Is Northwestern good for financial aid?

Asked by: Mrs. Constance Medhurst  |  Last update: December 3, 2023
Score: 4.1/5 (16 votes)

$50,310.00 is the typical Northwestern University's first year financial aid package. About 66% of first year students receive financial aid, most of which is in the form of grants and scholarships.

Is Northwestern generous with aid?

In fact, we encourage domestic applicants to apply for financial aid; Northwestern's generous need-based aid program can assist in defraying the costs of your college education.

Does Northwestern have good aid?

No matter your financial circumstances, our goal is to reduce cost as a barrier to higher education. Northwestern's commitment to affordability begins with financial aid that meets 100% of every student's demonstrated financial need. At Northwestern, financial aid awards are not loans—there's nothing to pay back.

What percent of Northwestern students are on financial aid?

Northwestern University costs $26,196 after scholarships and grants, with 44% of students receiving financial aid and an average aid package of $63,954. Financial aid applications are due February 1.

Can you get a full ride to Northwestern?

Northwestern is a member of Questbridge, which is a prestigious scholarship program that supports high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds. Students who are “matched” to Northwestern University through Questbridge receive a four year, full ride scholarship to the school.

Applied Learning: Financial Aid 101

33 related questions found

Is it harder to get into Cornell or Northwestern?

Which school is easier to get into? If you're looking at acceptance rate alone, then Northwestern University is more difficult to get into. However, each college is looking to fill its incoming class with a variety of students with different strengths, backgrounds, etc.

How generous is Northwestern University?

The average need-based scholarship or grant awarded to first-year students at Northwestern University was $60,424. Additionally, 44% of first-year students received need-based financial aid in fall 2020. Need-based self-help aid includes federal loans and work-study.

Is going to Northwestern worth it?

Northwestern University is ranked #2,188 out of 2,223 for value nationwide. Based on our analysis of other colleges at similar price points, we believe Northwestern University is overpriced for the quality education it provides.

What is the average GPA of Northwestern students?

The average GPA at Northwestern is 4.1. This makes Northwestern Extremely Competitive for GPAs.

What is the average admitted GPA for Northwestern?

With a GPA of 4.1, Northwestern requires you to be at the top of your class. You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. Furthermore, you should be taking hard classes - AP or IB courses - to show that college-level academics is a breeze.

What major is Northwestern good for?

Most Popular Majors
  • Economics. 351 Graduates.
  • Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia. 187 Graduates.
  • Psychology. 175 Graduates.
  • Biology. 121 Graduates.
  • Political Science and Government. 117 Graduates.
  • 111 Graduates.
  • Computer Science. 107 Graduates.
  • Neuroscience and Neurobiology. 99 Graduates.

Is a 3.7 GPA good for Northwestern?

Average GPA

The average unweighted GPA at Northwestern is 3.92 on the 4.0 scale. To achieve the average GPA for admission, you need to earn A- letter grades and regularly score around 90-92 percent on tests and assignments in high school. The school ranks #2 in Illinois for highest average GPA.

What classes is Northwestern known for?

Northwestern University Majors
  • 21%
  • Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs. 14%
  • Engineering. 12%
  • Physical Sciences. 9%
  • Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services. 6%

What type of students does Northwestern like?

With acceptance rates of 7-9% in recent years, Northwestern is a school that is looking for students that are at (or above) the 98th percentile on standardized tests and who placed toward the very top of their high school class. Just about all “A”s in an AP-heavy curriculum is expected.

Is Northwestern an Ivy Plus?

Some lists, however, also count Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, and Caltech among the Ivy Plus schools. Like the Ivies, these institutions are costly and highly selective, usually admitting fewer than 10% of applicants. They also offer prestigious alumni networks, large endowments, and lively traditions.

Does Northwestern give a lot of scholarships?

The scholarships and grants featured on our site are given to students who demonstrate financial need. This type of funding does not need to be repaid. Overview of University-funded scholarships, like the Northwestern Scholarship, awarded to approximately 45% of undergrads each year.

How likely am I to get into Northwestern?

Northwestern admissions is extremely selective with an acceptance rate of 7%. Students that get into Northwestern have an average SAT score between 1470-1570 or an average ACT score of 34-35. The regular admissions application deadline for Northwestern is January 3.

Is it hard to get into Northwestern?

It's tough to get into Northwestern, and the university receives applications from more qualified applicants than they can accept. For the class of 2026, Northwestern received 52,225 applications and only accepted around 3,655 students at an acceptance rate of 7%.

What is the GPA of most Harvard students?

Average GPA: 4.18

The average GPA at Harvard is 4.18. (Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. With a GPA of 4.18, Harvard requires you to be at the top of your class. You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants.

What are the downsides to Northwestern?

High Tuition and Cost of Living

One of the most significant drawbacks of attending Northwestern University is the high cost of tuition, which may be prohibitive for some students and their families.

Why is Northwestern University so popular?

"The strength of the school is its range." Northwestern students agree, vowing their school "has everything": "Intelligent but laid-back students, excel[lence] in academic fields," "great extracurriculars and good parties," "strong [Big Ten] sports spirit," and "so many connections and opportunities during and after ...

What is the hardest major at Northwestern?

Hardest Major at NU (consensus view)
  • Electrical Engineering.
  • Biomedical Engineering.
  • Chemistry/Physics.
  • MMSS/Math.
  • Other.

Is Northwestern or UChicago more prestigious?

UChicago takes the lead ranking 10th in the world, followed by Northwestern in 19th. UChicago is ranked higher than Northwestern for every broad subject area except engineering & technology where UChicago places in joint 60th to Northwestern's 78th.

Is Northwestern a nerdy school?

Northwestern is known as a pretty "nerdy" school. The school has a well-known reputation and is constantly competing for a spot in the top ten colleges in the nation. The students here earn stereotypes as nerds obsessed with homework and grades because of the reputation of the school.

Is Northwestern a white school?

Race/Ethnicity Distribution

This section analyzes the student population by race/ethnicity at Northwestern University. There are 28 American Indian/Native American, 9,506 White, 1,308 Black/African American, 3,718 Asian, 2,302 Hispanic, 12 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and 894 students with other races.