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How to Get Into:
Let’s start by looking at the most recent admissions information.
Northwestern University’s: Overall Acceptance Rate – Class of 2026
In creating the 2022-23 freshman class, Northwestern admitted 7% of the 51,554 who applied in the 2021-22 admissions cycle This is down significantly from the 9. 3% acceptance rate two years ago.
Northwestern University Early Decision Acceptance Rate
The university plucked approximately 50% of their incoming freshman class from the ED round Although the Director of Admissions stated that the Class of 2025 received approximately 4,500 applications and 1,000 students were accepted, no official ED statistics have been released for this class. This works out to an estimated ED acceptance rate of 22% For the Class of 2024, those applying ED were accepted at a 25% clip, better than three times the regular decision rate of 7% The conclusion is clear: Those who are serious about applying via binding early decision should do so without a doubt.
Northwestern University Admissions – SAT, ACT, and Class Rank
According to the most recent official statistics available, students in the Class of 2024 had average standardized test scores of 1468 on the SAT and 33 on the ACT. An astonishing 95% of Class of 2025 members placed in the top decile of their graduating high school class and 99% landed in the top quartile
Admissions Trends & Notes – (Class of 2026)
- 21% of students in the Class of 2025 received Pell Grants
- 15% of those in the Class of 2025 are first-generation college students up from 13% the previous year
- There were 4,000 more applications for the Class of 2026.
- Undergraduates now come from 105 countries and speak 70+ languages.
- 61% of current undergraduates receive some form of financial assistance.
Who Actually Gets Into Northwestern University?
Let’s examine the composition of the Northwestern University Class of 2025 by demographics:
- 10% of incoming students are international, double the figure from a decade ago
- 6% are Chicago Public School graduates.
Like at any highly selective university, competition is fiercest for students from states like New York, California, and Massachusetts, where there are an endless supply of qualified applicants. Your geographic location is more likely to improve your admissions chances if you are from a less populous state like Alaska, North Dakota, or Montana.
The composition of the Class of 2025, when broken down by ethnicity, was as follows:
- Asian American: 24.4%
- Hispanic: 16.8%
- African American: 12%
- White: 52.4%
Following is a breakdown of all current undergraduate students by gender:
Yield Rate
Northwestern University%E2%80%99s yield rate%E2%80%94the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted was 60% for the Class of 2025 For comparison, other top-ranked private schools have the following yield rates: Duke (61%), WashU (46%) and Rice University (44%)
How the University Rates Applicants
The rigor of secondary school records, class rank, GPA, and standardized test scores (test-optional through at least 2023) are four factors that Northwestern University rates as being “very important” to their admissions process. Essays, recommendations, extracurricular activities, character/personal qualities, and talent/ability are five additional factors that are deemed “important.” A potential alumni interview, first-generation status, alumni ties (legacy), race and ethnicity, volunteer and paid work, and the degree of an applicant’s interest in Northwestern are all “considered” factors.
In the admissions office’s own words: “Northwestern evaluates applications holistically. Based on various information sources, we try to understand a student’s context. The Dean of Undergraduate Admission recently explained this procedure as follows:
We conduct a very thorough review of each application, accounting for the wide range of student experiences represented in our applicant pool. Each student’s accomplishments, gifts, and abilities are taken into account in the context of their high school and local community. Our choices are not dictated by any specific formula or quota. All admitted students will have their full financial needs met by Northwestern given its resources. If you applied for financial aid as a U. S. citizen, permanent resident, or undocumented U. S. Your financial need did not influence our final decision, high school student. ”.
There are currently about 500 varsity athletes at Northwestern University; it definitely helps if you are recruited to join one of the school’s 19 Division I sports teams.
Tips for Applying to Northwestern University
If you’re one of the 51,000 Wildcat applicants hoping to enroll in the upcoming admissions cycle, you should be aware of the following:
- The University of Northwestern expects applicants to have completed advanced coursework in high school. It’s imperative to enroll in several advanced courses, especially those related to your field of study.
- One of the six academic institutions must receive your application; Some have different admissions requirements and standards. The institutions include: 1) The College of Arts
- Northwestern University does offer optional alumni interviews.
- Northwestern University weighs “demonstrated interest” in the admissions process. Therefore, whether or not you visited the campus (during non-pandemic times), spoke with an admissions officer, etc. will be considered.
- Make sure to give the supplemental essay Northwestern is offering enough time and effort. In the 2021-22 cycle, the prompt is as follows:
While other parts of your application give us a sense of who you are, we are also excited to hear more about how you see yourself engaging with the larger Northwestern community.
- Although the supplement essay for Northwestern is formally “optional,” ignoring the question would be a grave error. According to the school, “We strongly encourage a response as your answer will help us connect the dots across your application to envision what kind of college student you might become.” )”.
- The key to answering the prompt is to become as knowledgeable about Northwestern as you can and provide sincere justifications for why it is the ideal place for you. Read our blog post Mastering the “Why This College?” Essay for more information.
- Visit our blog at Northwestern University Supplemental Essay Prompt and Tips for thorough guidance on how to write the Northwestern essay.
Should I Apply to Northwestern University?
With acceptance rates of 7-9% in recent years, Northwestern is a school that is looking for students that are at (or above) the 98th percentile on standardized tests and who placed toward the very top of their high school class Just about all “A”s in an AP-heavy curriculum is expected. If attending Northwestern University is your goal, make sure you also have a reliable fallback. Each student should make sure to create a list of potential colleges that includes both “target” and “safety” schools. You should definitely seek the advice of your counselor throughout this process.
MOST/LEAST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS – USC, Duke, Northwestern, CMU, Tufts, BU, & more
FAQ
How much does Northwestern value legacy?
When only considering parental connections, Schapiro estimated that about 10% of the undergraduate student body is made up of legacy admits.
Are legacy students more likely to get into college?
One reason: children of alumni. These students, referred to as legacy students, are allegedly up to eight times more likely to be admitted to selective universities.
Does being a legacy Increase your admission odds?
The short answer is that having a legacy will almost certainly increase your chances of being accepted to a specific college or university, especially a very elite one. In comparison to non-legacies, the estimated admission rate for Harvard as of last year was more than five times higher!
Does legacy make it easier to get into college?
Stats on legacy admissions A study of thirty elite colleges, found that primary legacy students are an astonishing 45% more likely to get into a highly selective college or university than a non-legacy Secondary legacies receive a lesser pick-me-up of 13%.