Northwestern University: Lakeside Chicago, Medill Journalism, and Flexible Combinations Across 6 Schools

Published on May 14, 2026

Tied for sixth nationally in US News, Northwestern is one of the strongest private universities in the American Midwest. Its Medill School of Journalism ranks No. 1 in journalism in the United States, the Kellogg School of Management is one of the temples of MBA education, the Bienen School of Music trains world-class musicians, and engineers from McCormick Engineering are eagerly recruited by FAANG companies.

Northwestern's defining feature is its 6-school structure. When applying, students must choose one school: Weinberg, McCormick, Medill, Communication, Bienen, or SESP. But students can take courses across schools, double major, and transfer between schools. This gives students a rare level of flexibility. You can be a "Medill journalism student + McCormick CS student" at the same time, something even HYP does not offer in the same way.

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