Northwestern’s acceptance rate has dropped below 10 percent for the first time, as the University admitted 9 percent of applicants to the class of 2021.

The University accepted 3,371 of the 37,255 applications received, University spokesman Al Cubbage said.

Michael Mills, associate provost for University enrollment, projected in January that the acceptance rate would fall below 10 percent this year.

Cubbage attributed Northwestern’s declining acceptance rate to increased interest. Last year, NU accepted 10.7 percent of the roughly 35,100 applications received. This is the eighth consecutive year the acceptance rate has dropped.

“We want an entering class that is diverse in all ways, and has the appropriate number of students in each of our undergraduate schools,” Cubbage said.

In January, Mills said 21 percent of the accepted Early Decision class identifies as black, Hispanic, American Indian or Alaskan native, making it one of the most diverse Early Decision classes. International students make up 12 percent of the Early Decision class, Mills said, and 15 percent of the accepted Early Decision students are recipients of Pell Grants, a federal grant for low-income families.

Demographic information for the newly admitted Regular Decision class will be released after the enrollment deadline of May 1, Cubbage said.

The number of applications this year reflects that the University is “increasingly a school of choice,” Cubbage said.

“It’s great,” he said. “It’s a wonderful thing because it just shows the increasing reputation and stature of Northwestern.”

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