College Prep

Discover a World of Academic Excellence at Northwestern University

Close-up of the carved seal of Northwestern University, located above a window on a building. The seal features a book in the center with Latin text, flanked by the words 'Northwestern University' and the founding year '1851'.

Summary:

Ranked among the top 10 universities in the nation, Northwestern University accommodates nearly every area of study with its twelve distinct schools and offers a robust pre-college program.

Key Points:

  • Northwestern has three campuses: Evanston, IL; Chicago, IL; and Doha, Qatar.
  • There are 12 distinct schools of study including:
  • Arts & Science
  • Medicine
  • Law
  • Communication
  • Music
  • Management
  • Engineering
  • Graduate school
  • Journalism
  • Education
  • Professional studies
  • Qatar location
  • Enrollment includes 8,659 undergraduate and 14,000+ graduate students.
  • The Pre-College Online Program is designed for teens to get a jumpstart on the future.

Northwestern University encompasses two campuses in the U.S.; the main one in Evanston, Illinois, sits on 240 acres and offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The second campus occupies about 25 acres in downtown Chicago and features schools of medicine and law. A third campus can be found in Doha, Qatar, and offers both bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Known as a comprehensive research university with a deep interdisciplinary focus across schools and units, Northwestern lives by this ethos:

“Our rigorous yet empathetic academic environment provides a robust mixture of theory and practice, with an emphasis on top-tier research, new knowledge, creative expression, and practical application. If you are at Northwestern, you are part of an innovative, collaborative, and multidimensional community delivering an impact that is rare in higher education.”

Northwestern University ranks among the top colleges, and offers a robust pre-college program to motivated teens. But before you decide to give Northwestern’s Pre-College Online Program a try, explore everything this top school has to offer.

Where does Northwestern University rank nationally?

Founded in 1851, Northwestern ranks among the top 10 universities in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges and National Universities, according to U.S. News & World Report. Tuition and fees are $65,997. As of fall 2022, the undergraduate enrollment was 8,659, with more than 14,000 graduate students. The four-year graduation rate is 87%, with a student / faculty ratio of 7:1, and 78% of classes have fewer than 20 students.

Northwestern University offers the choice of 12 distinct schools of study. These include:

  1. Weiberg College of Arts & Sciences
  2. Feinberg School of Medicine
  3. Pritzker School of Law
  4. School of Communication
  5. Bienen School of Music
  6. Kellogg School of Management
  7. McCormick School of Engineering & Applied Science
  8. Graduate School
  9. Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications
  10. School of Education & Social Policy
  11. School of Professional Studies
  12. Northwestern University in Qatar

Northwestern enjoys its standing as a leading research university that is home to more than 90 school-based centers and 35 university research centers. Students engage in an interdisciplinary culture, and research that spans a wide range of areas including neuroscience, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and drug discovery.

If you think Northwestern may be a great fit for your future, then why not start while you’re still in high school?

What Northwestern University has to offer pre-college students

The Northwestern Pre-College Online Program is designed for motivated high school students 13 and older who would like to get a jumpstart on their futures. Courses are delivered online through dynamic videos and taught by our renowned faculty. You’ll even be guided by mentors and enjoy the flexible format that lets you take multiple courses and study anytime, anywhere that works for you.

Courses run the gamut from business and law to medicine and STEM.

Here’s a peek at some of our courses:

Business: Strategies, Innovation, and Success bridges the gap between classroom theory and real-world business success. Explore marketing, sales, finance, and more. Step into the shoes of an innovator tasked with creating a new concept and bringing it to market.

Law: From Interview to Argument invites you to support a hypothetical client through interview and court process to oral argument. Learn essential legal reasoning and communication skills needed to think and persuade like an attorney.

Medical Research: Evaluating Claims and Facts looks at the role of research in articles that make medical claims and share findings. Does the media get it right? Become a critical consumer of medical research, recognize the importance of ethics, and hear from both MDs and PhDs.

Engineering: Solving Problems Through Design takes you into the world of problem solving as only engineers know it. You’ll learn the design process using creative and analytical skills, and explore issues that engineers face in their various specialties.


View all of the pre-college online programs offered by Northwestern University, today.

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