- Acceptance rate: 70% for fall 2024
- Average net price: $13,533 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
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Where you standEnter your GPA
Northern Illinois University reported an acceptance rate of 70% for fall 2024.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Northern Illinois University reviews each application.
Northern Illinois University GPA requirements
Northern Illinois University requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Northern Illinois University hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Northern Illinois University acceptance rate
Northern Illinois University admitted 16,505 of 23,651 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 70%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Northern Illinois University is a public 4-year university in Dekalb, Illinois, with 11,348 undergraduates.
Admission requirements
What Northern Illinois University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Required |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Not considered |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Not considered |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Not considered |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
Northern Illinois University didn't report SAT or ACT scores for its fall 2024 first-year students.
AP credit
Northern Illinois University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $13,533 a year at Northern Illinois University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get into Northern Illinois University with a 3.0 GPA?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Northern Illinois University admitted 70% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.0 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
What GPA do you need to get into Northern Illinois University?
Northern Illinois University requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.
How selective is Northern Illinois University?
Moderately selective: more than half of applicants got in. Northern Illinois University admitted 70% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
What is Northern Illinois University's acceptance rate?
Northern Illinois University's acceptance rate was 70% for fall 2024: it admitted 16,505 of 23,651 first-year applicants, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education.
How important is GPA for getting into Northern Illinois University?
A lot: Northern Illinois University requires high school GPA, high school record, high school class rank and college preparatory program. It doesn't consider recommendations, essay or personal statement, test scores, other tests, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Do you need SAT or ACT scores to apply to Northern Illinois University?
Check Northern Illinois University's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Northern Illinois University didn't consider SAT or ACT scores, even if you sent them (test blind), according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024).
What is the average net price at Northern Illinois University?
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $13,533 a year at Northern Illinois University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Does Northern Illinois University consider legacy status?
No. Northern Illinois University doesn't consider whether a parent or other relative attended, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Do you need to write an essay to apply to Northern Illinois University?
No. Northern Illinois University doesn't consider a personal statement or essay, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Does Northern Illinois University accept AP credit?
Yes. Northern Illinois University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
Before you apply, check Northern Illinois University's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Northern Illinois UniversityU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
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