essay requirements for northwestern university

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How to Write the Northwestern University Essays 2023-2024

Northwestern University is a private research university located in Evanston, Illinois, just a 30-minute train ride north of Chicago. It’s got a beautiful lakefront campus and glimmering views of the city.  Overall, Northwestern is a sought-after and highly competitive institution. It’s clear that aspiring Northwestern wildcats must stand out to be accepted, and one way to do that is through your supplemental essays. In this post, we’ll break down Northwestern’s supplemental prompts.

Read these Northwestern essay examples to inspire your writing.

Northwestern University Essay Prompts

Required for all applicants.

Prompt 1:  We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise? (300 words)

Recommended for All Applicants

Prompt 2: The following questions are optional, but we encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question:

• Option 1 : 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?
• Option 2 : 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?
• Option 3 : Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.
• Option 4 : 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?
• Option 5 : 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?

Prompt 1 (Required)

We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: what aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise (300 words).

You’re probably familiar with this kind of prompt, which we call the archetypal “Why This College?” essay . This prompt is essentially asking you why you’re interested in Northwestern and how the school can support your goals and interests, both academic and extracurricular. (We highly recommend checking out CollegeVine’s breakdown of the “Why This College?” essay above, as it goes into a lot more detail and will help you out with other schools as well). 

As you’re brainstorming, you should consider both the tangible and intangible aspects of Northwestern and how they align with your goals, subjects, and values. You should be setting up a “Force Dyad” with yourself and Northwestern as attractive poles. Compile a list of the specific programs, classes, clubs, and other resources at Northwestern that interest you. How do they align with your own academic or professional interests? Is there a program that merges two interests of yours? Is there an extracurricular that you were really seeking in your college search?

It’s worth it, but not required, to plan your essay in a T-chart format: 

This exercise will give you a clearer, larger picture of your connection to the school, and allow you to talk about the connections fluidly and naturally. 

How should I research this? 

• Always have the school website open, and always make a few more clicks than you initially think you’re going to need. School websites can be mazelike, so allow yourself a lot of time. Check out faculty profiles, lists of current undergraduate work, connected programs, and any volunteerism done through different departments. 
• Additionally, lots of departments, research centers, or undergraduate schools have e-newsletters you can subscribe to, or publications you can find online. This will present you with the most recent contributions and discoveries of Northwestern staff and research.
• This is also a great opportunity to politely email departments and professors, asking about their perspectives on Northwestern programs, or asking to be put in touch with current students. This will give you a better view than looking at the website, and will also demonstrate to admissions that you went the extra mile to assess Northwestern’s environment. 

Be highly specific and granular. This applies to both your interests and your future goals. It’s not enough to be interested in a general subject, like “journalism” or “politics.” You have to pinpoint exactly which facets of your areas you want to really delve into. Instead of “journalism and politics,” you could instead discuss how the Medill on the Hill program would allow you to get invaluable hands-on experience directly from Northwestern’s Washington newsroom, and how this will help your goal to one day work as a TV writer covering developments in LGBT politics on a national level. This is much more targeted, and paints a better picture of you as a student and aspiring professional. Remember: it’s easier for them to admit someone with a detailed plan than someone with a fuzzy outline. If you’ve already done the work visualizing and planning your time on campus, that’s less mental work for admissions, and a faster track to a “yes.”

Don’t skimp on the extracurriculars! While the classroom is important, Northwestern wants to know how you will engage with the community on campus. For example, the student with a passion for the environment might join In Our Nature , a “paperless magazine that aims to bring the environment to everyone.” You should aim to spend just as much time discussing your extracurricular interests as your academic ones, because this will illuminate your character quirks and ability to think creatively, outside the syllabus and grade transcript. It’s worth it to choose extracurricular activities that expand on your goals and academic interests. If I were writing about In Our Nature, for example, I would cite my love for integrating complex topics in marine biology with creative nonfiction techniques, and my desire to pursue scientific writing as a profession. 

Chisel out your goals with the attention of a sculptor . Since the prompt asks you you’ll “make use of specific resources and opportunities,” you need to have some kind of goal or interest in mind. And as previously stated, a concrete and specific goal looks better (and is easier to write for) than a generalized, nebulous goal. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have a major or a career nailed down – you just need to find a specific attraction to learning, or a specific mode of analysis you want to apply. You can achieve specificity in a number of ways: philosophy, how you want to engage others, a community you want to help, etc. For example, a student who’s still undecided between history and biology might find a specific commonality in her approach to research: “I believe in research that involves significant hands-on exploration, whether that’s recreating 17 th -century shipbuilding techniques or collecting samples from a forest, is the best way to understand one’s subjects in a grounded, equalized, and fully immersive way.” This applicant is undecided, but specific in her approach to learning and the kind of learning environment she wants. 

Please note: applying with a goal doesn’t mean you’re committed to it all four years. It just has to be your goal right now, and you should think about what steps you need to reach that goal. Those steps should align with some sort of unique resource at Northwestern, and you should be able to clearly define how those complement each other.  

Speaking of goals: GOALS! The content of this essay should always loop back to you and your goals. If you think any student could write what you’ve written, then you haven’t written something that’s engaging or compelling yet. The same goes for the Northwestern resources you choose to discuss. If those opportunities are available at many schools, you’ll want to do more research and pick more unique resources, to show that you’re truly invested in Northwestern.

Prompt 2 (Recommended)

The following questions are optional, but we encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two. please respond in fewer than 200 words per question..

Let’s be honest: an “optional” essay is really just a required essay without the label—especially for an essay that is supposed to show why you and Northwestern are a great fit. This is an opportunity you should take advantage of: more space to sell yourself and highlight your achievements.

Prompt 2, Option A

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 (200 words).

While brainstorming a hypothetical such as painting a rock may seem arbitrary and premature, this exercise cleverly disguises a far-more important question within its wording – What will you bring to Northwestern? While many people believe the admissions process is all about proving your academic prowess to an admissions counselor, the truth is that admissions is far more nuanced. Colleges can and will choose to admit someone they find more complex and interesting than someone who may just look good on paper. While all supplemental essays offer you the chance to showcase this, this prompt in particular is a great opportunity to set yourself apart, that is, so long as you really do set yourself apart.

Brainstorming your topic:

The approach to this prompt is not about specifically brainstorming a specific message or work of art you hope to display on the Rock, but rather what kind of student and more importantly, person you will be at Northwestern. So, what kind of student are you hoping to be?

In order to answer this, it’s necessary to understand the values and culture of Northwestern. According to their website , Northwestern students lead with compassion, showcasing empathy and understanding, they model responsibility, are committed to social justice, embrace well-being, practicing open communication and helping others develop through candid feedback, among other qualities.

That’s a whole lot to choose from, but the throughlines are actually quite simple: In a nutshell, students at Northwestern do not value the individual over the community, they fight for each other and those overlooked, and they must uphold morality and ethical behavior in all endeavors, both academic, professional, and anywhere else.

Of course, the interpretation you have of Northwestern’s values is entirely up to you, but in general, reflect on the type of student you hope to be while in college. What excites you about learning in an environment like Northwestern? What goals do you have for yourself? What do you hope to engage in with others? What new horizons do you hope to explore? Let these questions guide your thinking and research, and ultimately, let them lead you to your answer.

Tips for writing your essay:

Once you have a clearer picture of what impact you hope to have at Northwestern, whether that be in extracurricular organizations, community service, or something else entirely, it’s time to translate that to what kind of message you would put on the rock. By now, it should become more apparent that the tradition of painting the rock is far less of an individual expression and more along the lines of a message or movement you hope to highlight to a wider community.

As such, you don’t need to begin your response with your answer. Instead, present your connection with whatever endeavor you wish to participate in. Perhaps you’ve chosen to write about your passion for community service, and your hopes to participate in one of Northwestern’s opportunities such as Jumpstart, which partners Northwestern students with preschool children in under-resourced communities to help improve the children’s language, literacy, and social skills to best prepare them for kindergarten. Rather than leading with “ If there was anything I could paint on the rock, I would bring awareness to Northwestern’s Jumpstart program ”, write first about the why . Consider this format:

“ I was diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, a moment that shattered my educational experience before it even started. As I grew older, I learned I was fortunate enough to be at a school that understood the challenges I faced, giving me resources like extra time and faculty advisors to walk me through my early education. Now I feel a passion to help other children break through the barriers they may face in their education, whether that be through learning disabilities or financial or social inequity. Northwestern’s Jumpstart program is an amazing opportunity that connects interested college students to these very communities, and I hope to channel my own experiences traversing educational challenges and insecurities to give back. Through engaging with the Jumpstart curriculum and supporting faculty in Chicago preschools, Jumpstart is an inspiring effort to connect college students to preschoolers, and is particularly inspiring to me, as I hope to be someone these students can rely on for patience and kindness. To me, this is a cause that can never have too much awareness, and as such, I’d team up with fellow Jumpstart members to showcase why the cause matters on the Rock. ”

No matter what prompt you write, the admissions staff is looking to learn more about you and what you care about, so while your own experiences will always vary, it is essential to explain your background and what made you into who you are today. While this response may not immediately answer the question, it will paint a vivid picture of you before leading to a developed and well-thought-out answer. Before we know what you want to paint on the rock, we know you have a passion for community service, have a personal connection to that cause, and also value teamwork and collaboration when it comes to accomplishing your goals. No matter the specifics, showcasing a mature understanding of both the prompt and its impact will undoubtedly set you apart in the admissions process.

Mistakes to avoid:

On the flip side, it is vital to not opt to paint something that only serves to benefit you, or only expresses your distinct interests or motivations. A real-world example of this comes from a popular Northwestern story in which a student chose to paint the rock in honor of their mother’s birthday. While this is undoubtedly a nice gesture, think of the implications of writing this in a response to this prompt. Not only does it not show an interest in advancing or helping Northwestern’s community or other communities, it also reads as a narrow-minded choice of expression when provided with a platform for messages to be seen by a wider community.

Prompt 2, Option B

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 (200 words).

This is a broad question that inspires you to think creatively, and really throw out an area of interest you’re hoping to explore or a far-off goal you’re hoping to achieve while at Northwestern. It’s a foray into independent study, and should hopefully get you thinking about what kind of undertakings you wish to encounter while in college and have resources at your disposal. It’s Northwestern asking you for your passion project, and as such, it should be treated with as much creativity and personality as possible.

This will most likely be the hardest stage of answering this prompt, so if you already have an idea of what you want to write about, a lot of your hard work is actually done. The reason this may prove challenging for you, however, is that there is a fine line between ambition and unrealistic thought. While you may be able to come up with a variety of projects you would love to explore, your eventual response should feel grounded and rooted in research you’ve done into ongoing endeavors at Northwestern as well as recent or even past projects students and professors have completed. Writing that you wish to design a drug that can reverse the effects of human aging is certainly an impressive undertaking, but it means nothing unless you’ve rooted your response in truth.

