Multiple Questions from Rising Senior

Colleges & Universities Northeastern University
1

<p>Ok so this is going to be a long post, but I feel that to sucessfully answer my questions, any readers must first understand my basic academic profile. Thanks in advance for any of those willing to bear with me.</p>

<p>School - I have attended a small, yet very competetive, private school in PA since kindergarten. I have been at the top of my class (a huge class of 10 haha) my whole schooling and have a 4.0 gpa. I have also taken and will take the most rigorous courseload available, including calculus BC next year, physics, and honors programming; however, due to the school’s lack of available courses, I have not taken any official “honors” or “ap” courses (because my school does not offer them).</p>

<p>Standardized Tests - I have taken the SAT’s, and my best combined score is as below:</p>

<p>Math - 770
CR - 750
Writing - 710
(My best single testing period is the same, except with a Writing score of 660)</p>

<p>I will hopefully be a National Merit Semifinalist (will know in September), as my scores were 4 points above the previous year’s cutoff for PA.</p>

<p>EC’s - I have stayed fairly busy with many varied interests with the primary ones as follow:</p>

<p>Piano - in addition to countless recitals,
8th grade - accompanist for school choir
Freshman - accompanist for school choir
Sophomore - chief student accompanist for school choir
Junior - chief student accompanist for school choir
Senior (future) - chief student accompanist for school choir, and hopefully composer/arranger</p>

<p>Sports -
Freshman - jv bball and varsity soccer
Sophomore - varsity bball and soccer
Junior - varsity bball (co-captain) and soccer
Senior (future) - varsity bball (captain) and soccer (captain)</p>

<p>FBLA -
Freshman - 1st in region in C++ programming
Sophomore - 1st in region in Help Desk
Junior - Vice President of school, 1st in region in Computer Problem Solving, and 3rd in state in open event The Internet
Senior (future) - hopefully President of school and placing in region in Computer Applications</p>

<p>Other -
I have participated yearly in service projects at a local nursing home, am active in a church as a piano accompanist, am active in service projects through a youth group, have had a constant job in my school’s IT Department since 8th grade, have worked at various occupations in each summer, have taught (and continue to teach) multiple young children as piano students, and am tutoring in math</p>

<p>Interests, Ethnicity, Background, etc. -</p>

<p>Academic Interest - mainly in math and science (am thinking chemical engineering), and I also heavily enjoy music</p>

<p>Ethnicity - Caucasion male</p>

<p>Background - middle class American family</p>

<p>So sorry for the all the boring nonsense up above, but I felt that it was necessary as a reference point to answer these questions. I am extremely interested in Northeastern for multiple reasons, and I would like to ask these questions to anyone who could provide an inteliigent answer:</p>

<li><p>I have contacted the admissions and financial aid offices and they have stated that 100 students in the past couple incoming freshman years have received either full tuition or full tuition, room, and board scholarships as national merit scholars. Has anyone on here received this? And if so, how? Even if you have not received this, what chances do you think I have at financial aid, and how much?</p></li>
<li><p>I am decently positive that I have a good chance of receiving admission to Northeastern (however, if I am wrong, please alert me); however, I would also like to be accepted into the honors college/society. What chances do I have of being accepted there? And what benefits would accompany it?</p></li>
<li><p>I am planning on visiting Northeastern this summer. Is there anywhere in Boston that anyone would recommend staying as an affordable section of the city or particular hotel?</p></li>
<li><p>Finally, although I am fairly convinced that Northeastern seems right for me (private yet unpretentious, great coop, great city, etc), can any current or past students give me any personal experience or advice to back up my assumptions? It would be greatly appreciated.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks a lot to anyone who read through all of this (or any of this haha), and I appreciate any and all informative answers. It is so nice it to be able to get the opinions and advice of those far more experienced and wiser than myself.</p>

2

<ol>
<li> Your stats are amazing…you are definitely in man</li>
</ol>

3

<p>Thanks a lot for your encouraging reply. When you say that am “in”, are you speaking about the honors college, or just Northeastern in general?</p>

