- Acceptance rate: 80% for fall 2024
- Average net price: $24,737 a year (2022–23)
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Where you standEnter your GPA
Northwestern College reported an acceptance rate of 80% 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. Northwestern College reviews each application.
Northwestern College GPA requirements
Northwestern College 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 Northwestern College hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Northwestern College acceptance rate
Northwestern College admitted 1,203 of 1,497 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 80%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Northwestern College is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Orange City, Iowa, with 1,184 undergraduates.
Admission requirements
What Northwestern College 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. | Not considered |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Not considered |
| 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 |
Northwestern College didn't report SAT or ACT scores for its fall 2024 first-year students.
AP credit
Northwestern College 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 who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $24,737 a year at Northwestern College 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
Is Northwestern College hard to get into?
Not for most prepared students: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. Northwestern College admitted 80% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
How important is GPA for getting into Northwestern College?
A lot: Northwestern College requires high school GPA and high school record. It doesn't consider high school class rank, college preparatory program, 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.
Can I get into Northwestern College with a 3.0 GPA?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Northwestern College admitted 80% 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.
How many applicants get into Northwestern College?
Northwestern College's acceptance rate was 80% for fall 2024: it admitted 1,203 of 1,497 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Northwestern College test optional?
Check Northwestern College's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Northwestern College was test blind: it didn't consider SAT or ACT scores, even if you sent them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024).
What GPA do you need to get into Northwestern College?
Northwestern College requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to its filing with 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.
Do you need to write an essay to apply to Northwestern College?
No. Northwestern College doesn't consider a personal statement or essay, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
What do students pay at Northwestern College after grants?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $24,737 a year at Northwestern College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Does Northwestern College look at legacy status?
No. Northwestern College doesn't consider whether a parent or other relative attended, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Can you get college credit for AP scores at Northwestern College?
Yes. Northwestern College 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.
Before you apply, check Northwestern College's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Northwestern CollegeU.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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