That being said, don’t feel you need to restrict yourself quite yet at this stage. Really think about what you are genuinely passionate about, and take those ideas and begin researching how Northwestern can help you engage with them. If it remains in the field of science, look through a directory of professors, read and understand the research they’ve conducted, and browse through the courses that may already exist related to your field of interest. 

If it’s in the arts or humanities, the process is similar, but instead of corresponding your investigation to practical research, look into what students are actively creating at Northwestern. Are there design labs they collaborate in? How are students guided toward their art projects? What obstacles do students face in enacting their visions?

The second part of this response deals with who you hope to engage within your project or research. While this may seem like a convoluted hypothetical, it’s perhaps the most important part of this prompt. This is your chance to really get specific, and showcase your plan of action when you do hopefully attend Northwestern. 

Are there specific clubs or classes you can join to meet students with similar interests and questions? Are there any overarching research programs related to your interest, and if so, what professors are at the forefront? How do you hope to rally interest behind your chosen topic?

Remember that just because you’re interested in something, doesn’t mean everyone else will automatically be onboard. It’s important to write about why your chosen topic is not only exciting to you but can also enhance learning and the curriculum already in place at Northwestern.

Once you’ve chosen your ideal academic effort and have done the research, you’ll have a much easier time showcasing your ambition and creativity by using facts. As usual with many supplemental essays, the heart of your response lies in your personal connection to the prompt. Whatever you’ve chosen to write about hopefully already has a personal component to it, so lead with that. In doing so, you’ll hook the reader in before engaging them with specifics, which will serve you well when you prove that you can back up your proposal with research.

Using the example of aging research, consider this response:

“If I could design any new academic program at Northwestern, there would be no other choice for me than to design a new undergraduate curriculum for aging research. My hope would be to combine modern technology with past research in order to develop new solutions to life’s oldest questions and problems, and inspire other students to further dive into this relatively under researched field.”

Amongst many problems with this response, the one that will stick out the most is a lack of any human spirit or emotion. Anybody can sit down and type out a response about their hopes to expand awareness of a field of study to a larger student body, but not everyone thinks the way you will. Not everyone has even an acute interest in the subject, including the admissions reader. The admissions reader is not looking for a new idea to add to the existing curriculum, they’re looking for a new student with a fresh perspective. Let’s tweak that response, and make it much more personal:

“ My grandma passed away a few years before I was born from something inherently avoidable – old age. While this may sound juvenile, a stubborn personality combined with a quickly rotating assembly of doctors made it difficult for my grandma to receive proper care in her golden years. Learning about this has made me incredibly passionate about the study of aging, specifically how modern technology can be used to provide care like never before, not just in efficacy, but in convenience for the patient. Northwestern is already a pioneer in aging research, being home to the renowned Potocsnak Longevity Institute and devoted research to “SuperAgers”, Nanoscience, and Translational Biology. To address the few opportunities for undergraduate students to engage with this research, my proposal is for there to be a broad program to encourage and teach students about this field and its importance, using research from current Northwestern faculty to guide them…”

While it’s always important to ensure your personal statement does not overstay its welcome, the personal statement is vital in planting the seeds for the rest of your response, as showcased here. Now that we understand this hypothetical student’s rationale for caring about the study of aging, we become open to hearing their proposal on the subject, and in doing so, the actual proposal matters less. This student cites Northwestern’s pre-existing work in this field, and will go on to add their own ideas on how undergraduates can get increasingly involved with Northwestern faculty working on the frontlines of this research. As a result, the student has showcased they have a genuine passion and understanding for the subject, as well as a genuine passion and understanding of the school at large.

Prompt 2, Option C

Community and belonging matter at northwestern. tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus. (200 words).

This prompt is a variation of a Why This College essay, asking you to specifically name and elaborate on various communities or groups you hope to be a part of when attending Northwestern. It’s your chance to demonstrate the impact you hope to have while at Northwestern, and finding specificity in your answer can really separate you from the pack. 

It is also a chance for you to highlight aspects of yourself that may not be readily apparent on other parts of your application, giving you the opportunity to showcase communities you’ve been a part of in the past as well as elaborate on some aspects of your identity.

The first step in choosing a topic comes with researching Northwestern’s various communities, networks, and student groups. Research can come in the form of visiting the various organizations’ websites, diving into school forums to hear what students are engaging with, to even talking with current and past Northwestern students about the communities they’ve been a part of while on campus. 

If you find yourself overwhelmed with the sheer number of communities found on campus (Northwestern has almost 500 student organizations), another approach you can take is first deciding what kind of community you hope most to be a part of if you become a Northwestern student. 

Reflect on communities that you’ve been a part of in the past, and decide whether your engagement with those communities has had a lasting effect on your interests and identity. Chances are there will be a number of communities you both already identify with and exist on Northwestern’s campus, and drawing a link between past and future will be a great way for you to develop your response.

Remember that this prompt isn’t just for the admissions reader to get a better sense of who you are, but to see how you may fit into Northwestern’s larger culture and the communities that exist there. As such, it’s important to research the core values and principles of Northwestern. For example, one of Northwestern’s core values lies in a commitment to social justice, so if you were part of an activism group in your high school that gave you a sense of pride and purpose, it would be easy for you to draw a link between your past experiences and potential ones you may have as a continuing member of a community dedicated to social justice.

Once you’ve reflected on your past community involvement, it may become easier for you to source the communities at Northwestern you’re interested in connecting with. And while the prompt allows you to elaborate on multiple communities, you may find it easier to focus on just one community to highlight in your 200-word response.

Finally, remember that “community” can mean several different things, and does not necessarily need to be a student group or organization. Community can refer to an identity, interest, ethnicity, personality trait, or something else entirely. It’s defined by you, and as such, is defined by what you choose to write about.

Once you’ve chosen a community at Northwestern to write about, consider the impact said the community would have on your experience, on your goals both academically and personally, and how being a part of that community would allow you to apply yourself to the campus community as a whole. 

Remember to be as specific as you possibly can and show a genuine interest and understanding of how said community operates at Northwestern. Following on the path of communities dedicated to the pursuit of social justice, consider this response:

“ I grew up in a rural town without access to clean water. I embarked on an initiative with fellow students to bring water to our community, and in doing so, learned much about the environment, our country’s infrastructure, and what my generation can do to help. As such, I can not foresee a world where I don’t invest as much time as I have into the Kellogg Energy and Sustainability Club at Northwestern. My commitment to environmental justice is life-long, and the Energy and Sustainability Club’s efforts to bring students and faculty together to change the way businesses and organizations work in the environment is something I’m eager to be a part of. The club’s dedication to making an impact not just on the environment, but people in positions of power, is inspiring. I believe that the key to my team’s success in high school was not any single individual’s desire to make change, but how our collective desires continued to inspire each other, and the community that the Energy and Sustainability Club fosters is vital to that cause. ”

Prompt 2, Option D

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 (200 words).

This prompt asks you to highlight your interest in one of Northwestern’s crown jewels – its close proximity to the bustling city of Chicago. There are many different directions you can take this response, but the most important quality of your answer lies in demonstrating the personal impact and benefits the location will offer you.

Asking you to identify the parts of Chicago and its surrounding area you are most looking forward to living around is no small task – the region offers so many exciting opportunities, particularly for a college-aged student. 

You can choose to take a cultural route, writing about Chicago’s history, food, music, art, or anything in between, or you can take a practical route, writing about the various major businesses that call Chicago home and the connection Northwestern has with companies and other organizations in the greater Chicago area, or perhaps even an unconventional route entirely, something like writing about your obsession with sustainability and how the city of Chicago has always been a global leader in pioneering sustainability efforts. 

In all of these routes, the key throughline is to be incredibly specific. The more specific you are with your answer on why you think the location is special, the more specific you are really being about what makes you special.

Do research on the various elements of Chicago and its surrounding area that appeal to you, and see if you can elaborate on your personal connection with them.

Undoubtedly, one of the most difficult things about this essay will be choosing a topic to write about, and while there may be many things you hope to explore and engage with while attending Northwestern, it is important to narrow it down to not just the ones you’re most interested in, but the ones you believe showcase why going to Northwestern would be a special experience for you. 

Set up your response by sharing a personal anecdote or personal interest that you have, before diving into what Northwestern’s location offers for someone like you. Finally, wrap up your response by connecting the location back to Northwestern itself, and exactly how the school ties into the life you hope to live there. Here’s an example:

“I could not tell you the first thing about how to play an instrument, but perhaps that’s exactly why I’m so infatuated with Jazz. Maybe it’s the eclectic style of play, the chaotic structure of the music or rather lack thereof, or maybe it’s the bustling vibrant sounds themselves, whatever it is, Jazz has been a lifelong obsession with mine. The opportunity to go to a school with not just so many amazing music opportunities on campus, but one that is at the doorstep of one of the Jazz capitals of the world, is an absolute dream come true. Home to the Chicago Jazz Festival, a music festival I’ve been following my whole life, Chicago’s rich Jazz scene that’s housed many of my personal heroes is alive and well. While my parents may fear my proximity to so much jazz may endanger my studies, I believe it to be the exact opposite. The idea of jazz is grounded in spontaneity, curiosity, and instinct, all three of which I aim to channel as a student at Northwestern…”

Avoiding generalizations will be important to any kind of response you write about to this prompt. Chicago has so much to offer, and especially for admissions readers, they don’t need to be told about what the city has to offer so much as what the city has to offer you. For example, just because you watch and love The Bear , doesn’t mean that the thing you’re most excited for in Chicago is an Italian Beef sandwich. Remember to get specific with your answers and paint a picture of why the school’s location is impactful for you specifically.

Prompt 2, Option E

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 (200 words).

This is a relatively straightforward Diversity Essay , and tasks you with sharing a part of your background that you feel like you’d be bringing to campus. And diversity doesn’t necessarily have to mean things like ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status, diversity can be whatever you define it to be, whether that has to do with your interests, experiences, family, languages, or something else entirely. However, it’s important to really reflect on what diversity means to you before just quantifying anything as a diverse perspective. 

In taking that step, think about the aspects of your identity that you feel make you most unique. Think about your upbringing, your personality traits, your mistakes, experiences, and then even things that you felt were out of your control – what challenges have you faced because of things that may not have been your fault? Have you faced any prejudices? Any hardships because of your identity? Even reflecting on how you learned about or accepted your identity can be a great way to elaborate on your diversity.

