Northwestern University Review

Northwestern University Overview

Northwestern University (NU) originated in 1851 as a private institute for the Northwest Territory. The founders bought land and developed it to form the basis of the university, naming the surrounding town Evanston to honor one of Northwestern's founders, John Evans. The first classes begin in 1855. In 1960, campus expansion plans were recognized in full force as NU purchased 74 acres of submerged lake land. Construction lasted around two and a half years, but after that time, the land was raised and the campus was able to expand onto Lake Michigan.

The main Evanston campus sits alongside and on top of Lake Michigan about 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, where the secondary professional campus is housed. Among all of its Illinois schools, the university enrolls approximately 17,000 students between the undergraduate and graduate programs.

Admissions and Enrollment Overview

To enroll at Northwestern, a prospective student has to first decide if Northwestern is his or her number one choice, because NU offers both early and normal decision applications. To apply, the applicant must fill out a common application and a Northwestern-centric application either online or on paper and submit it along with an application fee. Official high school transcripts are required, as are letters of recommendation from high school teachers or counselors. The applicant must take the SAT or ACT and submit the scores. Northwestern will then review the application and mail out decisions, along with orientation and housing information for those accepted students.

Students must indicate on their applications if they want to be considered for financial aid from the university. The student needs to complete both the FAFSA and the College Scholarship Service Profile (CCS), which will determine the estimated family contribution based on the student's and parents' income. Northwestern does not offer any merit scholarships, only scholarships based on financial need. If a student still needs help financing school, he or she can apply for governmental loans and grants, or even a work-study position on campus, if the financial aid package allows it.

Facilities and Learning Environment of the Campus

Northwestern has many academic buildings with full work-rooms and studios specific to the departments they house; for example, the Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center houses the engineering department and engineering-centered laboratories and workspaces. Northwestern has a total of nine libraries, with four on the Evanston campus alone, including the main University Library. Three libraries are located on the Chicago campus, and two are associated with the Garret-Evangelical and the Seabury-Western seminaries. Northwestern also houses the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art. The Technological Institute, one of the world's largest academic buildings, is located on the Evanston campus, as well as Dearborn Observatory, which has the world's largest telescope lens.

At Northwestern University, the average class size is 20 students, with many classes being less than that. Full-time faculty members teach 97% of all classes. The student-to-faculty ratio is 7:1. Northwestern offers some evening and part-time classes, especially in the graduate program and in the School of Continuing Studies.

Colleges at Northwestern University

• Northwestern University in Qatar
• Feinberg School of Medicine
• School of Law
• The Graduate School
• School of Continuing Studies
• School of Communication
• Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
• School of Education and Social Policy
• Medill School of Journalism
• McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
• Kellogg School of Management
• Bienen School of Music
• Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

School Contact Information

• Address: 33 Clark Street, Evanston, IL 60208 Evanston
• Phone Number: (847) 491-3741