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Northwestern University
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Who is the Class of 2020?

Welcome, Wildcats

It’s the most selective and diverse class in Northwestern’s history. Of the more than 35,000 applications received last year, the Office of Admissions accepted just 10 percent. Choosing that group from such a large number of standouts “is the most difficult part of our job,” Dean of Undergraduate Admission Christopher Watson told the entering students at Convocation.

“Now, here you are today seated in front of us, and I’m proud to say… it looks like we got it right,” he said.

The new Wildcats were not shy about sharing what drew them to Evanston. Classes like Death of the Dinosaurs and The History of Chocolate, clubs like Boomshaka and the Trash-talking Chess Club, and traditions like Dance Marathon and painting the Rock were all mentioned in application essays as reasons to choose Northwestern.

Fast Facts About the Class of 2020

  • More than 200 will be the first in their family to graduate from college.
  • The most popular male name in the class is John or Juan (and that includes Jonathans). Neck and neck for most popular female name: Sara and Emily.
  • The only two U.S. states not represented in the Class of 2020? Montana and Wyoming.
  • More than 200 are citizens of another country. They represent 56 nations, from Belarus and Brazil to Nicaragua and New Zealand.
  • The farthest point from which a student had to travel to join the Class of 2020? Jakarta, Indonesia (9,817 miles).
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