About

The Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute—universally known as “Medill Cherubs”—is one of the oldest and most prestigious high school journalism programs in the United States. Founded in 1934, it runs for four weeks each summer at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. The program’s nickname comes from the affectionate term “Cherubs” used since its earliest classes. Cherubs is residential, fully immersive, and designed to train student journalists in serious reporting, editing, and media ethics. Tuition is about $5,000, with need-based financial aid available.

In 2024 Cherubs admitted 84 students—including five internationals—out of about 230 applications, for an acceptance rate of about 34%. Rising seniors are strongly favored in the application process, and the application requires transcripts, essays, recommendations, as well as samples of journalistic work (school paper clips, articles, or other writing). The review emphasizes writing skill, curiosity, and a demonstrated commitment to journalism over test scores or GPA.

Students spend four weeks living on Northwestern’s campus and immersed in all aspects of journalism. Days include classes and workshops led by Medill faculty and professional journalists, covering reporting, interviewing, multimedia production, and media law and ethics. Students write and edit stories daily, producing work for the program’s newspaper and digital outlets. Guest speakers often include high-profile journalists and alumni from outlets like The New York Times, NPR, and The Washington Post. Evenings and weekends feature editing sessions, newsroom deadlines, and cultural events around Chicago. Each student is also assigned an individual mentor from the faculty instructors, ensuring a significant amount of individual attention throughout the program.

Cherubs alumni often go on to study journalism, media, or communications at top universities—including Northwestern itself, where Medill remains one of the most selective undergraduate journalism programs in the country. Many alumni now work in national and international media, and Cherubs is respected by admissions offices for the authentic and rigorous journalistic training students receive. For students serious about journalism and media, few programs are as respected—or as perfect a match.