What SAT or ACT score do you need for Northwestern?

As of November 2026: Northwestern is test-optional for the 2026-27 application cycle (fall 2027 entry), and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1490 to 1560. On the ACT, the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent a score scored 33 to 35.

Northwestern does not require a score for fall 2027 entry, but half of its enrolled first-years sent an SAT. Here is what the bands mean, when 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. Northwestern's admissions page says it will not require ACT or SAT scores from first-year or transfer candidates. That is the rule for high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027.

The middle half of SAT senders scored 1490 to 1560. Those are enrolled first-years from the fall 2023 class who chose to send an SAT. On the ACT, the middle half of senders scored 33 to 35.

Northwestern admitted 7.2 percent of applicants. In fall 2023, 51,769 students applied and 3,727 were admitted. At a rate that low, we treat a strong score as one part of an application a family can still raise with steady practice.

Does Northwestern require the SAT or ACT?

Northwestern's testing policy, in its own words, for the current application cycle.

Policy	Applies to	In the college's words	Source
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

Score bands and shares describe the fall 2023 class. Prices come from the College Scorecard.

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

Bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in the fall 2023 class, the latest federal release.

Northwestern deadlines for fall 2027 entry

Deadlines from Northwestern's own page for students who start college in fall 2027.

Early decision	Regular decision	Source
2026-11-01	2027-01-04	Source

Dates not shown here are not listed on the college's page.

Northwestern: early decision versus the overall rate

Early decision and overall figures for students who entered in fall 2025, from the college's Common Data Set.

Cycle	ED applicants	ED admits	ED rate	All applicants	All admits	Overall rate
fall 2025 entrants (CDS 2025-26)	5,939	1,212	20.4%	52,676	3,933	7.5%

The overall figures include the early decision group.

Does Northwestern require the SAT or ACT?

No, Northwestern does not require an SAT or ACT score from first-year applicants for fall 2027 entry. Its admissions page puts it plainly: "Northwestern follows a test-optional policy and will not require ACT or SAT scores from first-year or transfer candidates."

Yes, Northwestern is test-optional for the 2026-27 application cycle, for students who start college in fall 2027. That covers high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year. Test-optional means Northwestern reads a score if your child sends one. Whether to send is a choice your family makes, and the rest of this page is about making it well.

What SAT score do enrolled first-years at Northwestern have?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1490 and 1560. These are students from the fall 2023 class, the latest federal numbers, who chose to send an SAT.

Keep in mind who is in this group. The band does not describe everyone who applied, and it does not describe everyone who got in. It describes students who enrolled and sent a score. Some of them scored below 1490, and some scored above 1560.

When a parent brings us a practice score, the first thing we do is place it against this band. A score inside it looks like the scores of enrolled students who sent one. A score above it is stronger than most of them.

What ACT score do enrolled first-years at Northwestern have?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 33 and 35. Like the SAT band, this comes from the fall 2023 class and covers only students who chose to send an ACT.

The ACT band is tight, so small gains matter. We often see students who do better on one test than the other. That is why we start our students with a full mock of each test before picking a path. The better fit is usually clear after both.

How many Northwestern students send a test score?

Half of enrolled first-years, 50 percent, sent an SAT, and 29 percent sent an ACT. These shares come from the fall 2023 class. At a selective test-optional college like this one, we tell families it is nearly always good to have a score: a strong one bolsters the odds of getting in, and most merit scholarships are keyed to a score.

We do not add the shares together, because a student can send both tests. What these numbers tell a parent is that sending a score is common at Northwestern, even under a test-optional rule. They also show that many enrolled students did not send an SAT. Test-optional is a real option here, and so is sending a strong score.

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. For Northwestern, that means an SAT of 1490 or higher, or an ACT of 33 or higher, is a score we tell families to send.

A score below the band is not always a reason to hold it back, but it should be a choice, not a habit. Look at the whole application your child is building. Then ask a plain question: does this score match the strength of everything else?

Often the better move is another sitting after real prep. Then the choice is between a stronger score and no score, which is an easier choice to make.

How hard is it to get into Northwestern?

Northwestern admitted 7.2 percent of applicants in fall 2023, with 3,727 admits out of 51,769 applicants. For students who entered in fall 2025, the college reported 52,676 applicants and 3,933 admits, an overall rate of 7.47 percent.

Among early decision applicants that same year, 1,212 of 5,939 were admitted, a rate of 20.41 percent. We tell families not to read the early rate as a shortcut. The early group is its own pool of students.

Early decision plans ask a student to commit to attend if admitted. Our advice is to apply early only when Northwestern is the clear first choice and your family has looked hard at the cost.

What does it cost to apply to and attend Northwestern?

The application fee is $75, and the full price of a year is $91,250. The average net price after aid is $29,167, based on the College Scorecard.

That average is a middle point, not your price. Your family's cost could be higher or lower. Northwestern publishes a net price calculator, as every US college must. We tell families to run it with real tax numbers before any decision about applying early.

When are the Northwestern application deadlines?

The regular decision deadline is January 4, 2027. The early decision deadline was November 1, 2026, so it has already passed for this cycle.

For a regular decision applicant, the late fall and early winter test dates are the ones to aim for. Look up the SAT and ACT calendars yourself, and pick a date that leaves time for scores to arrive before January 4. If a score will not be ready in time, the test-optional path is still open.

What should we do this month?

This month, have your child sit a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT, then compare each result with Northwestern's bands of 1490 to 1560 and 33 to 35. Test Prep Gurus offers a free mock SAT and a free mock ACT. You can book one at https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step or call us at 949.229.5359.

Once you know where your child stands, plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just the section that was weak last time. Our students do best when they treat every sitting as the real thing.

If that window does not fit before the regular deadline, make the clearest choice you can. Send a score that sits in the band, or apply without one and put your energy into the rest of the application.

Questions parents ask

Is Northwestern test-optional?
Yes, Northwestern is test-optional for the 2026-27 application cycle, for students who start college in fall 2027.

Does Northwestern require the SAT or ACT?
No, Northwestern does not require an SAT or ACT score from first-year applicants for fall 2027 entry.

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

What ACT scores do Northwestern students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 33 and 35.

Should my child send a score that is below the band?
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 the Northwestern regular decision deadline?
The regular decision deadline is January 4, 2027.

Method and sources: The testing policy is quoted from Northwestern's own admissions page and applies to the 2026-27 application cycle, for fall 2027 entry. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, the latest federal release, not everyone who applied or was admitted. Prices come from the College Scorecard, and the early decision figures come from the college's Common Data Set for fall 2025 entrants.