Nomination Process

A National Initiative to Recruit Promising Potential

To learn more about the Torch Scholars Program, please download the viewbook here or contact Torch Program Assistant Director Shannon Pittman.

Our Torch Scholars nomination deadline for Fall 2013 was January 15. The Admissions and Scholarship Committee will review applications and nominations and by the end of February, Finalists will be notified and invited to campus for their Interview Day.

Torch Scholars Program Criteria: We are looking for students who:

• Have persevered despite difficult family situations, cultural barriers, financial challenges, or education environments that were unable to prepare them to compete for admission to a highly selective school such as Northeastern.
• Show leadership through community, school, and service work; Torch nominees are "game-changers" in their communities, working to make a difference.
• Have not yet demonstrated academic success at the level of their true potential but who would be successful with the additional academic and personal support provided by the Torch Program.
• Represent a diversity of academic majors, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and geographic areas. Are first-generation college students whose parent(s) have not earned a four-year degree in the United States.
• Are U.S. citizens and or documented permanent residents from low-income households.

Who can nominate a student for the Torch Scholars Program?

Any Professional (guidance counselors, teachers, mentors, clergy, community workers) may nominate one or more students for the Torch Scholars Program. Students should not nominate themselves or their peers for Torch. If you are a student who is interested in the Torch Scholars Program, we encourage you to apply to Northeastern University and invite an education or community outreach professional to nominate you for Torch. If you have questions about the Torch Scholars Program Nomination process, contact Shannon Pittman, Assistant Director at 617.373.7204 or torch@neu.edu.

Nomination Form 

Our Torch Scholars nomination deadline for Fall 2013 was January 15. The Fall 2014 nomination process will begin in October 2013. Nomination information will be treated confidentially and used only for purposes of evaluating the applicant's appropriateness for our program. Download the Torch nomination FAQs here for more information. 

Nomination Deadlines

January 15: Torch Scholars nomination deadline.

January 15: Northeastern University Regular Decision application deadline (all Torch Scholar applicants must complete the Common Application and required NU supplement at www.commonapplication.org). All application materials, including your nomination form, will be considered by the Torch Scholars Selection Committee. We will waive the application fee for Torch nominees. To request a fee waiver, when submitting the Common Application and Northeastern Supplement select "Other" as the fee waiver type in the payment section. We will grant the fee waiver after verifying that you have been nominated for the Torch Scholars Program. If you have questions about having your application fee waived, please contact Shannon Pittman, Assistant Director at 617.373.7204 or torch@neu.edu.

February 1: Priority deadline for financial aid paperwork. Students should complete the FAFSA ( www.fafsa.ed.gov) in order to be considered for the Torch Scholars program as well as other federal and institutional financial assistance.

February: Finalists will be notified and asked to complete Northeastern’s Comprehensive Leadership Assessment prior to their interview day.

March: Torch Scholars Program decisions are announced. Due to the unique nature of this Program, students selected as Torch Finalists will not receive their admissions decisions from Northeastern until after Scholarship recipients are announced.