4

<p>1) Full scholarships can depend on a lot of things. My stats were better than my boyfriend’s roommate (who got full tuition), but he was a world-class luge…er. Don’t know what the noun for someone who does luging is… Also there was a guy who got full everything because he volunteered over 1500 hours during high school and wants to become a teacher. Then again, there was a girl who was just pretty good in high school so she got full tuition. I might be COMPLETELY wrong about this (because obviously I don’t know most of the scholarship cases), but every single one of the people with high scholarships came from Mass. I’m definitely not saying that is a requirement though! But there may be some state-funded ones that help out Mass students a bit more.</p>

<p>2) I had similar stats and got into honors. Every once and a while they mess up and don’t let in someone who clearly should have been, but they applied after first semester in college and got into honors. It looks better to co-ops, grad schools, and depending on the circumstances, you can get better housing (but not always the case).</p>

<p>3) There are plenty of cheap hotels in Boston, and there was a previous thread discussing this. However, I really liked staying at the Marriot Copely, because it was near campus, had great views of Boston, and sort of gave me an idea of what it would be like to be able to go to Pru or Newbury, etc. However my mom travels a lot, so it was cheaper for me than most people.</p>

<p>4) Look up past threads. We talk about this a milllllion times. Example for private yet unpretentious: People will wear pjs to the dining hall… while wearing 300 dollar Ugg Boots…</p>

5

<p>You should definately be in the honors program. My suggestion is make sure that Northeastern knows you are visiting, they track the number of times you communicate with them. I know a lot of people with scores above the average GPA/SAT who didnt get in because Northeastern knew that they didnt love it here. If you show that you really want to be there you should get a full ride.</p>

6

<p>My daughter’s roommate last year received full tuition. She had very very high SAT scores, but not the highest GPA or class rank. She was from Maryland.</p>

7

<p>Thanks for all of these replies.</p>

<p>to neuchimie: You said you had similar stats and got into honors. Do you mind if I ask what kind of financial aid you received?</p>

<p>So I guess I have another question which I forgot to include in the original post.</p>

<ol>
<li>I am planning on taking the following SAT II tests in October: Math II, Chemistry, and U.S. History. Do you think these will increase my chances of acceptance into the honors college and possible financial aid, or is taking them just overkill?</li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks for your replies, and please don’t hesitate to post any answers to any of my previous questions. All of it is appreciated.</p>

8

<p>I received 14k a year, but I didn’t submit my highest SAT scores. I submitted scores around 1450ish, but I got higher ones later that I didn’t both to submit because it would have cost extra and I knew I would get in already. (I know, pretty stupid thing to do) As I said, sometimes they mess up. My roommate got 11k a year, and a friend got 14k, and yet my roommate got honors and the friend didn’t. She applied to honors after first semester and got in no problem.</p>

<p>I took SAT IIs and did well, but I don’t know how much that affected my acceptance.</p>

9

<p>Thanks neuchimie.</p>

<p>So I guess I am down to two main questions now.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Is anyone else on this forum a National Merit Scholar who went or is going to Northeastern? And if so, what kind of financial aid did you receive?</p></li>
<li><p>Would taking the SAT II’s (Math II, Chemistry, U.S. History) help my chances at financial aid or getting into honors, or is not worth it?</p></li>
</ol>

10

<p>I think you’re already set to get into honors and to get good financial aid. I’m not sure there are any national merit scholars posting around here, so you might not get that question answered.</p>

<p>SAT IIs could maybe give you a slight bump since you won’t be reporting any AP scores… but they probably won’t make a huge difference in your finaid. I almost think Math II might be overkill… you’ve already proven that you’re good at math since you have a 770 on the SAT. But I’m definitely no admissions officer.</p>

11

<p>Just to set the terminology record straight “financial aid” is based on financial need and your scores/stats don’t come into play. To get financial aid you must file the FAFSA and CSS Profile to be considered. Types of financial aid includes grants, loans and work study. “Merit aid” is based on stats. The last few years the most merit aid (in one single scholarship) was $16k/year and this is awarded upon acceptance. At NEU, SAT scores appear to play a big role in determining the amount vs. class rank, GPA. Later in the year (early May ?) they award the full tuition and full tuition/room and board scholarships. Also later in the year (but before the May 1st deadlien) they award the endowed scholarships which are not based on FAFSA/CSS profile but can take many things into consideration including stats, ec’s, demographics, etc. These awards are made at the sole discretion of the trustees awarding them and are usually college specific, i.e, Engineering, Bouve, etc.</p>

