Key differences on Getting in
- 1
Northwestern's yield is 18 pts higher than Boston's
Yield rate - 2
Northwestern's SAT midpoint is 65 points higher than Boston's
SAT midpoint - 3
Northwestern admits 7.7% vs. 11% at Boston
Acceptance rate
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- BostonHighly selective
- NorthwesternUltra selective
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1300–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 28–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- BostonTest-optional
- NorthwesternTest-optional
How they read a record
Boston
GPA, the high school record, and a college-prep program are required; class rank is considered. 78% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher, so .
Northwestern
The high school record and a college-prep program are required; GPA and class rank are considered.
What they look at
| Factor | Boston | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Required | Considered |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Considered | Considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Recommendations | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Legacy status | Not considered | Considered |
| Work experience | Considered | Considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why