Admission Office
Global@northwestschool.org
School Overview
Data & methodology
Overall
A-
Matriculation
A-
Academics
A-
Extracurriculars
B+
Geo & Community
A+
Reviews
A
Niche: A+
57 teaching faculty, 22% hold PhDs
Best High School Art Program in Washington State (Niche)
Green Ribbon School Award for Environmental Sustainability
Top 100 U.S. Schools for University Matriculation (FindingSchool)
Top 100 U.S. Schools by Parents' Reviews (FindingSchool).
The Northwest School offers a rigorous, college-preparatory program with a cross-disciplinary curriculum. Courses in the humanities, mathematics, science, languages, and arts are required at all times. The school has a uniquely international character: the fact that 16% of its population comes from abroad gives students a truly global perspective. Regular participation in environment teams, which clean the historic building and grounds, and in the outdoor program, which offers trips throughout the region, teach responsibility and respect for the environment. Students graduate from the Upper School with a true liberal arts education. The academic core is a three-year survey of human society from prehistory through present day. Learning to analyze history from political, economic, social, religious, and artistic perspectives lays the foundation for college-level electives in the senior year. The school has a uniquely international character: the fact that 11% of its population comes from abroad gives students a truly global perspective. Regular participation in environment teams, which clean the historic building and grounds, and in the outdoor program, which offers trips throughout the region, teach responsibility and respect for the environment. Students graduate from the Upper School with a true liberal arts education. The academic core is a three-year survey of human society from prehistory through present day. Learning to analyze history from political, economic, social, religious, and artistic perspectives lays the foundation for college-level electives in the senior year. The daily presence of international students from more than 12 countries creates a global perspective for our whole community and makes our population unique among Seattle-area schools. International students who receive ESL support are gradually integrated into more courses with American students each year. Physical education, sports teams, arts courses, class trips, the Environment Program and the Outdoor Program offer additional chances for interaction.
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Ranking
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School Stats
Average
Current school
Tuition
$78,410
Enrollment
350
International Students
11%
Faculty with Advanced Degrees
86%
Teacher-Student Ratio
1:6
Endowment
$9 million
Average SAT Score
1340
Average ACT Score
31
Class Size
16
Boarding %
10
Matriculation
College Matriculation
(2025)| Ranking | University/College | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Art #1 | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 1 |
| Art #2 | California Institute of the Arts | 1 |
| Art #5 | California College of the Arts | 1 |
| LAC #1 | Williams College | 1 |
| Parsons The New School for Design | 1 | |
| LAC #2 | Amherst College | 1 |
| #13 | Dartmouth College | 1 |
| #14 | Vanderbilt University | 1 |
| #14 | Washington University in St. Louis | 1 |
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Academics
AP Equivalent and Beyond
(31)|
The Ancient World Through the 17th Century
|
Dominant and Counternarratives of U.S. History
|
|
Imagining Nationalism & Internationalism in the 20th Century
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Identity, Joy, Justice, Action
|
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Innovation in Modern Latin American Art and Literature
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Postcolonial Literature
|
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The Ancient World Through the 17th Century
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Dominant and Counternarratives of U.S. History
|
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Imagining Nationalism & Internationalism in the 20th Century
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Identity, Joy, Justice, Action
|
|
Innovation in Modern Latin American Art and Literature
|
Postcolonial Literature
|
|
Hope in Misery: Science Fiction & Social Justice
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Exploring Gender and Sexuality in Hamlet
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Civics: Social Studies
|
Black Internationalism and African Decolonization
|
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Media Literacy for Social Action
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Finding Voice, Fighting Power: Modern Latin American History from Independence to the Present
|
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Prisons, Policing, and Abolition
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Algebraic Applications
|
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Pre-Calculus
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Calculus
|
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Mathematical Modeling with Financial Applications
|
Statistics
|
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Advanced Calculus
|
Advanced Topics in Mathematics: Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus
|
|
Advanced Human Biology
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Environmental Systems Analysis
|
|
Advanced Chemistry
|
Physics 12
|
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Physics with Calculus
|
Chinese V
|
|
Advanced English Composition
|
French V
|
|
Spanish VI
|
Advanced Theatre Production
|
|
Advanced Art
|
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Sports
(7)|
Basketball
|
Cross Country
|
|
Soccer
|
Track and Field
|
|
Ultimate Frisbee
|
Volleyball
|
|
Basketball
|
Cross Country
|
|
Soccer
|
Track and Field
|
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Ultimate Frisbee
|
Volleyball
|
|
Strength and Conditioning
|
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Extracurricular Activities and Clubs
(51)|
Black Student Union
|
Jewish Student Union
|
|
Outdoor Program
|
Hiking
|
|
Bicycling
|
Camping
|
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Black Student Union
|
Jewish Student Union
|
|
Outdoor Program
|
Hiking
|
|
Bicycling
|
Camping
|
|
Rock Climbing
|
Sea-Kayaking
|
|
Rafting
|
Alpine Skiing
|
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Nordic Skiing
|
Snowshoeing
|
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Snow Cave
|
Igloo Building
|
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Camp Cooking
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Outdoor Safety
|
|
Fit Club
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Strength & Conditioning
|
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Anime Club
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Badminton
|
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Volleyball
|
Basketball
|
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Chess Club
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Chinese Magic Club
|
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ClayPlay
|
Climate Action Team
|
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Diversity Dance
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Flag Football
|
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Garden Interest Group
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Magic The Gathering
|
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MakerSpace
|
Mathletes
|
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Mock Trial
