Northwestern University

History, Affiliations and Rankings

Northwestern University was founded in 1850 when nine men gathered for planning the University to educate the populations of the Northwest Territory. In 1853, the campus was brought into existence near the banks of Lake Michgan, 12 miles from Chicago. Today, Northwestern University has three campuses in total and a global presence. The University's highly collaborative environment with diverse students and experienced faculty provide an exceptional opportunity for the students for their personal and professional growth. Northwestern has academic affiliations with the Association of American Universities (AAU), Universities Research Association (URA), National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE), IAMSCU and the 568 President’s Group. Northwestern University is also part of the Space-grant colleges in the United States. It ranks at the 9th position among National Universities by US News and World Report. 

Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses

Northwestern University is a private university that has two campuses located on Lake Michigan (240-acre) and the main campus in Evanston which is about 12 miles north of downtown Chicago (25 acres). The third campus is located in Doha, Qatar. Northwestern University is academically divided into 12 colleges and schools including the Bienen School of Music; Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences; School of Communication; School of Education and Social Policy; McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science; Graduate School; Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications; Pritzker School of Law; Kellogg School of Management; Feinberg School of Medicine; School of Professional Studies. Northwestern University in Qatar is recognized nationally and internationally for its top-notch educational programs.

Accomplishments and Alumni

Northwestern University holds an unparalleled reputation for its educational programs with the University being only one out of four top 10 universities in the US to also rank among the top 20 best graduate programs including, for Business, Education, Law, Medicine, Materials Engineering, Chemistry and Economics. Northwestern University is a member of the Big Ten conference and the athletic teams are called the Wildcats. The University has acquired $893 million in annual sponsored research awards, with Northwestern ranking at #15 among AAU universities for NIH awards. The university also has a vast and diverse alumni network that includes many celebrated personalities. Some of the notable alumni of Northwestern University are - Harold Washington, the First Black Mayor of Chicago, George RR Martin, author of The Game of Thrones, Stephan Colbert, Emmy Award-winning comedian, Cheddi Jagan, 4th President and the father of the Nation of Guyana, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, Pharrell Williams, Grammy Award-winning rapper, and David Schwimmer, the actor from FRIENDS. 

Student Diversity and Visiting Companies

Northwestern has over 8,000 full-time undergraduate students and over 13,000 graduate students. It accommodates students with various demonstrated academic achievements from diverse social, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. More than 90 percent of undergraduate students on campus rank in the top 10 percent on their high school classes. Students come from all 50 states of the USA and also include more than 4,300 international students from over 120 countries. Google, Amazon, Accenture, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, McKinsey and Company, Salesforce, Goldman Sachs and other top corporations recruit graduates from Northwestern University.