I’m in the same situation as you, deciding between the Scholars Program and some others. I’m not sure either yet, but I really do like the vibe at Northeastern. Visiting it, it felt like a place that was trying harder to improve itself than any other school I’ve visited, in a good way. Talking to a lot of the staff there, they honestly seemed to believe that the school will increase in ranking in the future. One of the new business teachers I talked to said that she had been recruited by Ivies such as Princeton, but Northeastern just outbid them; a sign of the investment that they are currently undergoing to become a better school. This is probably a big factor for most Scholars, because most I talked to really liked the school, but were worried whether it’s lower ranking could be problematic. I truly think it’s on an upward trend, and as part of the scholar’s program, they will put a huge amount of emphasis on you, hoping that they can help you become one of their “notable alumni”. It’s a fun feeling to be part of some “master plan” 