Northeastern Computer Science Acceptance Rate

Computer Science at Northeastern University is among the nation’s top programs in computer science and information systems. The curriculum is diverse, challenging, and rigorous, exploring the ways computer science influences society today and how it will impact our future. The program takes a holistic view of your academic experience by offering a wide range of courses in computer science, as well as courses in other disciplines like Economics, Management, Philosophy, Political Science, or Sociology.

Northeastern Computer Science Acceptance Rate

The admittance rate for computer science at Northeastern is roughly 35%, which is much lower than that of other institutions. Consequently, only 35% of candidates were granted admission to the course.

With a 20% acceptance rate, Northeastern University has the most stringent admissions requirements. An ACT score of between 33 and 35 or a SAT score between 1410 and 1540 are required for admission to Northeastern University for half of the candidates. Nevertheless, 25% of accepted applicants received scores that were above these limits, while 25% received scores that were below these levels. The Northeastern University has a January 1 application deadline and a $75 application fee.

Early Decision Acceptance Rate

The university admitted about 33% of those that applied ED, as opposed to barely 7% overall, while forming the Class of 2026. Over 50% of ED applicants were admitted by NU in the previous cycle. There is undoubtedly a significant advantage for those applying ED to this university.

NU offers both ED I and ED II, with November 1 and January 1 deadlines.

Northeastern Admissions – SAT, ACT, and Class Rank

Members of the Class of 2025 had the highest mid-50% SAT score ever, between 1440 and 1530. 90% of test-takers received higher than 700 on the Math part and 77% earned a 700+ on the EBRW section. The mid-50% ACT score ranged from 33 to 35. 71% of the entire Class of 2025 graduated in the top decile and 93% in the top quartile of their high school graduating class.

Admissions Trends – Class of 2026

• The school received 64,459 applications for the Class of 2024 compared to 90,989 in this most recent cycle.
• Only 28% of incoming 2021-22 freshmen submitted SAT scores; 14% included ACT scores.
• Due to over enrollment the previous year, the target size for the Class of 2026 was 2,500, roughly 1,000 fewer than a typical year.
• NU is no longer a particularly transfer-friendly institution. While they accepted 48% of applicants in the 2019-20 academic year, they admitted just 20% the following year.
• For the Class of 2025, NU increased their percentage of Hispanic students by 107% and their percentage of a Black students by 147%.

Who is Accepted at Northeastern?

Let’s examine the demographics of undergraduates at Northeastern:

Geographically, the NU undergraduate enrollment currently includes students from all 48 U.S. states. As with many prestigious universities, applicants from less populous, more rural parts of the nation (such Wyoming, South Dakota, and Alaska) have a better chance of getting accepted.

The states with the strongest undergraduate representation are:

1. Massachusetts
2. New York
3. New Jersey
4. California
5. Connecticut
6. Pennsylvania
7. Florida

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of students was as follows:

• Asian: 17%
• Hispanic: 9%
• African American: 4%
• White: 45%
• International: 16%

The breakdown by gender is as follows:

• Male: 49%
• Female: 51%

Let’s now take a college-by-college look at where/what current undergraduates are studying:

• College of Arts, Media, and Design: 1,514
• Bouvé College of Health Sciences: 2,134
• D’Amore-McKim School of Business: 4,449
• College of Engineering: 3,958
• Khoury College of Computer Sciences: 2,938
• College of Science: 3,374
• College of Social Sciences and Humanities: 1,860
• University Programs: 611

Yield Rate

The yield rate at Northeastern, or the proportion of admitted students who choose to enroll, was 33% last year, significantly higher than it had been in previous years. For instance, universities with yield rates over 70% included Yale, MIT, and the University of Chicago. Stanford and Harvard had yield rates over 80%. Even still, Northeastern came in far behind other prestigious private schools like Vanderbilt (40%), Rice (39%), and Carnegie Mellon (43%). This indicates that NU is curious to learn if you are their top pick, and there is a significant admissions benefit to indicating such a leaning.

How Northeastern Rates Applicants

Northeastern rates the following five aspects of the application process as “extremely important”: the difficulty of the applicant’s secondary school record, GPA, standardized test results, the application essay, and references. Extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal characteristics, and volunteer/paid labor all receive a “important” rating. First-generation status, color and ethnicity, class position, shown interest, and place of residence are all “considered” considerations.

“Candidates who offer different experiences, views, and interests to our community are recognized by the Admissions Committee following a holistic application examination,” said Northeastern admissions officers. “The Admissions Committee wants to enroll individuals who have been academically successful and who have been actively involved in their school and community,” with the aim of creating a diverse and talented freshman class.

Tips for Applying to Northeastern

You should be aware of the following if you intend to apply to join the 90,000+ Husky aspirants for the upcoming admissions cycle:

• There are no interviews offered through the university. As such, you’ll need to use the essay and recommendations to forge a personal connection with an admissions officer.
• Northeastern does consider “demonstrated interest” so it is important that you make contact with the admissions office, connect through social media, and (when COVID-19 is no longer an issue) visit campus or meet Northeastern reps at a college fair near you.
• In the 2021-22 cycle, Northeastern no longer utilized any supplemental essay prompts. Therefore, the primary Common App essay takes on an even greater level of importance when applying to the university.

Computer Science Overview

Conclusion

The acceptance rate at the Department of Computer Science at Northeastern is relatively low, with many applicants not getting accepted. Many students often apply to the school because the computer science program at their college or university doesn’t cover some of the topics that Northeastern’s curriculum offers. Plus, as mentioned before, Northeastern graduates have a much higher post-college success rate than other universities’ computer science students.