Admissions considers not only GPA, but also the strength of the applicant's academic program, including honors and accelerated and advanced placement courses. Additionally, the competitiveness of the student's high school and courses are taken into account, as well as SAT and ACT scores, letters of recommendation and extracurricular activities.
To apply to one of the graduate programs through The Graduate School and the Medill School of Journalism, applicants must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. Academic experience should reflect distinction, breadth and preparation for advanced study. Generally, admitted students score 600 or above on the Graduate Record Exam's (GRE) Verbal and Quantitative sections and have a writing score of 5 or above on a 6-point scale. Also, students usually have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. However, an individual's test scores and GPA are viewed in context with the entire application, including a resume and admissions essays. Most graduate departments require the results of a GRE taken within the last five years.
For some schools, such as the Medill School of Journalism and the Weinburg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern recommends students take courses in English, foreign languages, history and mathematics prior to applying for admission.
The faculty of each school determines the curriculum. As a result, the number of credits needed to earn a bachelor's degree, or an off-campus experience requirement, such as an internship, varies by school. However, each school requires breadth, through general education, and depth, through coursework within a chosen major.
Some undergraduate departments, such as the Weinberg School of Arts and Sciences, require a foreign language and a writing course. The School of Education and Social Policy does not have a language requirement, but strongly encourages one. Undergraduate students must earn at least a C- in courses counted toward their major. For all undergraduate schools, students must earn at least a D in courses used to satisfy distribution requirements. Distribution areas include natural sciences and literature and arts.
Graduate school requirements, such as number of credits and off-campus experience, vary by department. Students in the master's or doctoral program within The Graduate School must complete at least nine graded courses, preferably in the first year. Furthermore, students must earn at least a B average to receive a degree. Depending on the program, they also must complete a thesis or final project. Students enrolled in the Medill School of Journalism for the four-quarter program must complete 13 credits to graduate. Students in this school do not need to have their bachelor's degrees in journalism or related professional work experience, but they must display a commitment to the field.
The university usually imposes academic probation if a student receives two or more grades below a C in any quarter. However, each school within the university evaluates an individual's record to make the final decision. Academic probation is lifted when the deficiencies that caused it have been remedied. Academic probation is meant to be helpful and does not become a part of the student's permanent academic record. A student may be dismissed if his academic record has not improved during probation, he fails half his courses in any quarter or summer session or if he is not making satisfactory progress toward his degrees.