Why STEM Applications Should Start with Choosing a Career Direction
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Evanston, Illinois, USA
Northwestern University is one of the leading private research universities in the United States, located in Evanston, a 20-minute drive from Chicago. This combines a university environment with full access to the opportunities of one of North America's largest business and cultural centers. Northwestern is particularly renowned for its programs in journalism, engineering, music, and business. Admission is challenging, but with the right preparation, it's possible.
Northwestern University was founded in 1851 and is the first university to receive a charter in Illinois. The name reflects the historical geography: the university was created for residents of a territory called the Northwest Territory. Today, it is one of the few American universities that ranks at the top in several fields simultaneously: journalism, engineering, law, business, music, and education.
The main campus in Evanston is located on the shores of Lake Michigan, one of the most picturesque university locations in the United States. The second campus is located in Chicago and includes the Feinberg School of Medicine, the Pritzker School of Law, and several research centers. The third campus is located in Doha, Qatar. Students can access the resources of all three campuses.
Notable Northwestern alumni and faculty include comedian and host Stephen Colbert, actress Julianne Moore, journalist David Axelrod, Nobel laureates in economics Dale Mortensen (2010) and Joel Mokyr (2025), Groupon co-founder Eric Lefkowski, and inventor of the drug Lyrica Richard Silverman.
| Degree of study | bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctoral degree, and professional programs |
| Percentage of accepted students | about 7% (class of 2029 — ~3,710 accepted out of ~53,000 applications) |
| Scholarships | need-blind admission for all students, including international students — 100% of confirmed need is covered without loans |
| Directions | journalism, engineering, music, communications, business, social sciences and humanities, education, medicine, law |
| Type | private research university |
| Size of the student campus | about 22,000 students (9,060 bachelors, more than 13,000 in master's, doctoral, and professional programs) |
| % of international students | about 10% |
| Student town | Evanston, Illinois (main campus on Lake Michigan) + Chicago (medicine and law) + Doha, Qatar |
Bachelor’s degree: $69,375 per year (tuition, 2025-2026)
Master’s degree: depends on the program – Kellogg Full-Time MBA is around $82,000 per year, Medill Master’s degree is around $62,000-65,000 per year, and most academic programs at the Graduate School are around $55,000-70,000 per year
Doctoral: Most PhD programs are fully funded – scholarship, tuition coverage and insurance
The full estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) for the Bachelor’s degree for 2025–2026 is $96,236 per year. This amount includes tuition, accommodation, food, mandatory fees, study materials, transportation and personal expenses.
Northwestern unites 12 schools and departments. A student enters a specific school – each has its own requirements, accents and atmosphere:
Northwestern’s main campus is located right on the shores of Lake Michigan. This is not a metaphor: the paths lead directly to the water, and students spend their time on the university’s Lakefill, a 74-acre man-made peninsula that was created in the 1960s specifically for the expansion of the campus. The campus covers a total of 231 acres and is well-connected to downtown Chicago via the El Train Purple Line, which takes approximately 20 minutes.
Freshmen are required to live on campus. Northwestern guarantees housing for all undergraduate students for all four years — about 70% of students live on campus. Dorms are organized into residential colleges, residential communities with academic programs, cultural events, and academic resources within each building. The university regularly ranks highly for the quality of its campus food.
Northwestern accepts about 7% of applicants. This is a competitive process that focuses not only on what you’ve done but also on how you present it. Applications are accepted through the Common App or the Coalition App.
Northwestern is a decentralized university: a student does not apply to the university as a whole, but to a specific school. Weinberg, McCormick, Medill, School of Communication, Bienen — each has its own requirements. You must choose a school before submitting your application.
Northwestern expects a high GPA and advanced courses such as AP, IB, or similar. It’s not just about the final grade; it’s about the growth trajectory.
Common App essays, Northwestern asks its own questions. One of them traditionally concerns why Northwestern and this school in particular. The admissions office values specifics: mentioning real professors, programs, or research initiatives is a significant signal of serious intentions.
Two letters from school teachers and one from the class teacher.
