How to Apply to Northeastern University 2020-2021

You've talked to current students, visited the campus and performed research about your prospective major, and you know one thing for sure: Northeastern University is near the top of your college list. If this is the situation for you, get to know a few facts about how to apply to Northeastern during the 2020-2021 application cycle.

• Complete the application on either the Common App or the Coalition Application — Northeastern accepts either one.
• Write your personal essay (650 words for Common App, 550 words for Coalition).
• Ask your counselor to send your transcript and your secondary school report to Northeastern.
• Send your test scores (when applicable) directly from the testing agency site. Northeastern is currently test-optional, so submitting scores is up to you.
• Determine which deadline applies to you: Early Decision I (Nov. 10), Early Action (Dec. 1), Early Decision II (Jan. 10) or Regular Decision (Feb. 1).
• Have a teacher and counselor submit a recommendation letter. One teacher recommendation letter is required, but you can send another rec letter if you choose.
• Pay the fee ($75) unless you have a fee waiver.

You may have noticed that we didn't list any supplemental essay prompts here. That's because Northeastern does not require you to write anything beyond the personal essay that you'll be entering into your Common or Coalition app. To see an example of a personal essay that a student who was accepted to Northeastern wrote, check out this essay.In addition, international students must submit proof of English proficiency. Northeastern accepts results from seven different English proficiency exams to meet this requirement, so you can choose which works best for you. Some international students may be able to apply for a waiver so they don't need to submit these test results. For instance, if the primary instruction language at your school is English, you could be exempt from the test requirement, or if get a high enough score on specific AP and IB English tests. You can read the requirements on the Northeastern International Student Application page.

Good luck with your Northeastern application, and for more information, visit Northeastern's website or College Confidential's Northeastern University discussion forum.

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