Does Northwestern require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: Northwestern does not require the SAT or ACT: it is test-optional for the current application cycle (2026-27, fall 2027 entry), and this is the published policy as of November 2026, with no end date stated. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored from 1490 to 1560.

Northwestern is test-optional for students who start college in fall 2027. Here is what the score bands show, whether to send a score, and what to do this month.

By Nick Standlea, Test Prep Gurus. Figures may be quoted with attribution to Test Prep Gurus.

Northwestern is test-optional for fall 2027 entry. It does not require the SAT or ACT from students applying in the 2026-27 school year. This is the published policy as of November 2026.

Enrolled submitters scored 1490 to 1560 on the SAT. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT sat in that band. Of the enrolled first-years, 50 percent sent an SAT.

Northwestern admitted 7.2 percent of applicants. It admitted 3,727 of 51,769 applicants for fall 2023. At odds like these, we tell families a strong score helps.

Does Northwestern require the SAT or ACT?

This is the policy Northwestern publishes on its own admissions page, in its own words.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the college's words	Source
Northwestern University	optional	current application cycle (2026-27, fall 2027 entry)	Northwestern follows a test-optional policy and will not require ACT or SAT scores from first-year or transfer candidates.	Source

Optional means the college reads a score if one is sent. Required means a score must be sent. Blind means scores are not read at all.

Northwestern: score bands, who sends a score, how many get in, what it costs

These are the score bands, admit figures and prices for Northwestern.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	51769
admits, fall 2023	3727
admit rate, percent	7.2
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1490
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1560
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	33
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	35
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	50
share who sent an ACT, percent	29
application fee, dollars	75
full price of a year, dollars	91250
average net price after aid, dollars	29167

The bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in the fall 2023 class.

Northwestern deadlines for fall 2027 entry

These are the dates Northwestern lists on its own deadlines page.

College	Early decision	Regular decision	Source
Northwestern University	2026-11-01	2027-01-04	Source

Dates not listed by the college are left out.

Does Northwestern require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

No, Northwestern does not require the SAT or ACT for students applying in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027. The college's admissions page says: "Northwestern follows a test-optional policy and will not require ACT or SAT scores from first-year or transfer candidates."

Northwestern is test-optional, which means it reads a score if one is sent. This is the published policy as of November 2026, with no end date stated. It covers high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, and it covers transfer students too.

If you want the full score picture, our companion page, What SAT or ACT score do you need for Northwestern?, walks through it at https://www.prepgurus.com/blog/sat-act-score-for-northwestern.

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

Northwestern names the 2026-27 cycle, for fall 2027 entry, as the term its test-optional policy covers. For seniors applying now, that is the rule that counts.

The published policy has no end date stated. Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring. If your child is a junior, put a note on your calendar to read the Northwestern admissions page again in the spring. In the meantime, we tell families of juniors to prepare as if a score will help, since a score in hand keeps every door open.

What scores do Northwestern's enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored from 1490 to 1560. On the ACT, the middle half of submitters scored from 33 to 35. These bands come from the fall 2023 class, the latest federal figures.

A quarter of submitters scored below each band, and a quarter scored above it. Of the enrolled first-years, 50 percent sent an SAT and 29 percent sent an ACT. The bands describe students who enrolled and chose to send a score. They are not a minimum to apply.

The odds are steep. For fall 2023, Northwestern had 51,769 applicants and admitted 3,727, an admit rate of 7.2 percent.

Should my child send a score to Northwestern?

At a selective test-optional college like Northwestern, with an admit rate of 7.2 percent, we tell families it is nearly always good to have a score. A strong score bolsters the odds of getting in, and most merit scholarships are keyed to one.

Our rule is simple: a score inside or above the band is one to send, and a score below the band is one to think hard about. In plain terms, an SAT of 1490 or higher, or an ACT of 33 or higher, is a score we tell families to send. A lower score can still rise with focused prep and another sitting.

Cost is part of the plan too. A full year at Northwestern is priced at $91,250, and the average net price after aid is $29,167. Northwestern publishes a net price calculator, as every US college must, so you can run your own family's numbers there.

When are the deadlines?

The regular decision deadline for fall 2027 entry is January 4, 2027. The application fee is $75.

The early decision deadline was November 1, 2026, so that round has passed for this cycle. A second early decision date is not listed.

We tell families to plan backward from the regular deadline. A score your child wants to send should be in hand well before then, so there is time to send it calmly.

What should we do this month?

Have your child sit a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT this month, then compare each result with Northwestern's bands of 1490 to 1560 and 33 to 35. That tells you which test fits your child best and how far there is to go.

Plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just one section. Our students do best when they treat each sitting as the real thing.

Test Prep Gurus offers a free mock SAT and a free mock ACT. Call us at 949.229.5359, or start at https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step.

Questions parents ask

Does Northwestern require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027?
No, Northwestern does not require the SAT or ACT for students applying in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027.

What SAT scores do enrolled Northwestern first-years have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored from 1490 to 1560.

Should my child send a score to Northwestern?
Our rule is simple: a score inside or above the band is one to send, and a score below the band is one to think hard about.

When is Northwestern's regular decision deadline?
The regular decision deadline for fall 2027 entry is January 4, 2027.

Ready to plan the next test date? Free mock SAT and free mock ACT at Test Prep Gurus, then a plan built on the result: prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step or 949.229.5359.

Method and sources: The policy is the one Northwestern publishes on its own admissions page, and it names the current application cycle (2026-27, fall 2027 entry) as its term. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file, and they do not describe students who did not send a score. Admit figures come from the same federal file, and prices come from the College Scorecard.