Northwestern has a test-optional policy. However, if you have high SAT/ACT scores, it is worth including them as they enhance the overall profile.
Northwestern values depth of engagement over length of the list.
Early Decision I is until November 1, Early Decision II and Regular Decision are until January 4. ED provides a statistically significant advantage: the historical acceptance rate for ED is around 22-23%, compared to 5-6% for RD.
For international applicants, the standard application package includes academic transcripts translated into English, TOEFL (100+ iBT) or IELTS (7.0+), essays, and letters of recommendation.
Northwestern’s key advantage is that it employs a need-blind admission policy for all students, including international applicants. This means that the financial situation of the family does not influence the admission decision for any applicant. This is a rare occurrence among universities of this caliber, as most top universities in the United States employ a need-aware policy for international students.
Research and project achievements are especially valued for technical and scientific fields. Interviews are held at the discretion of the university or at the initiative of a Northwestern graduate in the applicant’s region.
Northwestern University is one of the few American universities that fully covers the confirmed financial need of every admitted student, regardless of citizenship. Need-blind admission and 100% need-based funding are official university policies that apply without exceptions.
For PhD students, most programs provide full funding, including a living stipend, tuition waiver, and insurance. The Kellogg MBA does not offer need-based financial aid, but it does offer competitive scholarships.
According to the official Northwestern Admissions website, 97% of graduates are employed, pursuing further education, serving in the military, or participating in career development programs within six months of graduation. The median salary six years after graduation is approximately $76,844 per year.
The proximity to Chicago is not just a geographical detail. It provides direct access to companies in the fields of finance, consulting, media, technology, and healthcare. Many Northwestern students begin interning in their second year at companies such as McKinsey, Google, Goldman Sachs, NBC Universal. With over 240,000 Northwestern alumni worldwide, there is an active professional community with mentorship and career support programs.
Northwestern is the oldest university in Illinois (charter granted in 1851) and one of the founding members of the Big Ten Conference (1896).
Northwestern has three campuses: Evanston, Chicago, and Doha (Qatar), one of the few American universities with a full-fledged international campus.
Lakefill is a 74-acre peninsula right on Lake Michigan, artificially created in the 1960s. Today, it is a central recreational area for students and a symbol of the Northwestern campus.
Medill School of Journalism is one of only two or three journalism schools in the United States with a professional reputation comparable to that of Columbia Journalism School.
The Kellogg School of Management was the first business school in the world to introduce a mandatory team-based format for its MBA program, which is now the standard for most top global schools.
In October 2025, Northwestern’s current professor, Joel Mokyr, became the fourth Nobel Prize winner among the university’s current faculty.
Applying to Northwestern is not just about submitting a single document or writing a single essay. It’s a coordinated process where every aspect of your application must work together to create a cohesive image as a candidate. At SelfStartGlobal, we help you:
If you want to apply to Northwestern University and receive maximum financial support, come for a free consultation. We will tell you how it works in your specific case.
She was admitted to three American universities at once: Augustana College, Widener University, and the University of South Dakota. She chose Augustana College, where she received a scholarship of $45,000 per year.
She enrolled in Fashion PR programs at five US universities
He entered a master’s program in the USA at two universities at once – Brandeis University and Washington University in St. Louis, receiving scholarships totaling $80,000. He chose Brandeis University and went to study on the first try.
I was accepted to the PhD program at Columbia University on my first try, having strengthened my profile and compiled my achievements into a strong application.
She enrolled in graphic design at universities in France, Italy and Hungary. She received scholarships at all of them and chose the university with the maximum funding — $135,000 for the entire period of study.
She entered graduate school at Kent State University and Ohio University. At Ohio University, she won a Graduate Teaching Assistantship with full funding of $37,774, covering tuition, insurance, and living expenses.
Got accepted to NYU Abu Dhabi on the first try (acceptance rate 4%) with a scholarship of $217,000. Also received offers from Lynn and Drexel University.
He entered Siena Heights University (USA) for the Theater and Music program with a full scholarship of $170,000. Preparation took less than a year.
