Evanston, IL
Highly competitive: fewer than 8 of every 100 applicants are accepted.
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey
The acceptance rate has held roughly steady since 2019, at around 7%.
| Fall | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 40,585 | 3,673 | 2,006 | 9.0% |
| 2020 | 39,263 | 3,654 | 1,901 | 9.3% |
| 2021 | 47,636 | 3,321 | 2,086 | 7.0% |
| 2022 | 51,261 | 3,695 | 2,038 | 7.2% |
| 2023 | 51,769 | 3,703 | 2,111 | 7.1% |
Fall 2023 applicants
1,998 of 27,258 women and 1,705 of 24,511 men were admitted.
Policy: Considered but not required
Reported by the institution to IPEDS
| Secondary school GPA | Considered |
| Secondary school rank | Considered |
| Secondary school record | Required |
| Completion of college-preparatory program | Required |
| Recommendations | Required |
| Formal demonstration of competencies | Not considered |
| Admission test scores | Considered |
| English proficiency test | Required |
| Other test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.) | Not considered |
| Work experience | Considered |
| Personal statement or essay | Required |
| Legacy status | Considered |
Undergraduate student body, not admitted applicants
Northwestern University has an acceptance rate of 7.1% for the fall 2023 entering class, admitting 3,703 of 51,769 applicants.
Very Selective. Highly competitive: fewer than 8 of every 100 applicants are accepted.
51,769 students applied for the fall 2023 entering class, and 2,111 enrolled.
No. Northwestern University is test-optional — scores are not required, but are considered if you submit them.
The acceptance rate has held roughly steady since 2019, at around 7%.