Northwestern University (Northwestern)

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Northwestern University can be found in Evanston, IL, a nonprofit private college which focuses on only a select few programs offered. Northwestern University enrolls nearly twenty three thousand students annually.

An ACT or SAT exam may be required before applying to this college. Scores in the range of 1440 (25th percentile) to 1550 (75th percentile) for the SAT exam and in the range of 33 (25th percentile) to 35 (75th percentile) for the ACT exam is common among applicants admitted to Northwestern University. We were able to estimate the Northwestern average GPA (4.00 - 4) of admitted students by applying sampled GPA data on over 150 schools. The competition to get accepted at this school runs high, given that only 9 percent of students who applied are granted admission to the school. Based on historical acceptance rate data, the projected Northwestern acceptance rate 2021 is estimated to be 9%. You can get more information from the admissions office website at northwestern.edu.

Overall Northwestern Acceptance Rate - Fall 2020

9.1%

The overall acceptance rate for Northwestern University was reported as 9.1% in Fall 2020 with over 40,600 applications submitted to this school. Both in state and out of state applicants are included in these figures. We do not have data on transfer acceptance rates currently.

Accepted Applicants Profile

  • Northwestern ACT Scores: 33 - 35
  • Northwestern Average GPA: 4.00 - 4

How Hard Is It to Get into Northwestern University?

Applicant Selectivity: High

The selectivity of applicants for undergraduate admissions to Northwestern University is considered high, with many applicants scoring in the top percentiles on the SAT or ACT exam, as well as having an excellent high school GPA.

Historical Trend and Acceptance Rate 2024 Projection

The historical trend chart shows acceptance rates from the previous years, from which we have projected the acceptance rate for the 2024-2025 school year. The overall acceptance rate trend for Northwestern University has been getting lower when compared to averages from previous years.

Acceptance Rate By Year

  • 2016-2017: 10.7%
  • 2017-2018: 9.2%
  • 2018-2019: 8.5%
  • 2019-2020: 9.1%
  • Projected Northwestern Acceptance Rate 2024-2025: 8.5%

How Does Northwestern Compare?

9.1%
This School
56.7%
National Avg

The acceptance rate for Northwestern is more than 100% lower than the national average of all colleges which is around 56.7%.

Nearby Similar College Acceptance Rates

SchoolAcceptance Rate
Loyola University Chicago67.2%
DePaul University68.2%
University of Illinois at Chicago72.7%
University of Chicago6.2%

Admissions Rates & Enrollment Rates - Details

General Recommendations & Requirements for Admissions

  • High School GPA Scores are Required
  • High School Class Rankings are Recommended
  • School Records are Required
  • College Prep Classes are Required
  • Submit Recommendation Letters are Required
  • Standardized Test Scores (SAT,ACT,...) are Required
  • TOEFL Exam (Foreign Language Students) are Required

Number of Applicants, Percent Accepted, and Enrolled Students (Fall 2020)

TotalMaleFemale
Applicants40,58548.1%51.9%
Admitted3,67348.9%51.1%
Enrolled2,00649.5%50.5%

Average ACT/SAT Scores of Applicants to Northwestern (Fall 2020)

SAT® SectionScore Range
Critical Reading700 - 760
Math740 - 790
Total Score1440 - 1550
ACT®Score Range
English34 - 36
Math31 - 35
Composite Score33 - 35
To learn more about the data and calculations that power this site, please visit our data discussion page.