Key differences on Getting in
- 1
Penn's yield is 14 pts higher than Northeastern's
Yield rate - 2
Penn's SAT midpoint is 50 points higher than Northeastern's
SAT midpoint - 3
Northeastern admits 5.2% vs. 5.4% at Penn
Acceptance rate
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- NortheasternUltra selective
- PennUltra selective
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1300–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 29–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- NortheasternTest-optional
- PennTest-optional
How they read a record
Northeastern
, GPA, and tests are all very important; class rank is considered. 95% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight.
Penn
GPA and the high school record are required; class rank and a college-prep program are considered.
What they look at
| Factor | Northeastern | Penn |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Very important | Required |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Considered | Considered |
| College-prep program | Considered | Considered |
| Recommendations | Very important | Required |
| Essay | Considered | Considered |
| Legacy status | Considered | Considered |
| Work experience | Important | Not considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Considered | Considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Considered |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;Northeastern University Common Data Set 2023–24, Fall 2025 applicants;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why