Many relate selectivity to quality, thus will use a “shotgun” approach to submit very many applications (over proportionally) to the selective colleges, in hopes to at least land one.
In comparison, they will target “just” a reasonable number of public schools, because they consider them to be their second tier.
So, if instead of selectivity, you are now using a different (equally arbitrary) algorithm to “assess” quality, than obviously the two measures (selectivity, differently-measured-quality) won’t align.
It’s the same way that proximity of zip codes don’t relate to proximity of area codes.
Of course, a co-op focused curricular organization is not unique to Northeastern, since Cincinnati and Drexel also organize their curricula around co-ops.
At some other colleges, optional formalized co-ops are common, although they may be done mostly by engineering majors at some of those colleges. At colleges without formalized co-ops, DIY co-ops by withdrawing and returning can be done, depending on how lenient the returning / readmission policy is, and whether graduation requirements may change while the student is doing the DIY co-op.
How much value co-ops are to a particular student depends on how valuable an extended (6-8 month) work experience before graduation is helpful over a shorter summer time (3 month) work experience before graduation.
Didn’t suggest it’s unique - I know RIT does that with some of their engineering programs as well, and I’m sure there are lots more - but that is one of the selling points of NE.
I might be biased since I live 30 minutes from Boston but I’d much rather be here than in Cincinnati.
I think we also see a huge uptick of apps for schools that join Common. Imagine if the UCs or Georgetown did…
I think NEU gets so many apps because they combine a top ranking, high perception via a low acceptance rate - and no extra steps to apply - no essay and you already have the recs in your common.
So people say - what the heck, why not.
Not sure if they give a waiver out or not, but I suspect, like WUSTL, they probably do so they can “lower” their acceptance rate.
Unfortunately many students fall into the trap. Kids were getting invitations to apply to schools like UChicago thinking that they have a chance if they had an invitation card in the mail…
Both my sons were accepted at Northeastern (oldest through NUin).
My S21 decided on another school because once he weighed his acceptances, he wanted a more traditional experience.
My S23 was intrigued by Northeastern when he was in 8th grade. He did not want the traditional college experience. He also knew he really liked the city of Boston. The acceptance rate then was competitive, but not what it is now. He applied ED and just started this week in Boston.
Rankings played no role in either kid’s decision. It was more a combination of all the factors that were important to each of them. Major, opportunities, location, etc. S21 is at a lesser ranked school that was just a better fit and where he saw himself wanting to live post-college.
I would not emphasize rankings, but rather some of the components that may make up that ranking. Retention rates, job placement, etc. I am not even sure what all the components are. I’m going to agree with most that rankings are over-hyped and somewhat of a game.
For S21 we definitely had a bit of a shotgun approach but that was more due to everything shutting down for Covid. Some of the colleges he applied to would have been weeded out had we visited. There was an apply now, figure it out later when the world is right again mentality.
Granted, he applied to 11 schools, not the 20+ you read about on these forums. It probably would have been 7 if we had seen them all.
Good luck to your son. He obviously really wanted NE if he applied ED. I hope he will find in NE what he hoped for.
We did not even consider ED. We were not interested in paying full freight even for JHU, Rice, CMU(accepted), Duke, or UMich (accepted.) Everyone has their own way.
Northeastern did a financial pre-read for families considering ED. They were far more generous with financial aid than any other school. We would not have let him apply ED otherwise.
I don’t buy into the rankings, but I also don’t buy into the “it’s all just hype” either. I’m sure some students apply that way, but students and families have different impressions and priorities. Northeastern has had the reputation as being a safety school for kids aiming for a higher ranked school in the area. A bit of a paradox.
My son applied to BU (which I really liked) and it was his 2nd choice, but he wanted more of a campus and green space. He applied to GT, but when his NE acceptance came in he was happy to withdraw that application. He felt that if he had managed to get accepted, he would feel compelled to go there as it was deemed the “better” school. But he just didn’t love Atlanta or the school.
It’s a nice little ego boost to get into a competitive school, but I’m not sure that’s the driving force for the applications.
And thanks, for the first few days he’s pretty happy.
My daughter studies BME at GT . I have 2 degrees from GT. I love Boston, but for BME Gatech is second to none (wow , it is #1 with JHU now.) Frankly I do not care about ranking…
He totally got that it would have been a great opportunity, even for comp sci . He struggled because had he not got into Northeastern or had not been able to apply there ED, and he somehow got into GT out of state, he would know it would probably be the smarter choice. He just didn’t love it.
Glad he picked the school that he preferred, regardless of the reason. My s turned down his GT acceptance (it was his safe school at the time!) for a school that was a better fit. He never looked back.
I think most kids know their fit. A friend’s son did not get into UF but he did get into FSU. He was relieved. Despite no pressure from his parents either way, he would have felt like he should have gone to UF if he had been accepted because of the rankings climb and the perceived status of getting in. He liked FSU better.
I don’t either. I am a public high school teacher and the school grades at this level are pretty much BS. We end up doing things in service of the school grade or the adults who want the bonus $ that comes with the school grade rather than doing what really serves the kids. We chase arbitrary metrics.
It just wasn’t him. My oldest got into UF. Liked the tour and was semi-excited about it. But when the reality of making a decision set in, he couldn’t see himself there. It was too big, too rural outside of the campus.
LOL I totally get it. I was just teasing (the UF-FSU rivalry thing). I could never have gone there for undergrad. Totally get it. Neither of my kids wanted a big school either.
and don’t forget the OOS cost of attendance which drives self-selection of applications.
Absent a merit scholarship, Pitt is ~$60k for out of state students, and even more for comp sci majors. Sure, Northeastern is $14-18k more, but it then becomes a value proposition: $60k for a public or ~$15k more for a private (smaller classes, better advising, housing, less bureaucracy, etc.). And then compare that with the in-state’s public. For example, neighboring Ohio State is ~$30k. Pitt is excellent, but not worth 2x over tOSU at instate rates so an Ohio student either won’t apply to Pitt or will only attend if they receive a big merit scholly.
What wait you telling me my S21 UChicago didn’t want hm
We use to laugh at all the personalize marketing material he got from UChicago.
D23 with better all around grades and test scores
I think she got maybe one mailing from Chicago but a lot from Brown
We are full pay but are not rich and live in a high cost of living area so neither would of been a viable option.
Both ended up at the 2 top Publics in Florida S21 ended up at FSU and D23 at UF
he’s pretty happy.
. I have 2 degrees from GT. I love Boston, but for BME Gatech is second to none (wow , it is 
. He struggled because had he not got into Northeastern or had not been able to apply there ED, and he somehow got into GT out of state, he would know it would probably be the smarter choice. He just didn’t love it.