Northwestern University Review 2015

Northwestern University is a private institution that was founded in 1851. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,405, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 231 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. Northwestern University's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 12. Its tuition and fees are $49,047 (2015-16).

What began as farmland and swampland in the 1850s became the Northwestern campus and the city of Evanston, Ill. Northwestern University is a Division I school in the Big Ten athletic conference. Northwestern's women's lacrosse team has won multiple NCAA national championships. The school has hundreds of campus organizations fulfill students' varied interests. Freshmen are guaranteed on-campus housing if requested in their applications. The school's 11 residential colleges offer thematic living quarters for social and academic programming. Northwestern's main campuses are located along Lake Michigan in Evanston and Chicago. In 2008, Northwestern opened a third branch in Doha, Qatar.

Of Northwestern’s dozen schools, nine offer undergraduate programs and 10 offer graduate and professional programs. Northwestern’s highly-ranked graduate schools include the Kellogg School of Management, the School of Education and Social Policy, the School of Law, the Feinberg School of Medicine, the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Interdepartmental Biological Sciences Program. Northwestern’s Medill School is known for its strong journalism graduate program. Northwestern’s Dance Marathon, created in 1975, is one of the largest student-run philanthropies in the country and has raised more than $14 million for Chicago-area charities. Notable alumni include the 55th mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel; retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens; actor, writer and director Zach Braff; comedian Stephen Colbert; and Tony Award-winning actress Heather Headley.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

Northwestern University offers a wide range of academic choices, extensive undergraduate research opportunities and a beautiful campus located on the shore... Read More

General Information

School type	private, coed college
Year founded	1851
Religious affiliation	N/A
Academic calendar	quarter
Setting	suburban
2014 Endowment	$7,501,116,000

Applying

When applying to Northwestern University, it's important to note the application deadline is January 1, and the early decision deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due January 15. The application fee at Northwestern University is $75. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 13.1 percent.

Selectivity	most selective
Fall 2014 acceptance rate	13.1%
Application deadline	January 1
SAT/ACT scores must be received by	January 15

Academic Life

The student-faculty ratio at Northwestern University is 7:1, and the school has 76.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Northwestern University include: Economics, General; Journalism; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Psychology, General; and Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 97 percent.

Class sizes
Classes with fewer than 20 students (76.3%) 76.3% 20-49 (16.9%) 16.9% 50 or more (6.8%) 6.8%
Student-faculty ratio	7:1
4-year graduation rate	85%
Five most popular majors for 2014 graduates
Economics, General 12% Journalism 8% Biology/Biological Sciences, General 7% Psychology, General 7% Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 4%

Student Life

Northwestern University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,405, with a gender distribution of 49.5 percent male students and 50.5 percent female students. At this school, 40 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 60 percent of students live off campus. Northwestern University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.

Total enrollment	20,336
Student gender distribution
Male (49.5%) 49.5% Female (50.5%) 50.5%
Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity
In fraternity (29%) 29.0% Independent (71%) 71.0%
Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority
In sorority (32%) 32.0% Independent (68%) 68.0%
Collegiate athletic association	NCAA I

Campus Services

Northwestern University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, health service, and health insurance. Northwestern University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Northwestern University.

Students who have cars on campus	N/A
Health insurance offered	Yes

Cost and Financial Aid

At Northwestern University, 44.2 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $37,674.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs, or use the U.S. News 529 Finder to choose the best tax-advantaged college investment account for you.

Tuition and fees	$49,047 (2015-16)
Room and board	$14,936 (2015-16)
Financial aid statistics
Applied for need-based aid (48.8%) 48.8% Need was fully met (100%) 100.0% Received need-based financial aid (44.2%) 44.2% Received need-based self-help aid (34.4%) 34.4% Average percent of need met (100%) 100.0%