How difficult is it to get into Northeastern vs NYU for undergraduate admissions?

Both Northeastern and NYU are very selective for undergraduate admissions, but NYU is usually viewed as a bit harder to get into overall. NYU gets an enormous volume of applications across multiple undergraduate schools, and some of its most popular programs, especially business, arts, and certain specialized majors, are exceptionally competitive. Northeastern is also highly competitive and has become much tougher over time, especially because of strong demand driven by its co-op model and urban Boston location.

For a student applying to broad liberal arts, social sciences, or many standard majors, NYU often has the tougher overall admissions environment. Its applicant pool is massive, its global brand draws students from everywhere, and interest in particular colleges like Stern or Tisch can make admission especially difficult depending on where you apply.

Northeastern can feel just as hard in practice for students who are applying without a very clear academic and extracurricular profile that matches the school. It tends to attract applicants who are specifically excited by experiential learning, internships, and the co-op structure, so fit can matter a lot in how an application is read.

If you are asking only, “Which is typically harder in the broadest sense?” the answer is usually NYU. But the gap is not huge in the way students sometimes imagine, and for certain programs or application rounds, Northeastern can feel every bit as competitive. For practical purposes, most juniors should treat both as reach-level schools unless their academic profile is especially strong and closely aligned with the campus or program they are targeting.