Northwestern University

About

Situated along the shores of Lake Michigan just north of Chicago, Northwestern University is a prestigious research institution renowned for elite programs in journalism (the Medill School), theater and communication, music, and engineering. The university operates on a fast-paced quarter system that fosters a distinctive academic flexibility, enabling students to easily double major and pursue interdisciplinary research across its six undergraduate schools. Campus culture is collaborative, driven, and well-rounded, uniquely blending the spirited pride of Big Ten athletics and a vibrant arts scene with direct access to the rich professional and cultural resources of Chicago.

Wikipedia:Northwestern University (NU) is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851, it is the oldest chartered university in Illinois. Northwestern was initially affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church but later became non-sectarian. Northwestern became a founding member of the Big Ten Conference in 1896 and joined the Association of American Universities in 1917.

Location

Cost & aid

Outcomes

Admissions

Essay prompts

• We want to be sure we're considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background (your identity, your school setting, your community, your household, etc.) have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern's community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise?

  300 words max
• Choose two of five

  • Painting "The Rock" is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call "Purple Pride"), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?

    Optional

  • Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?

    Optional

  • Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.

    Optional

  • Northwestern's location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?

    Optional

  • Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern's classrooms and around our campus?

    Optional

Quoted from Northwestern University's own page; answered in the Common Application. The application itself is the final word.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body

Varsity sports

• Baseball
  Men's
• Basketball
  Men's · Women's
• Cross Country
  Women's
• Fencing
  Women's
• Field Hockey
  Women's
• Football
  Men's
• Golf
  Men's · Women's
• Lacrosse
  Women's
• Soccer
  Men's · Women's
• Softball
  Women's
• Swimming and Diving (combined)
  Men's · Women's
• Tennis
  Men's · Women's
• Volleyball
  Women's
• Wrestling
  Men's

Institutional