Anonymous
06/04/2026 19:01
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What it is is a school that grossly lies and manipulates stats to create an aura of exclusivity.
+1 This is the problem with Northeastern. My rising senior DS is looking at the school and likes a lot about it (the Boston location, mostly). But I've searched far and wide, and there is essentially NO information published by the school about their admissions statistics for the off-Boston start options. For example, what is the ED acceptance rate if you list N.U.in as your #1 preferred start option? Northeastern actively CONCEALS that data. All of their admissions numbers are bogus because they only represent the Boston start students.
May I suggest Boston University? It is right down the street. What did your DS think of it?
Yes, will be applying to both BU and NEU, unless we get into one ED first (not sure of the order yet).
Anonymous
06/04/2026 17:42
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I always get confused between Northeastern and Northwestern. Why couldn't they have picked better names?
Why would you be confused? If anything the names makes it easier to place geographically. There are also Southwestern in Florida and Southeastern in Texas
Dang, I got confused too!
Northwestern is a bit confusing as it's located in Chicago area.
Northeastern is straightforward.
Anonymous
06/04/2026 16:03
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What it is is a school that grossly lies and manipulates stats to create an aura of exclusivity.
+1 This is the problem with Northeastern. My rising senior DS is looking at the school and likes a lot about it (the Boston location, mostly). But I've searched far and wide, and there is essentially NO information published by the school about their admissions statistics for the off-Boston start options. For example, what is the ED acceptance rate if you list N.U.in as your #1 preferred start option? Northeastern actively CONCEALS that data. All of their admissions numbers are bogus because they only represent the Boston start students.
May I suggest Boston University? It is right down the street. What did your DS think of it?
Anonymous
06/04/2026 15:58
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I always get confused between Northeastern and Northwestern. Why couldn't they have picked better names?
Why would you be confused? If anything the names makes it easier to place geographically. There are also Southwestern in Florida and Southeastern in Texas
Dang, I got confused too!
If you reproduce, your kids will be lucky to get into any of these schools.
Anonymous
06/04/2026 14:47
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I always get confused between Northeastern and Northwestern. Why couldn't they have picked better names?
Why would you be confused? If anything the names makes it easier to place geographically. There are also Southwestern in Florida and Southeastern in Texas
Dang, I got confused too!
Anonymous
06/04/2026 14:46
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
Anonymous wrote:I always get confused between Northeastern and Northwestern. Why couldn't they have picked better names?
Why would you be confused? If anything the names makes it easier to place geographically. There are also Southwestern in Florida and Southeastern in Texas
Anonymous
06/04/2026 14:28
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What it is is a school that grossly lies and manipulates stats to create an aura of exclusivity.
You must be thinking of Columbia, Claremont McKenna and Emory!!!! Those schools lied and lied about their SAT scores.
A decade ago…
A decade is not too long ago when they flat out cheated.
BTW don't forget UCBerkeley.
Anonymous
06/04/2026 10:59
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What it is is a school that grossly lies and manipulates stats to create an aura of exclusivity.
+1 This is the problem with Northeastern. My rising senior DS is looking at the school and likes a lot about it (the Boston location, mostly). But I've searched far and wide, and there is essentially NO information published by the school about their admissions statistics for the off-Boston start options. For example, what is the ED acceptance rate if you list N.U.in as your #1 preferred start option? Northeastern actively CONCEALS that data. All of their admissions numbers are bogus because they only represent the Boston start students.
I've asked Northeastern AOs these questions point blank, yet they dodge and refuse to answer. They really don't want their true admissions stats to get out. This is really unfair to applicants -- you're asking them to shoot one of their ED shots on you without even disclosing what their real chances are.
Anonymous
06/04/2026 09:49
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What it is is a school that grossly lies and manipulates stats to create an aura of exclusivity.
You must be thinking of Columbia, Claremont McKenna and Emory!!!! Those schools lied and lied about their SAT scores.
A decade ago…
Anonymous
06/04/2026 09:19
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What it is is a school that grossly lies and manipulates stats to create an aura of exclusivity.
+1 This is the problem with Northeastern. My rising senior DS is looking at the school and likes a lot about it (the Boston location, mostly). But I've searched far and wide, and there is essentially NO information published by the school about their admissions statistics for the off-Boston start options. For example, what is the ED acceptance rate if you list N.U.in as your #1 preferred start option? Northeastern actively CONCEALS that data. All of their admissions numbers are bogus because they only represent the Boston start students.
All colleges do this...BU's spring start, USC's transfer program, the Verto-contracted colleges like Vanderbilt. It isn't unique to Northeastern. There really should be an additional section on the common data set that provides this information.
Anonymous
06/04/2026 08:54
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
My high stats DD almost attended. She ultimately decided to go elsewhere but Northeastern definitely checked a lot of boxes for her and she liked the vibe.
FWIW, out of her little cohort the people who got into the non-Boston starts all had great stats.
FWIW, out of her little cohort the people who got into the non-Boston starts all had great stats.
Anonymous
06/04/2026 08:40
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
Anonymous wrote:What it is is a school that grossly lies and manipulates stats to create an aura of exclusivity.
+1 This is the problem with Northeastern. My rising senior DS is looking at the school and likes a lot about it (the Boston location, mostly). But I've searched far and wide, and there is essentially NO information published by the school about their admissions statistics for the off-Boston start options. For example, what is the ED acceptance rate if you list N.U.in as your #1 preferred start option? Northeastern actively CONCEALS that data. All of their admissions numbers are bogus because they only represent the Boston start students.
Anonymous
06/04/2026 08:37
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
Anonymous wrote:What it is is a school that grossly lies and manipulates stats to create an aura of exclusivity.
You must be thinking of Columbia, Claremont McKenna and Emory!!!! Those schools lied and lied about their SAT scores.
Anonymous
06/04/2026 07:01
Subject: Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
I have to admit I'm more intrigued by a school that completely remade itself in recent years than one stuck in the past and/or resting on its laurels.
With the explosion of AI, being at a school that's more nimble and willing to adjust may have value long-term for kids entering higher education.
With the explosion of AI, being at a school that's more nimble and willing to adjust may have value long-term for kids entering higher education.
Anonymous
06/03/2026 11:04
Subject: Re:Scathing Summary of Northeastern Admissions
MIT might be the de facto #1 university in the world today, but it was largely viewed as a vocational school well into the 1950s.
Debate will end when these old-timers are dead.
Debate will end when these old-timers are dead.