Early Decision · Northwestern · 2025-26 Common Data Set
Northwestern admitted 20.4% of its Early Decision applicants, against 5.8% of everyone else who applied. Those are its own figures, for students who applied to enter in fall 2025.
Admit rates computed from Northwestern's own counts in its 2025-26 Common Data Set (sections C1 and C21), for applicants who entered in fall 2025. Everyone else is all admits minus ED admits, over all applications minus ED applications. ED applicants deferred and later admitted stay in the admits, so that figure runs slightly high and the gap slightly small. Schools also differ in whether ED II is counted in their ED figures.
The Early Decision pool is not a random slice of applicants. Recruited athletes, for example, are commonly asked to apply early. No school publishes the gap with them taken out, so the gap is not the effect of applying Early Decision by itself.
| Test | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT composite | 1520 | 1540 | 1560 |
| ACT composite | 34 | 35 | 35 |
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who submitted scores (section C9). 48% submitted the SAT, 25% the ACT.
As Northwestern filed them in its 2025-26 Common Data Set. This cycle's dates can move; the school's admissions office has the final word.
No Northwestern results have been reported yet for the Class of 2031. Decisions land in mid-December.
Anonymous reports from applicants, counted as they come in. Share of what was reported, never an admit rate.
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Number shown is the published Early Decision admit rate; n/p means the school does not publish it.