Northwestern University has two campuses: one in Evanston, where it was founded, and another in Chicago. It is a private research university that offers 124 undergraduates degrees and 145 professional and graduate degrees. Valued at $7.1 billion last year, Northwestern is privileged to receive one of the largest university endowments in the country. It is also a member of the Association of American Universities (only 62 institutions are members). Northwestern was a founding member of the Big Ten Conference.

History

On May 31st, 1850, nine prominent Chicago businessmen, attorneys, and Methodist leaders gathered together and decided to establish a university. They wanted an institution that would serve what was once known as the Northwest Territory. Less than a year later, the Illinois General Assembly granted a charter, and Northwestern became the first chartered university in the state of Illinois. In 1853, John Evans purchased 379 acres of land down Lake Michigan, and two years later the first building (Old College) was opened. Northwestern admitted its first women undergraduates in 1869 and in 1873 merged with the Evanston College for Ladies. Walter Dill Scott’s presidency during the early to mid 20th century (1920-1939) saw Northwestern establish the renowned Kellogg School of Management, begin construction of a campus in Chicago, and build many prominent buildings, including the Deering Library. Nearly 50 000 military personnel and officers were trained on the Chicago and Evanston campuses during World War II.

Programs

The Kellogg School of Management is one of the top business schools in the country. U.S. News ranks the Kellogg School as the 4th best business school in the United States, behind only Harvard, Stanford, and Penn. The U.S. News also ranks Kellogg’s Marketing program as the best in the country, and the Executive MBA as third best. The Kellogg School is known for its collaborative and courageous spirit that embraces the power of time, and for its vision that challenges conventional practices and drives change across multiple markets and industries. It offers graduate programs in many concentrations, including accounting, economics, finance, international business, marketing, and real estate. Students can complete a graduate degree in one year at the Kellogg School of Management, although the traditional two year program is also an option. Kellogg also offers joint degrees with Northwestern Law School and the Engineering School. Northwestern also has an excellent journalism program. The Medill School of Journalism is one of the strongest programs in the country. Medill’s journalism program provides a solid foundation in the skills that are essential for a career in journalism. Undergraduates are immersed in diverse Chicago neighborhoods to experience hands-on reporting as early as their sophomore year. They also spend a significant portion of one of their upper year semesters working for a television station, newspaper, or magazine. Graduate students work in newsrooms and are responsible for completing multimedia stories for magazines and newspapers.

Pros & Cons

The U.S. News ranks Northwestern as the 12th best university in the country. Freshmen are guaranteed on-campus housing if they desire, and Northwestern has 11 residential colleges for students to live in. These colleges are typically separated by specific academic programs. This allows new students to meet other students in their program and develop new relationships. There are also over 250 campus organizations for students to choose from. The student-faculty ratio is 7:1, which is excellent, and 78% of classes have less than 20 students, which allow students to develop more personal relationships with their professors. Tuition costs over $43 000, however, and residence costs over $13 000. Because of this, almost half of the undergraduate population receives financial aid. It is also a selective university, with just an 18% acceptance rate.