If you wish to know about the Northwestern acceptance 2026 and other important Northwestern admission statistics for the class of 2026 then we suggest you read this carefully to the end.
The reason for this information is beyond just knowing the Northwestern University admission rate.
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This information will also help you to understand all that you need to increase your chances of being accepted into Northwestern while still waiting for your acceptance decision.
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Northwestern Admission Selection Factors 2026
Firstly, let’s start by disclosing the major factors that the Northwestern University uses to determine who is and who is not qualified for admission.
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Northwestern uses eight (8) major factors as the most important factors for selecting the students that will receive acceptance letter. The 8 factors are:
- Class rank
- Grades (GPA)
- Rigor of secondary school record
- Test scores (optional)
- Essays
- Recommendation letters
- Talents, skills, achievement and Extracurricular activities
- Student’s character and personal qualities
Check out: How the high school you attended affects your admission chances at Northwestern
Meanwhile, in some tough years, the admission board goes as deep as considering other factors like:
- The applicant’s demonstrated interest in Northwestern.
- Optional interviews
- First-generation status
- Racial and ethnicity
- Alumni relation (legacy)
Check out: 5 main reasons college application get rejected & how to avoid
Northwestern University Acceptance Rate 2026
The Northwestern University acceptance rate is 9.1%. Below is the breakdown of the acceptance rate for each entry plan.
| Northwestern Early Decision (ED) acceptance rate | acceptance rate for Northwestern Early Decison (ED) is 25% |
| Northwestern Regular Decision (RD) acceptance rate | acceptance rate for Northwestern Regular Decision (RD) is 6% |
| Northwestern Transfer acceptance rate | acceptance rate for Northwestern Transfer is 15.27% |
| Northwestern International Students acceptance rate | acceptance rate for Northwestern International Students is 9% |
Northwestern Admission Statistics 2026
Northwestern is a selective University that requires a strong academic profile. Students that get in have an average SAT score of 1480, an average ACT score of 33 T and an unweighted GPA of 3.9.
The chances of getting into Northwestern can be calculated and predicted using free college admission calculation/prediction tools here.
Meanwhile, the Northwestern University admits students from more than 80 countries around the world and the admission process at the University is very holistic.
To stand a better chance at Northwestern, you must be at the top of your high school class, have good grades, talents, skills, achievement, extracurricular activities and testimonials of good character and personal qualities which are proofs of perfect match.
For more helpful information and admission guidelines, kindly visit more of our college admission articles here. Feel free to share your thoughts on the comment section.