Webinar Transcript: Live Q&A with Northeastern Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions

Anthony Su (he/him): Welcome everyone. Thanks for joining us today. It’s really great to have everyone again. I know it's been a while since we've had a webinar, but we’re really glad that Olivia Harris could join us today from Northeastern University admissions.

If you could let us know where you're calling in from, that would be great… We're expecting a lot of Bay Area folks, with potentially some people from the East Coast. This will give Olivia an idea of whom she is chatting with today.

Olivia, can I leave it to you to introduce yourself?

Olivia Harris (she/her): Yeah, totally. Hi everybody; good to meet you all. My name is Olivia Harris. I am an assistant director of admission at Northeastern, and use she/her pronouns. And I’ve been at Northeastern for around a year, but I’ve been in college admissions going on year four. So I'm super excited to have a moment to chat with you all tonight.

Azure Brown (she/her): Hi, I'm Azure Brown. I'm the president at ILUMIN. I'm also an educational consultant, and I work with students.

Thank you for joining us, Olivia. Can you tell us a little bit about your specific role at Northeastern, and a little bit more, maybe, about your background, and how you got into admissions?

Olivia Harris: Yeah, totally. For my job, I'm Assistant Director. I manage all different elements of the admissions process. I work, in particular, in supporting students from Northern Central California, and some parts of the Bay Area. I share you all with my colleague Mark Donnelly. I also work with students from Arizona, New Mexico, and Shanghai. So I've got a lot of students I get to work with!

It's my job to be a resource to you throughout this whole process. For the fall, as you all are applying, I'm out on the road – introducing Northeastern to new people. Then, once your applications are in, I sit on a committee – and review those applications with my colleagues – to assess fit. And then, come the spring after admission decisions are out, I'm there again: answering questions, helping students figure out if Northeastern is where they want to go.

Like I said, I've been doing this for four years. Prior to that, I myself was an undergraduate student. I found myself at a crossroads, come graduation. I had a job offer down at Capitol Hill – totally different lifestyle. But I love people. I love the admissions world, and the process. It drew me in… and I've been around ever since!

Azure Brown: That's great. Could you share a little bit about what students love about Northeastern? What sets Northeastern apart from other schools? We have so many seniors right now who are making college-list decisions, so it's really good to hear from you: what does Northeastern offer?

Olivia Harris: There are a variety of things that students love about Northeastern. And I always plug – though I didn't go to Northeastern myself. We do have ways to connect with current students if you want that student perspective.

But from what I hear from students, and what I acquired just being on campus: there are two main elements that people really love about our institution. The first being, definitely, our location. We're located in Boston, Mass. If folks haven't had a chance to travel out east, I definitely recommend Boston: amazing city, a big college town. Our campus is squared away, sort of, in the Fenway neighborhood. So we have our own college campus. When you're on campus, we have the traditional green spaces. But then you step off, and you are in the heart of the city. Students definitely love that element – it adds a lot to the experience.

The other element that brings a lot of students in is our commitment to “experiential learning” – the process that Northeastern takes when it comes to how instruction occurs in the classroom, and outside. Some examples of how this shapes up are that we have a ton of study abroad opportunities, tons of research or service-learning classes, and we offer “co-op.” That tends to be a very big ticket item. Co-op – if you're not familiar – is where our students go out and work for six months at a company of their choosing. We can get more into it later on in the program; I don't want to run off on Co-op [right now].

But, definitely, experiential learning, and then our location, tend to be the two biggest factors.

Azure Brown: Yeah, co-op is definitely a huge factor for a lot of our students – who are looking to start their résumé before they graduate from college. So let's definitely talk about that [later].

Can you share anything about the Northeastern admissions process? One thing that stands out to me is that you [just] have a Main Personal Statement. You're using the Common App. But there's no supplemental essay.

Students wanted to know: “Should I change my Main Personal Statement to be more about my major?” I just wanted to ask: what are you looking at, and what are you looking for?

Olivia Harris: I'd say, big picture, we have a pretty standard process in place. You'll find us in the Common App and the Coalition App. We require everything you expect: so that college essay (just no supplemental) and also, of course, transcript, looking at your areas of rigor, two letters of rec… We are test-optional, so we can definitely get to that too; I can hold that for now.

But when it comes to when you're making decisions around your essay – or your application in general – [know that] we don't include an additional statement from you. We don't have a “Why Northeastern?” question. Because, oftentimes, the answers aren't always super informative. We usually get more out of your main essay.

So I don't recommend changing your whole essay just for Northeastern. If you want to, power to you. But, ultimately, [use] the essay that you're submitting to other universities. We're looking for the same things in that. We're just trying to get to know you in a way that we're not already seeing on your activities sheet or in your transcript. It's another space to introduce yourself – and it doesn't have to be just for us!

If you want to, it's okay: if you want to explain your interest in a major, add a little paragraph on. Totally fine. But we don't really need it.

Azure Brown: Great. And how would you describe what a strong essay is?

Olivia Harris: This is my favorite question, as an admissions person. I think because everyone [answers it] just a little bit differently. I'll start by saying that you're going to hear a lot of opinions and thoughts as you're writing this!

I think the best essays are – first and foremost – [ones that have] been read many times for little things like grammatical errors. So there are none of those dangling participles; that was already taken care of. But, ultimately, like I said: they introduce something about yourself that I'm not gonna know anywhere else.

My favorites personally are when a student will walk me through a project [they’ve done] or an action they've taken. They've noticed something in their community and they've done something about it – and they can showcase themselves to me by telling me that story.

That being said, though… I love to read, too, about students who are talking about their future – and maybe things they haven't accomplished yet, but they're giving me a view into their interests.

My biggest piece of advice would be: as much as I love the essays that are talking about an inspirational person in your life, if you are going to write about someone who's had a profound impact on you – whether it's a cousin, a teacher, a coach, or a grandparent – those are wonderful, but just make sure that it centers back on you.

I love my grandma. She is amazing. I could write an essay about her. But if I were applying to college, my admissions counselor is not going to be considering my grandma June for admission. They're considering me. So keep it centered on yourself.

I think, really, writing something [about yourself] that we're not going to see anywhere else is the best way to maximize that space – and share an additional fact about yourself, within the limits of the application.

