reliability of news and information online; Recorded Future, a threat intelligence company; and Clemson University’s Media Forensics Hub.

Working from an apartment crowded with servers and other computer equipment, Mr. Dougan has built an ever-growing network of more than 160 fake websites that mimic news outlets in the United States, Britain and France.

With the help of commercially available artificial intelligence tools, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and DALL-E 3, he has filled the sites with tens of thousands of articles, many based on actual news events. Interspersed among them are also bespoke fabrications that officials in the United States and European Union have attributed to Russian intelligence agencies or the administration of President Vladimir V. Putin.

Between September and May, Mr. Dougan’s outlets have been cited or referred to in news articles or social media posts nearly 8,000 times, and seen by more than 37 million people in 16 languages, according to a report released Wednesday by NewsGuard .

The fakes have recently included a baseless article on a fake San Francisco Chronicle website that said Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, had smuggled 300 kilograms of cocaine from Argentina. Another false narrative appeared last month in the sham Chronicle and on another site, called The Boston Times, claiming that the C.I.A. was working with Ukrainians to undermine Donald J. Trump’s presidential campaign.

Mr. Dougan, in a series of text exchanges and one telephone interview with The New York Times, denied operating the sites. A digital trail of clues, including web domains and internet protocol addresses, suggests otherwise, the officials and researchers say.

A friend in Florida who has known Mr. Dougan for 20 years, Jose Lambiet, also said in a telephone interview that Mr. Dougan told him in January that he had created the sites.

Steven Brill, a founder of NewsGuard, which has spent months tracking Mr. Dougan’s work, said he represented “a massive incursion into the American news ecosystem.”

“It’s not just some guy sitting in his basement in New Jersey tapping out a phony website,” he added.

Mr. Dougan’s emergence as a weapon of the Kremlin’s propaganda war follows a troubled life in the United States that included home foreclosures and bankruptcy. As a law enforcement officer in Florida and Maine, he faced accusations of excessive use of force and sexual harassment that resulted in costly lawsuits against the departments he worked for.

He faces an arrest warrant in Florida — its records sealed by court order — on 21 felony charges of extortion and wiretapping that resulted from a long-running feud with the sheriff of Palm Beach County.

Mr. Dougan’s activities from Moscow, where he fled in 2016 one step ahead of those charges, continue to draw scrutiny from the authorities in the United States. Last year, he impersonated an F.B.I. agent in a telephone call to Mr. Brill, according to an account by Mr. Brill to be published next week in a new book, “The Death of Truth.”

Mr. Dougan, who acknowledged making the call in a text message this week, had been angered by a NewsGuard report in February 2023 that criticized YouTube for allowing videos parroting Russian propaganda about the war in Ukraine, including some by Mr. Dougan.

In a rambling, profanity-laced video in response on YouTube last year, Mr. Dougan posted excerpts from the call with Mr. Brill and showed a Google Earth satellite photograph of his home in Westchester County, a suburb of New York City — “just down the road from the Clinton crime family,” as Mr. Dougan put it, referring to the home of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The call prompted an F.B.I. investigation that, according to Mr. Brill, traced the call to Mr. Dougan’s telephone in Russia. (A spokeswoman for the bureau did not respond to a request for comment on the investigation or Mr. Dougan’s previous activities.)

A History in Law Enforcement

Mr. Dougan began to hone the skills that he is putting to use today during a turbulent childhood in the United States. In the written responses to questions for this article, he said he had struggled at home and in school, bullied because of Tourette’s syndrome, but found a passion in computers. When he was 8, he said, the man who would become his stepfather began teaching him to write computer code.

“By the time I was 16,” he wrote in one response, “I knew a dozen different programming languages.”

After a four-year stint in the Marine Corps, which he claims he offered to join in lieu of a jail sentence for fleeing a police stop for speeding on a motorcycle, he became a police officer first in a small force in Mangonia Park, Fla., and then the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office from 2005 to 2009.

According to news reports and his own accounts over the years, Mr. Dougan repeatedly clashed with superiors and colleagues, facing numerous internal investigations that he said were retaliatory because he objected to police misconduct, including instances of racial bias.

In 2009, he moved briefly to Windham, Maine, to work in another small-town police department. There he faced a complaint of sexual harassment that resulted in his dismissal before he completed his probationary period.

Mr. Dougan started a website called WindhamTalk to defend himself. The website foreshadowed others he would create, including one devoted to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, PBSOTalk.

