North Central College

North Central College Overview

North Central College is a private, religious school in the suburban setting of Naperville, Illinois. Cardinals was founded in 1861 and the school presently has around 2,728 students a year, which includes 2,404 undergrads. Cardinals ensures on-campus housing for up to 1,437 students. The majority of students live on campus, and first year-students are required to live in campus housing.

📆 Mark your calendar! The final application deadline for Fall 2023 is April 15. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2023 should find out if they have been admitted by June 1.

There are many ways for students to get involved at Cardinals!

Are you interested in music or performing? At Cardinals you can join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of the school's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? Cardinals students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Planning to play sports? Cardinals has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at Cardinals on the Student Life page.

2022 Cardinals Facts At-A-Glance
Academic Calendar	Semester
Overall Acceptance Rate	68%
Early Decision Acceptance Rate	ED not offered
Early Action Acceptance Rate	EA not offered
Average GPA	3.6
Applicants Submitting SAT scores	43%
Tuition	$42,866
Percent of Need Met	81%
Average First-Year Financial Aid Package	$33,820

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Is Cardinals a Good School?

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Different people have different ideas about what makes a "good" school. Some factors that can help you determine what a good school for you might be include admissions criteria, acceptance rate, tuition costs, and more.

Let's take a closer look at these factors to get a clearer idea of what Cardinals offers and if the school might be a good fit for you.

Cardinals Acceptance Rate 2022

Cardinals admitted 68% of all applicants in 2022. Last year, 4,551 students applied to Cardinals and 3,113 were admitted.

Retention and Graduation Rates at Cardinals

Retention refers to the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. Retention measures how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at Cardinals, around 77% are still enrolled their sophomore year. 64% of Cardinals undergrads graduate within six years. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61% for public schools, and 67% for private, non-profit schools.

Job Outlook Cardinals Graduates

Job placement rates after graduation and average starting salaries can all give important clues about the value of a degree from a specific school.

Check with Cardinals directly, for information on any information on starting salaries for recent grads.

Tuition and Financial Aid at Cardinals

Tuition cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need.

Cardinals meets 81% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. First-year students that attend Cardinals full-time are awarded $33,820 a year in financial aid, on average.

Graduates in the class of 2022 had an average of $35,183 in student loans per borrower. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2023-2024 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2022

Some financial aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so be very wary of anyone asking you for money.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at Cardinals.

Based on this information, does Cardinals seem like a good fit? Remember, the best school for one person may not be the right school for another! So ask yourself: Is Cardinals a good school for you?

If North Central College seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

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Where is North Central College Located?

Cardinals is located in the suburban setting of Naperville, Illinois, in the suburbs of Chicago.

If you are interested in seeing Cardinals for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 88 to Naperville, or book a flight to the nearest airport, O'Hare International.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what Cardinals and Naperville are like without leaving home.

Considering Going to School in Illinois?

See a full list of colleges in Illinois and save your favorites to your college list.