Azure Brown: What about for students who, for the year and a half when there was “shelter in place,” feel like they didn't have as much of a chance to develop their résumé? Do you take that into account when you're looking at the activity list?

Olivia Harris: Definitely. It's always a conversation in our office. Fortunately for you all, you're not the first applicant class to have that experience. We're used to it. We're used to seeing gaps.

I'm pretty sure, in years past, the Common App launched an additional section to write about impacts of COVID. I think they're keeping that this year; I haven't looked myself. If you want to, take that space: share about how it's impacted you.

You don't have to use it to write an essay on why you couldn't do things. We all lived through COVID; we all had that context. But we definitely consider that when looking at that activity sheet, for sure.

Azure Brown: What else are you looking for in a candidate? You're looking at the resume, and their personal statement. Are there certain qualities you look for in a student?

Olivia Harris: Yeah, definitely. Here’s the “behind the scenes” in our admission process!

The first thing we're looking at for every student is the transcript: your academic rigor. We want to make sure that, when you come to Northeastern, you'll find success in the classroom. We admit you to graduate. So that's the baseline.

But then, when we're looking at those other, more personal elements – the personal essay, the list of activities – we're looking for four core values. Maybe not [exactly] four. We're looking to see that you’re the sort of student who exhibits that, when you come to our campus, you'll engage in experiential learning.

So you're a student who will come to campus and will go abroad. We have so many abroad programs. You're someone who'll take advantage. You're a student who will come to campus and be interested in co-op. You're kind of a go-getter in that way. You're looking for a non-traditional undergraduate experience, because this is what Northeastern offers.

We're looking for those core things every university looks for, but ultimately we're looking for someone who will be [not only] academically successful, but also (on top of that) be incredibly engaged outside the classroom – to kind of maximize everything that we host on our campus.

Azure Brown: When you're thinking about academics – looking for clues about if they're a good fit for Northeastern, if they'll be successful – are you looking at a certain number of APs or honors courses, or anything around that?

Olivia Harris: We get applications from all over the globe. So we're not so much fiddling around with the numbers – of “how many, exactly, APs?”

We do like to see students who take a broad course load – so students who take APs in a variety of subjects. You're not just the history person. You have APs in other areas, too.

We do a field-level rigor. So we definitely look for APs, but if your high school doesn't offer them, that's okay. We have a context. Your guidance counselor sends a school report – that you'll never have to worry about, but it comes to us. We can read and see that.

So we're just looking for students to maximize their high school education. When you arrive at Northeastern, we have plenty of tutors and support, but we want to know that you'll find success. We want to know that, even if you need some support, you're still in the right fit school for you.

Azure Brown: Thanks. And then what do you think is the most misunderstood part of the admissions process?

Olivia Harris: This is something I've been thinking about a lot this year… and I think it is early decision – and how it can be a tool to you if it works for you.

“Early decision,” of course, is when you apply to an institution, [and] you submit a contract with your application saying, “If I'm admitted, I'm attending.” Students always ask me, “Does Northeastern consider demonstrated interest? How can I demonstrate interest?” Early decision is the ultimate way to demonstrate interest.

That being said, though, it's a massive commitment. You are saying, “If I'm admitted, I'm attending.” So you have to make sure you’re a social fit, financial fit, academic fit… but if – after this webinar, as we get closer to those deadlines – if Northeastern is your number one [choice], ED is a great tool in your back pocket, if you find that we're fitting all those things.

I will say, too: not every institution does this, but we offer early financial aid reviews for students considering applying ED, to get an idea of cost before making that commitment. If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t feel you need to take time to sift through different offers and see if Northeastern or another institution is your [best] fit, early decision is a wonderful tool.

If it's not where you're at, don't worry about it. You don't have to use it.

Azure Brown: So applying ED is really, greatly going to help your chances, because of that commitment?

Olivia Harris: I would say yeah. That is the highest level of demonstrated interest that we could ever see from an applicant.

Azure Brown: What about SAT and ACT? What part do they play this year?

Olivia Harris: This is our second cycle being test-optional. We're of the mind that if they're not in the application, we are not thinking about them. So we're not wondering. We're not reading between the lines, thinking that your score wasn't proficient. We really are not considering it [if you don’t submit].

Our mid-range is about a 1470 to a 1520. I advise students that, when you're making the decision whether to submit or not, look at that mid-range, see where you fall. If you feel like your scores don't represent yourself, don't send them. We don't need them.

We can't “unsee” them once they're on the application – so they will be a factor we consider [if you send them]. So that’s a recommendation; keep that in mind when it comes to how we look [at it] in the broader picture.

They're all different factors. Everything we're talking about is: the essay, the activity sheet, the high school transcript… If you think about your application, it's a pie chart – each of those are slices in the consideration that we make. If you think your test scores are strong, and you want to add that slice – add more attention to that element of yourself – send them. But if you don't, don't worry about them. We're going to look at everything else; that's our focus.

Azure Brown: Great.

Looking back in the last few years, it's clear that a lot of things have changed. So, as someone in admissions, what has changed for Northeastern?

Olivia Harris: The funny thing about Northeastern is we are always changing. We are known as being innovators – and we move fast. Speaking about admission in particular, the popularity of our pathway programs has increased.

So when you apply to Northeastern, you can elect to apply directly to the Boston campus, or you can apply to a program known as N.U.in, or Global Scholars. These are three types of admission decisions. In your application, you can check a checkbox. If you check the box, we consider you for that pathway.

“Boston” is just as it sounds. You come your first year. You live on campus. That's that. 

N.U.in is a program where you're admitted to Northeastern and you spend your first semester abroad at one of our partner locations. We send about 350 students each to these locations for the first semester. Then you move back to Boston. 

That third program is Global Scholars – and this is where you spend your first year (so your freshman year at Northeastern) studying at our London campus (Northeastern London) or our Oakland campus (Northeastern Oakland).

My advice is to explore the three options – because if you're interested in multiple options, that's wonderful. We have more ways to say “yes” at that point, as an admission committee. If you're not [interested], though, definitely don't put them – as you can't change that decision. [If admitted to N.U.in, you can’t choose to go to the Boston campus your first semester.]

But if you are someone who wants to get abroad, it can be a great fit. You check that box… and you'll hear back from us. You could be admitted to N.U.in.