After moving back to Florida, he used PBSOTalk to torment in particular the department’s elected sheriff, Ric L. Bradshaw, whom he accused of corruption. He posted the unlawful recordings of “Jessica” chatting with a former detective commander, Mark Lewis, who, Mr. Dougan claimed, was investigating the sheriff’s critics, including himself. As Mr. Dougan acknowledged in a video interview last year, it is illegal in Florida to record a telephone conversation without permission.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Office, Therese C. Barbera, said Mr. Dougan was “a wanted felon for cyberstalking using unsubstantiated and fabricated claims that have NO factual basis.”

In February 2016, PBSOTalk posted confidential information about thousands of police officers, federal agents and judges. The next month, F.B.I. agents and local police officers searched Mr. Dougan’s home, seizing all of his electronic equipment.

Fearing arrest, he said, he made his way to Canada and caught a flight to Moscow. He was indicted on the 21 Florida felony charges the next year.

Peddling Russia Propaganda

In Russia, Mr. Dougan refashioned himself as a kind of journalist, documenting his travels around the country, including Lake Baikal in Siberia and Crimea, the peninsula in Ukraine that Russia annexed in 2014 in violation of international law.

He posted photographs and videos from those trips on YouTube, which suspended his channel after NewsGuard’s report last year. He also appeared regularly on state media, including with two former intelligence operatives, Maria Butina , who penetrated Republican political circles, and Anna Chapman , one of 10 spies who inspired the television series “The Americans.”

In 2021, as Mr. Putin began mobilizing the military forces that would invade Ukraine, Mr. Dougan posted a video that the Kremlin would cite as one justification for its attack. In it, he claimed that the United States operated biological weapons factories in Ukraine, an accusation that Russia and its allies have pushed without ever providing evidence .

Once the war started, Mr. Dougan recounted in his written responses to questions, he traveled to Ukraine 14 times to report from the Russian side of the front lines. He appeared in Russian government hearings purporting to expose Ukraine’s transgressions, indicating some level of cooperation with the government authorities.

He has faced criticism for the reports, including in a profile in The Daily Beast, that he posted on YouTube and other platforms. Mr. Dougan has portrayed the war much as Russia’s propaganda has: as a righteous battle against neo-Nazis backed by a decadent West, led by the United States and NATO.

“The West has consistently lied about every aspect of this conflict,” he wrote. “Why does only one side get to tell their story?”

Fake News Sites in the U.S.

In April 2021, Mr. Dougan revived a website called DC Weekly, which had been created four years earlier and published fake articles about the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. According to a report last December by Clemson’s Media Forensics Hub, the domain and internet protocol address were shared by PBSOTalk and Mr. Dougan’s personal website, as well as two marketing books he wrote in exile and a security firm he operated, Falcon Eye Tech, which offered “offshore security monitoring services.”

After Russia’s assault on Ukraine began in 2022, the site carried articles about the war.

Then, last August, the site began to publish articles based on elaborate fabrications that the Western government officials and disinformation researchers said came from Russia’s propaganda units. They often appeared first in videos or audio recordings on obscure X accounts or YouTube channels, then spread to sites like DC Weekly and then to Russian state media as if they were authentic accusations, a process researchers call “narrative laundering.”

The baseless narratives included claims that relatives or cronies of Ukraine’s leader secretly bought luxury properties, yachts or jewelry, and that Prince Andrew, the brother of King Charles III of Britain, had abducted and abused children during a secret visit to Ukraine.

Dozens of new sites have appeared in recent months. They included ones made to look like local news outlets: The Chicago Chronicle, The Miami Chronicle, The Boston Times, The Flagstaff Post and The Houston Post. Some hijacked names of actual news organizations, like The San Francisco Chronicle, or approximated them, in the case of one called The New York News Daily.

When The New York Times reported on the new sites in March, DC Weekly published a lengthy response in a stilted style that indicated the use of artificial intelligence. It was written under the name Jessica Devlin, one of the fictitious journalists on the site. “I’m not a shadowy foreign actor,” the article said.

At the end, the article invited media inquiries at an email address with the domain Falcon Eye Tech.

Two days later, Mr. Dougan answered.

103 New Sites in Two Days

Mr. Dougan, who became a Russian citizen last year and voted in the country’s presidential election in March, said in his messages to The Times that he made a living by selling security devices he designed for a manufacturer in China. He denied being paid by any Russian authorities, claiming he funds his activities himself.

His friend Mr. Lambiet, a private investigator and former journalist, said he considered Mr. Dougan a good man but cautioned that Mr. Dougan had a propensity to make things up. “He’s like a Russian disinformation campaign: It’s hard to know what’s true and what’s not,” he said.

