By Freddie Zamora
Northeastern’s numbers are slowly improving from previous years. One example is the rising number of applications each year from high school seniors. Another climbing trend is the retention rate among freshmen, which refers to the percentage of freshmen who return to Northeastern for another year.
“The numbers have been incredibly positive since 1996,” said Philomena Mantella, senior vice president for enrollment management and student affairs.
The latest numbers show that of the 2,973 freshmen enrolled at Northeastern in 2002, 87.7 percent were retained for sophomore year – the highest ever freshman retention rate for Northeastern.
The freshman retention rate is up from the previous year, which was at 84.2 percent. The number in the current US News ‘ World Report college rankings has Northeastern at an average freshman retention rate of 82 percent.
“I looked at the graphs and it is very clear that at every level, whether it is from freshman to sophomore, junior to senior, there is a higher trend,” said Provost Ahmed Abdelal.
Despite the growth, Mantella said there was no single cause to attribute to the jump.
“There is no silver bullet for the cause of the high retention rate. It is a combination of the improvement of the academic experience,” Mantella said.
Factors such as financial aid equalization, which is a flat rate of financial aid given to any student for all years enrolled at Northeastern, could serve as potential explanations for this retention trend.
For example, if a student is given $10,000 in financial aid award one year, he or she will be given the same amount of financial aid the subsequent years, according to Mantella. Another explanation, Mantella said, is the building program.
Students are more likely to stay at Northeastern – especially if they are from out of Massachusetts – if room and board is guaranteed.
Four years ago, there was lower retention of out-of-state students, but that trend is now reversing.
There has also been an increased retention of international students, which could be linked to Northeastern providing more available housing options.
Northeastern is looking for a way to improve retention numbers, while considering the best interests of the students.
“Since the university has started to enhance learning and student services, we have seen a better retention,” Abdelal said.
Mantella said, “The goal is to move forward with the financial aid increase, as well as the Early Morning program, which helps students who are struggling in a particular subject to get help in it.”
When President Richard Freeland took office in 1996, the freshman retention rate was 78.3 percent.
The following year, in 1997, it rose to 81.6 percent. Then in 2000, the rate was up to 83.5 percent and has been rising ever since.
Another goal of the university is to improve the upper-class retention rate, and statistics show that those numbers are gradually rising.
The retention rate of students entering their third year, went up from 73.3 percent in 2001 to 75 percent in 2002.
The retention of students who are in their fourth year, was up from 65.9 percent in 2000 to 68.8 percent in 2001’s figures.
For students entering their senior year at Northeastern, retention was up from 61.4 percent in 1999 to 63.6 percent in 2000.
With the new freshmen retention rate moving in the university’s favor, Mantella said she foresees a bump in Northeastern’s ranking.
Abdelal said that the freshman retention level will eventually climb up to 90 percent, and the other classes will follow in the upward trend.
“I am delighted because this proves that we are doing better with student success,” Abdelal said.
Some students around campus see Northeastern as the proper choice to pursue their higher learning.
“I’m looking forward to co-op. I am happy about my [campus] housing this year,” said Alex Lessis, sophomore mechanical engineering major. “There is a lot of money being put into Northeastern. There are also lots of successful people around the Boston area with a Northeastern degree.”
Another sophomore said the availability of resources was adequate.
“I am satisfied with Northeastern because of the amount of resources, advisors and mentors made available,” said a psychology major who requested to be anonymous.