That's been a change for us: students seeking out those pathways, and having excitement around them. And we have admitted about a third of our class through those. So it's good to become familiar with them, because they may be in your future, if you're interested.

Azure Brown: If a student puts down one of the pathways, but they really want to be considered for the main campus first, is that how it works? Or if you see the pathway, are you going to go to that option?

Olivia Harris: Great question. If you check the boxes, you'll be considered for any box you check. When we review you as an applicant, we are looking at you for certain characteristics.

A student who gets admitted to N.U.in is not identical to a student who is admitted to Boston. We saw something where the student showcases some leadership, some independence, the ability to go abroad… We see qualifications that fit N.U.in, that maybe wouldn't fit a Boston student.

We don't have a ranking system. So if you check the box, you'll be considered. It doesn't mean that, if you check N.U.in, immediately you're going to be in N.U.in. It just means we'll look for qualities – and if we see them in you, and then perhaps you can receive that as a decision.

Azure Brown: Okay, okay. And then we better talk about co-op. I know that there'll be lots of questions – that seems to be a main topic when we're talking about Northeastern.

So what can you tell us about it?

Olivia Harris: It's different. We're founded in this whole idea of cooperative education. [“Co-op” is short for “cooperative education.”]

At Northeastern, starting the second semester of your sophomore year, you have the ability to go out for six months and work as a full-time employee. During those six months, you're still a student at Northeastern, but you take no classes. You pay no tuition. You work nine to five, and you're getting that hands-on experience.

It's entirely structured, entirely supported. When you're coming in as a first year, you'll have your academic advisor, as well as a co-op advisor. And they work with you the semester prior to your first co-op to prep you. You take a class with them. They teach you how to write a résumé. They walk you through the application process.

All the co-op employers are partners with the university, so these are just positions open for Northeastern students. You're not competing with anyone else, except for Northeastern students.

You go through the application process just like a job interview. You're ultimately offered a co-op position – hopefully your first choice. And then you make your way out on it.

It makes our institution a bit different. You're not in the classroom for all four years all the time. The system is built so you can graduate in four years and do two co-ops. You can go and do a co-op twice (two six-month co-ops), graduating in four years, or where you do three and graduate in five years.

It definitely brings an element of movement to our student body. We have students who are coming to Boston for a semester of classes, and their peers might be headed out to co-ops at the same time. You can also do co-op in Boston. You can do anywhere in the U.S. or really anywhere on the globe. Actually, one of my tour guides is headed out next week to Paris to co-op in the embassy. You can do it where you want.

Entirely structured. Entirely supported. But, ultimately, our students graduate with a year to a year and a half of professional experience before being done with undergrad.

Azure Brown: Can you think of any examples you can share, of what that co-op internship would look like?

Olivia Harris: It can be a variety of things, depending on where you land. For example, we have co-ops in our office: people who are interested in admission. They work managing all of our tour guides. They manage a program with over 100 students – doing scheduling, and all of this. They sit in on admission committees. So what everyone wants to know, they know. They're part of us.

We also have a student who was just picked up by Amazon Robotics. She was there for six months – she was working in the lab doing actual coding. It's a lot more hands-on!

I'll plug this to you, if you want to get a really detailed vision of what co-op looks like: depending on your major, if you go to any college website for Northeastern, there’s a whole slew of co-op examples. That is always the best place to go for those resources. But it varies depending on where you want to land.

Azure Brown: Great, that's awesome.

The last few years, it seems like every year there are record-breaking numbers of students applying to schools like Northeastern. And last year was really tough for a lot of students. So I'm just wondering, do you have any general advice for this year's seniors? Is there hope? What can you say about this coming year?

Olivia Harris: I definitely want to say, always have hope! [But] I totally hear that. It was a huge year for us.

We received over 92,000 applications. That was 15,000 more than the year prior. Great, because we're seeing so much interest in our institution… but it does lead to some really tough decisions for our admissions committees.

I can't predict this year just yet. We'll see who applies, and how many.

But my biggest advice – and I imagine you've all heard this before – building a list. Not putting all your eggs in one basket. For us at Northeastern, we're looking for students who fit the campus, and [we’re] admitting for graduation. The pathways are always great, because they enable us to bring in a bigger class than our Boston campus right now can hold, facility-wise.

So I would say navigate that: exploring and making sure that, for the institutions you're applying to, you're applying for the right reasons. I know, in the 92,000 [applicants], there are probably folks that applied to Northeastern that didn't know anything about us! I think it's to your advantage to learn the details and nuances of Institutions. Apply to ones that truly fit you, to the outcome that you're looking for.

I totally recognize it's a challenging process to navigate, especially when you get into these selective admission areas. But no, definitely – there's hope!

For context, too, we over-enrolled the year prior, so we were a little bit more limited with space. We're not seeing that as being a factor this year. But, again, just building that college list, where you have a variety of institutions, is my biggest piece of advice.

Azure Brown: That's really good news – that it might be a little better this year!

The last thing I wanted to ask, before we go over and look at the questions that are coming in, is… it sounds like you do consider demonstrated interest. Is that correct? And in what ways can students demonstrate interests?

Olivia Harris: We do. So it is something to consider. Does it always factor into the admissions decision? It's not really the largest factor – by any means.

But some great ways [to demonstrate interest are]… We love when you engage with us. We love when you get to know us. That's what demonstrated interest is all about – making sure that you know about Northeastern. You're not just applying because you saw us on some list or something.

[One of] the best ways to engage is definitely, if a representative happens to be visiting your high school – it could be me, could be my colleague Mark – if you have the time, stop by. Visit. As a general rule of thumb, any time you're engaging with an admissions professional – whether it's at a fair, or a High School visit – fill out those inquiry cards. I know they're annoying, but it's great because it helps us remember, “Oh, I met so-and-so!” on your file.

If you find yourself in Boston, come see campus. It’s kind of a win-win. You have the ability to visualize yourself: see if it's a fit, see if you like the city.

And then, of course, we have online offerings as well. When you sign up for a virtual event at Northeastern (our colleges host monthly info sessions) that's always good, too. So those are great ways to do it.

