Application Requirements

To be considered for the College Bridge Program, you must:

• Be a current high school junior enrolled in Chicago Public Schools
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale

Application Materials Checklist

• Personal Statement
• List of Extracurricular Activities
• Official High School Transcript

Application Deadline: April 1, 2024

Completed applications must be received by the deadline, including your official transcripts. Incomplete and late applications will not be considered. Your admission decision will be emailed to you approximately four to six weeks after the deadline.

Personal Statement

You will submit your 250- to 500-word personal statement as part of the online application in response to the question: How would participating in the College Bridge Program help you meet your future academic goals? You will be evaluated on quality of your writing, as well as thoughtfulness and specificity.

List of Extracurricular Activities

You should enumerate the clubs, sports, volunteer organizations, employment or other endeavors in which you participate within or outside of school. Please include your dates of involvement, a short description of the activity, and your role.

Official transcripts are required to be submitted as part of the application. E-transcripts submitted via secure electronic providers are accepted. Please consult with your school to see if they are part of a secure e-delivery network. Transcripts are not accepted by fax or personal email. Official transcripts may be sent via email to cppadmissions@northwestern.edu and CC collegebridge@northwestern.edu.

College Bridge Orientation and Advising

If admitted to the program, you must attend the College Bridge Orientation and Advising Session at the Summer Session office on Northwestern’s campus in Evanston. This is a requirement in order to enroll in the program.

Admitted College Bridge Students

Courses

College Bridge students are eligible to take almost any of the 100- and 200-level classes online, or on campus during Summer Session, subject to prerequisites and permissions. Please review any prerequisites indicated in the course descriptions. Three-week intensive science courses and 300-level courses may require special permission.

Adds, Drops, and Withdrawals

Students who have registered for a course through the College Bridge Program at Northwestern University are considered enrolled for the duration, and are expected to attend all sessions of the course for which they are registered. Excessive absences do not signal a student's intent to drop or withdraw, and is cause for failure in the course. Therefore, if you wish to change your registration in any way — by changing or dropping a course — you must do so through our office. If Summer Session has already begun, certain courses may not be available for course changes, and you may need to submit a Student Affairs Petition to withdraw from your course. If you need to change your schedule in any way, please contact our office.

Transcripts and Grades

Current College Bridge students can view and print their grades through CAESAR.

College Bridge students who enrolled in courses in 2009 or later can request their official Northwestern University transcript from the School of Professional Studies Registrar’s Office. 

College Bridge students who enrolled in courses prior to 2009 should request their official Northwestern University transcript from the Northwestern University Registrar’s Office.

Contact Us

Office of Summer Session and Special Programs

College Bridge Program
405 Church Street
Evanston, Illinois 60208-4220
Phone: 847-491-4358
CollegeBridge@northwestern.edu

Courses