How long does Northeastern University take to give admissions decisions, and do I have a good shot?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I've recently applied Early Decision to Northeastern University. I sent in my common app before the deadline of Nov.1st, but didn't send in my CSS profile until Nov.15th. The application status checker on their website it says that all Early Decision applicants would be notified by Dec.15th but I was wondering how much earlier than that I might be able to expect a decision?</p>

<p>I'm also pretty nervous about getting in. My weighted high school GPA is 94.13 and my composite ACT is 28, but my combined SAT is only 1910. I've performed in my school's musical for 2 years, and been in auditioned ensembles for chorus and band all 4 years. I'm also on the executive board of my school's chapter of Tri-M music honors society, student director of my chorus class, and president of my school's Gay-Straight Alliance.
I've also taken some honors and AP classes:
Freshman year- honors English and honors history
Sophomore year- honors English, AP World History (4 on the AP) and honors trigonometry
Junior year- AP English Language (5 on the AP), AP US History (4 on the AP)
Senior year- AP English Literature, AP Macroeconomics, honors calculus
I have 4 years of world language as well.</p>

<p>I'm also hoping to get a decent amount in financial aid because my family is also trying to send my twin sister to her first choice school this year and we might not be able to afford it all. I know that I probably won't get too much in merit scholarships because I believe I'm an average applicant in terms of grades. I'm hoping I'll maybe get a talent scholarship though, because I sent in a recording of myself singing a vocal solo for them to consider along with the rest of my application.</p>

<p>Oh, I also applied to the College of Arts, Media and Design as a Music Industry major :)</p>

<p>Northeastern is my absolute dream school. Any advice would be very helpful, I'm a bundle of nerves!</p>

2

<p>Your weighted GPA is a bit low, and ACT is bottom 25% so Northeastern is a reach for you. Even if you get in, merit scholarship is unlikely because it’s heavily dependent on your test score and GPA. </p>

<p>If you get deferred, I think you need to retake SAT or ACT and send a better score for RD round. </p>

3

<p>I knew that my test scores were low but I did a lot of research and thought that my GPA was pretty much on target. Also I though that it would depend on the major I was applying for specifically? I don’t how selective it is.</p>

4

<p>What is the unweighted GPA, and could you put it on a 4.0 scale? I also applied to Northeastern, your stats make it a reach for you, but if you are truly a great musician it will definitely help. </p>

5

<p>I think my unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale would be around 3.7</p>

6

<p>Your grades are good (around the 75th percentile of accepted students) but your SAT/ACT is low (below the 25th percentile), so it could really go either way. However, I would classify the school a high match for you. You’ll probably hear back around December 15th or maybe a little while before (when my brother applied EA, which has a notification date of December 30th, he found out on the 17th. NEU has pretty good turn-around of applications).
Good luck!</p>

7

<p>Also, isn’t it a bit risky to apply somewhere ED if you’re not sure that you can afford to attend?</p>

8

<p>Thanks! And I thought so as well at first, but my guidance counselor told me that schools typically let you back out of the ED commitment if the reason you can’t attend is purely financial.</p>