What is the average GPA for Northwestern admission?

Asked by: Prof. Mariam Pollich MD  |  Last update: August 23, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (65 votes)

Generally, the average unweighted GPA of students admitted to Northwestern tends to hover around 3.9. This means most admitted students were among the top of their high school class. But remember, GPA is only one aspect of your application.

Can I get into Northwestern with a 3.5 GPA?

Academic Requirements

Average GPAs for accepted applicants are in the 3.0 – 3.5 and higher range. Many programs may require a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Can you get into Northwestern with a 3.7 GPA?

Northwestern University does not have a strict minimum GPA requirement for undergraduate admissions. However, admitted students typically have very high GPAs, ranging from 3.7 to 4.0, with an average GPA of 3.8.

What GPA do I need to get into Northwestern?

Average GPA: 4.17

This school did not officially report its average GPA, but we've estimated it here using data from over 1,000 schools.) With a GPA of 4.17, 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.

Can I get into Northwestern with a 3.6 GPA?

Average GPA: 3.6

This makes Northwestern College Strongly Competitive for GPAs. (Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. With a GPA of 3.6, Northwestern College requires you to be above average in your high school class.

Northwestern University: The pros, the cons, and how to get in.

41 related questions found

Can you get into Northwestern with a 3.9 GPA?

The recommended GPA requirements to get into Northwestern are between 3.9 and 4.0. You will need an incredibly high GPA and will likely be graduating at the top of their class in order to get into Northwestern.

Is 3.6 GPA good for Ivy?

Is 3.6 a Good GPA for Ivy League Schools? While 3.6-3.7 is a good unweighted GPA, it's below the average reported at Ivy League schools. However, this doesn't mean acceptance is impossible! A well-rounded profile, compelling essays, and special talents and interests can help you stand out.

Why is Northwestern so hard to get into?

To be seriously considered for admission to Northwestern, students must perform very well academically. In addition to having a high GPA, students should challenge themselves within the curriculum available to them at their high school. This means that students should display a high level of rigor in their coursework.

What GPA do I need for NYU?

The unofficial NYU GPA requirements range between 3.62 and 3.8. In addition, most of the first-year students in the NYU enrollment rank in the top 10% of their schools. Class rank may matter more than the unofficial NYU GPA requirements, so bear this in mind when considering how to get into NYU.

What kind of student does Northwestern look for?

Students who are passionate, intellectually curious, and academically driven fit into the idea of Northwestern. For extracurricular involvement, Northwestern is looking for passionate, focused students, as most other elite universities are.

Does Northwestern admit based on major?

Do prospective undergraduates apply for a specific major? No. Undergraduates are admitted by Undergraduate Admissions of Northwestern University, not by individual departments.

How impressive is a 3.7 GPA?

Typically, students with GPAs ranging from 3.5-3.7 will graduate cum laude (Latin for with distinction, with praise, or with honor ). Those with 3.7-3.9 GPAs graduate magna cum laude ( with great praise ), and those with a GPA of 3.9 or higher will be awarded summa cum laude ( with highest praise ).

How did I get into Northwestern with a low GPA?

If your GPA is below 3.9, your academics need to be strong in other areas to compensate—this could mean a more challenging course load, very high test scores (if you choose to submit them), or great letters of recommendation, for example.

Will Harvard accept a 3.5 GPA?

That being said, your 3.5 GPA will place you toward the lower end of the applicant pool academically, but it doesn't necessarily preclude you from consideration.

Does Northwestern look at senior grades?

All candidates should have their records through the sixth semester (or equivalent) sent to Northwestern as early in the senior year as possible. Candidates should have seventh-semester grades (or equivalent) sent as soon as they are available.

What is the average GPA for UCLA?

The average GPA at UCLA is 3.93. This makes UCLA Extremely Competitive for GPAs.

What GPA is required for Yale?

To have the best shot of getting in, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1560 SAT or a 35 ACT. You should also have a 4.18 GPA or higher.

What is the Northwestern University acceptance rate?

The acceptance rate at Northwestern is 7.2%.

For every 100 applicants, only 7 are admitted. This means the school is extremely selective. Meeting their GPA requirements and SAT/ACT requirements is very important to getting past their first round of filters and proving your academic preparation.

Is UCLA hard to get into?

According to Forbes, UCLA is considered a most selective school with an acceptance rate of 12%. Over 139,000 students applied for the UCLA Class of 2025. Of those applicants, UCLA admissions accepted roughly 31,000 students. Although there are no set UCLA GPA requirements, the average GPA sits around 3.95.

Is it harder to get into Northwestern or Notre Dame?

Therefore, the acceptance rate alone is not a good indicator that Northwestern University is a better school or will be more difficult for you specifically to get into. On the flipside, University of Notre Dame is easier to get into based on acceptance rate alone.

How prestigious is Northwestern?

Northwestern University is ranked #6 out of 436 National Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.

Is Brown or Northwestern harder to get into?

If you're looking at acceptance rate alone, then Brown 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.

Can I get into Cornell with a 3.6 GPA?

Applicants' GPA when applying to Cornell University should ideally be between 3.8 and 4.0 to be strong candidates. Having less than this will require compensating by increasing your SAT or ACT score and by having outstanding extracurricular activities or personal statement.

What GPA do you need to get into Stanford university?

With a GPA of 3.9, Stanford 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.

Is a 4.7 GPA good for Harvard?

GPA requirements for Harvard

At Harvard, the standard GPA is 4.18. (While some schools publish an unweighted GPA, most utilize a weighted GPA out of 4.0.) Harvard needs you to be at the top of your class with a GPA of 4.18.