Northwestern University
- A+Overall Grade
- 4 Year
- Evanston, IL
- 1,299 reviews
- AcademicsA+
- ValueA+
- DiversityA
- CampusA
- AthleticsA
- Party SceneA-
- ProfessorsA+
- LocationA
- DormsB
- Campus FoodB
- Student LifeA+
- SafetyB
Athletic Division
NCAA Division I-FBS
Athletic Conference
Big Ten Conference
Northwestern University Rankings
Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
11%
SAT Range
1400-1560
ACT Range
32-34
Application Fee
$75
SAT/ACT
Required
High School GPA
Required
Early Decision/Early Action
Yes
Application Website
Test Prep
SAT and ACT Prep Options
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Will You Get In?
Test Scores and High School GPA for Northwestern UniversitySee Other Colleges
Cost
Net Price
$29,326/ year
National
$15,523Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
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Academics
Professors
A+
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
7:1
Evening Degree Programs
Yes
- 85%
- of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.82 responses
- 72%
- of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.86 responses
- 42%
- of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.86 responses
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Majors
Most Popular Majors
Economics
383 GraduatesCommunications
249 GraduatesPsychology
202 GraduatesJournalism
149 GraduatesPolitical Science and Government
137 GraduatesBiology
126 GraduatesIndustrial Engineering
100 GraduatesRadio and Television
98 GraduatesMechanical Engineering
93 GraduatesDrama and Theatre Production
91 Graduates
Students
Full-Time Enrollment
8,298Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
1%
Pell Grant
15%
Varsity Athletes
6%
Campus Life
Freshmen Live On-Campus
99%
Poll
- 48%
- of students say that Greek life is pretty big.88 responses
Poll
- 57%
- of students say varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life.118 responses
After College
Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$65,900/ year
National
$33,028Graduation Rate
94%
National
49%Employed 2 Years After Graduation
93%
National
83%- 88%
- of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.43 responses
Northwestern University Reviews
1,299 reviews
All Categories
Northwestern is that rare institution occupying an incredibly unique space within higher education. It's home to world-class academics and one of the nation's most impressive alumni rosters, but carries about half the pretense or snobbery you might find at any other elite university. It's home to top-notch arts & sciences, but has the added benefit of having a number of highly specialized programs, including its prestigious journalism program; a top-ranked music school; one of the nation's most productive theater departments; and a robust engineering school.
Add to all that its utterly romantic setting on the shores of Lake Michigan in one of the best college towns in America (Evanston!) and you get Northwestern — a truly remarkable place that shaped my life over the course of four years. It isn't perfect, and those four years were filled with a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but the friendships forged and experiences made at Northwestern are truly priceless (forgive the cliche).
Add to all that its utterly romantic setting on the shores of Lake Michigan in one of the best college towns in America (Evanston!) and you get Northwestern — a truly remarkable place that shaped my life over the course of four years. It isn't perfect, and those four years were filled with a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but the friendships forged and experiences made at Northwestern are truly priceless (forgive the cliche).
I attended Northwestern because of the music program and the professor I would be working with. My professor was amazing, and so was the music program as a whole. I was able to pursue a double major with an outside field, and while it was difficult and busy, the administration helped me every quarter by allowing me to take extra classes to finish on time. The campus is beautiful, but there is always construction. It is not a huge party school, but there are parties and lots of other ways to have fun. I loved the proximity to Chicago and the public transit system. Overall, I liked the student body. There was a general hard work ethic, and though my majors weren't particularly competitive, I know there were some that were fairly cut-throat. The mental health services can be improved upon, but I felt that NU was a very accepting, diverse, and progressive school overall. Financial aid was great, and getting better!
As a social, multi-interested student I was worried that Northwestern was going to be too small and all work and no play. The great thing I've found about Northwestern is how easy it is to get involved and explore all of your interests from academic to professional to social. Professors and TAs are accessible due to it being a smaller school and it's not too hard to get into classes. There is also room in even an engineers schedule to take cross-discipline classes that interest you. On the social side there's a lot going on in and out of Greek life, with house parties being a great way to hang out with friends as an alternative to frat parties, but also a lot of open parties at fraternities. It's easy to meet people and get involved through the numerous clubs on campus, and everyone can find their place.