How To Get Into Northwestern University

Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois, just north of Chicago. It’s an attractive option for prospective students interested in a variety of majors, including STEM disciplines. As a leading research university, Northwestern maintains a focus on nanotechnology, drug discovery, neuroscience, and biotechnology. 

Northwestern is repeatedly on the top lists of the most highly ranked colleges and universities in the U.S. and the world. It’s currently ranked the #10 national university, with the #3 business school and the #13 law school. It is also ranked as the #24 global university.

There are nine different undergraduate schools that make up Northwestern University:

• The McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
• The School of Communication
• The Bienen School of Music
• The Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications
• Kellogg School of Management
• School of Education and Social Policy
• Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
• The Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences
• Feinberg School of Medicine

While the school attracts an enormous number of STEM majors, it is also known for its liberal arts education, which forms the basis of several degrees. Northwestern emphasizes the practical application of concepts, knowledge, creative expression, and research. 

There are hundreds of notable former Northwestern students and alumni, including:

• Robert Todd Lincoln
• George R. R. Martin
• Hugh Hefner
• David Schwimmer
• Warren Beatty
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus
• Charleton Heston
• Cindy Crawford
• Ann-Margret
• Garry Marshall
• Rahm Emanuel
• Meghan Markle

If you’ve got your heart set on following in the footsteps of these greats and thousands of others, you’ll need to learn everything you can about how to get into Northwestern, starting with its history, what the mission of the university is, and what it looks for in prospective students.

It all began in May 1850 with nine men who wanted to open a college to serve the educational needs of the Northwest Territory. They had no land, very little experience with higher education, and even less money. 

However, they pulled together plenty of hard work and ambition, religious inspiration, creative financing, and relentless politicking to bring their vision to fruition.

The “Northwestern Nine” bought almost 400 acres of land on the shore of Lake Michigan in 1853, just a dozen miles north of Chicago. They developed the land and named the town Evanston after one of the founders, John Evans. 

The first building was completed in 1855, and that autumn, the first classes were held with ten students and two faculty members.

Today, Northwestern University has grown to include a total of 12 colleges and schools with three campuses in total: the main campus in Evanston, one in Chicago, and one in Doha, Qatar.

Northwestern has a history steeped in tradition, values, and loyalty to its mission that has not changed over time. The university states that it is committed to excellent teaching, student growth, and innovative research in a diverse academic community. 

With more than 100 majors and minors available, Northwestern affords ample opportunity to explore options for academic personalization.

With a total of 21,000 currently enrolled students, almost 3,400 full-time faculty members, and more than 500 student clubs, activities, and organizations, Northwestern University offers one of the most expansive and diverse ranges of opportunities anywhere. 

The acceptance rate for Northwestern currently stands at just 7%. Almost three-quarters of its students major in more than one subject, and half of the students participate in study abroad experiences. 

There are 8,000 undergraduate students and 14,000 graduate students, yet Northwestern still maintains a very impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6:1. For the class of 2026, Northwestern received an astounding 51,554 applications and invited 3,609 of them to join the student body.

Some of the most essential facts about how to get accepted into Northwestern have to do with GPA, SATs, and ACTs.

For the class of 2026, 50% of applicants who were invited to attend Northwestern had SAT scores between 1460 and 1560 or ACT scores between 33 and 35. Submitting test scores was optional for applicants in the 2022–23 admissions cycle. 

Northwestern does not have a preference for one type of exam over the other, and the school will superscore your scores. In other words, it will combine the best section scores across all of your sittings and override previous high scores in its database. So it is recommended to take either of these crucial tests (or both of them) multiple times. 

In addition, as the university warns, you are allowed to self-report scores but should not self-calculate your own ACT superscore. If you are accepted and choose to enroll, you will be required to submit official test scores before enrollment is completed.

As for GPAs, you should know that, like most of the other top colleges in the nation, Northwestern does not publish the GPAs of its incoming freshmen. However, it’s safe to say that you should aim for an unweighted GPA that is as close to 4.0 as possible in order to strengthen your application to Northwestern.

There are four different application options at the school:

• QuestBridge
• Regular decision
• Early decision
• Transfer

Which one you choose to go with should be carefully considered, partly because your decision, should you be admitted under the “early decision” option, is binding. This means that if you apply for Early Decision and are admitted, you agree to enroll in Northwestern and withdraw any other college applications you have out there. 

