• Background
• History
• Campuses
• Schools and Colleges (with year of founding)
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Degree Conferred (2005-06)
• Graduate Rate
• Faculty
• Research
• Alumni
• Distinctions
• Athletics

Background

Northwestern University combines innovative teaching and pioneering research in a highly collaborative environment that transcends traditional academic boundaries. It provides students and faculty exceptional opportunities for intellectual, personal, and professional growth in a setting enhanced by the richness of Chicago.

Northwestern University is a private institution founded in 1851 to serve the Northwest Territory, an area that now includes the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota. In 1853 the founders purchased a 379-acre tract of land on the shore of Lake Michigan 12 miles north of Chicago. They established a campus and developed the land near it, naming the surrounding town Evanston in honor of one of the University's founders, John Evans. After completing its first building in 1855, Northwestern began classes that fall with two faculty members and 10 students.

Two campuses located on Lake Michigan: a 240-acre campus in Evanston, the first suburb north of Chicago, and a 25-acre campus in Chicago.

Full-time graduate students are also enrolled in the Graduate School.
The School of 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 17,000.

First-year student applications, acceptance, and enrollment (Fall 2006)

93 percent within six years

Approximately 2,500 full-time faculty. Faculty members include Pulitzer Prize winners, MacArthur Fellowship recipients, and members of numerous honorary and professional societies, including the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and American Council of Learned Societies.

Total awards and grants of approximately $384 million.

Approximately 190,000 alumni, including leaders in business, government, law, science, education, medicine, media, and the performing arts. Prominent alumni include:

• Zach Braff, actor, writer, and director
• Elisabeth Bumiller, White House correspondent, New York Times
• Nick Chabraja, chairman and CEO, General Dynamics
• Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Representative
• Heather Headley, Tony Award-winning actress, star of The Lion King and Aida
• Garry Marshall, producer, writer, and director
• George McGovern, former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate
• Patrick Ryan, executive chairman, Aon Corporation
• David Schwimmer, actor
• David Skorton, president, Cornell University
• Graham Spanier, president, Pennsylvania State University
• John Paul Stevens, U.S. Supreme Court justice
• Edward J. Weiler, NASA astrophysicist and administrator
• Julia Wallace, editor, Atlanta Journal Constitution
• Wayne Watson, chancellor, Chicago City Colleges
• Mary Zimmerman, Northwestern professor and Tony Award-winning theater director

Northwestern is recognized both nationally and internationally for the quality of its educational programs at all levels. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks the University's undergraduate programs among the best in the country. Among graduate programs, the Kellogg School of Management regularly ranks among the top five business schools in the country for both its traditional curriculum and its executive master's program. U.S. News & World Report placed Northwestern's School of Law in the top 15 legal programs nationally and the Feinberg School of Medicine in the top 20 medical programs.

A charter member of the Big Ten and the conference's only private institution, Northwestern sponsors 19 intercollegiate athletic teams (8 men's and 11 women's) and numerous club sports. During the 2005-06 season the Wildcats had one NCAA team champion, three NCAA individual champions, three conference titles, 11 teams in NCAA postseason play, 15 first-team All-Americans, one CoSIDA Academic All-American, four CoSIDA Academic All-District selections, three conference Coaches of the Year and 11 Players of the Year, and 67 All-Conference and 122 Academic All-Big Ten Athletes. Eleven Wildcat teams advanced to NCAA postseason competition, including the women's lacrosse team, which captured its second consecutive NCAA championship. Men's swimmer Matt Grevers won the NCAA title in the 100-yard backstroke for the second straight year, while Alexis Prousis and Cristelle Grier captured the NCAA doubles tennis title.