While the vast majority of NEU students do pursue co-op, it’s neither mandatory for all majors(particularly Arts & Sciences) nor do all NEU students complete one.
Knew of a few NEU alums who never did co-op either because they wanted to graduate sooner and/or because they already knew a job was waiting for them with a family/family friend’s business domestically or back in their home countries.
This must have been implemented after the older cohort of NEU alums I knew/worked with while living in the Boston area graduated sometime in the late '80s-late '90s. One constant complaint I kept hearing from them was how their Co-op earnings WERE counted against them for FA on the FAFSA back when they attended.
Glad to hear that’s no longer an issue.