Freshman applications soar to new levels

Northeastern has received more than 30,000 freshman applications for admission this year, a historic high that includes a huge increase in interest from applicants in the Midwest and on the West Coast.

This total represents a 12 percent increase over last year’s roughly 26,000 applications. And it’s a whopping 40 percent higher than Northeastern’s applicant pool just five years ago.

The number of applicants from the West Coast jumped 144 percent over last year, while those from the Midwest leapt 75 percent.

More than 90 percent of applicants applied online, 72 percent more than last year, Northeastern’s first year offering online applications.

Admissions dean Ronné Turner says online application “is part of the larger trend of students expecting that services related to their personal business are available online.” Turner emphasizes that, in spite of the massive influx of interest in North­eastern, each application still gets personal attention.

“In addition to the applicant’s academic record, we also consider the extent to which students have contributed to their school and greater community in a meaningful way". she says. "Personal qualities such as leadership ability, creative and innovative thinking, and resiliency are important to us."

• E Line Story Index