Our Students and Alumni
Students
Northwestern recruits students of demonstrated academic achievement from diverse social, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. More than 90 percent of applicants rank in the top 10 percent of their high school classes, and Northwestern’s National Merit Scholar enrollment rate has recently ranked among the nation’s highest.
| Profile of First-Year Class, 2012 | |
|---|---|
| Total applications: | 32,065 |
| Offers of Admission: |
4,895 |
| Percent Admitted: |
15% |
| Enrolling Freshmen: |
2,082 |
| Receiving Pell Grants (need-based grants for low-income students, family incomes under $40,000): | 13% |
| Racial/Ethnic Background, Class of 2016 | Enrolled Percent |
|---|---|
| African-American | 8% |
| Asian-American | 20% |
| Caucasian | 55% |
| Hispanic | 9% |
| International | 7% |
| Native American | 1% |
| Gender Distribution, Class of 2016 | Enrolled Percent |
|---|---|
| Female | 50% |
| Male | 50% |
| Geographic Distribution, Class of 2016 | Enrolled Percent |
|---|---|
| Midwest | 40% |
| Middle Atlantic |
19% |
| West | 13% |
| South | 11% |
| New England | 7% |
| Southwest | 1% |
| International | 8% |
| School | Undergraduate | Graduate/Professional* | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weinberg ** | 4,314 | --- | 4,314 |
| Communication | 1,149 | 38 | 1,187 |
| Education and Social Policy | 362 | 82 | 444 |
| Feinberg *** | --- | 1,070 | 1,070 |
| McCormick | 1,452 | 99 | 1,551 |
| Medill | 681 | 413 | 1,094 |
| Law | --- | 998 | 998 |
| Kellogg | --- | 1,729 | 1,729 |
| Bienen | 409 | 221 | 630 |
| Graduate School * | --- | 3,458 | 3,458 |
| Total | 8,367 | 8,108 | 16,475 |
*Students enrolled in The Graduate School (TGS) are in programs affiliated with other colleges at Northwestern University. TGS enrollments by school are as follows: 1,340 in Weinberg; 371 in Communication; 74 in Education and Social Policy; 291 in Feinberg; 914 in McCormick; 135 in Kellogg; 36 in Bienen; and 42 in Continuing Studies. An additional 255 students are enrolled in inter-school programs.
**Includes inter-school programs.
***Includes Orthotics/Prosthetics/Physical Therapy programs.
Continuing Studies enrolls approximately 1,100 students in part-time, evening undergraduate and graduate programs. Additional part-time students bring the University's total enrollment to approximately 19,000.
| Degrees Conferred, 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Certificate/Diploma | 321 |
| Bachelor's | 2,135 |
| Master's | 3,199 |
| Doctorate | 466 |
| First Professional | 461 |
| Total | 6,582 |
| Graduation Rate | |
|---|---|
| Percent who graduate in four years | 86 |
| Percent who graduate in five years. Northwestern offers several five-year programs. | 92 |
Alumni
Northwestern's approximately 200,000 alumni include leaders in government, law, science, education, medicine, media and the performing arts.
Prominent alumni include:
- Alicia Boler Davis, vice president of global quality and U.S. customer experience, General Motors Co.
- Zach Braff, actor, writer, and director
- Stephen Colbert, TV comedian
- Luke Donald, professional golfer
- Rahm Emanuel, mayor, City of Chicago
- Gillian Flynn, best-selling author
- Joe Girardi, manager, New York Yankees
- Heather Headley, Tony Award-winning actress
- Garry Marshall, producer, writer, and director
- Kelly O'Donnell, NBC News correspondent
- Virginia M Rometty, president and CEO, IBM
- David Skorton, president, Cornell University
- John Paul Stevens, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice
- Gwynne Shotwell, president, SpaceX
- Gary Steinhafel, president, CEO and chairman of the board, Target Corp.
- Margaret Sullivan, public editor, New York Times
- Manuel Valdes, president, Frontera Foods
- Michael Wilbon, ESPN commentator
- Andrew Youn, co-founder, One Acre Fund
- Mary Zimmerman, Northwestern professor and Tony Award-winning theater director