My HS ‘24 D is considering applying either EA or ED2 to NU and wonder if there’s any advantage to doing EA vs ED2. The thinking there is to find out EA decision earlier than ED2 notification date. So if you’re deferred EA, you can possibly request moving application to ED2? Does NU allow this? Or if she at risk of getting denied in the EA round? Does NU deny many in the EA round? Thanks for any firsthand knowledge from previous years’ EA applications!
NEU - NU = northwestern. I got confused there.
I would contact the school and ask. You don’t need to give your name. You would definitely take a risk with the deferral strategy though because you’d likely be rejected vs. deferred.
Anecdotally, ED2 is going to give better odds of being accepted - because a school would want a bound student vs. one who isn’t bound.
Is NEU absolutely the top choice and a school you’re willing and able to afford?
Yes, you can get denied EA and ED.
NEU accepted less than 7% of students total last year - they had 91K apps as they chase applications. They do consider demonstrated interest and nothing says so like ED. btw - Fall 23 was 96000 apps including 5872 ED but they’ve yet to post a CDS for this year.
Again, I’d ask them - but expecting an acceptance or a deferral EA is a big risk at a school accepting less than 7% - but I’d ask - if deferred, can you go ED2.
But the smart money says, if you’re going to use the ED card and you only should if you want to spend that much and can do so - then to me, that seems the better bet.
Good luck.
Yes you can. In fact, if you’re a strong candidate, they’ll call to push you towards ED2.
Based on our personal experience plus those of many others in our area (NJ), these are our observations for EA:
Strong (incl tippy top) candidate with a hook: acceptance
For unhooked candidates:
- Strong but not tippy top: possible acceptance (maybe to a non-Boston campus), else deferral
- Clearly top level candidate: deferral with encouragement to switch to ED2. If not switching, will end up on the waitlist.
- Others: mixed bag, usually deferral
Don’t have stats on % deferral vs denial in EA.
Other relevant factors:
Do you live in MA?
Does your HS have a strong record of enrollment at NEU?
1 Like
Just to clarify - they’ll call on you to switch to Ed. My kids have that happen b4 decisions came.
But if you go EA you can still be rejected correct ? Many get asked to switch b4 but I think OP is asking if they can go ED if the decision comes back not an acceptance.
Can you clarify timing ? To me that’s a risk if you know you want to 100% go there and pay.
Of course by 2/15 OP will possibly have heard from others that determine whether NEU is the top choice or not.
For those considering ED I, Northeastern offers a financial aid pre-read. You will get an estimate of need based aid that will be awarded if accepted. Reports here on CC indicate that the pre-read matches what is actually offered. Details of the procedure are in another thread in this forum.
The pre-read is not available for ED II applicants.
5 Likes
My son was deferred EA and accepted RD and that happens to many students so you don’t necessarily find out earlier. If it’s the top choice and affordable, I would recommend ED.
Yes you can get rejected EA, and then that’s the end of the road.
But if you get deferred, you have the option to switch to ED2 (regardless of whether they suggest it or you do so on your own), even if it’s a couple of weeks after the official ED2 deadline.
I agree that if NEU is indeed the top choice it’s best to apply ED right from the get go. ED2 is if it’s second choice.
2 Likes
Thx. I wonder if there are EA rejection Vs deferral etc.
We read about a lot of acceptances but their CDS stats imply otherwise.
So it’s hard to get a feel.
1 Like
I’m curious for applicants this year…. Do you have to list your preferred campus choices in the common app and are any of them binding for ED except Boston campus? Last year, with all the new campus options (Oakland and London full time) and NUin/global scholars there was a lot of confusion at acceptance time.
You can get denied in any round of applications, but mostly EA folks get offered an alternate entry program or a deferral if not accepted outright.
If you apply ED to Boston campus and are accepted to start at another campus (including abroad), you are released from your ED. My good friend applied ED and was accepted but with the 1st semester abroad so it was not binding.
Also, I guess the only disadvantage of first applying EA is that he might get rejected and not be able to apply ED2. However, I feel like if they reject him EA rather than deferring him, there was a high chance he would have been rejected ED2 anyway. The plus is if he applies EA and gets in you do not need to enter a binding decision. I’m assuming NEU is your son’t second choice and his ED1 is somewhere else? If that is the case I would apply EA and switch to ED2 if rejected from his ED1 and deferred EA from NEU. If Northeastern is his first choice though, I would just apply there ED1. Usually schools have a higher rate of acceptance for ED1 vs ED2. Good luck!
Last year they asked what your first choice campus/program was. Then if you got accepted to that first choice ED, you were bound to commit. Otherwise, if they offered you any other programs not your first choice, you were released from the ED commitment.
1 Like
That is the case this year. And one of the choices for your class first choice is “any campus.” So I think of you choose that one you can’t be released if you get a campus you don’t like.
1 Like
I think it is unlikely that they would reject an EA applicant that they are willing to take ED. If it’s a rejection, not deferral with push to ED2, my money is on that student not making regardless.
Yes, they won’t reject a desirable EA applicant who they would have accepted ED.