Is Northeastern University or George Washington University harder to get into?

Northeastern University is generally harder to get into than George Washington University overall. Northeastern attracts an exceptionally large and academically strong applicant pool, in part because of its Boston location and its signature co-op model, which integrates full-time professional experience into many students’ degrees.

George Washington is also selective and draws many applicants interested in Washington, D.C., politics, international affairs, public policy, and internships. But its applicant pool is broader across academic interests, and admission is typically somewhat more attainable overall than at Northeastern. That does not mean every GW program or applicant category is easier; a student’s academic preparation, course rigor, activities, and institutional priorities can matter more than a broad schoolwide comparison.

For a senior who is academically plausible at both, Northeastern should be treated as the more selective reach or high-target option, while GW may be the comparatively less restrictive choice. Neither should be treated as a safety solely because one is less selective than the other.