Why We Chose to Apply Early Decision to Northeastern: Two Personal Experiences

Applying early decision to any school is a big decision and warrants a lot of thought, and when it came to applying Early Decision (ED) to Northeastern University we certainly did a lot of thinking. ED involves entering a binding agreement with a university, stating, if admitted, you will attend and withdraw all other college applications. Early Decision applicants will be bound to their first-choice preference if they are admitted into that program. This will be true for preferences of any of our five enrollment options. ED applicants will not be bound to an enrollment program if they are admitted into a program that was not their first-choice preference—a non-binding decision would be issued. All applicants are asked for their program preferences in the institution specific section of the application. Additional information regarding our enrollment opportunities may be found here. Northeastern’s ED program is unique in that it also comes with some great benefits beyond just getting an early admissions decision.

We are two second-year students who both applied early decision, and we will be giving you insights into thought processes that led each of us to applying ED! 

Hi, I’m Justin! I’m from Livingston, New Jersey and I am a second year student studying game design.

Hi, I’m Zach! I’m from Cleveland, Ohio and I am a second year honors student studying business administration with a concentration in marketing and a minor in graphic and information design.

The Search Begins: Knowing What I Wanted

Justin: I knew I wanted to be in a city for my college experience, preferably in the Northeast, that would be an easy commute home to New Jersey. At the time I first started touring, I also knew I wanted game design, but I had been open to more of a business and Computer Science path, which eventually changed to pure game design. 

Zach: When I began my college search, I had a similar checklist as Justin. I knew I wanted to leave my hometown of Wickliffe, Ohio, and move to a major city for college. I began my search in NYC, LA, and of course, Boston. When I stumbled upon Northeastern in my google search of “colleges in Boston”, I was immediately intrigued. Reading about the experiential learning model was a huge factor to explore more about the opportunities that Northeastern offers. Two things I knew that I wanted to get out of my college experience were a global experience and real-world, professional experience. Seeing the emphasis Northeastern places on each aspect of its experiential learning model truly excited me and made it clear that this school aligns with many of my interests.

Realizing Northeastern Was the Right Fit

Justin: My first time visiting the school was Boston Family & Friends Weekend during my junior year. It was one of the first schools I toured which set a dangerous precedent because from then on my reaction to touring schools would go from not liking it to “It’s good, but it’s not Northeastern.” I can’t really explain why, but from the second I sat down in the information session to when I finished the tour, I was entranced. Even still today, I am in awe of Northeastern’s great blend of city and campus, the co-op program and overall experiential approach to learning by doing.

Factoring in all this with the realization that I wanted to fully commit to game design in college, applying ED to Northeastern was at the front of my mind when starting my college application process. While I applied to around a dozen schools, Northeastern was at the top of my list. That being said, applying ED wasn’t a choice I made without careful consideration. The binding ED agreement added a heavy weight to my decision and led to plenty of conversations with my parents and school counselors. Once we all realized that Northeastern was a good academic and social fit for me, we were ready to sign the agreement and submit my ED application. 

Zach: I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take a trip to Boston and tour many of the schools in the area. However, there was one school that I was primarily taking my trip for, Northeastern. As a first-generation college student, choosing the right school was important to me. So, I watched YouTube videos, TikToks, and I also listened to the What’s NU podcast. With each piece of content  I consumed relating to Northeastern, I had become more and more excited to visit. When it was time for my visit,  despite the unseasonably cold day and the torrential downpour we faced, Northeastern wow'd me. The information session reinforced everything I had already learned through my research, but hearing the student speaker, especially their experience on co-op at Goldman Sachs, provided new perspectives and highlighted the impressive benefits of the co-op program. 

The campus tour was the most exciting part for me. Seeing the impressive buildings and immersing myself in the campus environment helped me truly envision my future here. I also had the opportunity to speak with my tour guide, Susana, a current student, and ask her the pressing questions I had gathered from my research on Northeastern. Susana offered invaluable insights that deepened my excitement about the school and even inspired me to become a Husky Ambassador in my first semester.

As I wrapped up my trip in Boston, and all my other college tours, I found myself thinking back to my Northeastern visit. Similarly to Justin, I would find myself commenting on features that schools lacked that Northeastern had, and would quite often compare schools to Northeastern. Around this time I had also found a lot of interest in both political science and business, and Northeastern’s combined majors were very appealing to me. These thoughts really reaffirmed my gut feeling to apply ED. 

The Benefits of Applying Early Decision

Justin: I have not looked back since applying Early Decision to Northeastern. Even before stepping on campus, opportunities started to pour in. Being accepted through ED allowed me to take two online classes for free before my first year, thanks to the NU Accelerate Scholarship.  This allowed me to take two classes for free online before my first year — International Business and Global Social Responsibility and Understanding Today’s News. These classes assisted me in launching my Northeastern academic experience. 

Zach: A potential drawback to applying ED is the inability to compare financial packages between schools. This was one apprehension my parents and I had discussed prior to my submission of my application. Luckily, Northeastern offers the opportunity to get an early need-based financial aid estimate in order to provide you and your family with the ability to make an informed financial commitment This was a major benefit to my family, as it alleviated the nerves that sometimes result from submitting an ED application. 

As well as Justin I took advantage of the NU Accelerate Scholarship. Through this program I took two required classes for my major, Financial Accounting and Reporting and International Relations. I am so grateful I had the chance to take these two classes, not only did this save my family money, because it was free, I was able to get an early taste of what Northeastern classes and professors are like. 

Final Thoughts: Is Early Decision Right for You?

Applying ED is a big decision, as well as a very personal one. It comes with the weight of a binding agreement, but if you feel the spark that we both felt, it might end up being one of the best decisions you can make. We could not be more happy with where our decision led us, and if you are someone who is on the fence, take time to reflect and see if the decision feels right!  If you are confident that Northeastern is the place for you, there are two opportunities to apply – Early Decision I, due November 1st, and Early Decision II, due January 1st. Learn more about applying Early Decision and all of its benefits here!