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Admission Policies and Entrance Requirements :: Merit Scholarships

ADMISSION POLICY AND ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Admission to Northeastern is selective and competitive. Each year, we receive more than 21,000 applications for 2,800 places in the freshman class. In building a diverse and talented incoming class, the Admissions Committee seeks to enroll students who have been successful academically and who have been involved in high school activities and their communities. Students who have earned strong grades in a rigorous college preparatory program, are innovative, and possess leadership abilities are most successful in our admission process.

     The typical Northeastern applicant usually pursues a challenging high school course load that would include classes beyond the normal requirements for graduation. While considering each student’s particular high school profile, the committee will consider whether the applicant’s high school transcript reflects the various academic opportunities offered such as honors, advanced placement, international baccalaureate, or college-level courses.

     We receive more than 3,000 transfer applications for 750 places each year. The Admissions Committee takes into consideration such factors as the candidate’s academic transcript, résumé, and essay. Our most successful candidates for transfer admission typically have a minimum grade-point average of 3.000. The Admissions Committee encourages transfer applicants to submit a completed application and all supporting materials well before the priority deadline, as the number of students admitted to each program is limited.

     Students may apply directly online; applying online at www.admissions.neu.edu is both preferred and a faster, more convenient method of submitting your application. Students may also apply with the Northeastern University paper application (which may be printed off our Web site) or with the Common Application. Please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions if you have any questions about the application process.

General information questions and all mailings should be directed to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
150 Richards Hall
Northeastern University
360 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
admissions@neu.edu (e-mail)
www.Northeastern.edu (Web site)
AOL keyword: Northeastern University
617.373.2200 (voice)
617.373.8780 (fax)
617.373.3100 (TTY, for the hearing impaired)

Deadlines

Interested freshman and transfer applicants may apply for entrance to either the fall or spring semester.* Please note that there is limited space for spring entrance.

January 1 Priority consideration for admission, merit scholarships, and admission into the Honors Program February 15 Regular decision deadline May 1 Transfer students regular decision deadline

We strongly encourage prospective freshmen to submit their completed applications as early as possible because many of the most popular programs are competitive and fill quickly. Although February 15 is our regular decision deadline, it is in your interest to apply well before this deadline for best consideration for admission to your first- or second-choice major. Students who would like to be considered for merit scholarships and for admission to the Honors Program should submit a completed application by January 1. To meet our regular decision deadline, transfer students should submit a completed application by May 1. Due to the competitive nature of the applicant pool, it is in the transfer applicant’s best interest to apply well before this deadline.

Decisions

Decisions will be released for freshman applicants between March 1 and April 1. Transfer students may expect to receive decisions on a rolling basis.

Required Materials

The committee will evaluate an applicant’s candidacy for admission only when it has received a complete application package. Please ensure that your name and Social Security number are on every piece of your application package.

*Throughout this catalog, the word semester refers both to full semesters and to half semesters, except in cases where there is a cost or timeline difference. In such cases, the terms “full semester” and “half semester” are used.

Freshman Applicants

In addition to the application for admission, prospective freshmen must submit the following:

• official secondary school transcripts, including midyear senior grades. General Equivalency Diploma (GED) recipients should provide their official score reports. Students who received schooling at home should submit an academic portfolio consistent with their state guidelines and provide a list of all textbooks used. Home-schooled applicants must also provide proof that they have met all requirements to receive an official high school diploma.
  
• list of all current or in-progress high school classes or college courses (if applicable).
  
• official transcripts for any college-level course work taken while a secondary school student.
  
• portfolio. (The portfolio is required for music technology applicants and recommended for visual arts applicants. Please see “Admission Requirements for Art and Music Technology” on the following page for more information.)
  
• written recommendations from their secondary school guidance counselor and a teacher.
  
• results of the College Board Scholastic Assessment Test I (SAT I) or the American College Testing Program (ACT). Northeastern’s CEEB College Code is 3667.
  
• essays.
  
• activities list.
  

Transfer Applicants

In addition to the application for admission, prospective transfer students must submit the following:

• official transcripts for all college courses at all colleges and universities attended. There is no exception to this requirement. All academic credit with a C average or better will be evaluated.
  
• a list of current and anticipated courses, with their individual credit values, by term.
  
• two recommendations from academic advisers, professors, or employers, on official letterhead and submitted in sealed envelopes.
  
• SAT I or ACT results (only if the transfer applicant has completed fewer than twenty-seven semester-hours of college-level academic work).
  
• an official, final high school transcript or an official GED score report.
  

