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Basic Information:

Northwestern University (NU) is a private research university with campuses in Evanston and Chicago in Illinois, United States. Northwestern has 12 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees.

Northwestern was founded in 1851 by John Evans, for whom Evanston is named, and eight other lawyers, businessmen and Methodist leaders to serve the people of a region that had once been known as the Northwest Territory. Instruction began in 1855; women were admitted in 1869. Today, the main campus is a 240-acre (97 ha) parcel in Evanston, along the shores of Lake Michigan. The university's law and medical schools are located on a 25-acre (10 ha) campus in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood. In 2008, the University opened a campus in Education City, Doha, Qatar with programs in journalism and communication. In academic year 2010-2011, Northwestern enrolled 8,397 undergraduate and 7,870 graduate and professional students.

Northwestern has one of the largest university endowments in the United States, valued at $7.1 billion in 2012. One of only 62 institutions elected to the Association of American Universities (1917), Northwestern was awarded more than $500 million in research grants in 2010–2011, placing it in the first tier of the major research universities in the United States by the Center for Measuring University Performance. Its schools of management, engineering, and communication, for example, are among the most academically productive in the nation. Northwestern is a founding member of the Big Ten Conference and remains the only private university in the conference. The Northwestern Wildcats compete in 19 intercollegiate sports in the NCAA's Division I.



Undergraduate Programs:

One of Northwestern University’s Weinberg College's most popular majors, a major in Biological Sciences prepares students for a variety of positions: in research and education; in medical and other health professions; in pharmaceutical, genetic testing, and other biomedical companies; and in government agencies. The undergraduate life sciences major offered in Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences is the Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences with concentration in one of five areas: biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology, neurobiology, physiology, and plant biology. Important strengths of the program include a particularly sophisticated introductory course and a diverse set of advanced courses based in part or in whole on primary scientific literature. There are also outstanding opportunities for undergraduate students to join a faculty member's research group and carry out independent laboratory research.

Northwestern University was among the first schools to recognize the value of a biomedical engineering background. The biomedical engineering program provides biomedical training that is quantitative, emphasizes problem-solving and design, and treats phenomena from the molecular to the systems level. Biomedical engineers at Northwestern are trained to apply engineering techniques to the analysis of biological systems, providing full integration of biology and engineering. As part of the BME program, students receive thorough pre-professional training. This prepares them for not only medical and dental schools but also jobs in biomedical industries and hospitals. The biomedical engineering industry offers the possibility of developing, testing and marketing products ranging from medical lasers and pacemakers to pharmaceuticals and beyond.
Students are required to take either the SAT or ACT with writing.

Undergraduate tuition: $41,592/year. Financial aid is available in the form of scholarships, grants, and loans. Students should complete the FAFSA to apply for financial aid.


Graduate Programs:
The purpose of Northwestern University's doctoral degree program in biomedical engineering is to produce graduates who are qualified to fill research positions at the highest levels in private industry and in government laboratories, to teach in this field at universities, and to perform and direct original research on the staffs of universities, hospitals or companies. Students entering the program with a degree in a field other than biomedical engineering, e.g., traditional areas of biology, civil engineering, etc., are expected to concentrate their elective course work in their deficient areas. Students in the biomedical engineering (BME) doctoral program study approximately equal portions of engineering, life sciences, and mathematics. Biomedical engineering is by its nature very diverse and thus some breadth is required. Students, however, are expected to develop depth and understanding in one particular area of engineering and one of the life sciences. The areas of mathematical development are also somewhat flexible, with some breadth expected, but should be appropriate for the student's area of study. The portion of a student's effort in engineering, life sciences, and mathematics depends on her/his previous background. Master’s programs are available, either with or without a thesis requirement.

Northwestern University offers a graduate program in Genetic Counseling. Northwestern is fully accredited by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) and enrolls approximately 12 students per year. The program is 18 months long. Students are enrolled for six ten-week quarters; three academic quarters their first year (Fall, Winter, Spring), one summer quarter and two academic quarters their second year (Fall and Winter). Students graduate in mid-March, which is earlier than many other genetic counseling programs. Many of our students feel that this early graduation date gives them a jump start on the job search and a competitive edge over other graduates. The curriculum is designed to emphasize the scientific and medical aspects of the profession, along with the counseling and psychosocial aspects. Students begin their clinical rotations during the winter quarter of the first year. Early clinical placements allow the students to quickly apply and reinforce the concepts they learn in the classroom. In addition, Northwestern has a strong research component, requiring a written thesis and oral defense.

Northwestern University's Master of Science in Biotechnology Program (MBP) offers the opportunity to earn a Master of Science in Biotechnology degree in 15 months (five quarters) or 21 months if a student opts to participate in an Industrial Internship. The primary mission of the MBP is to prepare biologists, chemists, and engineers for careers in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. The MBP is distinguished from other M.S. in Biotechnology programs by the integration of biology and engineering, combined with extensive hands-on research (ca. 1000 hr over four quarters) in Northwestern University faculty laboratories. The pool of research preceptors currently includes more than eighty faculty members in various departments throughout Northwestern.

Graduate tuition: $41,592/year. Financial aid is available in the form of scholarships, grants, and loans. Some graduate students may be eligible for financial aid in the form of teaching and research assistanships.

Statistics:
Applied - 27,528
Admitted - 6,367 - 23%
Enrolled total - 2,127
Full Time: - 2,127
Part Time - 0

Standards:
Test - 25th % - 75th %
SAT Reading - 680 - 750
SAT Math - 700 - 780
SAT Writing - 680 - 770
ACT Composite - 31 - 33
ACT English - 32 - 35
ACT Math - 30 - 35
ACT Writing - 8 - 10

Retention / Graduation:
Retention rate - 97%
4-year graduation rate - 87%
6-year graduation rate - 95%

Undergraduate Programs and Majors:
Biological Sciences (BA)
Biomedical Engineering (BS)

Graduate Programs:
Biomedical Engineering (MS/PhD)
Genetic Counseling
Biotechnology (MBP/MS)
Dual Degree Programs:
Medical Scientist Training Program (MS/PhD)




Application Deadlines:
Undergraduate: November 1st, early decision; February 1st, regular decision
Undergraduate applicants can apply online via the Common Application: https://www.commonapp.org/Login
Graduate: Varies based on program.
It is wonderful university and also has a reliable fees and discount for the students.