It’s important to ask yourself these specific questions because whatever you do choose to write about will need to be very specific. A great way to give an admissions reader insight into the individual background you’d be bringing to campus is to open with an anecdote. Real anecdotes will allow an admissions reader to put themselves in your shoes, and be able to further understand how your individual background has affected you. Your chosen anecdote doesn’t necessarily have to be a hardship or an instance of prejudice, a unique cultural tradition, value, or family experience can be equally as effective in showcasing your diversity.

The second part of this prompt asks you specifically how you hope your individual background will contribute to Northwestern’s campus and community as a whole. This part of the prompt can be a little trickier, especially without actually being a student on campus. As such, this aspect of your response doesn’t need to be nearly as long, especially considering you only have 200 words total to answer. However, it’s still important to do your research as to what organizations or resources are on campus that you hope to engage with as well as what you hope your individual background can contribute to others. 

Perhaps you can write about how you hope to get involved with events with Multicultural Student Affairs, or how you hope to take a class in the Asian American Studies program to learn more about your own identity, or how you plan to engage with various LGBTQ+ organizations on campus to continue to advocate for inclusion and acceptance. Whatever route you choose to go down, be specific. Talk about specific events, classes, or organizations. Discuss their impact on campus and the community. And most importantly, talk about the impact it would have on you.

Where to Get Your Northwestern Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Northwestern essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools.  Find the right advisor for you  to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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Northwestern Requirements for Admission

Choose your test.

What are Northwestern's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:

• GPA requirements
• Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
• Application requirements

In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into Northwestern and build a strong application.

School location: Evanston, IL

This school is also known as: Northwestern University

Admissions Rate: 7%

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.

The acceptance rate at Northwestern is 7% . For every 100 applicants, only 7 are admitted.

This means the school is extremely selective . Meeting their GPA requirements and SAT/ACT requirements is very important to getting past their first round of filters and proving your academic preparation. If you don't meet their expectations, your chance of getting in is nearly zero.

After crossing this hurdle, you'll need to impress Northwestern application readers through their other application requirements, including extracurriculars, essays, and letters of recommendation. We'll cover more below.

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies . We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Northwestern GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.

Average GPA: 4.1

The average GPA at Northwestern is 4.1 .

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. This school did not officially report its average GPA, but we've estimated it here using data from over 1,000 schools.)

With a GPA of 4.1, Northwestern requires you to be at the top of your class . You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. Furthermore, you should be taking hard classes - AP or IB courses - to show that college-level academics is a breeze.

If you're currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4.1, you'll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate . This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.

SAT and ACT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.

Northwestern hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Otherwise, don't."

Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to Northwestern will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. We therefore recommend that you consider taking the SAT or ACT, and doing well.

Northwestern SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.

Average SAT: 1495

The average SAT score composite at Northwestern is a 1495 on the 1600 SAT scale.

This score makes Northwestern Strongly Competitive for SAT test scores.

Northwestern SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The 25th percentile SAT score is 1490, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1550. In other words, a 1490 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1550 will move you up to above average .

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

SAT Score Choice Policy

The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.

Northwestern has the Score Choice policy of "Highest Section."

This is also known as "superscoring." This means that you can choose which SAT tests you want to send to the school. Of all the scores they receive, your application readers will consider your highest section scores across all SAT test dates you submit .

Click below to learn more about how superscoring critically affects your test strategy.

For example, say you submit the following 3 test scores:

Even though the highest total you scored on any one test date was 1000, Northwestern will take your highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. You can raise your composite score from 1000 to 1400 in this example.

This is important for your testing strategy. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and Northwestern forms your Superscore, you can take the SAT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Your application readers will only see that one score.

Therefore, if your SAT superscore is currently below a 1550, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it . You have a very good chance of raising your score, which will significantly boost your chances of getting in.

Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the SAT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on. This will give you the highest Superscore possible.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

Northwestern ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, Northwestern likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.

Average ACT: 34

The average ACT score at Northwestern is 34. This score makes Northwestern Extremely Competitive for ACT scores.

The 25th percentile ACT score is 33, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 35.

Even though Northwestern likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 33 or below, you'll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application. There are so many applicants scoring 34 and above that a 33 will look academically weak.

ACT Score Sending Policy

If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.

Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.

This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 35 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.

ACT Superscore Policy

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.

We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to Northwestern, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 35.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.

Northwestern considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require it.

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is extremely selective, getting a high SAT/ACT score and GPA is vital to having a chance at getting in . If you don't pass their SAT/ACT and GPA requirements, they'll likely reject you without much consideration.

To have the best shot of getting in, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1550 SAT or a 35 ACT . You should also have a 4.1 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score.

For a school as selective as Northwestern, you'll also need to impress them with the rest of your application. We'll cover those details next.

But if you apply with a score below a 1550 SAT or a 35 ACT, you unfortunately start out with the odds against you and have a tiny chance of getting in. There are just too many students with high SAT/ACT scores and strong applications, and you need to compete against them.

Admissions Calculator

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are. Pick your test: SAT ACT

• 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
• 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
• 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
• 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
• 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in

How would your chances improve with a better score?

Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?

At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program . We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back.

Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:

• PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses . You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
• We guide you through your program step-by-step so that you're never confused about what you should be studying. Focus all your time learning, not worrying about what to learn.
• Our team is made of national SAT/ACT experts . PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers . You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
• We've gotten tremendous results with thousands of students across the country. Read about our score results and reviews from our happy customers .

There's a lot more to PrepScholar that makes it the best SAT/ACT prep program. Click to learn more about our program , or sign up for our 5-day free trial to check out PrepScholar for yourself:

Application Requirements

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of Northwestern here.

Application Requirements Overview

• Common Application Accepted
• Electronic Application Available
• Essay or Personal Statement Required for all freshmen
• Letters of Recommendation 1
• Interview Not required
• Application Fee $75
• Fee Waiver Available? Available
• Other Notes Audition for music program recommended for some freshmen

Testing Requirements

• SAT or ACT Considered if submitted
• SAT Essay or ACT Writing Optional
• SAT Subject Tests Optional
• Scores Due in Office January 2

Coursework Requirements

• Subject Required Years
• Foreign Language
• Social Studies

Deadlines and Early Admissions

• Offered? Deadline Notification
• Yes January 1 April 1
• Yes November 1 December 15

Admissions Office Information

• Address: 633 Evanston, IL 60208
• Phone: (847) 491-3741
• Fax: (847) 467-2331
• Email: [email protected]

Our Expert's Notes

We did more detailed research into this school's admissions process and found the following information:

You will apply to one of NW's six undergraduate colleges . They are all about equally competitive so apply where you are most interested.

You must specifically contact the admissions office for an interview if you apply early decision , but will be automatically contacted for regular decision.

• English: 4 full-year courses
• Laboratory science: a minimum of 3 full-year courses; chemistry and physics preferred
• Mathematics: 3.5-4 full-year courses; calculus preferred, if available; the minimum requirement includes 2 full-year courses of algebra, 1 full-year course of plane geometry, and 1 semester of trigonometry
• Additional subjects: 5-6 full-year courses; these should include courses in foreign language, history, and social sciences

Other Schools For You

If you're interested in Northwestern, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to Northwestern.

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average SAT scores than Northwestern. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for Northwestern, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for Northwestern, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If Northwestern is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.

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Northwestern University

• Cost & scholarships
• Essay prompt

Want to see your chances of admission at Northwestern University?

We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

Northwestern University’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Why this college short response.

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

Select-A-Prompt Short Response

The following questions are optional, but we encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question:

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?

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?

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

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?

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?

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

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THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

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For specific questions regarding your application, contact your program directly. See your specific  program webpage  for its contact information.

Answers to common questions can be found on our FAQs page.

All applicants are required to upload the following materials while completing the  online application:

Academic statement.

• What are your academic interests, and why do you wish to pursue graduate studies in this specific program?
• How has your academic and professional background prepared you for graduate study? (Please include any research, training, or educational experiences that align with the program you are applying to.)
• How will our program help you achieve your intellectual and professional goals?
• (For research-focused programs) Please make sure to address any scholarly questions you wish to explore in the program and name any specific faculty members in this program whose research interests align with your own.  

Personal Statement

All applicants to PhD and MFA programs are also required to submit a Personal Statement. Applicants to master’s programs (excluding MFA programs) are encouraged to do so, though this statement is not required for the submission of the application.

Write a statement that addresses the following prompt (500 words max):

• The Graduate School values diverse backgrounds, approaches, and perspectives, understanding them as essential ingredients for true academic excellence. As a Northwestern graduate student, how could you contribute to an intellectual community that prioritizes equity, inclusion, belonging, and cultural humility? Your answer may draw upon past or present experiences, whether in academic work, extracurricular or community activities, or everyday life.

Additional Information

All applicants are encouraged to submit an Additional Information statement of 250 words or fewer to highlight information not yet discussed in other areas of the application. This statement can also be used to address any concerns you may have with your application. If, for example, you do not believe that your academic credentials demonstrate your true capabilities, please explain why. Also, describe any gaps in your academic career and work experience or any extenuating circumstances in your profile of which the admissions committee should be made aware.

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Kellogg Application tips: Written and video essays

Editor’s note: This article was published during a previous year’s admissions cycle. For the latest information on essay prompts for the 2023–2024 application, please see this post .

By Brittany Wisniewski, senior associate director of admissions    As you move through the application process , one of the most important aspects is telling your personal and professional story as fully and authentically as possible. Each part of the application provides an opportunity for you to share what makes you unique. When you are submitting your written essays and optional video essays, consider examples that demonstrate who you are, what drives you and what you plan to achieve as a future Kellogg Leader .  

Written essays 

The application will give you two prompts for written essays: 

• Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn?  
• Values are what guide us in our life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? 

Today’s changing business landscape demands leaders who possess a blend of analytical, creative and social intelligence and who can uplift teams to their full potential — those are the candidates we at Kellogg are looking for. Know that there are no perfect answers to our essay questions. Instead, when you are writing your essays, think about how you can leave your mark on Kellogg and the world.   

Optional video essays 

New this year, you can complete video essays after you submit your application and payment. While the video is an optional component, this is a great opportunity to tell us more about you  and explain why Kellogg is the right place for you.   

The video portion of the applications will include three questions, each designed to help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that brought you to where you are today: 

• Introduce yourself to the admissions committee. 
• What path are you interested in pursuing, how will you get there, and why is this program right for you? 
• This question will be based on a challenge you've faced and what you've learned from it.

Please note, video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline.  

Learn more 

At Kellogg, we believe in a holistic approach to the application process. We look at all areas of a candidate’s application. For us, this is much more than a test score, essay or job title. All applicants have unique strengths and attributes. Please make sure we see and hear everything that makes you special.   

If you are ready to become a Kellogg Leader, complete your application today . 

To explore more application tips or learn more about Kellogg, visit our admissions site  or sign up for an event to speak to an admissions officer. 

Good luck, and we look forward to seeing your application soon! 

