If we learned anything from the EA round, I suspect that London/Oakland single and multi-year offers will continue this week (along with sprinklings of Boston and first semester abroad options)….and then a Boston-heavy round next week, and then rejections and waitlists at the very end. NE needs to fill those two schools (UK and CA) that it just bought. This isn’t surprising, of course. But it does raise some questions about the pros and cons of a franchise approach for a university.
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If not offered admission to these alternative locations/programs the decision would be a denial of admission. If the student or parent does not want that alternative, they can choose to go to another college. Many students who were disappointed to be admitted to NU In but chose to attend have reported it to be an incredible experience. It is not for everyone but it works for many.
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I get the disappointment of not getting the campus/program you asked for, but I am not sure that is really an ethical issue. It is stated on the website and on the application that while they consider your preference, they may make an offer for any of their programs. It’s not really a bait and switch if they are clear upfront about the possible decisions.
NUin has been around for a while and many students who check “no” for that end up taking it when it is offered.
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That assumes that applicants have read the website. From questions asked on the ED/EA decision thread it appears that some have not.
The Northeastern London option seems to be a fascinating option. Living in London for three years, earning a UK bachelor’s degree then doing a fourth year in Boston for a US bachelor’s degree is a unique opportunity for an adventurous student. If I was an applicant (and could afford it), it is an option I would seriously consider. They also have their own application process for UK and international students, separate from the Boston application.
Northeastern Oakland is in the Bay Area, albeit in not the most convenient part of the metropolitan area. It offers a small college environment on a beautiful campus while earning the same degree they would earn in Boston.
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I think the issue could lie in how the question was worded on the common app. I’m pretty sure it said that an applicant could be considered for a program other than what a student indicated. However, maybe they didn’t say what programs those could be. I think a lot of kids are prepared for a first semester abroad option. On the other hand, I think an offer of two years in Oakland then Boston could be quite a surprise.
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True, but as @JRob4 said, this does impact applicants who indicated they wanted to be considered for other campuses.
Then why ask applicants if they only want to be considered for Boston, if the answer makes no difference?
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My guess is that some students may WANT London or NUin. Eventually, there will be students who prefer Oakland. If there is a student who they would absolutely accept to Boston, but that person thinks NUin would be a cool way to start college, they will offer them that.
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The yield rate for NUin is incredibly high and many students want NUin (and often don’t get it) to start their college career. Global scholars (NUBound last couple of years) also has grown in popularity as it provides students an interesting start and a way in to NU when they would’ve been rejected otherwise. I suspect too there will be some students who eventually want Oakland or UK for their college time but this is the first year they are offered so many folks were unaware. I imagine for some folks who are interested in NU offerings but either want a smaller LAC experience or don’t want to leave CA, Oakland will be an enticing offer. (I say this as a Bay Area parents whose kids attended NU and had a bit of a challenge leaving CA.) They are looking to fill 350 seats at both locations from what another parent shared from an ED NU presentation. Over four years that’s approx 1200-1300.
It’s all change, and I think NU is responding to the desire from many who are wanting what they have to offer. One thing with NU, is that is most definitely NOT a traditional college or learning experiences, and students who attend are typically open to untraditional experiences. Students are coming and going with coop, travel classes, study abroad, research opps, engaging clubs and activities, etc.
They are also looking for particular students to fill the programs they are offering. NU has a sense of who will do well in their programs and that is who they offer spots too… students can choose to accept the spot that is offered or find a better fit. It goes both ways.
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My understanding is that a student selected their preferences…. In the end, NU is choosing students they feel will thrive in their various programs.
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I find NEU extremely frustrating. It was one of my son’s early front runners. He fell in love with the school. We visited it twice (from the Midwest). He thought he hit the jackpot when he discovered NEU and how well it fit him. He even checked off that he wouldn’t mind going to Oakland! Then he got deferred. This was a blow. In fact several of his first decisions to selective schools were deferrals.
Since then he’s received several great acceptances including two likely letters. I just don’t understand what NEU is playing here. My son is definitely a good fit and was more than willing to go to Oakland—yet they’re forcing others who don’t want to go to go to Oakland. But he got tossed aside in the early round. It was very discouraging so now he’s excited about his other choices.
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Having applied EA and been deferred to RD, my son has been trying to prepare for ALL possible decisions, including denial. If a student is put on a waitlist, is there any chance of being accepted before May 1st or do those generally come after May 1st? Does anyone know the percentage of students who get off the waitlist and are eventually accepted? I thought I heard some posters say they have already been waitlisted. So would this be specific to a program such as “waitlisted to NUin”? Or does it just say “waitlisted” and you don’t know possible placement? Thanks for any insight.
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I should take screenshots of the portal but I THINK the checklist used to have a box for “final HS transcript” which is not there now. This would tell me that he was denied admission because they’d only need it if he was accepted. But I might be totally mixing it up with another school. Can anyone confirm if this was ever part of the checklist at the top? These are the things that distract me as we wait here!
I don’t remember that being there for Northeastern. No worries
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I think NEU is one of those schools that doesn’t release waitlist stats, as this site hints. For some schools, past years’ stats and timelines are easy to find.
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I don’t recall seeing final transcript anywhere. The only school that I saw that at was Tufts
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The Common Data Set for NU only shows that they have an unranked waitlist. I guess that is not a required data item to report.
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If you don’t mind me asking, what are the other choices your son has?
Secondly, what are your thoughts about the Oakland campus?
After May 1st.
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My guess would be just Waitlisted and not specifically waitlisted for NUin
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What @mom2023SF and @socalmom2023 suggested would be consistent with what my DS23 saw. He said he was open to one semester abroad, but preferred Boston campus. He was admitted last week to NUin (first semester abroad). He has a 4.0 unweighted GPA, 4.75 weighted, 1570 SAT, so I’m skeptical that they offered him NUin to raise the stats for Boston Fall admits. My suspicion is they fill it first with those who prefer NUin, second with those who say they’d consider it, and third those who said they only want Boston campus.
He also sees two applications now. Luckily I read @tamagotchi’s post re: two apps for NUin & Global Scholars so avoided a call to admissions ;-).
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