After 3 years of roaming CC, here goes!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northwestern University
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<p>I've been posting chance threads for every college and everyone's mother's college, as I was still developing my "college list." I've also changed my mind about which school I'm applying ED to roughly 4 times. After visiting, researching, etc., I've found that Northwestern is by far my favorite school; great academics, Big Ten sports, great location near Chicago and Lake Michigan, swagtastic colors, tradition, etc. It's actually been one of my favorite schools for a long time, but I always thought I was too stupid to apply, seeing as a friend of mine with a good transcript and a 36 got rejected. Anyway, thanks for reading my spheel, and here goes!</p>

<p>Application type: Early Decision</p>

<p>GPA:
Unweighted: 3.52-3.58
Weighted: 4.1
Trend: Sharp upward trend</p>

<p>Rank:
top 10-15%</p>

<p>Course Rigor:
I took all the AP/Honors classes that were available to me with the exception of Honors Spanish. The AP classes are:
AP Government (4)
AP Microeconomics (4)
AP Language and Composition (5)
AP United States History (5)
AP Environmental Science
AP Microeconomics
AP Psychology
AP Calculus AB
AP Biology
AP Literature</p>

<p>Standardized testing:
ACT - Best score in one sitting: 33 Composite; 33 Reading, 32 Math, 31 Science, 35 English, 10/12 on the essay.
Superscore (Where relevant/applicable): 34 Composite; 36 Reading, 32 Math, 31 Science, 35 English
SAT II: United States History - 780, Math level II - 710</p>

<p>ECs:
Debate Team - Captain Sr year
National Forensics League (Speech and Debate Honor society) - Excellence/Sapphire (Well, the last time I checked I was excellence. Possibly distinction now?)
Newspaper Club - Associate Sports Editor Jr/Sr Year
Tennis - Sophomore year
Volleyball - Freshman year
Football + Wrestling - Freshman and Sophomore year
Roughly 100 volunteer hours at a PADS homeless shelter
Attended National Youth Leadership Forum for Law and CSI with a scholarship
Member of the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS – Not NHS)
Fundraiser/participant in the "Relay for Life" cancer fundraiser, sponsored by American Cancer Society</p>

<p>Awards:
[Debate]
2nd place in the Novice division @ the Stagg LD Tournament
2nd place in the Novice division @ Northridge Prepatory School LD Tournament
3rd place at Conference for Lincoln-Douglas Debate
3rd place at ISTA State Tournament for Lincoln-Douglas Debate
All-State Lincoln Douglas Debater @ Novice level
4th place at the CCFL National Qualifier in the Varsity LD Division
6th place at the Schaumburg Invitational @ Varsity LD
[...other]
Top 20th percentile
Service Learning Hours Award
United States Achievement Academy – All American Scholar
Young-Nak Scholarship ($1000)
NYLF – Law & CSI Scholarship ($625)</p>

<p>Random:
Race: Asian (South Korean)
Gender: M
Income Bracket: >$30,000
State residency: Illinois</p>

<p>*Also, I'm adding the finishing touches to my application, and I have a few questions. Do I need to send all of my ACT scores to NU, or can I just send them my highest score? It's $10 dollars per test, and I'd rather not spend the extra $30. ):</p>

2

<p>your stats are very similar to mine!
hope we both make it</p>

<p>i noticed you joined NSHSS ;p</p>

3

<p>Stoth (and I guess FadedViolist too).</p>

<p>Based on what you’ve written, I think you have a chance, though not a great one. </p>

<p>Your ACTs are there, Your ECs look good, but your grades are a bit low – though not impossibly so. The upward trend certainly helps, and would certainly show that you have the ability to do the work should you be admitted. </p>

<p>The problem is of course numbers. NU gets so many more qualified students applying than it can accept. Looking at last years’ acceptance data, I think the grades may just be a bit too low.</p>

<p>I think NU is a reach – though not an impossible reach – for you.</p>

<p>My recommendation – with everything you have going for you, you should certainly apply. NU certainly accepts some students with credentials similar to yours – and shouldn’t it be you!!!</p>

<p>However, I would also recommend having a fallback.</p>

4

<p>Dang dude great creds, the GPA is a bit on the lower end of the spectrum but at least you’ve taken the hardest classes possible!! I wish my ACT score was as good as yours, you’re a great well-rounded candidate!! Get in a great essay + recs and you’ll be fine. Best of luck :D</p>

5

<p>@fadedviolinist: Yeah! I got something from them in the mail, and I was like, hey, why not? And yeah, I hope we get in!</p>

<p>@zephyr15: I think NU releases ED decisions ~December 15th? If I get rejected, I’m applying to around 12-15 other schools, aha! So yes, I do have fall backs. I filled out most of the supplements, I just haven’t sent in the applications yet. I’m really hoping to get into NU, and if I do, there’s an added bonus of me not having to spend $600+ on application fees and whatnot. NU is definitely one of my reach schools, and I’m applying ED because I thought I’d have no shot either way. ): Thanks for the great feedback!</p>

<p>@Viking77: Hopefully my essays are great - they’re very unique; I’ve lived in Korea, the Philippines, Hawaii, New Jersey, California, and Illinois, so I tried drawing on my life experiences and presenting them in the most creative way I could think of. But I’m sure there are a plethora of applicants to NU with essays that are both more creative and inspirational then mine… :/. And I wish my GPA was as good as yours man! Thanks for the feedback and the good wishes!</p>

6

<p>StotheK</p>

<p>Sounds like ED is a good strategy for you, then, and that you have a realistic feel for your chances.</p>

7

<p>@zephyr15 - Yeah, I like to think I have a realistic feel for my chances, but I’m experiencing roller coaster emotions while waiting for the decision. Although, objectively speaking, I’m probably going to get rejected, some days I feel like I’m going to get in, and the next day I feel like I have absolutely no chance. I think I’m just gonna put this in the back of my head until December! Although I don’t think that will happen. </p>

<p>As far as ED, yeah! I feel like with my lower-end GPA, I really need my essays and ECs stand out, and the best way to do that is to showcase myself in a small application pool, although the ED pool is probably more qualified overall relative to RD (I have no stats/link for this, but it’s just what I think). Also, the demonstrated interest - tons of emails, a visit, and of course, ED - hopefully helps. I’m just ranting at this point, and not finishing my research paper, so I’ll stop with this…haha.</p>