Each summer, Northeastern surveys its incoming first-year students about their high school experiences and their expectations for college, using either the national Freshman Survey from UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) or its own in-house survey.
Results for the Fall 2026 cohort point to an ambitious and enthusiastic class. Among respondents, 64% named Northeastern as their first choice, 99% believe the university has a strong academic reputation, and 99% said they chose Northeastern because its graduates get good jobs. Students also arrive with strong academic records and high expectations for themselves: 77% earned an A average in high school, 95% expect to earn a GPA between 3.5 and 4.0 at Northeastern, and 79% rated their drive to achieve as higher than average. Nearly one in four (24%) plan to pursue a pre-med or pre-law track, and more than 80% plan to earn an advanced degree after graduating.
Taken together, these results describe a driven class that is ready to embrace the opportunities and challenges of its Northeastern journey.