<p>I don’t know what role being a National Merit Scholar plays in the determination of Merit Aid.</p>

12

<p>to Emily: Thanks for your quick reply. The reason I chose those Subject tests for individual reasons. Chemistry for the reason that I think I can do well on it, and because I want to be a chemE. U.S. History to show that I have interests besides math and science. Math II (although I realize I have proved I am decent at math) because I am planning on applying to several other schools as backups which demand Math subject tests for engineering programs</p>

<p>to RatedPG: Thank you for clearing up some things. Sorry I was being ambiguous in using the term “financial aid”. What I primarily meant was “merit aid”. I assume I will not be receiving vast amounts of financial aid because of my family background. So you are saying that full tuition or room and board scholarships are not awarded till May? How does that work when that would definitely affect my decision to go to NEU or a more affordable school? When does NEU have to know that I am attending there?</p>

13

<p>Sorry, just re-read my post. The full tuition and full tuition/room and board recipientsw are notified before the May 1st deadline for accepting. My daughter’s roommate freshman year received it, and was notified about a week before the May 1st deadline. This may NOT be the date for everyone. We had asked the question during an open house for accepted students and were told that the decision are made “very soon after the regular decision acceptance letters go out”. So you could literally be accepted regular decision with say $16k scholarship and find out a few weeks later that you have one of the full tuition or full tuition/room and board “free rides”.</p>

14

<p>Ok thanks a lot for clarifying that.</p>

15

<p>you’re in, and you’re probably in honors. if you don’t get honors, send them an email “appeal letter”. i’m sure you can call and get more information. sometimes if you apply early action, it’s harder to get into honors just because they don’t know who the top 10% of applicants are yet.</p>

<p>(that happened to me)</p>

16

<p>ll0124: Are you saying that it’s better to not apply early action? And did you send them an appeal letter and then get in?</p>

<p>Does anyone else have an opinion if it is better to apply early action? I was planning on it as NEU is my #1 choice for a college, but if it affects getting into honors then I will rethink that.</p>

17

<p>It’s always better to apply EA as far as acceptance. But I think you’d get in early or regular.</p>

<p>Applying early is just way more convenient. Senior year all my friends spent winter break writing essays and feeling stressed about the january deadlines. I spent my winter break eating christmas cookies and thinking about deciding between my two acceptances.</p>

18

<p>Apply early. Show interest in the Honors program (visit more than once if you can, attend information sessions on the Honors program, etc.) </p>

<p>If by some chance you did not get into Honors (which I doubt), you could appeal before making your decision, and tell them it is a deciding factor on whether or not you will attend NEU. I don’t think you mentioned what other schools you are applying to?</p>

19

<p>How would you suggest I show interest in the Honors Program? I am visiting NEU in July, and I will attend an Engineering Wednesday and hopefully have a meeting with an engineering professor there, but since I am in PA and have a busy lifestyle, I do not think I will be able to visit more than once.</p>

<p>As for other schools I am applying to, I am most likely applying to Penn State (both of my parents, my sisters, my brothers-in-law, and several cousins have gone there), Bucknell, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon, and maybe MIT and Caltech as far reaches.</p>

20

<p>When you visit on Engineering Wednesday, they will have an info session on the Honors program. Attend the info session and get email addresses of the representatives (preferably the faculty members, not the students … or you could get both). Correspond with them periodically by asking questions that show interest in the program. It may not help, but it can’t hurt. When my daughter attended Engineering Wednesday, she hit it off with a professor that was leading a discussion on Women in Engineering. My daughter sent her a follow up letter (not email) expressing how much she enjoyed meeting this professor, etc. etc. Several months later when we attended the admitted students open house, we bumped into this professor and when my daughter went up to her and told her her name and that we had met months before the professor said " oh yes I remember you, you sent me a really nice letter". It may not have helped her get into Honors at all… but it can’t hurt.</p>