Northeastern Admissions

Summer Orientation has Begun!

We held our second session of the summer this week. It’s such a great time of year – welcoming new students to campus and introducing them to all the great traditions of NU. We have a wonderful staff of Orientation Leaders who work all summer long to help acclimate students to campus. The OLs are outgoing and friendly – new students will meet the OLs during their summer sessions and many will see them in student organizations or at events through your time here. They truly are the best ambassadors we have!

I get a lot of questions from new students about what to expect at Orientation. Some are nervous, most are anxious about meeting new people and fitting in. The best advice I can offer our new students is to understand that everyone else is in the same boat, and to be yourself. It’s important that you feel comfortable during your Orientation session because you want to get the most out of the experience. Let your guard down and talk to everyone you can encounter – you may meet your future best friend!

Our Summer Orientation program includes a component for parents and family members. We believe that parents are partners in their student’s education, so it’s important they get the information they need to assist their student in the transition from high school. We welcome parents just as we celebrate their student’s graduation – with a champagne toast!

If you’re coming to campus this summer for an Orientation session, be sure to say hello and tell your OLs you read about them on my blog. Enjoy your session, we are looking forward to the fall!

Go Green!

What a great day we had in Boston – another world champion team enjoyed a rolling rally through the city streets! In case you missed it, the Celtics beat the LA Lakers (sorry to all you prospective students in CA!) to win their 17th world title, and the first in 22 years. The city celebrated with a great parade and rally today – some of the counselors got a chance to watch the event as they waited for some visiting guidance counselors to arrive in Boston. This weekend we are hosting a program for guidance counselors to learn more about Northeastern, our admission process and our unique brand of education. We are pleased to be hosting counselors from a variety of states including California, Texas and Maryland. It should be a fun time!

Check out some of the pictures that the counselors sent from the Celtics rally, here.

Until next time – congratulations, Celtics!

A Global Perspective

 I just returned home from China – what a wonderful trip! Although I have traveled extensively in the United States and Canada, this was my first major trip abroad. A few colleagues and I traveled to Beijing and Shanghai to learn more about the Chinese educational system and how Northeastern may better recruit and support students coming from China. As the University expands its global presence, it’s important that we understand more about our international students and the services they may need to acclimate to the U.S. and our education system.

As I interacted with Chinese students, I learned they have similar concerns, issues and interests as students in the United States. For example, Chinese students also feel pressured to get into top-rated universities, they have parents who are actively engaged with helping to guide their college decision process and they are fascinated with all things Apple including the new iPhones!

One major difference between the Chinese and U.S. education systems is the use of standardized testing. As U.S. students know, the SAT and ACT tests are just one piece of the overall college application process. Selective institutions like Northeastern do consider test scores, but we also holistically review applications looking at grades, classes taken, activities and interests. Chinese students take one standardized test, called the GaoKao, which determines their entrance into the University system. So, for those U.S. students who stress out about the SAT or ACT, imagine your stress level if this one test was the only criteria for college admissions!

During my time in China, I did manage to sneak in a few hours of sightseeing and shopping and am sharing some wonderful photos from my trip. In the first one below, you will see me and my colleagues along with a few of the folks we meet in China. Until next time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waitlist Update

As we wrap up our initial wait list activity, I wanted to take a moment to provide an update on our progress.  We had space to admit about 100 students from the wait list.  Although the final deposit deadline for this first group of wait list admits is today, May 16, it appears we may have filled our remaining spots.  I deliberately used the word “may” because there has been a lot of buzz in the media about the large numbers of schools including Harvard and Penn, who have gone to their wait lists.  In fact, I appeared on a local Boston TV show discussing this very topic.  While we believe the Northeastern class is just about complete, more space could open up later if the wait list activity at other colleges and universities continues.  For students who are still on our wait list, we will continue to monitor our enrollment over the next couple of weeks.  We know how difficult it is to wait so we will do our best to wrap up the wait list process as soon as we can.

Until next time.

May is here!

I always love when May arrives at Northeastern. We get to celebrate a graduating class while we enroll a new one.  This past Friday was one on my favorite days on campus– commencement. The 106^th Annual Commencement was held in the TD Banknorth Garden, just a few minutes from campus, where the historic Celtics and Bruins make their home. The commencement exercises were rich in pomp and circumstance, and the more the 2,200 graduates receiving degrees seem to have enjoyed their official departure ceremony.