I would say, don't book out all your weeks with every Northeastern event ever! I would never advise that. But definitely use it as a tool for yourself, and know that it's something that definitely is looked at. Not the biggest factor by any means.

Azure Brown: Good to know. Good to know. All right, Anthony, do you have some questions for us?

Anthony Su: We have a lot of questions to go over! So we'll go through this.

Let's start with the abroad, and the other admissions options. I think a lot of folks have a little bit of confusion around here, but in general – just restating the idea. It looks like there are three main paths to think about. There's N.U.in, which is the abroad program, the Boston campus, and then the Oakland and London campuses are evaluated separately as well. Is that correct, Olivia?

Olivia Harris: Yeah. I'll break it down. I will say, too, if you go on our admissions web page, they're all outlined. I know we're a little bit different the way we do it. So definitely check out our webpage.

But… there’s Boston [the Boston option]. That's where you start on the Boston campus from your first semester, first day. N.U.in is where you start abroad at one of our eight International locations, with all other Northeastern students, for the first semester, and then you move to Boston your second semester. Global Scholars is that last program – that's where it's your entire first year. You study either at our Oakland campus or at our London campus.

So think: N.U.in – semester, international only. Global Scholars – year-long, at a Northeastern campus. The partner campuses are wonderful; we have long-term relationships with them for N.U.in. [But for] Global Scholars [it’s a] Northeastern campus. [For] N.U.in [it’s a] semester [at] International campuses.

Anthony Su: Sounds good. Hopefully that clarifies it for some folks.

There was also a question about the admit rate between those different programs. I would assume they're all relatively similar. Do you know if that would be the case?

Olivia Harris: I don't have the specific breakdown. I would say definitely similar. All the programs end up being selective – again, because of the volume [of applicants], and the [limited] seats. N.U.in and Global Scholars are great, though, like I said, because they give us more space than the Boston campus allows for. Definitely all selective.

I will say that that 7% [admit rate] that was published represents Boston – the folks who start on the Boston campus. Maybe that could be good to know, to think about. They definitely are selective, but that 7% was just the folks starting in Boston.

Anthony Su: Sounds good. And a question about N.U.in. It seems like, back in the day, everyone was put together in a major, and they all go to a particular location together. This person particularly mentioned engineering students going to Greece. Do you know if that's still the case, or how they would determine those cohorts?

Olivia Harris: Yeah. It is somewhat based on major. We call it “site capability” – what majors they can house, based on the faculty and facilities they have.

Students have at least four to select from. There are eight, and then, depending on your major, you have at least four. I know our nursing and engineering students are typically limited to four sites to select from. But then our undeclared, and a lot of our business majors, can go within the eight.

So you will still have choice, but you will have some limitations around the program that  you select.

Anthony Su: I see. So it sounds like, if [I’m set on a particular major and] I’m gonna go through the N.U.in program, I might be a little bit more restricted on location. Maybe I only have Spain and Greece open to me, instead of Germany, or something like that?

Olivia Harris: Exactly. Yeah, exactly.

Anthony Su: And a question: again, it's like these three options – between N.U.in, the main campus, and Global Scholars – they're all effectively separate admit decisions, right? There's no way to change one to the other, correct?

Olivia Harris: Yeah. Whatever offer you receive from us, it's final.

Anthony Su: And getting in one does not necessarily mean anything about the others, or not getting into one doesn't necessarily mean anything about the others, right? They're all separate?

Olivia Harris: Yeah. Let's say that you wanted to do N.U.in more than anything in the world, and you're admitted to Boston. You cannot switch. There are separate programs. We look for separate qualities, and you're admitted based on those qualities.

Anthony Su: Let's see. A question about the Oakland campus: would you have all four years at Mills, or what are the options going in that direction? And, potentially, also it sounds like the London campus would be a similar experience?

Oh, “Mills” is the Oakland campus.

Olivia Harris: Now it's “Northeastern University Oakland.” But, actually, this brings us to a really interesting conversation. Let's, in our minds, separate the admission decision pathways: NU.in, Global Scholars, [and] Boston. We just recently merged with Mills College [Oakland], as well as our London campus. So now we have campuses in Boston, Oakland, [and] London.

This year – coming into this year – we are launching full degree programs in Oakland and London. This is brand new. So you're all getting some really new information right now!

So if you want to apply to the Oakland campus – straight up, just Oakland, [and] stay there for four years – that is entirely separate from N.U.in, Global Scholars, and Boston. Same with London. If you want to go to London for your undergraduate career, you could – but, again, they'll be very specified on the Common App. You'll know what you're applying to.

If you have any questions, give us a call. But those are separate. So you could hypothetically go and spend four years in Oakland, but that's separate from N.U.in [and Global Scholars].

We love complexity and choice at Northeastern! There are pros and cons to it, for sure, but those are the options.

Azure Brown: So I can just go into the Northeastern app – Common App or Coalition – and all of these options will be in there, including the four years at Mills?

Olivia Harris: Yep. So let's say you do decide, “I love Oakland. I want to stay in Oakland.” You'll check that box. Our team will still read your application in Boston, and we'll make our decision – but if you apply for four years at Oakland, you'll get a decision based on that.

Anthony Su: I'm just thinking about the hypotheticals now. Could you do something like N.U.in. – let's say in Greece – go to the campus in Oakland, then say, “No, I want to spend some time in London,” and then maybe spend your senior year in Boston. Is that reasonable? Or is that a path that would need to be trailblazed by a very adventurous student?

Olivia Harris: I think “trailblazing” would be appropriate. And I guarantee we'll have someone. I guarantee. There's a running joke – but there are some students who don't even touch the Boston campus till junior year. They'll do N.U.in, and then they stay abroad, and they go to a global co-op!

But from where we're at now, in this very new process of having our Oakland campus, I am not sure how it would look.

Anthony Su: All right.

Olivia Harris: If you’re interested in that, definitely send me an email. Or just email admissions@northeastern.edu; we'll find the answer.

For right now, not 100% on that one.

Anthony Su: Got it. And there were also just questions like, “Is it really possible to balance co-op with all this study abroad, and things like that?” I just wanted to have a chance to clarify that.