• Prospective Students

Deadlines & How to Apply

Application Portal

IMPORTANT : When starting a new application, please select "2023-2024" under Application Type. This refers to the application window for prospective MSES students that would matriculate in Fall 2024, and graduate in Spring 2025 (i.e. the "MSES Class of 2025").

Application Deadlines

Applications for the 2024-25 MSES cohort ("Class of 2025") will open on September 1, 2023.  Although there are three application rounds, Round 1 is highly recommended to obtain preferred access to various grant and scholarship funding opportunities , and to seek summer internships (if desired).

MSES does not offer rolling admissions, rather, your application is reviewed alongside all other applications in a given round.  The program endeavors to return admissions decisions (admit, deny, waitlist) within approximately one month of the deadline date for which you applied (e.g. an application submitted Dec. 1 will be evaluated with all applications received before the Dec. 15 Round 1 deadline, and should expect to hear an admission decision from the program in mid-January).

At this time, only a full-time, in-person program modality is offered.

*An international applicant is defined as any individual who requires a visa to enter the United States for the purpose of studying at Northwestern.

**Applications are due by 11:59pm Central Time on the articulated date.  Please note that Central Time is UTC-6 for the Dec. 15 and Feb. 15 deadlines, but due to daylights savings observation in the US, Central Time is UTC-5 for the May 1 deadline.

Application Requirements

The MSES Admissions Committee seeks well-rounded applicants and considers applications holistically. We welcome applications from all academic and professional backgrounds ; however, successful applicants typically offer:

• An engineering or an engineering-related field (e.g., engineering management);
• A physical/natural/social science discipline with some quantitative and/or analytical background (e.g., chemistry, earth and planetary sciences, economics, environmental sciences, math/statistics, physics, etc.);
• A social science/humanities discipline without a quantitative and/or analytical background with subject-area relevance (e.g., history, political science, etc.), so long as the applicant can demonstrate such skills in other coursework;
• A professional master’s degree (e.g., business administration, law, etc.)
• GPA - Minimum 3.0 overall Grade Point Average (on a 4.0 scale) for all undergraduate work is recommended, but not required for application. GPA carries less weight in the evaluation of your candidacy the longer it's been since you graduated.
• Academic Transcript(s) - At the time of application, applicants must submit an unofficial copy of academic transcripts from each college or university they have attended. If you are offered a position in the MSES program and you decide to enroll, you will be required to submit one official copy of your transcript(s) for any degrees you have been awarded .
• International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency to be eligible to apply, either by submitting language proficiency scores (TOEFL or IELTS scores from the past two years), or by showing evidence of prior post-secondary degrees (undergraduate or other graduate) taught in English.  Please review the Transcript, Grade, and Language Requirements section of the International Students page for more details.
• Resume - Applicants are required to upload a current resume or CV. Please limit your submission to two pages; documents longer than two pages will not be reviewed.
• Essay #1 (Personal Statement - required): articulate your motivations, aptitude, and vision for pursuing a master's program, including why you are, in particular, applying to MSES, what qualities you hope to add to the cohort dynamic, and your career aspirations upon completion of the program. 
• Essay #2 (Creative Solution - required): one example of a creative solution to solving an energy or sustainability problem. The scale, location, and application are all up to you. You may write about an existing solution or one that you have devised.
• Essay #3 (Diversity Statement - optional): reflect on an instance where you collaborated with individuals from diverse backgrounds or worked on a team with varying expertise. How did this diversity enhance the problem-solving process, and what did you learn about the significance of inclusion in projects? How will you actively promote diversity and inclusivity within your future career?
• Letters of Recommendation - Two letters of recommendation that attest to the candidate's academic or work performance as well as leadership potential.
• $75 application fee - Note that prospective applicants who attend an online info session will receive a waiver code for this fee.

How to get into Northwestern: Admission Requirements 2023

Hey there! You're here, so you're probably considering applying to Northwestern University. That's awesome, first of all. But we know it can also feel a little like standing at the base of a mountain looking up at a peak shrouded in clouds.  

It's exciting, sure, but maybe a bit overwhelming too.

Don't worry: that's why we've created this post. Think of it as your friendly trail guide leading you through the Northwestern admissions wilderness. We'll tackle everything from the towering Northwestern acceptance rate to the seemingly impenetrable thicket of SAT and GPA recommendations to the winding path of application deadlines and essay prompts. By the end of the process, you might even find the journey as pleasant as Northwestern’s ample green spaces .

To be sure, there’s a lot to excite prospective Northwestern applicants (e.g., the revered Kellogg School of Management ) and a few things that may intimidate them, too ( e.g., a 7% undergraduate acceptance rate in 2023 ). The good news is we’ve created this guide on how to get into Northwestern to help you navigate its admissions requirements. Enjoy.

A quick note on college rankings: we think they’re generally a bad way to think about where you should go to college. We talk about why rankings are bad in greater detail here , but essentially, a lot of college rankings don’t actually tell you whether you and the school would fit well together, or that the school is someplace you’ll thrive. That said, we also understand that many students/families are confused regarding and have questions about aspects of the application process, so we’ve built the post below to hopefully clarify things, so students/families can make informed decisions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

How hard is it to get into northwestern, northwestern acceptance rate.

• Northwestern Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, and Transfer Acceptance Rate
• Northwestern GPA Requirements

SAT Requirements to get into Northwestern

• ACT Requirements to get into Northwestern

What does Northwestern look for in students?

• Northwestern Application Deadlines
• Northwestern Early Action Policy
• Northwestern Supplemental Essay Prompts
• Northwestern Essay Tips

It is extremely difficult to get accepted to Northwestern. The grade point average of people who get accepted to Northwestern are in the top of their class. People who successfully get into Northwestern also tend to have impressive  extracurricular activities and college applications essays.

The Northwestern acceptance rate is 7%, making it one of the most competitive universities in the world. Acceptance rate is generally an indication of how competitive a school is, but it is also an indication of how popular a school is. To get into a school like Northwestern, you will need to excel in almost every major college application factor.

Northwestern University Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, and Transfer Acceptance Rate

Northwestern’s early decision acceptance rate last year was 24% because it received 4,545 applications and accepted 1,105 students . As is the case here, early decision acceptance rates tend to be a bit higher than regular decision acceptance rates . Needless to say, Northwestern is one of the most applied to schools in the country, so if you’re confident that Northwestern is a top-choice school for you, you might consider applying by the early decision deadline (more on that later).

GPA Requirements to get into Northwestern

The recommended GPA requirements to get into Northwestern are between 3.9 and 4.0. You will need an incredibly high GPA and will likely be graduating at the top of their class in order to get into Northwestern. If your GPA is lower than suggested at the time you apply, you may have to perform above average on your standardized tests. If your grades aren’t as high as they could have been due to life experiences or hardship, you should consider writing about it in your additional information section .

96% of admitted students were in the top 10% of their class.

What GPA is required for Northwestern?

 Though Northwestern doesn’t publicly report GPA for admitted students, Northwestern applicants’ GPAs should ideally be between 3.9 and 4.0 to be strong candidates. Having less than this will require compensating by having outstanding extracurricular activities or personal statement.

it’s safe to assume you’ll need a high GPA to be a strong candidate for Northwestern: “Academic rigor” is one of the top criteria Northwestern considers when reviewing applications.

The recommended SAT requirements to get into Northwestern are a 1400 to 1600 composite score, combining the reading and writing, and math sections together. If you’re submitting scores (more on that below), you will need a very strong SAT score in order to get into Northwestern. If your SAT is lower than suggested, you may have to perform above average on your other standardized tests or have spectacular extracurricular engagement to compensate. If your grades aren’t as high as they could have been due to life experiences or hardship, you should consider writing about it in your additional information section .

Northwestern is a “Test Optional” school, meaning it does not require standardized test scores, but will consider them if submitted. It’s up to you whether to submit your scores or not. There are a number of factors to consider as you make this decision, and you can read more about them here .

Northwestern Average SAT Composite Score: 1520

What sat score is required for northwestern.

Applicants should score between 1520 and 1600 on their SAT to be strong candidates for admission to this school. (Again, Northwestern is currently a “Test Optional” school—if your scores are below the median, they likely won’t help your chances.)

ACT Requirements to get into Northwestern University

The recommended ACT requirements for Northwestern are a 32 composite score combining all English, mathematics, reading, and science sections. If submitting, you will need an incredibly high ACT score in order to get into Northwestern University. If your ACT wasn’t as high as you’d like because of difficulties or hardship, you should consider writing about it in your additional information section.

Again, Northwestern is “Test Optional”—see the guide linked above for more info on how to decide whether to submit scores.

Northwestern Average ACT: 34

What ACT score is required for Northwestern?

Applicants should try to score between 34 and 36 on their ACT to be strong candidates for admission to this school. Having less than this will likely require compensating by things like having an above-average GPA.

More than many other schools, Northwestern explicitly focuses on how a student and the school fit together (they call it the “Fit Factor” ).  Yes, having competitive grades and a gleaming personal statement is important. But most students who get rejected from Northwestern have applicants with those qualities—you need to show how you and the school will make a great team.

How do you know if you and Northwestern fit together? And how do you demonstrate to the school that you think you do?

Start by exploring Northwestern’s mission and values, both through its mission statement and through what it outlines in its discussion of its strategic plan . Notice, for example, how often the focus is on “intellectual” pursuits (this is a top-tier research university, after all!)

How do you see yourself aligning with this mission and these values? What parts of your story demonstrate that you have already worked toward these things, and that Northwestern is the place for you to take your next steps? How will you and the Northwestern community make great partners in trying to solve the world’s problems?

How else can you demonstrate that you and Northwestern fit together? Think about your answers to these questions:

How do you see yourself contributing to the academic diversity and interdisciplinary priorities that Northwestern values?

What steps have you taken to foster diversity and inclusion in your current academic community, and how would you continue this commitment at Northwestern?

How might you contribute to Northwestern's research eminence in a field of your interest?

Northwestern places a high value on balancing its present and future needs. Can you provide an example of a time when you successfully balanced present demands with future goals?

Northwestern is committed to enhancing the experience of first generation, low income, and underrepresented students. How can you contribute to this commitment, either from personal experience or allyship?

How can you contribute to Northwestern's goal of becoming a global academic presence and reputation?

Northwestern values innovation and entrepreneurship. Can you provide an example of a project or initiative where you showcased these qualities?

Northwestern places importance on improving the alignment of people, processes, policies, and systems to support the core work of faculty, students, and staff. Can you provide an example when you demonstrated understanding of this balance? Northwestern values strong relationships within the local and global community.

Northwestern University Application Deadlines

The Northwestern application deadline for regular decision is January 2. Northwestern also provides an alternative form of application in addition to regular decision: early decision. The application deadline for Northwestern’s early decision is November 1. Below is a table showing the deadlines for each of the steps of the November 1 admissions process.

