Northeastern University

If you are thinking about applying to Northeastern, the regular decision application deadline is January 1 and the application fee is $75.

Students who submit their applications to Northeastern for the fall semester should hear back from Northeastern by April 1.

Northeastern Admissions Stats at a Glance

Here is an overiew of some of Northeastern's admissions stats.

Northeastern 2022	Admissions Statistics
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	71%
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	28%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	14%
Waitlist	Yes

Northeastern University Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for Northeastern University.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	Yes	November 1	December 15
Early Decision II	Yes	January 1	February 15
Early Action	Yes	November 1	February 1
Regular Decision	Yes	January 1	April 1

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Want to Apply Early to Northeastern?

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Northeastern offers early decision and also offers early action. Early decision is binding, which means you must attend if you are admitted, while early action allows you to apply early without committing.

🗓️ Early Decision I applications are due by November 1 EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 15.

🗓️ Early Decision II applications are due January 1. ED II Applicants will recieve their decision before February 15.

🗓️ The Early Action deadline is November 1. Northeastern will release EA admissions decisions no later than February 1.

The early decision acceptance rate at Northeastern is 51%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 18%. Last year, Northeastern admitted 1014 of the 1979 students who applied early decision.

Some students apply early to college because they hope it will boost their chances of being offering admission. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase your chance of acceptance, since it demonstrates that you are very interested in a school.

➡️ Explore a list of some top colleges that accept significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

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More on Northeastern University Admissions

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How To Get Into Northeastern University

It is very difficult to get into Northeastern.

In 2021, Northeastern accepted 18% of students, approximately 13,829 of the 75,244 students who applied.

Schools that are very difficult to get into, like Northeastern, accept fewer than 60% of all applicants. At least 50% of all admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1230 on the SAT and over 26 on the ACT.

Transferring to Northeastern University

For more information on transferring to Northeastern University, contact the school directly.

For Students Waitlisted to Northeastern

Northeastern has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.

What's Most Important for Getting Into Northeastern?

Colleges consider a range of factors when determining who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are they consider most important in the admissions process. When assembling your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and apply to colleges that prioritize the admissions factors where you shine.

Admissions Factors at Northeastern

Curious about the factors that are considered by Northeastern during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.

Admissions Factor	Level
Academic GPA	Very Important
Application Essay	Very Important
Recommendation(s)	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Standardized Test Scores	Very Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Important
Work Experience	Important
Extracurricular Activities	Important
Talent/Ability	Important
Volunteer Work	Important
Geographical Residence	Considered
Class Rank	Considered
Level of Applicant's Interest	Considered
First Generation	Considered
Racial/Ethnic Status	Considered

Make sure to check with Northeastern for more information on admission factors.

Northeastern Application Requirements

To apply to Northeastern, all applicants must submit the following items. Check in with Northeastern's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Written Essay or Personal Statement
Interview
Transcript(S) of College Record
Transcript of High School Record
Standardized Test Scores
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S)

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Northeastern?

Northeastern has not provided an information about GPAs of accepted students. Any questions regarding applicant expectations should be addressed directly with the school.

Out of all students that were admitted, 18% submitted a class rank. At Northeastern 71% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 93% were in the top 25% and 99% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At Northeastern University, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	––
3.75 and 3.99	––
3.50 and 3.74	––
3.25 and 3.49	––
3.00 and 3.24	––
2.50 and 2.9	––
2.00 and 2.49	––

This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.

Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to Northeastern directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that highlights your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Standardized Test Scores

Northeastern considers ACT or SAT scores as part of the admissions process.

Northeastern is test optional. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 28% of Northeastern's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 14% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Northeastern?

To be competitive with other Northeastern applicants, you should aim to score between 1440 and 1530 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Northeastern 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1530 and 25% of scored lower than 1440, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Northeastern students scored 790 or higher and 75% of students scored 700 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Northeastern students scored 760 or higher, and 75% scored a 700 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for Northeastern?

To be most competitive at Northeastern, you should strive to earn between 33 and 35 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 35 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Northeastern's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 35, and three out of four students scored lower than 35 on the ACT.

A 33 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Northeastern students. Only one out of every four students scored below 33.

Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.

More Information on Transferring to Northeastern University

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is April 1. Transfer applications are processed on a on a rolling basis as they are received.

Transfer students can enroll in Northeastern during the following terms:

• Spring Term

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Northeastern Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Northeastern?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Northeastern.

Does Northeastern accept transfer credits?

✅ Northeastern accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions. Northeastern accepts:

• CLEP subject tests • DSST/DANTES • Excelsior College Examinations

Does Northeastern accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ Northeastern accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Northeastern?

❌ No, Northeastern is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. If your scores are higher than the school's average, you may want to send them. If your scores are average or below average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.

What is Northeastern's acceptance rate?

✅ Northeastern's acceptance rate is 18%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Northeastern?

✅ Northeastern's early decision acceptance rate was 51% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About Northeastern?

Choose one of the options below to find out more about about Northeastern:

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