Olivia Harris: Yeah, definitely. We have a lot of offerings. (If you're not gathering that, we have a lot of offerings!) So the way that students will often balance going abroad, co-op, [and] all these things – especially if you're in a program like nursing – we offer study abroad in the summer. They're called “Dialogue of Civilizations.” They’re six-week programs. You travel with a faculty member for six weeks. You earn two classes worth of credit.

So you could do a dialogue, and then (of course) go on co-op. It is manageable. Always recommended to meet with your academic advisor and plan things out! But it's built around the way that our academic system works. So you could do it.

I would say, if you wanted to do a full semester abroad, though, separate from anyone – let's say a more junior year/senior year sort of abroad experience – and a co-op… you'd want to plan it. But that's the beauty of a global co-op. You just put them both in one.

If you really wanted to go into it, you could do a research co-op abroad: do three types of experiential learning in one six month period! So it is possible.

Our academic advising team is pretty robust. There are multiple within each college, and they're there for these sorts of questions. It's good to come in with an idea of what you want to do, but some flexibility around when you would do it.

Anthony Su: Awesome. So also consider using your summers in a way to explore and see different options.

Olivia Harris: Yep. And I will say too, at Northeastern we offer shorter summer semesters. So if students want to bulk up on classes, and then shift things around, we have seven-week semesters: “Summer One,” “Summer Two.”

Our spring semester ends in April – so we're way earlier than a lot of other institutions! If you stay for Summer One, you're still out by late May.

Anthony Su: Let's see… Questions around majors – whether that is somewhat limited at Mills, in London, and N.U.in as well. Or pretty much any major can go for those different options?

Olivia Harris: For Oakland and London, they will be a little more specified. We're working right now to build out the Oakland programs. You'll know that when you're applying. You'll know if it's a fit for you.

Oakland will be, probably, very engineering/computer science-oriented. Whereas the London institution is a little more based in the humanities.

You're not limited. It would just be what area you could then go to. For example, Greece doesn't have the capability to support nursing students. You couldn't select that as an option.

When it comes to the majors with the two institutions, they'll be a little more specialized. But, again, you won't be admitted to a program that doesn't academically fit you. So you don’t have to worry about that.

Anthony Su: Got it. So you'll know the options that are available by the time you're applying, and you won't end up in a place with, like, no other computer science students, or no computer science faculty?

Olivia Harris: Right. We do a thing called “summer checks” to make sure nothing's happening – so if you didn't notice, we would notice. No worries there.

Azure Brown: Mills is traditionally a women's college, right? So the Mills campus is now co-ed, or is it still women's?

Olivia Harris: It's now co-ed. No longer only women's. We made that shift.

Anthony Su: Can you do a campus tour of that Oakland campus right now? Just given we have a lot of folks in the Bay Area. Do you know if that's a possibility?

Olivia Harris: Not right now. I would say within the coming months, most definitely. For any of you folks who want to get more recent updates, if you go to our page and fill out a virtual information form, you'll get updates from us as they’re coming out. Definitely it'll be available pretty soon.

Anthony Su: Awesome. A question around majors – thinking about changing majors, and the flexibility of the curriculum. If you could highlight that, Olivia?

Olivia Harris: Definitely. When you apply to Northeastern, you will be asked to put a major on your application. You can put undeclared; that's totally fine. We have an “Explore” program – it’s a two-year program. You can come in and not have a major – totally fine.

We admit you to the university, versus to a specific academic college. So you have the flexibility to change. If you apply as engineering, and then a week before orientation you decide that sociology is a better fit, you have the flexibility to change.

A lot of our students talk about how they make those changes early on – so it's not uncommon. Our Core Curriculum is called “New Path,” and it allows you to explore and change. So you have some time and you have the flexibility.

Azure Brown: When do students declare their majors?

Olivia Harris: It's required to be declared by the end of sophomore year.

Anthony Su: So it sounds like there's a bit more flexibility before you get to that deadline at the end of sophomore year?

Olivia Harris: Definitely.

Anthony Su: And it would be for the entire university, instead of a particular program or major.

Olivia Harris: Exactly.

Anthony Su: Awesome.

Azure Brown: I'm wondering, with all the different pathways and options, is there any concern that students are going to miss out on their freshman year on the main campus: opportunities to bond, and have some continuity with the students around them?

Olivia Harris: Definitely. It is definitely something that I hear a lot, especially from students who are admitted to N.U.in and have concerns around that, or Global Scholars.

We find that you build really tight relationships within those cohorts. A lot of our N.U.in students come back – of course they'll come back to Boston together – and they're tight.

The nice thing is, too – because we have such a moving campus; folks are on co-op, then they come back – the continuity is kind of just consistent. We do activity fairs, for example, the fall semester and the spring semester. Those are always ongoing. You can join an organization halfway through the year. The institution is very much built around that moving around.

So let's say you spend your first semester in Greece. You come to Boston for that spring semester. You can join an intramural team. You can join different organizations, and find your community.

And we have different programs to support you when you come back.

Azure Brown: Good.

Anthony Su: A question about the “combined majors” program. Can you elaborate, or just let us know a bit about it?

Olivia Harris: Yeah, totally.

A “combined major” is a program where you're studying two different areas of study, but graduating with a singular degree – different than a double major.

The way that we structure it is you spend one-third of your classes studying one subject. I always like to use the example of computer science and theater. So [for] one-third of your classes, you're studying computer science. [For] one third of your schedule, you're studying theater. And then the remaining third is designed specifically for that program. They explain the connection between computer science and theater – how to build a career on those two interests.

The double major is where you're just trying to complete two separate programs. A combined major is you are learning two separate things, but the program is built to connect them together. Rather than doing two separate programs, you're doing an integrated program.

We offer those in addition to single majors [and double majors].

Anthony Su: Got it. And can you highlight some common combined major pathways? It sounds a little bit different than, for example, building your own curriculum.

Olivia Harris: Exactly. It's very structured.

We have three main focuses in our Khoury College of Computer Sciences: Computer Science, Data Science, and [Cybersecurity]. But those three majors all have combined options. A lot of students will do computer science and business.

Also a lot of business programs [have combined majors]. Business administration and economics is a popular combined major.

Computer science and theater is new. There are definitely some students in it. I would say there's [quite] a variety with those.

Anthony Su: Awesome.

Let's see – a question about music supplements. Is that something that would be evaluated if you're applying as a music major? And would you accept a music supplement for non-music majors?

