Northwestern University has a highly competitive admissions process, with a goal of admitting 2,100 students for the Class of 2028, half of which are accepted through Early Decision. With 5,200 applicants vying for spots in the early decision cycle, the acceptance rate is estimated to be around 19%, slightly lower than the previous year. To even be considered for admission, applicants will need to meet stringent GPA requirements, with those accepted typically boasting GPAs between 3.9 and 4.0.

In addition to strong academic performance, Northwestern also looks for students who have achieved high scores on standardized tests, particularly the SAT. While there is no set SAT requirement, applicants are encouraged to aim for a score of at least 1490 to be competitive in the admissions process. In order to stand out among the thousands of applicants, it is essential to have a stellar GPA and impressive standardized test scores.

The admissions process at Northwestern University is highly selective and competitive. With an emphasis on academic excellence, applicants are expected to have top-notch grades and standardized test scores to even be considered for admission. In addition to meeting these academic requirements, applicants must also demonstrate their extracurricular involvement, leadership qualities, and writing skills through their application materials. Applicants who are passionate about their areas of interest and can showcase their unique talents and strengths will have the best chance of being admitted to Northwestern University.

Northwestern ED Acceptance Rate	Details
Total Number of Students	2,100 students for Class of 2028, with half admitted through Early Decision
Early Decision Acceptance Rate	Estimated at around 19%, with 5,200 applicants to Northwestern’s early decision cycle
GPA Requirement	Recommended GPA between 3.9 and 4.0
Top of Class Graduates	High GPA needed to be at the top of the class
SAT Score	No absolute requirement, but at least a 1490 is recommended for consideration

Northwestern Ed Acceptance Rate

Northwestern has historically been a very hard school to gain admission to and is only getting more difficult. The university’s 6.8% acceptance rate is the lowest in its history admitting just 3,239 students out of 47,633 applicants to its class of 2025. 

Northwestern received 4,411 applications through its early decision process, of which it offered admission to 1,105 applicants. Northwestern’s roughly 25% early decision acceptance rate is substantially higher than its overall acceptance rate. 

Admission to prestigious institutions with incredibly low acceptance rates like Northwestern is extremely challenging, however, your odds vary depending on the strength of your profile.

northwestern acceptance rate 2020

Northwestern received a total of 40,577 applications in this year’s regular round of admission. This is only about 100 more applicants than last year, when 40,425 students applied to NU. The Daily Northwestern reported that, after years of growing applications, the number of undergraduate applicants to Northwestern has begun to flatten out. Northwestern University Class of 2023 accepted 8.9% of its total applicants, a slight increase from the 8.4% admit rate for the class of 2022.

In recent years, Early Decision applicants have comprised roughly one half of the incoming class. The number of Early Decision applicants, which rose about 9% in December 2018, was 4,399 students. These numbers are in keeping with a wider trend across universities this year as more students choose the binding ED option to improve their odds. This shift towards ED, however, may place low-income applicants at a disadvantage who cannot compare financial aid packages from multiple colleges if they apply and are accepted in a binding early program.

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY OVERALL
	Overall Applications Accepted	Overall Applications Received	Overall Admissions Acceptance Rate
2023	3,611	40,577	8.9
2022	3,392	40,425	8.39
2021	3,371	37,050	9.10
2020	3,751	35,099	10.69
2019	4,187	32,124	13.03
2018	4,349	33,673	12.92
2017	4,555	32,772	13.90

northwestern early decision deadline

If you are applying as a first-year student, you may submit your application Early Decision or Regular Decision. 

• Early Decision applicants must apply by November 1.
• Regular Decision applicants must apply by January 3.

If you are a transfer applicant, you may apply only for enrollment during the Fall Quarter of the academic year. Decisions are made on a rolling basis.

• For Fall Quarter (September) entrance, apply by March 15*.

If you are an international applicant, follow our general application process and deadlines above. However, both incoming first-year students and transfer students must apply for fall quarter entrance.

*They realize transfer applicants come from a diverse array of life experiences that may not map neatly onto the traditional academic year. For this reason, our transfer application will remain open until April 10 for students whose circumstances prevent them from meeting the March 15 deadline. Students who apply by March 15 are more likely to receive a decision from us earlier, but we will give full consideration to all applications, with a guaranteed decision by May 15. Please note that supplemental application materials, such as those for the Bienen School of Music, may have separate deadlines.

northwestern law ed acceptance rate

A law school’s acceptance rate reflects how difficult it is to get into their programs. Several factors can affect a law school’s acceptance rate, including its reputation, types of programs, and admission requirements.

Top-ranking schools usually have lower acceptance rates. For example, the top three law schools—Yale Law, Harvard Law, and Stanford Law—gave offers to only 9.72%, 17.88%, and 11.26% of their applicants, respectively. In contrast, the average law school accepts over 60% of applicants.

Keep in mind that acceptance rates may fluctuate depending on the number of applicants a school has for a specific year. In 2019, Northwestern Law’s acceptance rate was only 18%—out of the 5,441 applicants, only 980 received offers. In 2020, the university’s acceptance rate climbed to 22.58% even though it made fewer offers (921) because it had significantly fewer applicants (4,079).