As evidence of Mr. Dougan’s role in the news sites has emerged, he has shifted tactics. Recorded Future, the threat intelligence company, released a report this month that detailed his ties to agencies linked to the Russian disinformation. The report documented the extensive use of A.I., which one of the company’s researchers, Clément Briens, estimated made Mr. Dougan’s work far cheaper than hiring a troll army.

At the time, Recorded Future identified 57 domains that Mr. Dougan had created. In a two-day span after the report was published, 103 new sites appeared, all on a server in California.

“He’s trying to obfuscate the Russian links,” Mr. Briens said.

Mr. Dougan at times treats his activities as a game of cat and mouse. He spent months engaging with a researcher at NewsGuard, McKenzie Sadeghi, revealing details of his life in Moscow while mocking her boss, Mr. Brill.

“He seemed to be toying with me, both to elicit my responses and, it seemed, to show off his talent for global online mischief, without actually admitting anything,” she wrote in the report published on Wednesday.

While Mr. Dougan’s sites have focused on Russian narratives about the war in Ukraine, the researchers and government officials say he has laid the foundation for interference in the unusually large confluence of elections taking place around the world this year.

This suggests a “risk of an expanded operation scope in the near future, potentially targeting diverse audiences and democratic systems in Europe and other Western nations for various strategic objectives,” the diplomatic service of the European Union wrote in a report last month when the network included only 23 websites.

In recent weeks, the sites have included themes that seem intended to stoke the partisan fires in the United States before November’s presidential election.

Last month, articles appeared on two of Mr. Dougan’s newer fake sites, The Houston Post and The Flagstaff Post, detailing a baseless claim that the F.B.I. had planted an eavesdropping device in Mr. Trump’s office at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

Some of the new sites have names, like Right Review and Red State Report, that suggest a conservative political bent. In April, a site that researchers also linked to Mr. Dougan offered “major cryptocurrency rewards” for leaks of information about American officials, singling out two prosecutors and a judge involved in the criminal cases against Mr. Trump.

“If the site was mine,” he wrote in response to a question about it, “I would want people to give documents on any dirty politician, Republican, Democrat or other.”

Steven Lee Myers covers misinformation and disinformation from San Francisco. Since joining The Times in 1989, he has reported from around the world, including Moscow, Baghdad, Beijing and Seoul. More about Steven Lee Myers

BU Hub Turns Six—and It’s More Important Than Ever

With workers frequently changing jobs and careers, faculty and students reflect on the value and challenges of boston university’s groundbreaking general-education curriculum.

Students in the History of Boston University summer 2021 Hub course taught by Daryl Healea (STH’01, Wheelock’11) (far left) about to embark on a walking tour around Boston to view historical BU locations. Photo by Jake Belcher

Alene Bouranova

Modern Greek Culture and Film. Marine Biology. Introduction to Internet Technologies and Web Programming. History of Boston University. Political Economy in China. Ceramics I. 

These are just a selection of the nearly 2,000 classes that qualify for the Boston University Hub , BU’s general-education undergraduate program for all BU undergraduates. 

With the days of employees staying with one company for decades, or even a lifetime, long gone , and less than 30 percent of college graduates working in the same field they majored in, experts say it’s more important than ever that workers carry a diverse skill set that’s easily transferable between companies and career paths. Today’s average worker will have 12 jobs in their life, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education .

The Hub, which launched in 2018 and just marked its six-year anniversary, is intended for just this purpose. It’s also marking the inaugural mandatory five-year review period for the first round of Hub courses added to the program.

The Hub combines gen-ed principles—giving students a set of versatile skills they can carry into their careers—with a framework of learning outcomes that can be applied to all fields. That means students have almost limitless options to choose from when meeting their major’s requirements: courses differ widely—from, say, Archaeological Science to Religion and Hip Hop—but that’s precisely what makes the program a standout among higher education institutions. 

“When I participate in higher-ed conferences about general education, staff from other universities are always awed by the scale and ambition of what we’ve accomplished,” says David Carballo , a professor of anthropology, archaeology, and Latin American studies in CAS and former assistant provost for general education. Consider: it’s not uncommon for other universities to have general education offerings of around 100 to 200 courses, Carballo says. 

That doesn’t mean the Hub is without some obstacles. 

Some have complained that the program can be unwieldy and overly complicated. For students who come into BU with no Advanced Placement credits, it can be challenging to fit all 26 Hub requirements into their schedule while also meeting requirements for majors and minors. The same is true for students who switch majors and find themselves with a brand-new set of requirements or for those whose majors don’t have enough overlap with Hub classes. 

But in a time when the American public increasingly questions the value of higher education, ensuring that curricula translate to employment outcomes has never been more vital. For schools with mandatory gen-ed requirements, like BU, the pressure is on to give students the best possible background and skill sets that will help them once they graduate and enter the workforce. 