Prior to commencement, my staff and I were able to spend some time with our graduating Husky Ambassadors. These students have committed their time and energy to Northeastern’s Admission Office by serving as (volunteer) tour guides, participating in on-campus programs such as the Welcome Days you may have attended, and by being wonderful advocates for their university and programs. They worked hard for us, so we were pleased to send them off with a warm thank you. Here’s a picture of the group after our celebratory luncheon and farewell ceremony.

 

(Click to enlarge)

As we say goodbye to the Class of 2008, I wanted to take a moment to update you on the incoming fall class. May 1 has passed and we have been busy reviewing deposits to determine our waitlist process. I am happy to say that we have room for about 100 students from the waitlist in specific majors. We handle waitlist notification via e-mail, not through the Decision Status Check. Waitlist admitting is being done only in certain majors where we have some extra room to fill with some of the talented students who were waitlisted. If you are waiting to hear from us, please check your email over the next few days as we may have some space in your major of interest. I can tell you that Architecture, Pharmacy and Health Sciences are all full and we will not be able to admit any students interested in these programs.

Until next time…….

May 1 is almost here!

May 1 is almost here! Students who were admitted for both the fall and spring semesters have just a few days to make their final decision about where to attend college next year. April has been such a busy month for us - as you can tell from my lack of entries. I have been busy attending programs both on campus and off campus for our newly admitted students. Last week I visited Miami, Florida and attended a program hosted by an alumnus out there. It was a wonderful opportunity for our newly admitted students in that area to meet each other and to hear the experiences of our alumni. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the students and their parents.

As May 1 approaches we are also busy determining whether we will go to the waitlist this year. I know there are many students out there who are waiting to hear from us about their status. I want to assure you we are doing all we can to quickly make the decision, however we still need to wait until shortly after May 1 to determine which areas of academic interest may allow students to be taken from the waitlist. As we make these decisions, we notify students via e-mail and ask that you check your Decision Status Check for your new admission letter and financial aid information.

I also want to take a moment to answer a question we have received regarding spring admission this year. Many students who were admitted for the spring have come to us with a concern about the University's 'welcoming' when they arrive in January. We are hearing from parents and students that although they are excited to be coming to Northeastern, they are hoping to be treated like students who are entering in the fall. I can assure you that students who enter in the spring receive a similar welcome experience and enrollment process as students enrolling in the fall. We have an annual tradition, Welcome Weekend, where spring students have the opportunity to meet their new classmates, get to know campus and tour the city of Boston. This all takes place between Move-in and the first day of classes. In addition, spring students attend an orientation session in the late fall and we communicate with all students to ensure they fully understand the necessary items related to enrolling throughout the fall. While we do wish we could admit all the well-qualified students for the fall, we are fortunate to have this opportunity for spring enrollment and look forward to welcoming another 400 new students to Northeastern next January.

As we enter the final decision making days, I encourage you to contact with us any last-minute questions you may have. We have really enjoyed April - it's a wonderful time of year for staff as we get to know the students who are considering Northeastern. We hope to see you among our newly enrolled students in the fall or the spring – best of luck in your decision-making!

Decision Release

To our new admits - Congratulations! I am honored to welcome you to Northeastern’s 111^th entering class. You now have a decision to make – May 1 will be here before you know it.  Please take this time to really explore NU. Log onto the Admitted Student Portal to learn more about Northeastern, register to attend admitted student events and meet other admitted students.  When you decide to enroll at NU, use your admitted student portal to confirm and submit your enrollment deposits.  Deciding where to go to college can be a difficult decision – concentrate on finding a school that is the best match for you – my staff and I are here to answer your questions so that you may make the best decision for you. Spring admits- you have to decide how you are spending the fall semester.  Our NUin programs are a great option if you are interested in immersing yourself in a global experience, earning academic credit and meeting new friends and classmates. If you have questions about NUin or other fall options, feel free to contact the admission staff. If you are planning on taking classes at another institution, be sure to review our Spring Enrollment Web site for recommended courses to ensure you are earning appropriate credit.

