Northeastern received a record number of undergraduate applications for the 2023-24 academic year, which university officials attribute to Northeastern's expanding global footprint and leadership in experiential learning.
Northeastern received 96,641 applications for fall 2023, up from 91,100 in 2022, 75,233 in 2021 and 64,428 in 2020. That's an increase of 32,213 applicants, or 50 percent, over four years, according to Satyajit Dattagupta, the university's dean and the chancellor's senior vice president. .
“The Northeastern education is unparalleled—the ability to study at a leading R1 research institution that has the ability to send students around the world to gain professional experience before they graduate,” says Dattagupta. “This unique value proposition leads to clear and measurable results for families.”
Northeastern has also become the No. 1 choice for many top students. Early-decision applicants — students who choose Northeastern as their first choice and agree to attend if accepted — are up 30 percent from last year. Since 2015, applications for early decisions have increased from 772 to 5,872.
The incoming class will include about 2,600 students in Boston and another 200 to 300 at Northeastern's undergraduate campuses in London and Oakland, California. For the first time, applicants were asked to select their preferred undergraduate campus. About 22 percent expressed interest in London, 10 percent in Oakland and the rest in Boston, according to Dattagupta.
The 2023 applicant pool is one of the most diverse in Northeast history—71% identify as nonwhite—with black applicants up 33% and Asian applicants up 21%.
The university also received record interest from countries such as Nigeria (up 204%), Saudi Arabia (94%), Ghana (91%), Nepal (62%) and Ethiopia (47%). The number of applicants from Canada increased by 22%.
In the US, applications from Virginia increased by 19%, while applications from Florida and Washington increased by 10%. Applications from Oklahoma increased by 51%, Nevada by 29% and Texas by 27%.
Dattagupta said Northeastern uses a holistic admissions process and does not require undergraduate applicants to submit standardized test scores, a practice that began in 2021. About half of applicants for the 2023-24 academic year submitted their scores voluntarily, he said.
“Only the student knows whether the test score is a true reflection of their abilities,” Dattagupta said. “There is no pressure to take the test or submit scores if you are not good at the test or if it does not reflect your abilities.”
Dattagupta said Northeastern's signature experiential learning programs—students gain professional experience in 146 countries and on every continent—set the university apart.
“During a time when students and families are asking about their return on investment, Northeastern is providing that return,” Dattagupta said.
Northeastern's partner network includes more than 3,000 employers, who provide much more than just work experience, he said.
High school guidance counselors and advisors recommend Northeastern to high-achieving students and their families who are increasingly focused on results.
“You can't match the level of innovation that's happening at Northeastern,” said Laurel Baker Tew, director of enrollment at Viewpoint School in Calabasas, California. “They are doubling down on the exceptional preparedness of their students.”
Tew is not surprised that Northeastern received a record number of applications, including 11,397 from California, more than any state except Massachusetts.
Nicklaus Ohlweiler is a high school senior from the Buffalo suburb of East Aurora, New York. He toured Northeastern's Boston campus twice and fell in love with the location. That and the university's signature co-op program made Northeastern his clear No. 1 choice.
He recently received his acceptance letter.
“The campus is like a college town within the city,” says Ohlweiler, who plans to major in business with a concentration in finance. “And it feels extremely comfortable and safe. I am very excited to attend Northeastern and look forward to this coming fall.”
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Some applicants have been accepted into Northeastern's NUin program, a study abroad opportunity that allows incoming students to spend their first semester at one of the university's international partner locations. Popular destinations include England, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Spain and Italy. NUin students enroll in the freshman class in the spring semester.
Diego Cicotoste, a senior at St. Thomas Aquinas in Miami, has been accepted into Northeastern Global Scholars, a program similar to NUin that allows students to spend their entire first year of study at the London and Oakland campuses, each for one semester.
Northeastern was Cicotoste's top choice because of its global opportunities and distinctive approach to education and research.
“Northeastern offers students so many opportunities to do research in their field of choice,” says Cicotoste. “And the co-op program provides another opportunity for real-world experience.”
David Nordman is executive editor of Northeastern Global News. Follow him on Twitter @davenordman.