Hub administrators are aware of its limitations. They’re also mindful of the larger struggles that plague general education, which is why the Hub is so valuable in today’s economic pipeline, Carballo says: “Our ‘big tent’ approach has challenges for sure, but it provides students with just so much choice and flexibility.”

How the Hub works

The Hub requires students to satisfy 26 requirements across six essential capacities: 1) Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation, 2) Scientific and Social Inquiry, 3) Quantitative Reasoning, 4) Diversity, Civic Engagement, and Global Citizenship, 5) Communication, and 6) Intellectual Toolkit. Each one has subcategories and those subcategories make up the Hub requirements. 

Different courses satisfy different numbers and types of Hub requirements. For example, the course Visual Arts Drawing satisfies both “aesthetic exploration” and “creativity/innovation,” which, respectively, fall under Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation and Intellectual Toolkit. The Hub structure is laid out here . 

Students are free to choose the courses they want to take. All of BU’s undergraduate schools and colleges offer courses with Hub requirements. Most undergrads are able to satisfy their Hub requirements within 10 to 12 courses, according to the Hub website. Undergraduate transfer students have fewer requirements and meet them within four to five courses.

The Hub also offers a variety of specialty courses , from a two-part introduction to social and racial justice to Cross-College Challenge courses, interdisciplinary electives that put students from different colleges into teams and charge them with solving a real-world problem. And then there are cocurricular courses, or ungraded electives, that focus on a particular Hub area and fulfill one requirement. An example? BU’s Marching Band, which earns members a Hub credit on teamwork and collaboration.

The point of the Hub is to impart a diverse but purposeful knowledge set to students while they earn required credits. The six essential capacities that BU’s General Education Committee settled on blend critical thinking with global and historical awareness, in addition to setting students up with the communication skills they’ll need in the working world.

“Training students to be broad, engaged thinkers, to have transferable skills, and to be good citizens are the three pillars of the program,” Carballo says.

Faculty and the Hub

The Hub isn’t just for students. It also allows flexibility and autonomy for faculty. The Hub isn’t mandatory for professors and lecturers—they have always been free to choose whether or not to participate. Faculty who opt in can incorporate up to three requirements in a course’s curriculum. (Some science labs can fulfill four.) Once a faculty member has a proposed curriculum written out, they submit it to a Hub peer review committee for approval. The committee, comprising fellow faculty members, then reviews and recommends any tweaks.

“What I’ve really appreciated about the Hub is that it requires that we, as instructors, include student-facing explanations for what students are gaining in our courses in terms of knowledge, skills, and habits of mind, rather than only in terms of the class’ content,” says Kathleen Vandenderg , a master lecturer in rhetoric in the College of General Studies and a member of the General Education peer review committee.

Vandenberg teaches two Hub courses in CGS, Rhetoric 103 and Rhetoric 104. Students in those courses can earn three Hub requirements each under the Communication and Intellectual Toolkit capacities (such as “research and information literacy” and “digital multimedia expression”). In naming these student outcomes, Vandenberg says, “we are making salient the many ways in which we understand, interpret, and interact with the past, the present, and the future. And we are identifying different approaches to understanding the world.”

What I’ve really appreciated about the Hub is that it requires that we, as instructors, include student-facing explanations for what students are gaining in our courses in terms of knowledge, skills, and habits of mind, rather than only in terms of the class’ content. Kathleen Vandenderg

“Some students will primarily learn to understand their study and work through data,” she continues, “some through aesthetic experiences, some through the study of primary texts and historical artifacts—these capacities highlight that there are many ways to move through the world intellectually and creatively.” 

The Hub evolves

The Hub was designed to constantly evolve, says Lynn O’Brien Hallstein , a CGS professor of rhetoric and current assistant provost for general education. 

“The Hub has always been very mindful of responding to student needs,” O’Brien Hallstein says, “in addition to developing new and exciting ways that make it easier for students to earn their requirements.” She says she and her team regularly check in with academic advisors at the schools and colleges, as well as consulting BU Student Government for feedback. 

One recurring request from students: “pathways” of curated courses to follow in the Hub. That prompted two curricular pathways for students: social and racial justice and environment and society. 

And nothing is set in stone. When the Gen-Ed Committee was established, it built mandatory five-year reviews for Hub courses into the charter. The fall 2023 semester marked the first review. There were 641 courses to review, O’Brien Hallstein says. She and the peer review committee asked faculty members to reflect on their courses and identify what did and didn’t work, and whether or not to change the Hub requirements their course is associated with. 

