Northeastern Early Application Help!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northeastern University
1

I am hoping to be an early action applicant at Northeastern, specifically for their Computer Science program.

I have 3.95 GPA with TOONS of advanced classes on it, and an ACT of 33 (30 English, 34 math, 35 reading, 31 science).

I just took the October ACT in hopes of getting a higher English and science score while maintaining or improving my other scores. Unfortunately, disaster struck the week of the test and I went into the test with a total of 11 hours of sleep from the preceding week, I was also stressed out for an event later that day. That being said, I still feel I may not have done terrible. I didn’t notice my tiredness as a factor while I was taking the test, but who knows I could have been careless. English is really a wildcard, I never have any clue how I did. I felt really shaky on the math, but so did a lot of CCers, and I am fairly certain I KILLED it on reading and science.

However, I am NOT willing to send that score to any school until November 8th when I know how I did.

I am also fearful to put on my common app that I took the October test because I do not want them to demand that I send that score.

That leaves me in a tough spot for my Northeastern application.

I worry that my ACT is not stellar enough to get me into Northeastern’s CS department. Ideally, I would decide on November 8th whether to send my 33 or the October one or both… However that is after their early action deadline. The October test should be able to arrive before December 1st.

I am a bit confused because their site (https://www.northeastern.edu/admissions/application-information/) says it needs to be in by Dec 1st and thus I could even try and take the November one if I wanted, however I emailed them and they said “making the decision on whether to send your October ACT scores or not by November 8th is already a week past the original deadline”. So I don’t really know if I need to have things in by December, or November 1st.

What am I supposed to do in the midst of all of this uncertainty? Would I be better off sending my 33 now, or should I wait until November 8th to see.

What happens to an application when it is about to get read but a component is not there? Does it get thrown out, or get a bad mark, or does it just get looked at later?

2

A 33 will not keep you out.

3

Northeastern does not admit by major, and a 33 is a fine score, in the middle 50% and close to the 75th percentile. You’re going to be just fine.

4

Send both today. They super score. All you need for the Oct score to be worth it is to do better in one section. Also,your writing score (did you take it?) will likely NOT be ready on Nov 8 and they won’t send anything until THAT is ready. Send the 33 so at least they have something. A couple years ago my daughter held out on waiting for a new score and a school bumped her out of the EA round to the RD round. It’s not worth being late.

5

Thanks for all of the great advice. I have sent my 33 and will be considering sending the second later.

Question though for super scoring is it done by a computer or a human? For example lets say I absolutely BOMBED the math section with like a 20 or something, however my science increased by one point. Being that I am supposed to be a computer scientist that 20 would look quite bad if it was seen by a human, but if a computer superscored it would be no big deal… do you sorta get what i mean?

6

@Cubby208 Why the rush on EA? Go read the EA/ED thread from last year. Almost every student under a 34 ACT was deferred to regular decision anyway. Put your best foot forward - I don’t see any benefit to EA if you are concerned about your scores. Again, very likely you will be deferred anyway.

7

@suzyQ7 I agree, and I am fine being deferred. Really I have everything done except for standardized testing, if when am deferred I should be able to send them the new score anyway.

I am just happy to have a chance to know how admissions is going to go for me so I might save some money by not applying to schools like Northeastern.

I am also fearful I am about to break my “upward trend” of grades. All my non A’s were 9th grade… since then I have been a 4.0 student. Unfortunately this year I might end up with a B in AP English Litterature. I am only mediocre at the timed literary analysis essays and so I get a b on those a lot. Early action means the school does not see that.

Where is the thread? I have looked for it a while so I can assess chances of outright rejection but I cant find it!

8

@Cubby208 its here- starting around page 35

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/northeastern-university/1815851-official-class-of-2020-northeastern-university-early-decion-early-action-discussion-p35.html

9

Hi, I see that your question was basically answered, but I thought it would be reassuring to know that I’m also applying EA with a similar ACT score. Best of luck to you! (and don’t read through those forums too much, they only represent a small portion of the applicant pool and can really make you feel worse about everything)

10

My kid had a 33 and was accepted with a $20,000 merit aid for each of four years. (but I will mention that she had a 4.0 UW and was 3 of 300 in her class, along with good ECs)

11

@marrtinac Best of luck to you!!!

12

Does Northeastern send a confirmation that your application is complete?

13

Once your application is processed, you will be sent a link to your NUid, you can then go check the status.