Transfer applicants who have earned credits at an international university must have a recognized agency evaluate their transcripts and translate them into English. If you are seeking to transfer into art and certain music programs, additional requirements may apply.

International Applicants

International applicants are encouraged to apply online at www.admissions.neu.edu. You also will find application procedures for international applicants and a PDF file of our application at our Web site. To request an international application package, please call the undergraduate admissions office at 617.373.2200.

     In order to maintain lawful student status in the United States, international students must be very mindful of the rules and regulations that govern their nonimmigrant visa classification. Numerous U.S. federal mandates and regulations implementing the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) make it especially important for students in the “F” (student) and “J” (exchange visitor) categories to consult regularly with an international student adviser at the International Student and Scholar Institute (ISSI) before taking any action that might impact their immigration status and educational endeavors in the United States.

     International students must register full time, on time (within the appropriate registration period) during the regular academic year. In addition, international students must not begin or resume any type of employment without first obtaining proper employment authorization or verification from the ISSI. Any exceptions from full-time registration requirements must be preapproved by the ISSI in accordance with specified federal regulations.

Requirements for Applicants Whose Primary Language Is Not English

Freshman applicants and transfer students whose primary language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Advanced Placement International English Language Proficiency (APIEL) Test, or the English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT). Freshman applicants whose primary language is not English must also submit test results from either the SAT I or the ACT. It is your responsibility to ensure that your test scores are either submitted directly to Northeastern by the testing service or are included on your official high school transcript.

     In certain cases, students whose primary language is not English may be exempt from the above testing requirements. The following are the conditions under which such students do not need to submit English proficiency test results:

• if your primary language is not English, and you have received a score of at least 450 on the verbal section of the SAT I.
  
• transfer applicants who have completed English Composition I and II at a college or university in the United States or Canada, and earned a grade of B or higher in both courses.
  

Please contact the undergraduate admissions office at 617.373.2200 with any questions about English proficiency requirements.

College, Major, and Length of Program Selection

Applicants to Northeastern University apply to one of our six undergraduate colleges or the School of Engineering Technology. Because admission to some programs is more selective than others, you are asked to identify both a first and second-choice major or concentration. For best consideration, you are strongly encouraged to select a second-choice major.

     Although an “undecided” or “open option” category has been made available in most colleges, we encourage you to select a major that reflects your current academic interests and aspirations.

     Please note that freshmen may not apply directly to the School of General Studies program. The Admissions Committee refers appropriate applicants to this program.

     While you are attending Northeastern University, we expect that most students will follow the five-year model to maximize Northeastern’s co-op opportunities. However, four-year options are available in most of our programs. The four-year program with co-op may require you to enter Northeastern with advanced placement or college credit and/or take a more demanding course load. You are not required to make a decision on the four-year option upon entry, but are requested to indicate your preference on your application for admission.

Early Admission

In certain cases, students may enroll at Northeastern before the expected year of their high school graduation. Before enrolling at the University, all applicants for early admission must have completed all units required for high school graduation (including senior English), or must have earned the General Equivalency Diploma (GED). Endorsements by the student’s school principal, guidance counselor, and parents are required for early admission. The applicant must also provide a 200-word personal statement outlining his or her educational and/or career aspirations.

Advanced Credit

You may enter the University with advanced credit on the basis of your test scores on advanced placement (AP) examinations, the international baccalaureate (IB), or on successful completion of accredited college-level courses that you took before you enrolled at Northeastern. Students must submit official score reports for credit evaluation.

International Baccalaureate

Only higher-level final examinations with grades of 5, 6, or 7 will be considered for college credit. Standard-level examinations are not considered for college credit. For information about other international examinations, contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Advanced Placement

An applicant may receive college credits if he or she has received a 3, 4, or 5 in the following subject exams: art history, biology, chemistry, English “A,” geography, history (contemporary, European, or modern), language (French, German, Italian, Russian, or Spanish), mathematics, philosophy, physics, social anthropology, art-design, classical languages, music, Islam (humanities elective), history of the Americas, and other languages (elective credit).

Admission Requirements for Art and Music Technology

For candidates applying for admission into the music technology program, a portfolio is required and will be reviewed by a committee of faculty. For candidates applying for admission into the visual arts programs (including art, animation, photography, and graphic design), it is strongly recommended that a portfolio be submitted. The portfolio may include work in a variety of media; no particular subject matter or style is required. Rather, you should select work that best shows your personal style, skills, creativity, and commitment to innovation.

