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Northwestern University Acceptance Rate
Northwestern University's overall acceptance rate for the application year 2024 is 7.2%, with 51,769 applicants and 3,739 accepted. The Regular Decision (RD) acceptance rate mirrors the overall rate at 7.2%. Historically, acceptance rates have shown a slight decrease from 9.31% in 2020 to the current rate, indicating increasing selectivity. The transfer acceptance rate is 12.7% for the same application year, with 3,507 applicants and 447 accepted. SAT scores range from a 25th percentile composite of 1500 to a 75th percentile of 1560, while ACT scores range from 33 to 35 for the same percentiles.
Overall Acceptance Rate
Total Applicants: 51,769
Accepted Applicants: 3,739
Regular Decision vs Early Action Acceptance Rates
Historical Acceptance Rates
Northwestern University's overall acceptance rate for the application year 2023 stands at 7.2%, with 51,769 applicants and 3,739 admissions. This reflects a slight decrease from 7.21% in 2022 and 6.97% in 2021, indicating a trend toward increasing selectivity in recent years. The acceptance rate has dropped from 9.31% in 2020 and 9.05% in 2019, with the rate continuing to decline from 8.46% in 2018 to 9.24% in 2017 and 10.66% in 2016. This evolving trend suggests that Northwestern is becoming more competitive, as evidenced by the consistent increase in application numbers alongside decreasing acceptance rates.
Wait List Acceptance Rate
Northwestern University's wait list acceptance rates have shown significant variability over the years. In the application year 2023, 55 students were admitted off the wait list, but there’s no data on the number of students offered a spot. In contrast, the application year 2022 saw 83 acceptances, while 69 were accepted in 2021 and 108 in 2020. A notable historical point is the application year 2019, where 3,067 were offered a wait list spot, resulting in a 1.7% acceptance rate. This trend indicates fluctuations in wait list admissions, suggesting unpredictability in the process.
55
Admitted
Transfer Acceptance Rate
Northwestern University's transfer acceptance rate for the application year 2023 stands at 12.7%, consistent with the previous year. A total of 3,507 applicants competed for admission, with 447 gaining acceptance. Historically, acceptance rates have seen a slight decline from 15.9% in 2019 and 15.4% in 2020, trending downward to 13.0% for both 2021 and 2022. This indicates a tightening of the admissions process in recent years, reflecting increased competition among transfer applicants.
Transfer Acceptance Rate
Total Applicants: 3,507
Accepted Applicants: 447
Scores
GPA
-
SAT
1500-1560
Math: 760-790
Reading: 730-770
ACT
33-35
Math: 31-35
English: 34-36
Reading: 34-36
Science: 32-35
Acceptances by Race
| Race | Applicants |
|---|---|
| Asian American | 23.16% |
| White | 28.81% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 17.29% |
| Black/African American | 8.58% |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 0.05% |
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