The cheers of Wildcat Welcome are still five months away, but Northwestern’s Class of 2029 is beginning to come together.
By the time it finalized regular decision results in March, the University had reviewed a record number of first-year applications — more than 53,000 across over 12,000 secondary schools worldwide — for a class that ultimately will include about 2,100 students.
While many admitted students are still weighing their options before the May 1 decision deadline, hundreds brought their families to Evanston recently for two Wildcat Days and the chance to see campus life in action.
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During Wildcat Days, around 2,000 students met with admissions officials, advisors and deans, as well as current students and faculty, to ask questions about the University and get a sense of how they can tailor their Northwestern experience to match their own interests and ambitions.
Each day began with a welcome ceremony in Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Flanked by purple balloons, President Michael Schill congratulated the students and their families and welcomed them into the community. “Northwestern is home to some of the brightest, most accomplished students in the world,” he said. “And you have been admitted because you have a place among them.”
The two daylong sessions also included academic info sessions, lunch at a dining hall, a student organization fair and even a fun tailgate at Henry Crown Sports Pavilion to sample fitness facilities and talk to student-athletes.
“This class brings an incredible range of talents, ideas and interests across all areas of study,” said Stacey Kostell, vice president and dean of enrollment. “We can’t wait to see how they shape each other and the world around them when their individual strengths collide in a community as deeply collaborative and interdisciplinary as Northwestern’s.”
Well before Wildcat Days, roughly 55% of the incoming class already had been admitted last fall during the early decision period, which brought more than 6,000 applications — a jump of almost 16% over the previous year. The early decision pool included more first-generation applicants, international students and students from rural areas.