Tulane used to not charge a fee for anyone to apply, but they also sent out waivers to those in targeted groups. Both of my Ds got them and applied (and actually almost went there) but with my older D we did not realize that (at least at the time) there was no fee for anyone to apply. Many schools offer waivers to whomever their targeted groups are… UPDATE: I just looked and Tulane still does not charge any application fee.
Was your child provided the waiver/refund once you asked?
We have visited in the past year and my daughter applied in September, but she also received a fee waiver in October. I didn’t realize I could ask for a refund, so I sent an email today. I will let you know if we get a response.
Also, it was stated in her letter that the fee waiver was offered since she was a recipient of the College Board National Rural and Small Town Recognition award.
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Congrats to your D on her accomplishment.
Thanks, but we really don’t think it’s that big of a deal. We just live in a rural district and weren’t even aware this award had any value when she received the email. It’s a new designation by the CB; but hey if it gets us free application fees, we’ll gladly take it. 
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I wondered about this new distinction…. However, I noticed that NU does now offer some national merit scholarships for this group too, so it could also benefit your child in that way as well.
Well if that works out, boy it would be quite a bonus!
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Scroll under the national scholarship info. In the last couple of years it seems they’ve added additional scholarships ($5,000 or so) to the merit already given to NM scholars, so follow up if she’s admitted. Scholarships for First-Year Students | Student Financial Services
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Thanks! I guess we will be hopeful! I knew about the other designations, but had no idea that this new one was also viewed by some schools as equal. I guess extras never hurt.
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My son is a National Hispanic Merit Scholar so we are hoping this designation might yield a little more $ if he is accepted. The financial pre-read was a bit over our budget so a little more could make NU a more realistic contender.
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I have been reading about NEU for over a year now. My daughter did apply.
But I have this feeling the school is going to “fake it until they make it”. Between the yield management, fee waivers clearly intended to
increase apps, a data enrollment guru…. It all just sounds like they are doing everything to play the ranking game. Maybe Tulane is a close second.
Their acceptance rate was lower than several Ivies and MIT?
Am I the only skeptic?
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No.
I love Northeastern. I attended undergrad and graduate school there. Co-op is great. It is nice to see them get recognition, but looking at it with my son and attending their information session, it seems gimmicky.
My son likes it and applied EA, but seems unlikely to get in given their acceptance rates. (Ok with me, I think there are cheaper schools that will be great for him).
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That was due to over enrolment the previous year. The over enrolment was due to an increased yield. Enrolment management does not only mean ensuring that the freshman class is filled but more importantly that they are accepting students who want to attend and will likely stay to graduation.
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I’m skeptical too. Their “fast app” with no supp essays seems targeted to increase their applications and their rejection rate. They make it too easy to apply. My high stat daughter applied EA and fully expecting her to be deferred. She was actually bummed out that they didn’t require any supp essays–That’s a first!
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Northeastern has never had a supplemental essay.
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Nope, not the only skeptic. But NEU’s strategy is working in my area where high stats, full pay kids who want to be in Boston, but can’t quite crack BC or Tufts, apply in droves. They buy into the marketing hype and actually believe NEU to be on par with more selective schools.
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I am of the generation where Northeastern was a safety for high stats kids…BUT…as much as they may have games some stats…they also seem to have done the work. I visited with my ‘23 recently and was very impressed. They seem to have actually researched and surveyed students and initiated programs that students wanted. At the end of the day, there is more than one way to get where you are going.
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Their acceptance rate changing more than 10% from on year to the next seems to me by design not just adjusting for over enrollment.
I forgot the back door of their alternative entries which are meant to protect their SAT stats. That to me seems really disingenuous and the ultimate in gaming the system.
If it’s a great school, then it doesn’t need to do these things.
But you are right- high stats kids are buying the hype. I am not sure I will as a parent if it comes to it.
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They are other schools offering guaranteed transfer programs as well, like GT, NYU, to name a few. Are they all meant to protect their stats? Could there be other reasons than gaming the system?
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NEU’s alternate entry options (NU.in, NU Bound, etc) are not in any way similar to guaranteed transfer programs.
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