Applications Surge 16 Percent

Apparently word about Northeastern's vigorous push to be recognized as a world-class university is beginning to reach the appropriate audience.

According to statistics recently released by Northeastern's admissions office, more than 35,000 prospective freshmen have applied to the university for the 2008-09 academic year, an increase of nearly 5,000 students.

"We were definitely a little bit surprised," Dean of Admissions Ronne P. Turner told the Boston Globe. "We were expecting an increase, but we weren’t expecting this."

Since 2003, applications have increased 64 percent and only Boston University, the University of Southern California, and New York University have received more applicants among private colleges.

The university attributes the large increase in applications to expanded recruiting effort in southern and western portions of the country. According to the Globe story, there has been a ten-fold increase in applicants from the West Coast over the past decade.

Northeastern will accept approximately 2,800 incoming freshmen.