Northwestern admitted over half of its Class of 2029 on Tuesday as its early admission rate lulled at about 20%.
The early cohort of admits will comprise nearly 55% of the total size class, which is expected to reach 2,100 students, according to a Tuesday news release. NU’s early admission rates in 2023 and 2022 were around 20% and 19% respectively.
This year’s pool of Early Decision applicants was one of the largest in recent years, hovering at just above 6,000 applicants — a 15.5% increase from last year’s size.
This year’s pool also saw more geographic diversity, with more international students and students from rural areas, according to a letter to the NU community from Dean of Undergraduate Admission Liz Kinsley. While specific numbers were not provided by University administration, NU’s involvement in the Small Town and Rural Students College Network — which supports students from small towns to enroll and graduate college — is believed to have played a part in this figure.
NU’s Class of 2028, for example, reported a 40% rise in the number of students from rural and small-town high schools in the U.S.
The University also continued to see steady gains from its long-standing partnership with QuestBridge. So far, the incoming class includes almost 140 QuestBridge Scholars, matching last year’s numbers.
The number of first-generation students among early admits lingered at 16%, a slight uptick compared to 2021.
The 2024-2025 application cycle marked the second following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn affirmative action. Since then, official University data released in September revealed an overall increase in historically underrepresented groups within the class of 2028.
Last year, among the set of application changes rolled out by the University was the removal of the perennial “Why Northwestern” section — later replaced with a 300-word prompt that asks students about their identities and backgrounds and how it affects their engagement with the NU community.
Students were likewise given the option this year to answer five additional questions regarding how they see themselves getting involved in campus life.
The results of NU’s Regular Decision applicants will be available late March.
Related Stories:
— Northwestern sees increases in underrepresented minorities in latest class admission data
— Northwestern affirms commitment to diversity after SCOTUS strikes down affirmative action
— Northwestern adapts new application process in wake of Supreme Court affirmative action ruling
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