Admission to northwestern

Hi all,

I have been wondering for a long time whether I would get into Northwestern. I’m applying early decision (binding) and have 2 legacies and a letter of rec, but I have a 3.0 gpa (at a very competitive school and taking the IB) I also have a lot of extracurricular activities and international backround.

Do I really have a chance of getting in?

That is probably quite low for Northwestern, as they are very competitive, but legacy and ED might counterbalance that. I say, if you love the school, just apply. The result might surprise you (just make sure you have lots of safety schools that line up better with your stats).

Also, do you have SAT scores?

GPA is low and it’s hard to tell without standardized test scores. With your GPA, I would say chances are low.

A couple of data points. 90% of those admitted are in top 10% of the class. Also, you can search through the threads on ED decisions from last few years. I don’t recall anyone below 3.7 (out of 4.0) getting admitted.

thank you, but wouldn’t the university judge my gpa differently? I go to a very competitive school, there is barely anyone who gets a 3.9 , and those who do haven’t been in this highschool for all four years.

Your GPA is pretty low for NU’s standards. For comparison, the person with the lowest HS GPA I’ve met here has a 3.4 in an extremely competitive school. Obviously if you really love it here there’s no shame in giving it a chance, but I’d say your chances aren’t fantastic based on the academic info you’ve provided.