Northwestern College Prep

Evanston, United States

About Northwestern College Prep

Northwestern College Prep offers high school students academic exploration and an introduction to university study through Northwestern University. Its options include on-campus IN FOCUS certificate seminars, undergraduate credit courses online or on campus, and year-round online enrichment. Campus participants can attend as residential or commuting scholars, while online enrichment combines faculty-designed video instruction with mentor support.

Teaching style

Teaching varies by format. IN FOCUS uses college-style seminars with discussions, readings, assignments, and subject-specific practical activities. Credit courses expect university-level commitment and offer synchronous or asynchronous online options. Online enrichment uses prerecorded faculty instruction, flexible assignments, human mentor feedback, and a final capstone project.

Reputation & Succeed take

College Prep draws on Northwestern University's academic reputation and Northwestern-affiliated instructors. The provider website reports Northwestern's #7 ranking in U.S. News & World Report's 2026 national university list. Provider-published student testimonials describe academic exploration, supportive teaching, and increased independence.

Our take

A strong fit for motivated high school students who want to explore subjects through a university setting. The main decision is whether to pursue undergraduate credit, a focused campus certificate seminar, or flexible online enrichment. Residential study offers practice managing college life, but families should understand the permitted independence. Participation does not guarantee Northwestern admission.

Within Northwestern College Prep, credit courses place high school students in undergraduate classes alongside Northwestern and visiting university students. IN FOCUS seminars and online enrichment are designed for the pre-college audience. IN FOCUS provides a campus seminar experience and certificate; online enrichment provides asynchronous faculty instruction and mentor support without college credit.

Who this provider suits

Who should choose them

Motivated high school students seeking subject exploration, college credit, or a preview of campus life should consider Northwestern College Prep. Credit courses particularly suit self-directed rising juniors and seniors with strong time management. IN FOCUS also serves rising sophomores. Online enrichment suits eligible students age 13 or older who want flexible study with mentor feedback.

Who it may not suit

Students seeking guaranteed admission advantages should choose based on learning goals instead. Those needing college credit should avoid the noncredit online enrichment option. Students who need continuous staff accompaniment should reconsider residential study, which permits independent exploration. Applicants unable to commit to scheduled campus classes or meet the relevant eligibility requirements may find those options unsuitable.

Accreditations & Recognition

Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Institutional accreditation of Northwestern University, the parent institution; reaffirmed in August 2025. Separate College Prep accreditation is not stated.

Contact

cpp@northwestern.edu

847-467-6703

Visit Website

Frequently asked questions

Options include on-campus IN FOCUS certificate seminars, undergraduate college credit courses online or on campus, and year-round noncredit online enrichment.

Credit courses are open to rising high school juniors and seniors; IN FOCUS is open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Online enrichment requires students to be at least 13 and enrolled in high school or an equivalent, or within one year of graduation. Campus and credit applications also require a cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.

No. The credit-course option earns undergraduate credit. IN FOCUS awards a transcript and certificate after successful completion. Online enrichment is noncredit and awards a Certificate of Completion when its academic requirements are met.

Campus participants can attend as residential or commuting scholars. Residential students live in Northwestern residence halls. Students living off campus must stay with a responsible adult over 18 throughout the program.

College Prep participation does not guarantee Northwestern admission. The online enrichment program explicitly provides no preferential treatment in Northwestern's admissions process.

For the published 2026 campus cycle, tuition scholarships were available to domestic U.S. rising seniors demonstrating financial need and strong academic and extracurricular achievement. Online enrichment separately offers need-based scholarships for students demonstrating financial need and high potential.

Courses use asynchronous prerecorded lessons with no required live sessions. Students manage their assignments within the session dates and receive guidance and feedback from human mentors. Courses require approximately 30 hours of total study.

Contact the College Prep Administrative Office at cpp@northwestern.edu or 847-467-6703. For online enrichment support, email support@precollege.northwestern.edu.

Programs by Northwestern College Prep

Program

Upcoming

A History of Love:

Organised by Northwestern College Prep

HistoryLiterature

Dates

22 Jun – 02 Aug 2026

Location

Online

Duration

6 weeks

Northwestern College Prep

About Northwestern College Prep

Teaching style

Reputation & Succeed take

Who this provider suits

Accreditations & Recognition

Contact

Frequently asked questions

What study options does Northwestern College Prep offer?

Who is eligible?

Do all options earn college credit?

Can students live on campus or commute?

Does participation improve admission prospects at Northwestern?

Are scholarships available?

How does online enrichment work?

How can families contact College Prep?

Programs by Northwestern College Prep

A History of Love:

Arabic I Credit Course

Archaeology: Unearthing History

Asian Americans & Popular Culture

Astronomy Credit Course

Biomedical Engineering: Body, Systems, and Design

Build a Robot! Mechatronics and Electromechanical Design

Chinese I Credit Course

Classical Mythology Credit Course

Communication and Culture Credit Course

Concepts of Biology

Culture & Society Credit Course

Defending the Accused: From Arrest to Acquittal

Expository Writing Credit Course

Fundamentals of Computer Programming

Future Founders: Become a Startup CEO

Game Theory and Practice

Human Origins Credit Course

Intermediate Composition: Immigrant Stories

Introduction to Asian American Studies

Introduction to Financial Accounting

Introduction to Macroeconomics

Let’s Make a Deal! Negotiations in Life, Business, and Sports

Moneyball 2.0: Data Technology, and the Innovations Changing the Sports Industry

Public Speaking Credit Course

So You Want to Be a Business Executive: Jump Start Your Journey to Leadership

So You Want to Be a Prosecutor? The Art of Persuasion and Legal Strategy

So You Want to Be a Rocket Scientist? Aerospace Engineering

So You Want to Be the Boss? Leadership, Management, Marketing

The Pitch: Harnessing the Power of Business Writing

The Study of Culture through Language

Think Like A Lawyer: Argue, Analyze, Advise

Time, Space, and the Future: Quantum Mechanics and Relativity

Topics in Literature & Ethics:

Tragedy on World Stages, Screens, and Pages

Writing Seminar II: The Pursuit of Happiness