To the applicants we were unable to admit - College admission decisions are difficult to predict and, often, to understand especially when decisions are not solely based on grades or a test score.  I regret that we are disappointing so many students…please keep in mind that our decisions are a reflection of space limitations and application volume. We simply cannot take all of the well qualified students who have applied to Northeastern. We wish you the best of luck with your college decision process and now that you will find a good fit. If enrolling at Northeastern is still your goal – my staff and I would be happy to talk with you about our transfer process as we enroll more than 500 transfer students each fall

To the applicants who were placed on our waitlist – I know that our decision may also cause disappoint and anxiety. Students who were placed on our waitlist are students who would like to admit if we have space. At Northeastern – we use the waitlist in a very traditional manner, meaning we go the waitlist when and if there is space. We encourage you to accept a place on the waitlist soon, but no later than May 1 if you are considering Northeastern. Unfortunately, we need to wait until after May 1, the national candidates reply date, before we will be able to determine whether or not we have room to admit students from the wait list. We often get the question – will I get in off the waitlist? We honestly can’t tell you right now. What I can tell you is that last year we offered admission to more than 250 students from the waitlist; however, two years ago, we were only able to offer waitlist admission to a handful of students in very specific majors. I know that waiting is difficult especially if you applied to EA.  As soon as we know if space is available, we will notify you.  Even if NU is your first choice, I encourage you to make alternate plans in case we are unable to go to our waitlist.

We are excited to have released our decisions and look forward to working with our newly admitted fall and spring students. Please feel free to contact us with any questions regarding our decisions. Until next time………

I know it’s been WAY too long since I have written…

Our entire Admission team has been working diligently to finish reading and evaluating the 36,000 applications we received.  As all seniors know, we are planning to release our decisions all together as soon as we can but before April 1.

I wanted to use this blog to update you on the types of decisions we will release in just a few weeks.  Although Northeastern is considered a large university, we only enroll 2800 freshmen each fall.  With such a small -well relatively small- overall enrollment goal, and the volume of our applications, it has become much more competitive to be admitted to Northeastern.  Part of our admission decision process involves shaping the class to ensure the entering class is representative of our institutional goals.  While 80% or so of the students who apply are academically prepared to be successful, we are selecting from among this qualified applicant group to admit a well rounded class. We are also fortunate to be able to admit and enroll new freshmen for the spring semester which begins in January and this year we are planning to offer this option to more of our fall applicants since we have so many well qualified students in our applicant pool.

Here are the decisions options that fall 2008 applicants may expect:

Admission for September 2008

Students will be offered admission into their first choice academic major program, based on their academic achievement and personal characteristic ratings in our review. In addition, a limited number of students will also be offered admission into general studies, a one year transitional program, which prepares students to begin their major at the start of the sophomore year.

Admission for January 2008 (Spring Semester)

As mentioned previously, since we have space to accommodate over 400 for new students each Spring Semester, this year, we plan to offer more students who applied for the fall semester, admission into our January class.  While we regret that space limitations prevent us from enrolling more students in the fall, January admission is a great opportunity for students who really want to attend Northeastern.   Students who are admitted for January have a number of September options: some may choose to work; some may choose to attend a local University near their home; and some may choose to participate in one of four study abroad options that we are calling “NUin”.  I’ll talk more about these programs next time.

Waitlist for Fall 2008

A number of students who are well qualified for admission to Northeastern may be offered a position on Northeastern’s waitlist.  Since most high school students are admitted to four or five colleges, it is difficult for colleges and universities to predict how many of their admitted students will ultimately decide to enroll. Many other factors like finances, location, fit and personal preference contribute to a students final enrollment decision.  With enrollment difficult to predict, most colleges and universities use waitlists to ensure that the institution meets its enrollment goals.  If not enough admitted students decided to enroll - remember they have until May 1 to confirm- a school will go to its waitlist to fill the open spaces.  At Northeastern, we use the waitlist in this very traditional manner.  Students who are placed on our waitlist have until May 1 to accept or decline a spot; although we encourage students who are genuinely interested in Northeastern to accept their place on the waitlist as soon as possible. We generally know whether or not we will have space to admit students from the waitlist just after May 1.  Stay tune for more information as I will provide regular updates about our waitlist process throughout the spring.

