Northwestern University
Our Commitment
“As a student from a small, rural town in Tennessee, I never expected the breadth of opportunities that awaited me at Northwestern. The academic, extracurricular, and social possibilities afforded to me during my time at the university would have been unfathomable to my high-school self.” –Bryce ’22
At Northwestern, we believe that diversity—of background, identity, belief, interest, expertise—is essential to undergraduate learning and to a healthy society. We convene a community of open-minded individuals who are eager to benefit from and contribute to the world of perspectives on campus, and we are committed to ensuring students from rural areas and small towns are well represented in this community. Your unique societal lenses are invaluable to our exchange of ideas, and to the conversations that help students learn and grow outside of the classroom—insights linked to growing up in geographically remote settings, or in communities where college-going isn’t necessarily a given after high school, or in local economies driven by agriculture. Your experiences and identities are many-layered, and intersectional viewpoints like yours make possible the inclusive teaching and learning emphasized on Northwestern’s campus. We are likewise committed to removing the barriers to college access that rural and small-town students often encounter through a combination of tailored programming, information-sharing, regional connections (we’ll come to you!), and of course our generous financial aid policies, which meet full demonstrated need for all undergraduates with no loans.
Learn more about Northwestern University's Rural and Small Town Programming
Learn more about Northwestern University's Admissions
View news coverage on Northwestern University's participation in STARS
Northwestern University Events
On-Campus Event
START-UP at Northwestern University
April 11th 2024, 11:59 pm CST
In partnership with the Small Town and Rural Students (STARS) College Network, Northwestern Undergraduate Admission is excited to team up with The Garage to launch the Small Town and Rural Teen University Prep Innovation Intensive, or START-UP. This new fully funded fly-in program for rising high school seniors will showcase the distinct resources and support available at Northwestern for young innovators, entrepreneurs, engineers, and more! Participants will explore cutting-edge technologies and strategies for building a business or product while experiencing the best of Evanston and our neighboring hub of Chicago. Simultaneously, students will be given deep-dive courses on the college application and financial aid processes at Northwestern.
START-UP will be hosted from Thursday, June 27, to Saturday, June 29, 2024.
Applications are open now! Learn more about the program via our website.
Apply for this summer's START-UP by April 11, 2024.
Host: Northwestern UniversitySTARS Near You
STARS in the South: Mississippi
April 29th 2024, 7:00 pm CST
Join universities from the STARS College Network for a night about the college search! We’ll have a 40 minute information session on topics like holistic review, financial aid, and how to best set up your college application. Afterwards, you’ll have time to browse a mini-college fair of participating institutions from across the country!
Host: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Columbia University in the City of New York, The University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Southern California, The Ohio State University, Vanderbilt University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Yale UniversitySTARS Near You
STARS in the South: Arkansas
May 1st 2024, 7:00 pm CST
Join universities from the STARS College Network for a night about the college search! We’ll have a 40 minute information session on topics like holistic review, financial aid, and how to best set up your college application. Afterwards, you’ll have time to browse a mini-college fair of participating institutions from across the country!
Host: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Columbia University in the City of New York, The University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Southern California, The Ohio State University, Vanderbilt University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Yale UniversitySTARS Near You
STARS in the South: Louisiana
May 2nd 2024, 7:00 pm CST
Join universities from the STARS College Network for a night about the college search! We’ll have a 40 minute information session on topics like holistic review, financial aid, and how to best set up your college application. Afterwards, you’ll have time to browse a mini-college fair of participating institutions from across the country!
Host: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Columbia University in the City of New York, The University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Southern California, The Ohio State University, Vanderbilt University, Yale University, University of Wisconsin-MadisonVirtual Event
STARS Virtual College Fair
May 21st 2024, 7:00 pm CST
Join the STARS Network Schools to discover the exceptional opportunities all of our schools have to offer in a virtual college fair!
Host: Brown University, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Columbia University in the City of New York, The University of Chicago, The University of Iowa, University of Maryland, College Park, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, University of Southern California, The Ohio State University, Vanderbilt University, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Yale University