Northwestern’s Early Decision Policy

From Northwestern’s site:

If you are certain that Northwestern is where you want to enroll, we encourage you to apply under our Early Decision plan . As with all traditional Early Decision plans, you agree to withdraw all applications at other colleges and enroll at Northwestern if admitted. Students interested in the Honors Program in Medical Education (HPME) must apply under the Regular Decision plan.

Applicants who choose Early Decision send a strong, positive message to Northwestern. Given their high level of interest and overall academic and personal strength, Early Decision applicants enjoy a higher rate of admission.

If you are admitted under Early Decision and apply for financial aid, you will be notified of your aid decision around the time of your acceptance, provided your family has filed the College Scholarship Service Financial Aid Profile (CSS Profile) by December 1. Students admitted under Early Decision may be released from the commitment to enroll at Northwestern only for demonstrated financial hardship.

Northwestern University Supplemental Essay Prompts

To complete Northwestern’s supplemental essay requirements, applicants must write one required supplemental essay (300 words max), and have the option to write up to 2 optional 200 word essays. Their prompts are below and the Northwestern supplemental essay guide that they were sourced from can be found here . PROMPT #1

We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise? (300 words max)

NOTE: Northwestern is no longer requiring the CommonApp essay as part of the application. They write, "The supplemental questions below touch on areas we see as important for building Northwestern’s Class of 2028, but you should feel free to repurpose essays you've written for other applications (including the Common Application personal essay, which we no longer require) if they tell the story you'd most like to share."

The following questions are optional , but we encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question:

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?

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?

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

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?

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?

How to get into Northwestern University—Essay Tips

The guide linked above (and again just below) offers specific examples and analysis, so we’d recommend checking that out, but here are a few quick tips.

Notice that the required essay and two of the optional essays are essentially Community/“How will you contribute” prompts.

For a fuller “ How will you contribute ” guide + examples with analysis, check out that link, but here’s the short version.

Essentially, a way to think of this kind of prompt is that it’s a combo of “community/identity/background” and “why us” prompts: use some of your response to show how you’ve become who you are, and then show how those experiences shape what you will bring to the college through linking to specific opportunities/groups/details. Connect your unique upbringing, in a very broad sense of the word, with what the school offers and how you will make a great team.

STEP 1: BRAINSTORM (ALL ABOUT YOU).

Do the “ If You Really, Really Knew Me ” Exercise. Yup, the same one mentioned above.

STEP 2: RESEARCH THE COLLEGE (LEARN ALL ABOUT THEM).

Make a copy of the “Why us” Essay Chart 2.0 , research the school you’re writing your essay for, and fill in the first two columns. (This is the same chart mentioned above.)

Once you’ve done these exercises, you’ll have a better sense of:

          YOU: A bunch of different talents/skills/identities/qualities that you’ll bring to a college campus, and

          THEM: A variety of programs/courses/clubs/affinity groups that your college offers.

STEP 3: CONNECT YOU… TO THEM (I.E., THE COLLEGE YOU’RE APPLYING TO).

Make connections between what the school offers and what you’re interested in.

Interested in more specific guidance on how to write the Northwestern Supplemental Essay? Our comprehensive guide is a great next stop on your Northwestern application journey. You got this!

Nick Muccio

Rather than candy, Nick (he/him) went searching for people’s vacuum cleaners when trick or treating. He’s since found other ways to help people clean, usually involving their essays (though he has great ideas on carpet maintenance, too). He earned a degree in Psychology from Bates College, where he rowed boats and acted in plays. Teaching high schoolers English for seven years taught him about the importance of presence and knitting sweaters. He sweats a lot, usually on purpose, and usually involving running shoes, a bike, or a rock climbing harness. His greatest fear? Heights. His greatest joys? Numerous, though shared laughter is up there.

6 Northwestern Essay Examples & Why Northwestern (2023)

Writing your Northwestern supplemental essays can be tricky, but they're important because your responses can have a big effect on your application chances.

Along with your personal statement essays , Northwestern offers students the chance to respond to a "Why Northwestern" essay prompt as part of its writing supplement.

In this article, I've gathered 6 essays that worked that helped get students admitted into Northwestern recently.

What is Northwestern University's Acceptance Rate?

Getting into Northwestern is quite difficult. Last year, a record 51,554 students applied to Northwestern.

And Northwestern had an overall admit rate of only 7%. Or in other words, about 1 in 13 students get accepted.

Northwestern University Acceptance Scattergram

To get into Northwestern, you've got to stand out from the crowd, which you can do by writing a strong writing supplement section.

What are the Northwestern Supplemental Prompts for 2022-23?

The Northwestern writing supplement for this year only asks one essay question of 300 words: Why Northwestern?

''Why Northwestern'' Statement :

While other parts of your application give us a sense of who you are, we are also excited to hear more about how you see yourself engaging with the larger Northwestern community.

In 300 words or less, help us understand how you might engage specific resources, opportunities, and/or communities here. We are curious about what these specifics are, as well as how they may enrich your time at Northwestern and beyond.

6 Northwestern University EssaysThatWorked

Here are 6 of the best Northwestern essays that worked, including example essays for the "Why Northwestern" statement prompt.

I've also included some great Common App essays from admitted Northwestern students.

Get inspired and start writing your "Why" statement with the help of these examples.

• Northwestern University Essay Example #1
• Northwestern University Essay Example #2
• Northwestern University Essay Example #3
• Northwestern University Essay Example #4
• Northwestern University Essay Example #5
• Northwestern University Essay Example #6

"Why Northwestern?" Essay Example #1

Prompt: "Why Northwestern" Statement:

In 300 words or less, help us understand how you might engage specific resources, opportunities, and/or communities here. We are curious about what these specifics are, as well as how they may enrich your time at Northwestern and beyond. (300 words max)

I love Northwestern’s academic flexibility, including the freedom of the curriculum to explore a variety of fields and the emphasis on cross-department study. Also, the quarter system provides a faster pace of learning and the opportunity to take more classes than a semester school.

Specifically, I am excited by the Spanish and Portuguese department and the classes on Hispanic and Lusophone culture, literature, and phonetics. For example, the accelerated Portuguese program is a perfect way to pick up the language at a faster pace using my prior knowledge of Spanish. I intend to supplement my language acquisition through the study abroad programs offered at the Fundação Getúlio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro or an affiliate program in Santiago, Chile. Additionally, the GESI program in Costa Rica is another intriguing opportunity through its intersectionality. It will allow me to combine a practical application of my language skills with studies in environmental conservation that I find a pressing and interesting issue. As an open-minded learner keen to forge links between academic fields of study, I believe I would be an excellent fit for the program.

I am also interested in Linguistics and pursuing undergraduate research or possibly undertaking the coterminal BA/MA program. The opportunity to link my research to a modern language of choice and investigate, for example, regional variation in Latin American Spanish or how Portuguese loanwords have infiltrated native Amazonian languages sounds fascinating and exciting.

Finally, the unique sense of community at Northwestern captivated me when I visited campus. The residential college system, the school spirit at Wildcat games, and the friendliness of the students I met, one of whom described the school as “the most welcoming place ever”, were all emblematic of this atmosphere for me. I think I will thrive in such a dynamic and inquisitive place.

"Why Northwestern?" Essay Example #2

The only reason I fear going for lunch in a hotel is probably because I wouldn’t choose between fried chicken and roasted meat and so is my dilemma over my college major. The multifaceted whole brain approach at McCormick, however, grants me the perfect opportunity to pursue my interest in Computer Science whilst acquiring the appropriate skills in entrepreneurship to a one day startup as an innovator.

As a NU computer scientist, I particularly look forward to Software Development EECS 473 – NUvention: Web, through which I would not only learn intricacies of Software development, but have related studies in real time software development in relation to market requirements in CS+X that would form a base for a startup. That would also provide a bridge for me to join Prof Todd Warren at Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation where I would specifically join the NUvention; Web + Media. Through this unparalleled program I would have the intimacy of working in a team with fellow wild cats towards an innovative business project. The results of which will be an introduction to the Northwestern Innovation and New Ventures Office (INVO) through which I look forward to gaining practical exposure in launching businesses to the general public.

Outside McCormick, I would be excited to pursue the Managerial analytics Certificate program at Kellogg to acquire intelligent business management skills, let off steam at SPARK exploring hacks while fostering entrepreneurial habits, and eventually joining preparations for the Benedictine Eagle Invite at the Henry Crown Sport’s Pavilion (SPAC) with the NU track club. I may not the best of singers, but I do have intense phases of music obsessions and where best to let it off than taking non major classes at Bienen and, joining one of the numerous Acapella groups as I await Armadillo day!

"Why Northwestern?" Essay Example #3

Why Northwestern? Because this introduction was so difficult to write; because I cannot possibly summarize these reasons in one introductory sentence. Simply put, my interests span across a wide range, and Northwestern has a place for them all.

As an enthusiastic programmer and advocate for positive minority representation in the media, I hope to combine both these interests and conduct research on the influence of media on society. To my delight as a prospective communications major, the School of Communication's research labs showcase project topics ranging from the depiction of STEM in media to improving digital communication. I look forward to taking advantage of the high-quality research, internship and even career opportunities offered to explore my ideas.

My multiple passions keep me creative and energetic, and I plan to continue pursuing them at Northwestern. With years of editing and writing experience for school publications under my belt, for instance, I hope to join the staff of Helicon and North by Northwestern . Last but not least is the constant school spirit and sense of inclusion present within campus. During my campus tour, each tour guide seemed genuinely excited to introduce prospective students to the school. As my particular tour guide described the quarter system and tradition of guarding and painting the rock with passion in her eyes, I knew that only at Northwestern could I find students as enthusiastic about the school itself as they are about their majors. I also spotted many students of color while visiting; as an Asian woman, Northwestern's focus on diversifying reassures me that not only will I not be judged for my background, but that I will get to meet students of all ethnicities and cultures.

College is a time of self-discovery, and I firmly believe I can see my dreams become reality at Northwestern.

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"Why Northwestern?" Essay Example #4

I felt the cold sheets beneath me and the beeping sounds of a monitor next to my bed, my chest moving up and down and my body sinking into the mattress. I opened my eyes and was greeted with a plastic surgeon holding the cyst that was once in the corner of my eye. Medicine, I decided, was my destiny.

Flash forward to 8th grade, the year I decided to read 100 books. Emerson, John Green, Ernest Cline--you name the author, I read them. I became instantly inspired to learn to write like the wonderful authors I had read. So, writing, I decided (maybe), was my destiny.

Wait--or was it medicine? Well, perhaps it can be both.

