Boren was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Christine (née McKown) and Lyle Hagler Boren. He graduated in 1963 from Yale University, where he majored in American history, graduated in the top one percent of his class and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Boren was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Christine (née McKown) and Lyle Hagler Boren. He earned a degree from Yale University in 1963, where he focused on American history and excelled academically, graduating among the top one percent of his class and earning membership in Phi Beta Kappa.