Northeastern University is investing $ 470 million in financial aid and has welcomed a diverse and talented freshman class this fall, consisting of 2,775 new undergraduate students from all 50 states and over 100 countries.
The incoming class demonstrates strong academic abilities and comes from varied backgrounds, with a keen interest in global experiential learning. The $ 470 million investment in financial aid for the 2024-2025 academic year underscores the university’s commitment to fully meet the financial needs of all attending students. This practice has been in place for every freshman and transfer student since the 2015-16 academic year, as noted by chief enrollment officer Satyajit Dattagupta.
Currently, 61% of undergraduates at Northeastern receive financial aid, including merit-based scholarships and need-based grants, with the average annual net cost of attendance at $ 28,521. Growth in financial aid has contributed to a 34% decline in average student debt over the last decade.
Demonstrated financial need is calculated as the difference between attendance costs and a student’s expected family contribution, based on factors such as family income and information from the FAFSA.
Dattagupta emphasized the university’s commitment to diversity, stating that the admissions process considers qualities beyond academic performance. Among the incoming U.S. freshmen, 19% qualify for the Pell Grant, which supports low-income students.
Additionally, the Northeastern Promise guarantees eight semesters of funding for students receiving need-based aid, ensuring that grant amounts increase in line with tuition and do not decrease.
The university saw a record 98,373 undergraduate applications for the 2024-2025 academic year, a significant increase from just 26,400 in 2006. Although standardized test scores are optional, the average SAT score for the Class of 2028 is 1490, a significant rise from 1230 in 2006, with an average high school GPA of 4.3. One-third of first-year students applied to combined major programs, reflecting Northeastern’s broad range of over 270 hybrid degrees.
Northeastern emphasizes experiential learning, offering opportunities in 148 countries across all continents through programs like full-time co-op positions in various industries. Such experiences give students a competitive edge in the job market, with 93% employed full-time or in graduate school within nine months of graduation, and 91% of employed graduates working in fields related to their studies.
Demographically, 49.25% of the first-year class identifies as non-white, despite recent changes in admissions policies regarding race. The breakdown of students includes 5.1% Black, 5.3% identifying as multiracial, 13.3% Hispanic, 0.35% Native American, and 25.2% Asian American.
Northeastern’s global network allows undergraduates to begin their studies at campuses in London and Oakland, with 635 first-year students in London and 460 in Oakland this fall. Additionally, 703 students enrolled as Global Scholars, spending one semester in each of these locations, while another 1,537 students in the N.U.in program will study in various European countries during their first semester.
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