Olivia Harris: That is a great question.

So we have our College of Art, Media, and Design. The only major [for which] we require any sort of supplementation or portfolio is architecture. That's the only one. [For] the rest, we don't need one.

For music… we don't actually have any performance majors. If you're thinking about actively studying violin in college, we might not be a fit. Berklee, down the street, is a wonderful institution for music.

But if you are applying to just a general music major, we don't need it. If you want to send it, you're welcome to – we'll consider it if it's there. But we don't require it.

Anthony Su: I see.

A question: do you know, roughly, the population of what's planned for the Oakland campus? And the different admit programs?

Olivia Harris: I don't have the numbers in front of me just yet. I would say, as the fall continues on, more and more will come out.

So if you're interested particularly in Oakland, again, reach out to us. [But] I'm not sure of the size just yet.

Anthony Su: Okay. Wow, the questions are getting more and more complex around the Global Scholars and things!

Olivia Harris: That's okay. I get it.

Anthony Su: Basically the question is: “Is there a way to state yes, for example, to the London campus, and no to the Mills College campus?” Or is it simply a placement around – as you were saying – majors, and what's available given the campuses.

Olivia Harris: In years past, what we've done – [and] this should likely be what we'll do this year – we've allowed students to pick. It's first come, first serve. Once you have your admission decision and you enroll, you're able to select between London or Oakland.

There are some caveats: majors to those programs. If your major is not supported at the London campus, obviously we're not going to recommend you spend a year there! So you won't be allowed to.

But if you are in a program [that supports your major], you have until the seats are filled in either campus to select them.

Anthony Su: Got it.

And do you know any majors, off the top of your head, that would not be supported in London or Mills or N.U.in, or anything like that? I'm just wondering, are there any specific majors that's like, “I really want to study philosophy,” and it's going to be really tough for me if I'm going to look at these alternate pathways?

Olivia Harris: I would actually say, for a lot of our programs – not technical, but a lot of our humanities-based programs, [and] business – they have more flexibility, typically, just basing it on facility offerings, especially in London.

Sometimes, with computer science students, we will recommend – [and] we have recommended in the past – the Oakland campus. Typically, computer science would be a little more restrictive.

But then comes N.U.in, because all programs are abroad, we have offerings within that program. Global Scholars can be a little tricky maybe. But [for] N.U.in, you have a little bit more flexibility there.

Anthony Su: I see.

Olivia Harris: I will say too: I know it’s going to be a lot, especially talking about this so early in the process, but once you receive an admission decision, if you check the box you want to be considered [for N.U.in or Global Scholars, and then you’re admitted by that pathway], we walk you through this.

So we'll let you know in your portal: it will say, “You are eligible for Berlin, London, and… Glasgow.” (Which this year was super popular!) You'll see it. We're here to help. Don't think it's like, “Take notes!” or, “Know this!” We're here for that.

Anthony Su: Sweet, you get to make a decision within a decision: like, “Where else do I get to go?”

Olivia Harris: Like I said, a lot of choice!

Anthony Su: Yeah.

Great question here: “How do you determine fit for any of the alternative pathways?” Is there anything, in particular, that you're looking for, regarding those types of applicants?

Also would it be different committees that would evaluate each time, or do you know roughly what that process looks like?

Olivia Harris: Great question. Committee-wise, same committee. I'll be helping make decisions for students for Boston, N.U.in, and everybody.

When it comes to what we look for, again… [for] N.U.in, we look for students who express interest in getting abroad. Maybe they have experience. Maybe you've had a study-abroad program in high school. [I’m] recognizing COVID’s occurred, but you should have some experience abroad. Or that's what you're geared towards – maybe your essay is like, “I want to see the world!”

For Global Scholars, in the past, we used to consider students who maybe were looking for a smaller environment to begin with: a smaller community. With Oakland being another campus, I imagine we've sort of tweaked that. But [for] Global Scholars, we typically look for students who demonstrate leadership.

I would say that, for now, those are the two bits we look for.

Azure Brown: Can I ask: is there any language requirement for any of the campuses that are abroad?

Olivia Harris: They're totally in English. All the courses are in English. So we have no language requirement there.

Azure Brown: That's really nice.

Anthony Su: A question around a CS portfolio of projects: if you have a link in an application, will that be considered at all?

Olivia Harris: I recommend not sending any links. Again, every institution is different [in] the way they review. I typically try to avoid links. If you're able to take a link and make a PDF out of it, we prefer PDF documents. Or just documents in general.

Azure Brown: If a student wants to upload a résumé, is that possible in the application, or the portal?

Olivia Harris: Yep. Once you submit the Common Application, you'll have access to your Northeastern portal. Within that, there's an area where you can submit supplemental [info]. It'll be labeled “supplemental.” You can send a résumé.

[For] some students, that sort of portfolio element will come in. You can submit those through there as well: in that portal.

Azure Brown: Okay.

Anthony Su: A question around impacted majors: How easy is it going into CS? I think [that]’s the common one that a lot of folks are interested in.

And another question, because I think you mentioned that architecture was one that required a portfolio. Is that also a program that you could swap into later, maybe [at the] end of your freshman year, or something like that?

Olivia Harris: I have to double-check on the architecture requirements, so let me not speak on that tonight. Definitely [it’s] on our website. I can also just send out information afterwards. Let me check on architecture before I speak on it.

But all the rest are totally flexible.

Anthony Su: Okay.

Azure Brown: Now we've had more students – or maybe it's anecdotal – but I've worked with more students who are interested in nursing. And I'm just wondering, because not every college offers nursing, if you could speak at all about that program at Northeastern?

Olivia Harris: Yeah. It definitely is a popular program for us. It's housed in our Bouvé College of Health Sciences.

I would say what makes it a little bit different is [that] even though it is a very… I don't want to say restrictive, but a major that often keeps students tied to campus – it has that Northeastern touch: where you can get abroad. You can do co-op.

Northeastern's a great place for it, too, just based on a location. We have the benefit of having all the hospitals in Boston – and they're very intertwined. [Our] “professors” straddle the line of professor and still [being] active in the field.

I'd say that would be what makes us different from a lot of other nursing programs.

Anthony Su: Could I ask what a nursing co-op might look like?