Deny

Given the volume of applications we received this year, we will deny admissions to a number of students. We understand that dealing with a denial decision can be very difficult for most students and their families.  Please keep in mind that at selective institutions, like Northeastern, a denial is most often a reflection of the space limitations and has very little to do with whether or not a student is prepared to be successful in college.  The admission team at Northeastern is always willing to assist denied students who really want to attend Northeastern understand our transfer process.   We are able to enroll over 500 transfer students each year.

I hope all of this information helps to prepare you and your family for the options you may hear over the next few weeks. I will provide more information on the spring and waitlist options as we get closer to the decision release.  I may even be able to give you a hint about when our decisions will be ready!

Planning your college visits….

This week is school vacation week in Massachusetts and our visitor center is extremely busy. As more and more families use school vacation week to visit colleges, I wanted to share with juniors some advice for visiting campuses. To do that, I asked our Husky Ambassadors (our volunteer tour guides) to help me develop a list of the questions they suggest you ask during tours.

Here's what they had to say……

• How many classes does a freshman take?  What is a typical schedule like?  What's involved with changing majors?   Do you offer student research?  How would I get involved?  - Kevin
• Ask about class size and how teaching assistants are involved with classes. - Dana, Communications major
• To find out more about what's happening on campus, it is a good idea to pick up the campus newspaper. -Dayna, Psychology major
• Some of the most important questions for a student to ask, especially when looking at a city school, are questions about campus life.  - Chris, Criminal Justice major

Our Husky Ambassadors volunteer their time to give tours and meet prospective students and their families all year long. We're lucky to have such a great group of NU students to help us out! 

In addition to the questions above, ask the tour guides and admission staff to explain to you what is unique about the college or university you are visiting.  For example, all students at NU participate in experiential learning opportunities including research, global experiences, civic engagement and our signature co-op program. Ask about the academic environment. Are students focused and serious about school work? How do the professors respond to students?  While you can read all about this online, it's great to talk with students and staff about these issues.

Below is a picture of some of our tour guides outside of the visitor center. (click to enlarge)

During your visits, pay attention to your initial reactions about a campus. Does it feel too small? Does it feel too large? Do you like the quiet calm of a rural campus or the hustle and bustle of a city?  Leave some time in your day to explore the neighborhoods around campus, too. If you're visiting Northeastern in the coming weeks, have lunch in one of the nearby restaurants or spend some time exploring the wonderful historic districts that surround our campus.

Lastly, pick up the student newspaper, check out the student center, read the posters and information flyers, and visit the bookstore. Watch how students are interacting with each other and you'll get a feel for the community. These are important factors that will help you make a campus a home, and you should spend some of your own time "trying on" the school to see if it fits your lifestyle.   

Have wonderful vacations, and be sure to spend some time enjoying friends and family!

It's almost vacation time!

This entry is dedicated to the juniors who are heading into school vacations over the next few weeks and months. This is a great time to begin your campus visits. Most admission counselors are busy reading applications for the seniors, but many have staff dedicated to the juniors (and even sophomores) who will be visiting during the winter. At Northeastern, we have a Visitor Center staffed with admission counselors who are responsible for meeting with prospective students and their families. In addition we have a large staff of Husky Ambassadors, our tour guides, who give tours six days a week.

This is a good time to begin your list of the schools you want to visit, and develop a map of what is possible during your vacation. If you're traveling to see friends and families, take a stop along the way if there is campus you want to see.

We suggest checking out each of the school's Web sites to make sure they offer tours and information sessions daily. Our visit schedule is posted here and we also use this page to announce our hours on holidays and vacations. When reviewing the Web sites you should also take note of what the school has to offer in terms of a visit. Some schools offer tours and general information sessions, while others advertise specific sessions for specific majors. For example, our Visitor Center hosts Engineering Wednesdays for students interested in engineering.

Once you choose your visits and know what the schools offer you will need to check on registration policies. At Northeastern, we do not require pre-registration however some schools do require you to call or sign up online so be sure to check that out before you arrive.

Now that you have your visits mapped out for the break, the next thing you should do is your preparation for the visit. If you spend a little time up front doing some homework, you'll find the visit to be more informative. That is the topic of my next entry, so stay tuned for some great advice from not only me but our admission staff who meet with students every day! Until next time……..