“We really are trying to build in best practices and give faculty the opportunity to think about how a course is working for them, their students, and for major requirements,” O’Brien Hallstein says.

While that can involve a lot of paperwork, faculty say the Hub framework prods them to be better educators.

“Developing a good class that meets the needs of our learners isn’t a given—just because we may be experts in our field doesn’t make us pedagogical experts,” says Sophie Godley (SPH’17), director of undergraduate education in the School of Public Health and a clinical associate professor. “The Hub pushes all of us at BU to be better, and that is a gift to our community.”

Godley teaches several Hub courses, including the Social and Racial Justice advocacy specialty courses. The Hub helps keep her curricula on track, Godley says. “A challenge for anyone teaching in 2024 is the sheer volume of information, knowledge, research, and change that we all—students and faculty alike—encounter on a daily basis,” she says.

“In a field like mine, and with the variety of courses that I am privileged to teach at BU, narrowing down topics, ideas, theories, skills is an ongoing challenge, so that I don’t end up fire-hosing information in class. The Hub capacities allow me to refine and focus my goals, and I appreciate the opportunity to be clear with myself and my students about where we are headed over the course of our time together.”

Students and the Hub

Of course, the real indicator of success is what students have to say about the Hub. For the expected grumblings about having to take required classes, the Hub is largely designed to meet students where they are. 

Transfer student Tabitha Fortner (CAS’24) came to BU after spending a year at Bentley University. She was able to meet all of her Hub requirements through the courses required for her psychology major and economics minor.

As a transfer, “BU made it easy for me to fulfill my requirements, 100 percent,” Fortner says. “Psychology is just enough hard science and econ is just enough math—I didn’t have to take anything outside of my major or minor to cover all of the Hub units.”

Students do sometimes have to go out of their way to meet requirements. In that case, the hope is that they at least get something valuable from a course.

As a senior, recent grad Bernice Li (Questrom’24) says, she tried and failed to get into The Mind, Brain, and Self, a Hub course she’d wanted to take since freshman year. “There’s often only one section available for some of the more popular Hub courses,” Li says. Instead, she ended up signing up for Introduction to Communication Writing. 

The College of Communication course wasn’t exactly on the business administration major’s radar, but Li says she walked away from it with a tangible skill that should be an asset in the job market. “It definitely helped me improve my technical writing skills,” she says. 

In that vein, the Hub can give students a chance to explore disciplines that they may not otherwise experience.

Alum Rebeckah Muratore (Sargent’22, SPH’22) came to BU on a premed track. Then she signed up for the Hub’s Cross-College Challenge pilot. 

“The experience completely changed my career trajectory,” Muratore says. 

The course charged students with analyzing the proposed merger of the Beth Israel Deaconess and Lahey Health hospital systems. Not only did the class push Muratore to think independently, she says, but it marked her first hands-on exposure to health policy.

“The class introduced me to the importance and excitement of analyzing real-time health policy,” she says. And winning the course’s challenge with her team “gave me the confidence to switch majors and apply to a master’s of public health program to continue that kind of work.”

Now? Muratore has her master’s and works as a health policy analyst at a Bay Area–based data analytics company. 

General education, in general

Sure, keeping track of almost 2,000 courses can be a monumental task. As can making sure students check all of their Hub boxes before they graduate.

But both Carballo and O’Brien Hallstein swear by the importance of general education at BU. 

First and foremost, they hope that the Hub’s breadth helps prepare students for today’s job market.

“We know that not everyone is going to be working in their major after they graduate,” O’Brien Hallstein says. “Folks need to be nimble and ready to change. That’s one of the real strengths of the program—the way that general education prepares students for what we know happens after Commencement.”

But more than anything, Carballo and O’Brien Hallstein say, they hope the Hub creates a generation of lifelong learners. 

“We’re really trying to inculcate in students an engagement in the world,” Carballo says. “If you can find the world interesting, and always find things out there that you want to engage with, life will never be boring. That sort of lifelong learning is a real ethos of the program.

“One way of doing that is not to teach at students, but to make transparent to them the goals for a course, and how they’re going to get there. Showing students those connections, we hope, will keep them interested in the world for the rest of their lives.”

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Alene Bouranova is a Pacific Northwest native and a BU alum (COM’16). After earning a BS in journalism, she spent four years at Boston magazine writing, copyediting, and managing production for all publications. These days, she covers campus happenings, current events, and more for BU Today . Fun fact: she’s still using her Terrier card from 2013. When she’s not writing about campus, she’s trying to lose her Terrier card so BU will give her a new one. She lives in Cambridge with her plants. Profile

Alene Bouranova can be reached at [email protected]

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