Undergraduate Admissions Process
The admission process is a multi-step process. The initial application is submitted online and requires the applicant to submit academic documents, such as high school transcripts and SAT or ACT scores. Once an applicant has been admitted, they may be invited for an interview with Northwestern’s Undergraduate Admission staff member. After completing these steps, financial aid applications must be completed before enrollment can begin.
The entire process can take up to 6 months or more depending on how quickly you submit your materials and complete other requirements like interviews; however, we do our best to ensure every student gets through it as quickly as possible!
Selecting an undergraduate school at the time of application
When you are deciding which schools to apply to, it is important to consider the following factors:
- The size of the school. A small college may be a great fit for someone who enjoys being part of a close-knit community and has strong relationships with professors, but it may be better for someone who likes having more options for classes and activities.
- Location (urban vs rural; East Coast vs West Coast). Students who want to live in a specific area after graduation may choose an undergraduate school near where they expect their future job opportunities.
- Cost (tuition plus room & board). While college costs vary widely depending on where you go, many families find that paying full price can strain their budgets if they have multiple children at once or if family members have special needs requiring costly services like private tutoring or therapy sessions outside of class time.
Applying for a dual degree or second major
If interested in multiple fields, consider applying for a dual degree or second major.
Dual degree programs allow students to earn two bachelor’s degrees simultaneously by completing the requirements of both majors. In most cases, students complete one major during their first four years at Northwestern and finish their second major after graduation. For example: if you received your undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and want to return and get an MBA, this could be your chance!
Second majors allow undergraduates who have already earned their initial undergraduate degree from Northwestern University (or another institution) with at least 30 credits of coursework toward completion of the initial undergraduate degree requirements may apply for admission as an upper-level student into another academic unit within Northwestern University School Of Professional Studies (NUSPS). Depending on how many courses you take outside of NUSPS will determine how long it takes before your application is processed once submitted.
Pursuing premed coursework
You can pursue a career in medicine by majoring in one of the following: Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry or Molecular Biology. As part of the application process for medical school, you will need to take the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test), which is offered four times per year. You can learn more about this exam here. Once you have been accepted into an undergraduate program at Northwestern University and completed two years’ worth of prerequisite courses (including general chemistry and organic chemistry), we recommend that students meet with an advisor from our Office of Medical Education to discuss their options for applying to medical school.
Applying “Undecided”
You can apply as an undecided major if you still determine what you want to study at Northwestern. If this is your first year of college, or if you have taken a few classes but have yet to decide on a major, then applying as an undecided student might be right.
The benefits of choosing the “undecided” major include:
- Being able to explore multiple disciplines before deciding on what field(s) interest you most.
- Having time to explore different areas and consider which subject best suits your interests and goals.
- Not having any restrictions placed on planning future coursework based on decisions made during the first year (e.g., being unable to take certain courses because they were only offered by certain departments).
Pursuing multiple areas of study
If you’re considering pursuing multiple areas of study, it’s important to consider how your major will affect your future career. For example, if a person wants to become an accountant but has a passion for art or music, it may be better for them to choose an accounting-related major rather than one focusing on art or music.
Another consideration when choosing a double major is whether or not the two majors can be applied in different industries. If so, this would also be beneficial because it gives students more flexibility when applying for jobs after graduation (for example, someone who has double majored in business administration and marketing could work at an advertising agency).
It is important to define what your goals are before applying to college.
It is important to define what your goals are before applying to college.
- Why? Because you need to know what you want from a college education and if Northwestern University is the right fit for you.
- How? By taking the time to think about what is important in life and how that relates to your interests and passions. For example, if someone wants an academic career in biology or chemistry but doesn’t enjoy writing papers or doing research, then NU might not be right for them despite being considered one of the top schools in America by US News & World Report.
This step takes time–you may need weeks or even months before making this decision–but it will pay off when choosing which schools best suit each applicant’s needs!