And this is another tangent, but if I'm studying, say, computer science, how likely am I to be able to get a co-op that's away from that right? Maybe if I'm interested also in politics – I would want to work in a political office or something like that.

Olivia Harris: It's definitely doable. [As] an example: one of my current admissions co-ops is a math major. His day-in, day-out is math, but he had an interest in higher ed and wanted to get a viewpoint on it.

[For] nursing majors, again, a lot will go into the hospital system in the nearby area. But yeah, you're not necessarily tied to a co-op based on your program. It is often advised, to make sure that all this time you're spending is preparing you for a field that you enjoy.

But you definitely are not required to do a CS co-op if you want to do political science, or explore that.

Anthony Su: And if I remember correctly, there's a bit of flexibility on the number of co-ops you could. It's anywhere between one and three – is that right?

Olivia Harris: The funny thing is it's not required unless you're a business student. All business students at Northeastern have to do at least one co-op. But [for] the rest, you're not required to.

But about 90% of our students do at least one. You could do one – that's just six months. You could do two – [and still] graduate in four years. Or three and electives – [and] graduate in five years.

I would say back in the day it was more popular for students to do the three and graduate in five years. More recently, we're seeing a lot more students just knock out the four years and call that that.

Azure Brown: Are the co-ops paid?

Olivia Harris: Yeah. About 80% are. I have a tour guide who likes to joke: she just was on co-op with our state attorney here in Mass, and they're not paid. So she always likes to make a plug about that. But most are paid.

Anthony Su: A question about who teaches the N.U.in courses – are they Northeastern professors, or are they instructors from a European University? And also a question of how difficult is it for them to integrate that to the curriculum at Boston when they come after the semester?

Olivia Harris: I would say – starting with the second part of that – N.U.in is built so you're not falling behind. So the classes you're taking all come back.

[For] Global Scholars, we do look to make sure that students have at least a C in the classes before they come to Boston – to make sure that that works.

[For] N.U.in, they are typically European faculty members. If you're at the London campus, and you somehow end up there for N.U.in – which you can – you will have some Northeastern faculty. But you do get the opportunity to have that more traditional study-abroad where you're able to connect with European faculty.

Anthony Su: I did not even think of that: you could do N.U.in [and] end up in London, and still have a larger cohort with the Northeastern London campus.

Olivia Harris: We always say, literally, that no two students have the same academic experience – and it's not a lie. You know it's true just based on the pathway that you take in the interests that you chase.

Anthony Su: I can definitely understand that – now [that] we've got to hearing the different options!

A question around – we haven't had a chance to touch this topic yet – transfer students. Can you highlight what that process looks like, being a transfer applicant and getting them ready?

Olivia Harris: It depends on the year. For example, we didn't accept any spring transfers this year, just because of our class size. We're very dependent on how our university is supporting the community we currently have.

But otherwise, it's pretty traditional. We look for the same sort of qualities, honestly, that we look for in undergrad. So we're looking for students who maybe have arrived to a campus and they got involved – and we could see them doing that at Northeastern as well.

A lot of nuances go into it. We have a whole transfer team that supports you within our office. So it's a little more specialized there.

But, again, for us it just depends on the year – and you would see, very easily if you went to our website, if we were accepting transfers or we were not.

Azure Brown: Do you like to see, for transfer, at least a year of classes? Or let's say someone is starting as a freshman, and they're like, “I wish I would have applied to Northeastern, or gotten in!” Can they apply that early as this fall?

Olivia Harris: I would say yeah. I would say that is doable. We're not necessarily looking for a full year.

Of course we’re looking for how performance was in those courses, and how they'll transfer. But yeah, I would say whenever it feels right, that would work.

Azure Brown: That's good to know.

Anthony Su: Another opportunity to touch on the early financial aid review; the question is, “For merit aid, is there also an estimate there?” Or is it mostly [need-based]?

Olivia Harris: That's a good one. Merit aid is actually not at all mentioned in that early financial aid review.

When you go through this process – we'll run this process through usually late October – we'll still accept information. If you're on the fence [and] you want to have an early read, we have a website where you'll submit your information to our financial aid office. They'll give you an unofficial package – that will give you an idea of what it will look like. But it will not include merit aid.

So definitely a good thing to know.

Anthony Su: And can you also talk about how merit aid would be reviewed – or also any Honors College, or options like that?

Olivia Harris: Yeah. When you apply to Northeastern, automatically you're considered for honors and merit. The way I like to frame conversations around merit is [to] think about it as an extra level of competition on top of admission.

We typically award the top 10% to 15% of the applicant pool merit aid. That can range quite a bit, depending on the applicant.

For the Honors College, when we're reviewing your file, again, we're looking for those same characteristics [that] we're looking [at] for admission: kind of go-getter. And then, depending on what the cohort looks like, we find students who demonstrate they would succeed in Honors College.

The nice thing about Honors College is if you're not extended an invitation to the Honors College upon admission, you do have the ability to apply into it: going into sophomore year – after you have a year of Northeastern grades. So it's not over if it doesn't happen that first time. You can apply later on.

Azure Brown: Do you have any information around how much merit aid Northeastern awards?

Olivia Harris: I don't have a range offhand. I can definitely dig around and pass it along. But as of now, nothing that I have.

Azure Brown: Okay.

Anthony Su: A question around the flexibility of the Global Scholars program. Making sure I'm getting my terminology right: Oakland and London. We were talking about one year, and then Boston. Is their flexibility around [that], like potentially two years, and then two years in Boston? Or is it only one out of four?

Olivia Harris: If I haven't said already, the beauty of Northeastern [is] we innovate. Things change.

Where we're sitting now, this Global Scholars program has traditionally just been one year. So it's just the one year, and you come to Boston. Granted, you know Oakland is new to us, so it may change in the future… but as of now, Global Scholars is just the one year program.

Anthony Su: Got it.

I was gonna ask a question, but I think you answered it. The question was basically, “Does the diploma indicate the campus where the student studied, or will it simply say ‘Northeastern University’?” I think that sounds like a TBD also.

Olivia Harris: [From] the conversations I've heard, just “Northeastern.” From what I've heard. Of course, again, it can change. But it should just be “Northeastern.”

Anthony Su: Got it.