The thing I find most striking about Northwestern is its emphasis on the word “AND.” Northwestern students can love computer science AND music theory, poetry AND Latin History, journalism AND business--I can love science AND English. At Northwestern, my interests would not be hindered by strict and unwavering guidelines. Rather, they could be effortlessly streamlined and integrated into one another. I could go from ​PSYCH 361--Brain Damage and the Mind to ENG 206 - Reading and Writing Poetry to Carol Clayberger’s Lab to continue my extensive research on T-lymphocytes, similar to that I conducted at UPMC. I would be learning each level of the human psyche, communicating my thoughts through writing, and putting them into action through my research.

At Northwestern, I plan to take advantage of the various resources that would enable me to pursue my passions, find new ones, and combine them into one, pulling from both sides of my brain. I know that I am right for Northwestern and Northwestern is right for me because we have a mutual understanding of what education should look like--emphasis on “AND,” not “OR.”

"Why Northwestern?" Essay Example #5

Think Purple: Aspiring journalist dreams of being a Wildcat F​iled under ​A​dmissions​, ​Top Stories

After brochure browsing, website wandering, and campus canvassing what felt like hundreds of different schools, it took Daisy Conant exactly 32 seconds on the Northwestern University campus to realize she had found the one.

“Northwestern is undefinable in the best way, an addicting hub of intellectuality, creativity, and school spirit - something especially appealing to a football lover,” laughed Conant. “But what excites me most about NU is the opportunity to study at the Medill School of Journalism.”

A writer with hopes of becoming a foreign correspondent, Conant has always been drawn to people and their stories, especially those completely unfamiliar to herself and her experiences. Once learning she could start on day one at Medill acquiring investigative journalism experience writing an enterprise story and end on day 600 with a journalism residency and international experience already under her belt, she was hooked.

“Conducting groundbreaking research on the socioeconomic disparities in the CPS system for the Medill Justice Project, spending a semester abroad reporting on cultural crisis in Greece, interning at the Post - at Medill, my options are boundless,” remarked Conant. “I could explore the world of print news writing in-focuses for the Daily Northwestern, dabble in magazine editing laying out spreads for North by Northwestern, even try my hand at broadcast reporting for WNUR.”

A journalist at heart, Conant is fascinated with the intersections of other disciplines. As an NU student she would be free to engage her passions for international studies and business through outside concentrations in addition to investigative journalism, uncovering the adventures (and discovering the tenacious Wildcats) that lie between Evanston and the shores of Lake Michigan. “My story is just beginning,” said Conant. “And Northwestern is the perfect lede.”

Northwestern Essay Example #6

Prompt: Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (100-250 words)

I held my breath as my trembling fingers, made for the enter key, my eyes glued to the screen savoring every moment. In a split of a second, the results of my sleepless nights were imprinted on the screen.

>>>syntax error

I felt my eyes became watery but I quickly forged a smile convincing myself I wasn’t about to cry.

However disappointed I felt that moment, it wasn’t something new to me. I am not a natural programmer and I have failed more than a million times when running my codes. In fact, I have gotten used to failing, that anytime I get it right on the first attempt I assume I got lucky and I redo the code. Every time I get a syntax error I have eventually learned something new from the code. It’s at these moments that I have learnt more about my world.

Through coding, I have learnt to appreciate shortcomings in life as room for improvements. I have come to understand being raised in a camp in Chalbi dessert is a chance for me to have the first-hand experience of what needs to be done to make the world a better place. I stopped being disappointed I was born in a less tech-savvy country and seen it as an opportunity for me to create an impact with the much I have learnt. I understand with every syntax error, every life obstacle, I learn and take a step closer to a perfect code, achieving my dreams.

What Can You Learn From These Northwestern Essays?

These 6 Northwestern essays that worked show you exactly what it takes to write successful "Why Northwestern?" essays. Answering the "Why Northwestern" statement as best you can is the key to having a successful Northwestern application.

What did you think of these Northwestern essays?

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I'm Ryan Chiang and I created EssaysThatWorked - a website dedicated to helping students write college essays they're proud of. We publish the best college admissions essays from successful applicants every year to inspire and teach future students.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Application Process

• How do I apply?
• How can I request a fee waiver?
• Northwestern accepts both the Common Application and Apply Coalition with Scoir—is there a preference?

Writing Supplements

• What is new this year about Northwestern’s essay requirements?
• What are the new writing supplement prompts?
• Why did you make these changes to your essay requirements?

High School Courses & Standardized Tests

• What high school classes should I take?
• Will I receive credits for AP and/or IB exams?
• Do I need to take the SAT and/or ACT?

Admissions Decisions

• What factors are considered when making admission decisions?
• Who is admitted to Northwestern?
• Will applying for financial aid impact my admissions decision?

Financial Aid

• How much does Northwestern cost?
• How do I apply for financial aid?
• How does Northwestern determine my financial aid?

Testing Changes for 2023-24

• What is Northwestern's current standardized testing policy for undergraduate admission?
• How will Northwestern review applications that do not include test scores?
• Does Northwestern allow for score choice?

International Applicants

• Does Northwestern limit the number of international students on campus?
• Can I submit documents in languages other than English?
• How do I answer application questions that do not apply to my educational system?

Transferring to Northwestern

• May I apply to any school or department at Northwestern?
• May I reapply if I wasn't accepted earlier?
• Will I receive credit for classes taken at other colleges or universities?

Requirements

The Department of Physical Therapy & Human Movement Sciences at Northwestern University maintains the richest possible educational environment through the enrollment of a diverse student body, one that represents applicants from underrepresented populations, applicants with work experience and applicants from the smallest to the largest of our nation's colleges and universities. 

Factors considered for admission include academic performance and knowledge of the physical therapy profession. Applicants are expected to demonstrate personal and professional behaviors consistent with those expected in professional practice. Characteristics and skills such as integrity, initiative, sound judgment, acceptance of responsibility and interpersonal communication are evaluated through the application, essays and recommendations. Interviews are typically not required but may be requested at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. All applications from eligible persons that are submitted to PTCAS by the application deadline will be evaluated.

  Academic Performance

Applicants must successfully complete a bachelor's degree at a regionally accredited college or university by the time of entry in the DPT program (First week of September) and hold a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Please see the   PTCAS website for information about how GPAs are calculated.

  Essays

Application essays are evaluated for content as well as writing ability. Applicants must submit three essays: 1 PTCAS essay and 2 Northwestern essays (submitted via PTCAS, after adding Northwestern as a Program Designation). Applicants also have the option to complete an essay about the impact of COVID-19 on their academic planning.

PTCAS Prompt

Max 4,500 characters, including spaces:  “Every person has a background, an identity, interests, or talents which they feel their application would be incomplete without having mentioned. Describe the traits or experiences that make you unique and explain how they will help you be a successful physical therapist."

COVID-19 Impact Essay

If you feel as though your pathway to a physical therapist education program was educationally, personally, or professionally impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic, please describe for your programs the impact you experienced. Some impacts you may want to consider when responding include:

• Educational: Did your institution move to requiring online or distance coursework? Were you able to effectively interact with your program faculty and professional staff and receive the support needed to succeed? Were you required to move to a Pass/Fail grading system? 
• Personal: Did you unexpectedly have to change your living situation? Did you need to care for yourself or a loved one who was directly impacted? Did you seek out new volunteer opportunities that arose from the crisis?
• Professional: Did you have a change in employment status, a change in available shadowing experiences, or other professional or financial changes?

Northwestern Essay 1

Max 1,200 characters, including spaces: In the Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, we value individual differences and diversity as a measure of excellence. We define diversity as the collective richness of traits, characteristics, experiences, and skills. We are seeking a diverse incoming class of learners who can contribute to the educational environment and the capacity of our graduates to serve a diverse patient population. Please comment on how you will leverage your diverse traits, experiences and/or behaviors to contribute to the DPT program at Northwestern and the patients we serve.

Northwestern Essay 2

Max 1,200 characters, including spaces: Applicants may select one of the following two options:

• Selecting a DPT program can be both exciting and challenging. Please discuss your top priorities when looking for and determining the DPT program you will ultimately attend.
• Going beyond the activities listed in your application, please describe what you have learned and/or the skills you have developed from these experiences.  Please describe how that will translate to your studies as a DPT student and your career as a Physical Therapist.

  References

A minimum of three letters of reference are required and should be submitted directly through PTCAS . Among the three references, one must be a physical therapist who has supervised the applicant in a health setting and one must be a college professor or instructor who has directly instructed the applicant.

  PT Observation Hours

Applicants must acquire firsthand knowledge of physical therapy by working, observing or volunteering in a health-related facility. Experience in a variety of physical therapy settings is beneficial, and most successful applicants report at least 50 hours completed by the time of application. All hours must be verified by a licensed physical therapist. The electronic signature in PTCAS is preferred; uploaded, signed forms are also acceptable.

  International Applicants

All applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in the English language by scoring 100 (Internet-based)/600 (paper-based) or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language ( TOEFL ). Official TOEFL scores must be submitted to PTCAS via ETS code 5312.

Applicants who have earned a post-secondary degree from an institution where the official language of instruction is English are not required to submit TOEFL scores.

For degrees completed outside of the U.S. and Canada, an official evaluation from World Education Services is required and should be sent directly to PTCAS .

  Supplemental Application Fee

A supplemental application fee of $50 is the only item sent directly to Northwestern University; all other materials are submitted via PTCAS.

The supplemental fee is due by the Dec. 1 firm application deadline. Visit the online portal  to submit the fee. If you prefer, a check or money order payable to "NUPTHMS" may be mailed to:

Office of Admission, Application Fee Northwestern University, PTHMS 645 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 1100 Chicago, IL 60611

The supplemental Northwestern fee will only be waived for applicants who have received the PTCAS fee waiver . Please forward your PTCAS fee waiver confirmation email to [email protected] .

  GRE (no longer required)

As of 2021, GRE scores will no longer be factored into the application review process.

COVID-19 Admissions Requirements

Exceptions to the admissions requirements due to covid-19.

• Prerequisite Courses For the time period impacted by COVID-19 where alternative grading was utilized, we will accept course grades of Pass, Satisfactory, or a letter grade of C or higher for prerequisite courses.
• Online Labs If you were enrolled in an Anatomy lab course that ended up moving online, we will accept online Anatomy labs for the time period affected by COVID-19. We currently accept online labs for all other prerequisite courses. 
• PTCAS Essay Applicants will be given the opportunity to explain how they have been impacted (educationally, personally or professionally) by COVID-19. ​

If there is anything we can do to assist you, please do not hesitate to call us at (312)- 503-0988 or via email: [email protected]

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Northwestern Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Advice

September 6, 2023

With an acceptance rate of just 7% for the Class of 2027, Northwestern University is very much an “Ivy-equivalent” school. This is true both in terms of quality academics and selectivity. Last fall, incoming Wildcats almost universally placed within the top 10% of their respective high school class. They also boasted average SAT scores in the 1470 range. In 2023-24, even high schoolers bringing superior credentials to the table need to realize that the majority of the other 52,000+ other applicants can demonstrate comparable levels of achievement. Therefore, applicants need to look for other ways to separate themselves from the pack. And that brings us to the Northwestern supplemental essay prompts.

