@aquapt: Prior to this past year, I would have agreed with you about Northeastern; but this past year we had 7 or 8 students from our high school apply to NEU and none of them were admitted, and in the past we have had an average 60% admit rate there (and the applicants this year were fairly high stat kids). So, it makes me think that the NEU Admissions Office may be doing something a little differently in its approach (but I also acknowledge that I just may be completely off base in my thinking).