North Park University was founded in 1891 by the Evangelical Covenant Church and is located in Chicago, Illinois. Initially, the school was known as the Swedish Theological Seminary and focused on educating young Swedish immigrants who had recently come to the United States. From its early days, North Park University had a focus on providing a quality education with a Christian emphasis. In 1895, the college was renamed North Park College and Theological Seminary and began offering courses in music, languages, science, and philosophy. By 1912, North Park had become a full-fledged four-year liberal arts college and began granting bachelor’s degrees.
In the 1920s, North Park continued to grow with new buildings being constructed to accommodate more students. During this time period, North Park also began to expand its programs of study to include business administration and social work classes. In 1934, North Park became accredited as an institution of higher learning by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools which allowed them to offer graduate programs as well. By 1950s enrollment at North Park had grown significantly with more than 700 students attending classes each year. Check Microedu for a list of community colleges in Florida.
The 1960s saw more growth for the university with enrollment reaching over 1,000 students for the first time in its history. During this decade new buildings were added including Ohlson House which served as home for many international students from around the world. During this period of growth there was also an emphasis on diversity at North Park as African American students were recruited from across Chicago to attend classes at University. By 1971 women were also admitted into all undergraduate programs offered by the university which allowed it to become one of only two private colleges in Illinois that were coeducational at that time period.
North Park University, as one of the top colleges ranked by major educational institutions, has impressed us by its high selectivity and student friendly application process during admissions. The following tables detail 2018 class profile, including total applications received, average high school GPA, SAT scores/ACT scores, and acceptance rates of North Park University. To learn more about GPA, SAT and ACT scores information, please follow the links below. If you want to find even more about North Park University, such as tuition fees and scholarships, you can click the link after tables to visit the school’s official website.
University acronym: https://www.abbreviationfinder.org/acronyms/npu_north-park-university.html
Admissions Stats
North Park University is a private institution located in the city of Chicago, Illinois. It was founded in 1891 and has an enrollment of 3,500 students. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs in the areas of business, education, nursing and health sciences, liberal arts and sciences, theology, music and theatre arts.
The acceptance rate at North Park University is 70%, making it relatively accessible for applicants. The average SAT score for admitted freshmen is 1100-1250. The median ACT score is 21-26. The average GPA for incoming freshmen is 3.2-3.6 on a 4.0 scale. Additionally, the university requires that all applicants submit two letters of recommendation and a personal statement as part of their application packet.
North Park University also offers numerous merit-based scholarships to qualified students including the President’s Scholarship which provides full tuition to a select group of incoming freshmen each year; the Diversity Scholarship which provides funding to international students; as well as other awards based on academic excellence or financial need. Furthermore, the university has an institutional commitment to provide need-based aid to those who demonstrate financial hardship during their college career at North Park University.
Fall 2022 Selectivity
| Selectivity | selective |
| Fall 2022 acceptance rate | 76% |
| Early decision acceptance rate | N/A |
| Early action acceptance rate | N/A |
| Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students) | 76% |
Fall 2022 Applications, Acceptances & Enrollments
| Applicants | 1,375 |
| Female applicants | 809 |
| Male applicants | 566 |
| Applicants accepted | 1,044 |
| Female applicants accepted | 638 |
| Male applicants accepted | 406 |
| Freshman enrollment | 381 |
| Female freshman enrollment | 230 |
| Male freshman enrollment | 151 |
| Early decision applicants | N/A |
| Early decision applicants accepted | N/A |
| Early decision applicants enrolled | N/A |
| Early action applicants | N/A |
| Early action applicants accepted | N/A |
| Early action applicants enrolled | N/A |
| Total enrolled incoming freshmen who were accepted under early acceptance or early action | N/A |
Fall 2022 Wait List
| School has a wait list | No |
| Applicants placed on wait list | N/A |
| Students accepting place on wait list | N/A |
| Students accepted from wait list | N/A |
Fall 2022 High School Rank
| Freshman students submitting high school class standing | 94% |
Fall 2022 High School GPA
| Freshman students submitting high school GPA | 95% |
| Average high school GPA | 3.1 |
| High school GPA 25th-75th percentile range | 2.7-3.5 |
Fall 2022 Freshman SAT Scores
| Freshman students submitting SAT scores | 18% |
| SAT Critical Reading average score | 543 |
| SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range | 490-600 |
| SAT Math average score | 528 |
| SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range: | 470-600 |
| SAT Writing average score | N/A |
| SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
| SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman ACT Scores
| Freshman students submitting ACT scores | 84% |
| Average ACT Composite score | 22 |
| ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range | 19-25 |
| ACT English 25th-75th percentile range | 19-25 |
| ACT Math 25th-75th percentile range | 18-25 |