 (Want to learn more about How to Get Into Northwestern University? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Northwestern University: Admissions Data and Strategies   for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

In addition to one required essay prompt, Northwestern also gives applicants the opportunity to respond to at least one (and up to two) optional prompts. Essentially, every applicant has three opportunities to stand out in the eyes of admissions officers and showcase what makes them uniquely qualified for admission. Below you will find Northwestern’s supplemental prompts for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with our advice on how to pen winning compositions.

2023-2024 Northwestern Supplemental Essays

Prompt #1 (required for all applicants).

We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise? (fewer than 300 words)

Northwestern is inviting you to share more about your background/identity/community through the lens of how that will impact your experience at the university. Take note of the wide-open nature of this prompt. You are essentially invited to talk about any of the following topics:

• A perspective you hold
• An experience/challenge you had
• A community you belong to
• Your cultural background
• Your religious background
• Your family background
• Your sexual orientation or gender identity

Although this prompt’s open floor plan may feel daunting, a good tactic is to first consider what has already been communicated within your Common App personal statement and activities list. What important aspect(s) of yourself have not been shared (or sufficiently discussed)? The admissions officer reading your essay is hoping to connect with you through your written words, so—within your essay’s reflection—be open, humble, thoughtful, inquisitive, emotionally honest, mature, and/or insightful about what you learned and how you grew.

Northwestern Supplemental Essays (Continued)

You’ll then need to discuss how your background/identity/experiences have influenced your academic, social, or extracurricular college goals. As such, think about what you learned and how it relates to one of the previously mentioned areas. For example, perhaps growing up in Northern California has made you passionate about post-wildfire ecosystem restoration, which you hope to pursue further through Northwestern’s environmental science program. Or, perhaps your experience as a poll worker has made you interested in NU Votes , or the discrimination you watched your sibling face after revealing their gender identity has informed your desire to be part of organizations like the Rainbow Alliance .

To that end, be sure you address how you will take advantage of Northwestern’s immense resources both inside and/or outside of the classroom by citing specific academic programs , professors , research opportunities , special opportunities , study abroad programs , student-run organizations , etc.

Prompt #2 (Optional but recommended)

Most “optional” essays are not truly optional, and Northwestern’s new essay prompts are no different. Think of it this way: if you’re truly interested in attending Northwestern, you have two more incredibly valuable opportunities to further demonstrate that fit. Take advantage of them!

The following questions are optional, but we encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question:

• 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?

Out of everything on this Earth, what makes you tick? What keeps you up at night? What issue could you talk about or debate for hours? If you could address one problem in the world, large or small, what would it be? What do you love to do? Do you have a treasured cultural tradition that you’d love to share with others? If you are answering at least one of these questions, you are on the right track with this essay.

• 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?

Firstly, you’ll want to select a course centered around a topic about which you are an expert or hope to become an expert. The admissions reader is well aware that you are a teenager and not someone who has yet earned a Ph.D. Therefore, being a self-taught, informal expert is perfectly fine. You’ll then want to explain “why”—why will (or should) your passion be made relevant to a wider audience? And who would you want to work with along the way? These classmates and collaborators could be peers, mentors, or even guest speakers. Here are a few additional tips to keep in mind:

• Given the prompt’s wording, quality answers should involve the intersection of two or more disciplines.
• Course creation essays can and should reveal your ability to connect and synthesize information.
• Make sure that the topic of your course is not overly broad or already offered. The topic should not be akin to a 101 college course like Intro to Psychology…be creative!
• Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.

Keep in mind that Northwestern has already seen the President’s Volunteer Service Award and the impressive number of hours you volunteered at multiple nonprofit organizations. They know that you have been an active member of your high school/local community. The admissions committee now desires to understand precisely how you will contribute to  their  community of 8,000+ undergraduate students. Highlighting the link between your past efforts and future aims is critical here. For example, if you dedicated many hours to increasing your high school’s mental health support services, it will be more impactful when you now express your commitment to joining Northwestern’s Active Minds organization.

The strongest Northwestern community essays will show evidence of meaningful school-specific research. This research process will actually give you a better idea of how you would sincerely like to become engaged at each prospective school on your list. Admissions officers will appreciate a Northwestern-centric answer far more than a generic (often recycled from app to app) response. Moreover, given the word count, you’ll be able to produce the strongest response if you focus on just one or two specific aspects of your identity and perspective.

• 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?

If you choose to answer this question, know that you’ll need to think very deeply about your answer. Admissions officers are going to receive scores of responses about the number of opportunities available in Chicago, generalities about living in a suburb of a major city, and proximity to famous regional landmarks. As such, if Northwestern’s location feels particularly important to you, dig deep as to why . What location-specific experiences will you be able to have at Northwestern that you won’t be able to have anywhere else?

• 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?

This prompt asks you to not only share a particular life experience but also describe why that experience will enable you to contribute to Northwestern in general. Essentially, it’s asking you to take your essay’s reflection one step further—you’ll need to share why the experience you’ve chosen has impacted you as well as why/how you believe it will allow you to positively impact the Northwestern community.

First, choose a key aspect of your experiences or background that reveals something deep and meaningful about you. (Although you could choose more than one, we’d advise against it, given that you only have 200 words in which to respond.) As you brainstorm, consider the following avenues:

• Your role in your family.
• Your role in your social group.
• A challenge you’ve faced.
• A formative experience or realization.
• Core values and beliefs.
• Important aspects of your upbringing.
• Cultural, religious, community influence.

Second, you’ll need to describe both personal and future impact. Make sure that your answer reveals something about how you will live out Northwestern’s values or contribute to a specific academic/social community.

Finally, this prompt is quite similar to the required prompt about background and identity (see above), so if you choose this option, be sure you’re not repeating yourself in any way. If you’ve already said everything you need to say about your background in the required prompt, you’ll likely want to choose a different option.

How important are the Northwestern supplemental essays?

The essays (including the Common App essay) are viewed as “important” to the Northwestern applicant evaluation process. The other factors that are also considered “important” are: recommendations, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities. The only four factors viewed as being more important than the essays are GPA, test scores, class rank, and the rigor of one’s curriculum.

Want personalized essay assistance?

If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Northwestern supplemental essay, we encourage you to  get a quote  today.

• College Essay

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

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Please apply in the Round that fits your schedule. The same application review process is applied during each Round, and all admitted students will be considered for merit-based scholarships regardless of the Round they choose to apply. Each deadline has a corresponding decision notification date. Decisions are not released on a rolling basis; instead, applicants who have submitted completed applications by the deadline can expect a decision by the notification date above. A completed application means that all transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation and required essays have been received by our office. Applicants can view whether their application is complete by checking their application portal . Applications that are submitted but missing required documents, such as a letter of recommendation, will not be reviewed until all materials have been received. As a result, applications that are incomplete are not guaranteed a decision by their corresponding notification date. Late applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis once all the application materials have been received in our office.

You must have earned a four-year bachelor's degree before starting the IMC program. You may apply prior to completing your degree. Applicants who earned a bachelor’s degree outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation and degree verification from a NACES provider (see https://www.naces.org/ for a list) indicating their bachelor’s degree is the equivalent of a four-year bachelor’s degree in the United States. This evaluation is required at the time of submission of the application. An application submitted without the NACES evaluation is considered incomplete and it will not be reviewed.

When you apply , you must submit academic transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities you have attended. You are not required to submit a transcript for non-degree course work for certificates or MOOCs. Please list non-degree coursework on your resume and indicate as non-credit.

Transfer credit: In addition to the transcript from your home institution, you must submit a transcript from any other institution where you received credit for at least three courses that transferred to your home institution. This includes credit earned on study abroad programs hosted by an institution other than your home institution. You must submit a separate transcript from the institution where you received transfer credit even if the grades for your transfer courses appear on your home institution transcript.

For application review, you can submit either official or unofficial transcripts. To be official, a transcript must be sent directly from your institution to Medill, either via postal mail or electronically, with any seals intact.

You can also send official transcripts via secure e-transcript provider to [email protected] (the preferred method for receiving transcripts) or via mail directly from the institution to:

Medill Office of Graduate Admissions and Financial Aid Northwestern University 1845 Sheridan Road Suite 104 Evanston, IL 60208-2101 

You can upload unofficial transcripts in the "Previous Education " section of the application. Please make sure that uploaded unofficial transcripts are complete (state the name of the institution and all quarters and semesters of enrollment) and legible; if they are not, the processing of your application could be delayed. If the size of your unofficial transcript file is too large to upload directly into the system, please email your transcript to [email protected]

If you are admitted , you will be required to submit official and final copies of all transcripts 30 days prior to enrollment (start of classes), including your final undergraduate transcript with proof of your degree and the date it was conferred. Medill reserves the right to withdraw an admission offer if we do not receive these official transcripts by this deadline. It is your responsibility to request an official transcript from each institution you have attended and to ensure transcripts are sent to Medill.

Applicants with international transcripts

Applicants with international transcripts must also submit an independent course-by-course credential evaluation and degree verification from a NACES provider (see https://www.naces.org/ for a list of approved providers) at the time they submit their admissions application.

Please note: The Northwestern University Medill Office of Graduate Admissions and Financial Aid is a separate office from Northwestern University’s The Graduate School. Transcripts must be routed directly to the Medill’s Office of Graduate Admissions and Financial Aid.

Admissions interviews will be conducted by invitation only after we have received your completed admissions application. An invitation to interview means that your application has advanced in the process but does not imply admission to the program.

Medill requires GRE or GMAT scores. The test must have been taken within five years of your application submission date.  Medill accepts scores from at-home versions of these tests.

Medill allows you the option to self-report your test scores, with percentages, on your application. This allows you to manually type in your scores and percentages without ordering the scores to be sent to Medill. Once you submit your application, we will review these unofficial scores along with the rest of your application. If we decide to offer you admission based on these unofficial scores, it will be on the condition that you send us your official scores at least 30 days prior to enrollment (start of classes).

The official copy of test scores should be sent directly to Medill from ETS or GMAC. Our GRE code is 1699. Our GMAT code is 6WZ-XH-66. Allow four weeks for our office to receive your scores.