And let's see… Again, we have so many questions. I'm trying to group things – to be a little bit more broad-ranging, instead of really specific questions. I'm sure you can contact the admissions office if you have a specific question. Because I'm getting some questions about “this program and the courses that I've taken – if that's applicable?” and things like that.

Definitely, that's a bit more case-by-case, right?

Olivia Harris: If you want a surface level [overview], we accept AP, IB, all of that. We look for scores [for] APs: fives and fours, and then IB is typically a five or six for credit. Email the admissions office; we can always get you more specifics – or at least give you a link to a web page that you could dive into.

Anthony Su: Sounds good. This question says, “Can you provide info about student health and safety in the international locations, res[idential] life, what does housing [and] dining look like?” There's another question, earlier, “Is it, for the eight places, at specific campuses or partners?”

What would an experience be like in a given location?

Olivia Harris: Yeah, I would say so.

The way that N.U.in works [is] we have staff who train here in Boston all throughout the year. And then, when students go over for their semester, the staff go with them. They're sort of like resident directors.

You know, when you're at a university, you have the resident advisors, the students, and the resident directors – or full-time staff members who support the resident advisors [and] keep everyone comfortable. Everyone's safe in the residence halls.

So they go over. They’re there as resources. And, of course, all these are fairly long-standing partner institutions. They've got their support in place, too.

When it comes to the very granular, like housing and meal plans, it does vary by campus – because they are different institutions. You'd be notified as you're looking at the process. For example, I want to say our location in Glasgow had a meal plan – [which is] not always common at UK institutions. But, again, you would see that information as you're making your decision around which campus you want to go to.

But N.U.in staff go to every campus.

Anthony Su: I have a lot of questions left! I'm getting a lot of CS questions, so I'll ask a couple versions of these questions, because they're all sort of related.

“I'm dead set on studying CS and okay with any of the pathways. What would you recommend?”

“Would Oakland in general offer more support around CS, or CS and design, and these combined majors?”

And then also the final version of this is, “How easy is it to get a class for CS – if I'm going to be potentially waitlisted to try to get into something that's super popular, or something like that?”

Olivia Harris: Okay, so starting with CS in different locations: I would say, if you are truly interested in Global Scholars, N.U.in, and Boston – it's a wonderful place to be at. Like I said, we have more ways to say “yes” if you're interested in more avenues to Northeastern. So that's awesome.

And again, computer science doesn't limit you. So I would say that's a great spot to be in. Authentically decide if you want to check those boxes. If you're happy with any of those outcomes, go for it!

[At] Oakland, you have plenty of support. It's a Northeastern campus. So you'll have access to the same support that we have in Boston – when it comes to navigating your academic career.

For classes, specifically, you have the academic advisors. A lot of those first-year courses are maybe a little bit larger, to make sure everyone's accommodated. But you definitely have the space to get the courses you need, for sure.

Anthony Su: I tossed you three in a row and you hit all of them out of the park! I was just kind of thinking, “Oh, let's just talk generally about computer science.” But definitely, great.

And let's see. Final few minutes – I'm trying to get something together…

Olivia Harris: I'll plug through. It sounds like we have a lot of computer science people in the room. If you want to talk to faculty and advisors before applying, even… email admissions@northeastern.edu your questions, and we have colleagues whom we can connect you with. They can answer much more than I can when it comes to the technological aspects!

Anthony Su: A social kind of question: “How do students integrate, coming to the Boston campus after their first semester at N.U.in?”

Olivia Harris: That’s where the semesterly activity fairs are great. You'll also be living in university housing when you come [to Boston], so you’ll have a roommate – who likely did not go on N.U.in with you, or they could [have been] at a different location. So you have the integration within your residence hall.

You'll also live in what's called an LLC. It's a Living Learning Community. It just means that your floor is themed – so there’s a theme to your floor, centered around a main interest.

You'll have that. You'll then come with your neighbors. The floors do programming. For example, one of our popular floors are called the Foodies, and they just like to try different foods in Boston. So that's their programming: they go to different neighborhoods, all together as a group.

You have the housing. You have the clubs and organizations. You'll have N.U.in-specific support, too. You're all coming [together]. We want everyone to be acclimated and happy.

You'll have an orientation to the Boston campus when you get [there] too.

And same for folks coming in, sophomore year, from Global Scholars. The same supports are there. And in the fall, everybody's new – so there's plenty of stuff to help you acclimate there.

Anthony Su: Awesome. And this is more anecdotal – but I know we had a webinar, last year, from a couple of Northeastern students. We had four of them, and I believe (if I remember correctly) three of them met through the N.U.in program, and basically kept in touch for… I think when we talked to them, they were either rising juniors or rising seniors.

So it seems like that program itself – the people that are in it – are pretty close-knit, and continue together.

Olivia Harris: We definitely see that.

Anthony Su: Let's wrap it up there. There's still a lot of questions – and, again, I appreciate everyone's enthusiasm – but we are a bit limited on time. Can't get to everything.

Olivia, do you mind letting us know: where can we go for either getting in contact with admissions, or any other additional questions?

Olivia Harris: What I'm going to do is I'm going to give you our admissions@northeastern.edu email. I get this one, because all the staff are in it. We're all in it. You get answers quickly. Start there.

If you have anything that you want to connect with me or Mark specifically on, that email is a great segue, too. That'll get you there as well.

Send emails there, and we’ll get you connected with staff, current students. Any questions you have, we can answer from that.

Anthony Su: Sounds good. admissions@northeastern.edu. We will leave it at that …

I think it's great that we were able to highlight so much. But, of course, if you have any questions about test-optional, I'm sure admissions@northeastern.edu will be a great place to get started there.

Thank you, Olivia, for joining us today. And Azure, of course, thanks for taking the time as well.

Azure Brown: Olivia, thank you so much for answering our many, many questions. It was really helpful.

Olivia Harris: Of course. Thank you both. And I wish you all luck on the process: finding the right fit. You'll definitely find the right school for you. It'll pan out.

Anthony Su: Thanks everyone.

We'll also have a couple more essay webinars coming up, if I remember correctly – I believe we have a couple coming in between now and the beginning of September. So stay tuned for that; you'll get an email.

Thanks everyone. Have a good night.

Olivia Harris: Thanks.