Whether you apply for the Early Decision round or the Regular Decision round does not affect any financial aid packages you might get. You can use the school’s Net Price Calculator tool to estimate whether you might qualify for financial aid and how much that might include.

Early Decision applicants must submit their applications and all supporting materials by November 1. Regular Decision applications are due to the school by January 2.

The QuestBridge application option is available for high school seniors who have displayed extraordinary academic ability despite financial hardships. This happens through a process called College Match. Specific eligibility requirements go along with QuestBridge, so you may want to take a look and see if you meet those criteria.

The transfer application option is for students who enrolled in college after their high school graduation. Typically, successful transfer students are those who have completed at least one year of full-time college coursework. 

Some restrictions are in place for transfer applications, so if you are a transfer student, you need to become familiar with them.

Northwestern does not list absolute or specific courses that must be taken in order to gain entry into one of its undergraduate schools. However, it makes recommendations according to the specific school that students will apply to.

For example, the school recommends a strong background in science and math courses for students who will be applying to the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. This includes:

• Four full-year English classes
• A minimum of three full-year courses with physics and chemistry preferred
• 3.5–4 full-year courses in math (calculus is preferred if available)
• Additional subjects include five or six full-year courses in history, social sciences, and foreign language

For students who will apply to the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education and Social Policy, the Medill School of Journalism, the School of Communication, or the Bienen School of Music, at least 16 classes should be taken, including:

• A minimum of two full-year courses in laboratory science
• At least three full-year courses in math
• At least two full-year courses in social science and history
• Four full-year English classes
• One to three full-year classes in additional subjects

It’s vital that you take AP and IB courses at your high school if they are available to you. Doing so shows the admissions faculty that you are up to the challenge of these classes, even though easier alternatives are also available. 

If you have the opportunity to take dual enrollment courses, know that Northwestern does give credit for these types of college-level courses that are taken during high school, as long as they follow university guidelines.

You must make sure to meet several precise requirements when applying to Northwestern University. Northwestern accepts the Common Application or the Coalition Application. There is no preference for one or the other.

You will need to have your official high school transcript and school report sent to the university, along with one letter of recommendation from a counselor.

You will also need to supply at least one letter of recommendation from a teacher and your SAT or ACT scores. If English is not your primary language or your high school education is not in English, you must also submit official proof of English proficiency.

If you are applying for Early Decision, you must also supply your Early Decision Agreement. Your midyear transcripts will be required, and there is a non-refundable application fee of $75 (or an application fee waiver).

Depending on the specific school you will be applying to, you might also need to furnish extra materials along with everything stated above. Schools and programs that require supplemental materials include:

• The Bienen School of Music
• The Integrated Science Program
• The Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences Program
• The Musical Theatre Certificate Program in the School of Communication

Regardless of application type, you must submit only one or the other (the Common App or the Coalition App). The university provides excellent application tips, instructions, and additional Northwestern application help.

Every application that comes to Northwestern University is reviewed by several members of the admission committee. Since Northwestern uses a holistic approach to making admission decisions, the committee reviews test scores, GPAs, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and essays. It also reviews how you’ve been involved outside of the classroom, as shown in the activity chart included in the application.

The admissions staff wants to understand your writing ability, interests, and thought processes. For this reason, the letters of recommendation you send from counselors and teachers provide additional perspective about you as a person and a student.

Interviews are not required as part of the application process. Optional interviews are conducted away from campus by alumni who are located throughout the United States and abroad. Interviews are available on a limited basis and provide applicants with an opportunity to learn about the student experience on a personal level.

There are not enough alumni volunteers to offer an interview to every applicant, so if you don’t get the opportunity to do one, you will not be at a disadvantage in your admission journey. No interviews are ever offered on-campus or with admission committee members.

The activity chart that you must complete is designed to give you an opportunity to display the range and depth of your involvement in your family, your job, your hobbies, and your community outside of the classroom. If you’ve held leadership positions or received any honors, distinctions, and awards, make sure to include information about them. 

While most of any college application depends on your past performance in and outside of school, the essay prompts are an area you have complete control over now. Make sure that you complete both required essays: the one included on the Common App or Coalition App and the Northwestern Writing Supplemental Essay.

The Supplemental Essay will ask you to explain why you want to go to Northwestern, so be nice and detailed, yet clear and concise, in your answers. Don’t repeat information about your achievements or anything else already present in other application areas. This is your chance to get personal and let your enthusiasm for Northwestern University really shine through!