On the surface, NUin seems like a positive Northeastern initiative. Students who don’t get admitted for the fall semester get to redeem themselves by studying abroad in countries like Australia and Greece. The students seem happy; they are given the opportunity to visit exotic locales. Their parents must be relieved; their children got into their choice school.

While students and parents are satisfied, the program comes at a steep price: NUin students often pay more than full semester’s worth of tuition without the help of financial aid. At a time when the dollar’s value is declining around the world, it’s clearly more expensive than a typical semester on Northeastern soil. Though an NUin coordinator insists the students are not wealthier than average, it’s unlikely the program houses a bunch of Oliver Twists.

While it’s unclear how much the university profits in this operation, money seems to be a motivating factor. They say space limits are why these students aren’t accepted for regular fall admission. They may be bright candidates, but there’s a reason they weren’t admitted outright.

Maybe it was a lack of an extracurricular activity or lower SAT scores than fellow applicants that bumped them down the list. But by turning these students away, Northeastern risks losing viable tuition dollars. And at a tuition-dependent university, that simply is not an option.

There must be equally-qualified students who can’t afford to be part of NUin. Why should their tax brackets prevent them from seeking a valuable Northeastern education as well?

Some say you can’t put a price on a good education, but the university has found a way around that adage, and it doesn’t come cheap.