You may request a waiver of the GRE and GMAT requirement if you meet one of the following criteria:

• You have a final, cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale or you are a senior with a current GPA of 3.5 or above;
• You have earned a master’s or doctorate degree;
• You have 3 or more years of relevant full-time post-graduate professional work experience;
• You are a current degree-seeking Northwestern University student or degree-holding alum.
• You do not meet the above criteria for a test score waiver but would like to request a waiver

If you are requesting a waiver based on any of the above criteria you are required to submit a written waiver request with your current resume and undergraduate transcript to [email protected] for approval.

Please note, if you request a waiver, we may still require that you take the GRE or GMAT if we think it will allow us to give better consideration to your application.

If you would like verification of your waiver prior to submitting your application, you may email [email protected] . Please attach relevant documents to your email request (e.g. resume, undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts) and a short explanation of why you are requesting a waiver.

If we approve your request, you can view the waiver approval by logging into your online application portal.

Please email [email protected] if you have questions about your eligibility for a waiver.

If you are an international student, and English is not your first language, you must submit English language test scores. Medill will accept Duolingo or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) language test scores. These two tests are preferred by Medill. Medill will accept at-home versions of these English language tests. The Duolingo or TOEFL tests must be taken within two years of your application submission date. Send TOEFL scores to Medill using code 1699-18. Please upload your Duolingo scores in your admissions application. For the video portion of the Duolingo exam, provide the link in the “Additional Information” section.

Submit your current resume, which should highlight your professional and academic experiences, including non-degree course work, certificates, and MOOCs. We encourage applicants to include all positions recently held on their resume, including non-marketing/communications jobs, internships, or volunteer experience. This includes federal work-study and other positions held during college. For each professional and/or internship experience, please be sure to notate time spans that include the month and year.

Please upload a personal statement answering all essays prompts below using a narrative format in the Application Documentation section of the application. The personal statement should include the essay prompts, to ensure that all essay prompts are being answered in the personal statement. We look forward to reading your personal statement so we can best learn who you are as an applicant and how the IMC program will enhance your career plan. Be sure to address the following questions (3,000 words or fewer):

• In your view, what differentiates Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) from other marketing and communications? What experiences in your life have led you to pursue an IMC degree? Why do you want to study IMC and how will it help you achieve your professional goals?
• How will your background, identity and professional experiences help you co-create an inclusive and enriching learning experience with your classmates and faculty in the IMC program?
• Describe one setback you faced in your professional life (for example, in a job, class or internship). How did you respond, what did you learn from the experience, and how will that lesson help you in the future?
• Describe a time when you received critical feedback (for example, in a class, job or internship). What was the feedback, how did you respond, and what did you learn from the experience?

Additional Information (optional): If there is anything in your application that you would like to address (e.g., GRE or GMAT scores, GPA, lack of marketing or other work experience) or any additional information you would like to include (e.g. information an award or scholarship, gap year, etc.), please submit an essay of 300 words or less to upload in the bottom of the “Additional Information” section.

Medill requires two letters of recommendation for applicants to our graduate programs. Recommendations should be from someone who can assess your academic and professional abilities (e.g., employers, supervisors, current or former professors). Recommendations from family members or from friends who do not have direct experience with your professional or academic work will not be accepted. Enter your recommenders' contact information in the online application. The system will then email your recommenders instructions on how to submit their letters online. You are responsible for reminding recommenders to submit their letters through the online system by the deadline. If your recommender has trouble submitting their letter, please contact [email protected] . Please note: We cannot accept letters of recommendation submitted by applicants; they must come directly from the recommender.

There is a $100 non-refundable application fee. You may pay this online by credit card.

If you are a current or former member of the U.S. Armed Forces, AmeriCorps, Teach for America, McNair Scholar, Posse Foundation Scholar, Quest Bridge student or the Peace Corps, you may request a fee waiver by sending an email to [email protected] prior to submitting your application.

We also offer a limited number of application fee waivers based on financial need; requests of this nature must be requested in writing prior to submitting your application. Send your request to [email protected] .

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Financial aid available to IMC students includes scholarships, private loans and, for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, federal student loans. Additional information can be found on our Finacial Aid page .

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and would like to apply for federal financial aid, you may do so after you are admitted. Instructions for how to apply for federal financial aid will be sent directly to admitted students.

Mailing application materials

Send materials that cannot be uploaded or entered into your online application account to:

Medill Office of Graduate Admissions and Financial Aid Northwestern University 1845 Sheridan Road Suite 104 Evanston, IL 60208-2101

Please note that application materials become property of Northwestern University and will not be returned. Remember to retain a personal copy of your application. You can also email materials to [email protected] .

Medill reserves the right to revoke admission if new information is obtained that would warrant such action.

In exceptional circumstances, Medill reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to waive any documentation normally required for admission. Medill also reserves the right to admit or deny admission whenever it believes that it has sufficient evidence to do so.

Northwestern University reserves the right to change without notice any statement in this application or instructions concerning, but not limited to, rules, policies, tuition, fees, curricula and courses.

Northwestern University does not discriminate or permit discrimination by any member of its community against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, parental status, marital status, age, disability, citizenship or veteran status in matters of admission, employment, housing, or services or in the educational programs or activities it operates.

Harassment, whether verbal, physical, or visual, that is based on any of these characteristics is a form of discrimination. This includes harassing conduct affecting tangible job benefits, interfering unreasonably with an individual's academic or work performance, or creating what a reasonable person would sense is an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.

While Northwestern University is committed to the principles of free inquiry and free expression, discrimination and harassment identified in this policy are neither legally protected expression nor the proper exercise of academic freedom.

Any form of cheating, including improper use of content generated by artificial intelligence, constitutes a violation of Northwestern’s academic integrity policy. Turnitin, which is already in use at Northwestern, is expanding its system to include artificial intelligence detection

For advice or assistance regarding this policy, Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance - Northwestern University .

©2023 Northwestern University. All rights reserved.

In the spirit of healing, Medill acknowledges and honor the Potawatomi, Odawa and Ojibwe Tribes, the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands.

Northwestern University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 2

You Have: 

Northwestern University 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanation

The Requirements: 1 required essay of 300 words or fewer; 2 optional essays of 200 words or fewer

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Community , Diversity , Oddball

We have designed these writing supplements to help us understand your experiences throughout high school and imagine what kind of Northwestern student you may become. The supplemental questions below touch on areas we see as important for building Northwestern’s Class of 2028, but you should feel free to repurpose essays you’ve written for other applications (including the Common/Coalition Application personal essay, which we no longer require) if they tell the story you’d most like to share.

We also know there may be information or qualities not covered in our supplemental questions that you see as important to your application. to that end, we welcome—but by no means expect—your submission of a personal essay or additional information in the common application., the following question is required for all common application and coalition with scoir applicants (optional for questbridge applicants). please respond in 300 words or fewer:, we want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: what aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise.

This is a kind of Why-Community Essay hybrid because admissions wants to (A) know what has shaped you, (B) learn about how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, and C) hear about the specific ways in which you will get involved (which requires demonstrating fit). This is a lot to accomplish in 300 words, but fear not, you got this! Start by isolating a specific story or anecdote that will offer admissions insight into how you have become the person you are today (remember, you don’t have to cover every aspect of your intricate, complicated, interesting self). Then connect that experience, community, or identity to the vision you have for yourself at Northwestern. If your experience is academic, maybe you want to write about the classes you would take or the research you would like to do. If your community is cultural, perhaps you want to write about the clubs you would join. In the end, you need to describe how you plan to engage in the Northwestern community in a way that draws on your past, so show admissions that you have done your research and you’re ready to dive headfirst into the Northwestern community!

The following questions are optional, but we encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question:

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.

This prompt choice is glorious in its infinite potential. You can choose to elaborate on any of your passions here. Do you want to send a message to your fellow students about the environment? Maybe you want to rally students to join you at a demonstration of some kind. What is important to you? Essays responding to this prompt tend to lean in the direction of activism and community engagement, but don’t feel limited to these angles—anything you want to share with other Northwestern students (and, in this case, admissions) is fair game, as long as you feel strongly about it. And don’t forget to include the recognizable and effective acronym or short phrase you’d paint!

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?

This prompt will likely stand out to you innovators, since it’s asking about something you would make from scratch. Use this opportunity to share your imagination with admissions.  Maybe you’ve been making TikToks reviewing your favorite YA novels for some time now. Would you teach a class on the politics of the modern heroine in YA fiction? Perhaps you have an idea for a new healthtech business. Would you create a start-up? And don’t forget to address the second part of the question: who would you want to collaborate with? The person you choose could be your best friend, a community, or an industry leader you admire. There is no right or wrong answer here, so write about something you daydream about and show them that you know how to think big.

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

If your answer to Northwestern’s required essay focused on specific organizations, clubs, and student groups you hope to get involved with on campus, it may be best to skip this prompt so as to avoid repeating yourself. If not, this is the perfect place to provide Northwestern with more examples of how you will get involved in their community. Maybe you focused your required essay on the academic community you hope to join as you take your research to the next level and you’d like to write about your vision for finding belonging in queer spaces on campus or making connections with other members of the AAPI community. Just keep in mind that your response should focus on the future while drawing on your past experiences.

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?

This prompt is for all you applicants who are chomping at the bit to study in Evanston, Illinois. The nice thing about being able to focus on geography with this prompt is that you don’t have to have a fully fleshed out plan for your major; instead, you can focus on the experiential and cultural elements that will feed into your education. Why is living in Evanston appealing to you? Your answer should be personal to you and, if possible, unique. Explain what your desire to move from your hometown to Northwestern’s campus says about you. Whether you’re hoping to stay close to your family in Chicago or you’re eager to venture out beyond your one-stoplight town, this is the place to share your excitement.

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?

Admissions wants to know how you will contribute to the diversity of perspectives at Northwestern. What has shaped you as a person and how has that made your perspective unique? What lessons have you learned and applied? Is there anything you can teach your classmates or peers about your hometown, culture, religion, identity, race, or ethnicity that they might not already know? Northwestern wants to know how your personal perspectives, beliefs, and/or lived experiences will affect the conversations you have and the ways in which you engage with the Wildcat community, so tell them a story that helps them to imagine the kind of student you’ll be on campus next fall.

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How To Answer The “Why This College” Essay Prompt

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Your essays are a chance for admissions officers to get to know you beyond your grades, test scores, and ECLs. But how do you craft essays that reflect who you are AND impress the admissions officers?

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VentureCat, Northwestern's annual student startup competition, will be held on Wednesday, May 22 . Up to 25 of Northwestern's most promising student-founded startups will participate in an all-day competition, culminating in a public showcase event. The application deadline is Sunday, April 7 at 11:59pm CT. Selected semifinalists will be notified via email by Wednesday, April 17. **At least one member of each semifinalist team will need to attend the Semifinalist Kickoff Session on Thursday, April 18 at 5:15 pm CT. If you have questions about the application, requirements or competition, please email [email protected].