Northeastern University is a fairly large, urban, private research university located in Boston, MA. Popular programs for undergrads here include business, sciences, engineering, and computer sciences, but what draws most people to Northeastern is their unique opportunities. The co-op program, their study abroad and satellite campuses, and their service-learning programs are really popular with students, especially those looking for career placement after graduation.
Northeastern is highly competitive, with last year’s acceptance rate dipping just below 6%. ED is competitive too, but they see much higher acceptance rates there – around 40%. According to the , ED and ED2 applications to Northeastern have increased by 660% since 2015. Six hundred and sixty percent! That’s a massive number! But, we can tell by the acceptance rate difference that Northeastern really values students who commit to them, and applying ED2 might be your best bet.
Why You Should Apply ED2
Before we get into the specifics of your application, let’s take a moment to talk about something we know you might be wrestling with: should you even go for ED2? Maybe the idea of another binding decision feels daunting, especially if you’re still processing a deferral or rejection. That hesitation is valid, but it’s not rational. From a strategic angle, opting out of ED2 could actually really work against you.
Yield rate matters to admissions offices – it’s the percentage of admitted students who end up enrolling – and applying ED or ED2 tells a school you’re locked in. That kind of commitment sends a clear message, and schools pay attention! Right now, Northeastern has approximately a 50% yield rate, and based on their ~6% acceptance rate, they’d like that yield rate to be higher. So, at a place like Northeastern, which is highly focused on managing its yield and optimizing its selectivity metrics, ED2 carries weight.
If you’re coming off a deferral or your list is full of high-reach options, ED2 might be your smartest remaining move. You can’t control most of what happens next, but you can choose to double down on a school that values early commitment. Northeastern likes commitment! If you’re still on the fence, consider this your gentle nudge: ED2 can work in your favor. If not to Northeastern, then to another school where you’d be excited to attend.
If you’re dealing with a deferral or rejection from your Early Decision school, we can help. Whether you need a deferral letter, a college list for Regular Decision, polishing your Common App essay, an Early Decision 2 application, or even a complete rehaul for this next round, we have you covered. Reach out to us ASAP. Everything will be okay.
The Supplement
First of all, Northeastern has no supplement. We’re still going to have you write something, though. With those admissions numbers, you need more than just stats to stand out.
Demonstrated Interest Letter
Since there is no supplement, we’re going to suggest you write a letter to explain to Northeastern why you’re so excited about them. This should follow a pretty standard Why Essay format, with some tweaks:
Introduction
Start by introducing yourself, with your name and school. Explain why you’re sending this letter – something about how there was no formal place to talk about your interest in Northeastern, so you’re writing this to explain why you’re so passionate about them.
Origin Story + Major
Once introduced, start by telling them why you want to study what you want to study. If you want to study business, what experiences have led you to decide that’s your thing? Keep it brief, but end this by clearly declaring the major you want to pursue at Northeastern.
Connections to Northeastern
Now, we want to connect your major and origin story to the offerings at Northeastern. Look up their course catalog and find 1-2 upper-level classes that not only speak to your interests, but make sense with what you’re telling them. If you’re passionate about marketing, finance classes won’t make sense. You should also find a professor doing work in your interest area and talk about why you’re excited to study with them, and adding an academic club or extracurricular won’t hurt either.
Extracurriculars
You’ll want to pull in some academic extracurriculars, but we also encourage you to find some other extracurriculars that tie into the experiences you’ve already been pursuing in high school. If you wrote for the student paper in high school, you might want to write for the paper at Northeastern, too. Just make sure it makes sense with what you’ve already done or it’ll come across as disjointed.
Culture
This part is a little dependent on space, but you can spend a sentence or two talking about the culture or traditions you’re excited to take part in.
Sign-off
Thank them for their time (this is an unsolicited letter, after all), ask if you need to forward this anywhere else, and sign off with a respectful “Best” or “Sincerely” and your name.
The letter should cap out at 400 words maximum. Any longer and it’s not getting read thoroughly. You can address and email it to Northeastern Admissions, or if you’ve had a previous cordial relationship with them, you can email it to your regional counselor.
Submit and Wait
Northeastern’s ED2 deadline falls right alongside their Regular Decision deadline on January 1st. Since this is one of the busiest submission dates on the Common App calendar, we strongly recommend wrapping things up well in advance. Every year, we hear about students running into technical issues and missing a deadline because of preventable chaos.
If you apply ED2, you’ll likely hear back a bit earlier than the full RD wave in the spring. That said, with Northeastern’s rising popularity and the sheer volume of applications they receive, timelines can vary, so don’t count on an early release. Just get everything in on time, then take a breath.
Once your app is submitted, you’ve done your part. Now it’s just a waiting game. You’ve made a smart strategic choice – so hang tight, stay focused on school, and try not to refresh your portal too often. You've got this.
Deferred or rejected and need help with an ED2 app? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us ASAP.