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Debate
|
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Model UN
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Musical Dreams
|
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Soccer
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Ultimate Frisbee
|
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Writing Club
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Zines
|
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Being Seen
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Heard and Valued
|
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Asian/Pacific Islander Student Affinity Group
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Female & Female Identifying Student Union
|
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Latin American Student Union
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International Student Union
|
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Middle School Rainbow Connection
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Mixed-Race Student Union Affinity Group
|
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MS Allies and Activists
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Q Club
|
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White Anti-Racist Student Group
|
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Arts
(31)|
Band
|
Choir
|
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Dance
|
Jazz
|
|
Performing
|
Production
|
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Band
|
Choir
|
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Dance
|
Jazz
|
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Performing
|
Production
|
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Animation
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Ceramics
|
|
Drawing
|
Graphic Design
|
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Photography
|
Sculpture
|
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Watercolor
|
Design
|
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Songwriting
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Studio Art
|
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Art
|
Costume Design
|
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String
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Acting
|
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Guitar
|
Music
|
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Orchestra
|
Recording
|
|
Sound
|
Stagecraft
|
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Book Arts
|
Digital Media
|
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Filmmaking
|
Game Design
|
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Tech Theater
|
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Contact The Northwest School
Admissions Officer
School Link
Apply
The Northwest School is a member of
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Basic Info
Application Info
Review(s)
5.0
Overall Rating
Overall Rating
Anonymous User (Parent)
05/16/2025
5 / 5
We are NWS Alumni Parents. NWS community provides the right environment, organization and methods to build strong foundation to face complexities in the real world. At NWS offshore parents are assured their students are in good hands. Cheers!
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Reviews from other languages
A FindingSchool User
05/04/2024
5 / 5
Frequently Ask Questions about The Northwest School
Tell me a bit about The Northwest School.
The Northwest School is Co-ed private boarding school located in Washington, US. It was founded 1980 , and currently has about 350 students, 11.00% of whom are international students.
For more official information, please visit http://www.northwestschool.org.
For more official information, please visit http://www.northwestschool.org.
Does The Northwest School have rigorous academic requirements?
The Northwest School also have 86% of faculties whose degrees are master and above.
Where do The Northwest School students typically go for their colleges?
Based on the most recent matriculation data, 17.05% go to top 50 US universities and colleges*, 6.82% go to top 25, and about 0% go to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and MIT.
*Ranking is based on the 2024 US News College Ranking.
*Ranking is based on the 2024 US News College Ranking.
What is the application requirement for The Northwest School?
Similar to most private schools in the US, The Northwest School’s typical admission requirements include school transcript, recommendation letter, application essay, and interview (often optional, but highly recommended).
What is the Boarding Tuition for The Northwest School?
The total fee for The Northwest School in 2024 is
$78,410 which typically includes tuition, boarding fee, student management fee and a few other fees associated with managing international students.
For more information, please contact school’s admission team at Global@northwestschool.org .
For more information, please contact school’s admission team at Global@northwestschool.org .
Where is The Northwest School located?
The Northwest School is located in the State of Washington of USA. The closest major city is Seattle, which is about 0 miles away from school. Most families can choose Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to travel in and out of school.
How popular is The Northwest School on the FindingSchool network?
Based on FindingSchool monthly traffic data as well as onsite search record, The Northwest School is among the most popular schools, within top 117 for all schools on FindingSchool.
Also The Northwest School has been favorited by 240 users.
Also The Northwest School has been favorited by 240 users.
How do I complete an application for The Northwest School?
The first stop is to carefully review the school profile on FindingSchool to learn more about The Northwest School. Most of them are directly provided by the school.
Also it is highly recommended to visit The Northwest School’s official site: http://www.northwestschool.org or call them at 206-682-7309.
Also it is highly recommended to visit The Northwest School’s official site: http://www.northwestschool.org or call them at 206-682-7309.
Are there additional schools that are located close to The Northwest School?
Yes, here are few:
Annie Wright Schools, Auburn Adventist Academy and
The closest major city is Seattle. You can find out more schools near Seattle here.
The closest major city is Seattle. You can find out more schools near Seattle here.
What is the FindingSchool rating for The Northwest School?
The overall rating for The Northwest School is A-.
The section ratings of The Northwest School are:
A- for Matriculation
A- for Academics
B+ for Extracurriculum
A+ for Community
A for Students and Parents reviews
The section ratings of The Northwest School are:
A- for Matriculation
A- for Academics
B+ for Extracurriculum
A+ for Community
A for Students and Parents reviews
Nearby City
Seattle, a major seaport city on the West Coast, is the largest in Washington and the Pacific Northwest region. With a population of 737,015 as of 2020, it is known for its vibrant tech industry, including companies like Amazon and Microsoft. The city boasts iconic landmarks such as the Space Needle and Pike Place Market. Seattle is a hub for innovation, culture, and coffee, offering a unique blend of urban development and natural beauty, with stunning views of the Puget Sound and surrounding mountains.
Population (2022)
598,541
Cost of Living
Higher than average 54%
Nearby Airport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
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