Music Technology and Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio for music technology must include:

• three representative examples of your creative work in a form that best represents the project, including lead sheets of original songs or printed scores of original compositions or arrangements; digital format, which might include MIDI or digital audio files on floppy disk, data CD, or Zip disks (PC and Mac formats are acceptable); or URLs for Web sites that include original music or sounds. Audio recordings of compositions are highly recommended (audio CD or cassette preferred). Videotape recordings of live performances of your music are also acceptable. (Supply a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you wish to have your materials returned.)
  
• a short statement explaining your involvement in the creation of the work. The statement should note whether you are the sole creator or a collaborator; the composer, arranger, or remixer; and whether you are performing the work on the recording(s).
  
• a separate, typed one-page statement of your musical background, influences, and goals.
  

Music technology applicants are strongly encouraged to arrange an in-person or telephone interview with a music technology faculty member by calling 617.373.2440. Once enrolled, students seeking to pursue a concentration in music literature and performance must audition as part of the evaluation process.

Visual Arts and Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio requirements for visual arts include:

• fifteen slides of original artwork presented in an 8" x 11" slide sheet. (Supply a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you wish to have your materials returned.)
  
• all slides should be numbered and clearly labeled on the front with your name, title of work, date completed, dimensions, and media used. An arrow should indicate the top of the slide. Include a separate, typed slide list with your name, address, telephone number, and Social Security number.
  
• a separate, typed one-page artist’s statement that describes your artwork, background, interests, goals, artistic influences, and other pertinent information.
  

Applicants without portfolios may be accepted into the department as probationary art majors. Final acceptance into the art major, graphic design major, photography concentration, or animation concentration is dependent upon a review of the applicants’ grades and a portfolio created during their freshman year. Students will be aided in the development of this portfolio through first-year course work. For further information about portfolio development, please refer to the Department of Visual Arts in the College of Arts and Sciences on page 111.

MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS

Scholarships reward academic excellence. Northeastern has established several competitive scholarship programs to reward and recognize outstanding academic achievement. To be considered for one or more of these prestigious awards, you must apply for undergraduate admission to Northeastern by January 1. Only U.S. citizen (or permanent resident) fall freshman applicants are eligible for these scholarships.

Boston Achievement Awards

Award: Full tuition. Recipients who maintain normal progress toward a degree, with a minimum GPA of 3.000, may renew the award for the full four- or five-year program. Applicants must submit their complete application by February 15 to be considered for this award.

Eligibility: Applicants for fall freshman admission who are residents of Boston and who graduated from high school in the top 25 percent of their class.

Carl S. Ell Scholarships

Award: Full tuition, campus room and board (double occupancy). Recipients who maintain normal progress toward a degree, with a minimum GPA of 3.000, may renew the award for the full four- or five-year program.

Eligibility: The top 1 percent of freshman applicants may be considered for this award. Each year, we enroll twenty-five Ell scholars.

Deans’, Excellence, and Achievement Awards

Awards: Partial tuition scholarships ranging from $2,500 to $16,000. Recipients who maintain normal progress toward a degree, with a minimum GPA of 3.000, may renew these awards.

Eligibility: The top 25 percent of freshman applicants may be considered for these awards.

Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships (Transfer Students Only)

Award: $5,000 grant. Recipients who maintain normal progress toward a degree, with a minimum GPA of 3.000, may renew the award.

Eligibility: Applicants for fall transfer admission who have earned a 3.500 grade-point average in 27 semester-hours or 36 quarter hours, or who have earned an AA, AS, or AAS degree. A letter of recommendation from a Phi Theta Kappa adviser is required. The application deadline for this award is April 1.

Ralph J. Bunche Scholarships

Award: Full tuition, campus room and board (double occupancy). Recipients who maintain normal progress toward a degree, with a minimum GPA of 3.000, may renew the award for the full four- or five-year program.

Eligibility: The top 2 percent of freshman applicants may be considered for this award. In awarding this scholarship, the University will consider the extent to which the applicant furthers the University’s commitment to a diverse student body.

Reggie Lewis Memorial Scholarships

Award: Full tuition. Recipients who maintain normal progress toward a degree, with a minimum GPA of 3.000, may renew the award for the full four- or five-year program.

Eligibility: The top 2 percent of freshman applicants may be considered for this award. In awarding this scholarship, the University will consider the extent to which the applicant furthers the University’s commitment to a diverse student body. Factors such as family income, family history of higher education, race, ethnicity, and geographic location will be incorporated into the selection process.

Admission Policies and Entrance Requirements :: Merit Scholarships