Hey everyone! So, I’m only a sophomore right now, but I know that I want to go to NU, and I will apply ED when I’m a senior.
All of my stats are strong, with the exception of a weak GPA. I posted them on a prior forum that I started. Last year, as a freshman, I struggled due to not putting in the effort needed to succeed in high school. and high school classes. I had entirely A’s and B’s, but I finished that year with a 3.25 UW and 3.75 W GPA. Now, that I am finally dedicated to my schoolwork, I am achieving what I know I am capable of, and going great in all of my classes, I am raising my GPA. I calculated that if I apply ED, I will have a 3.75 UW and much higher W GPA, because I will take 10-11 AP classes throughout high school. I go to a competitive private HS if that matters; we’re mainly focused on college preparation.
IF the rest of your application is very good, it won’t matter. My kid got into better schools that NU with a 3.75 (and no hook) – but she had great test scores and interesting ECs/accomplishments.
What kind of test scores and ECs are you talking about? Specifically, will a 33 ACT be enough? Also, are several hundred hours of community service, Special Olympics, founding a club and Debate Team, and baseball be enough as far as ECs are concerned? Thanks for the quick response! =)
Well… my kid had a 2380 super scored SAT. And EC accomplishments at the state level and one at the national level. You seem like a reasonably competitive candidate, no one can tell you any more.
@seahawksjoe work hard on an upward trend in your gpa. I applied ED with a similar situation this year and will let you know if I am fortunate to get in; (3.4 uw freshman year due to family crisis, but had a 4.0 uw /4.8w both semesters of my junior year, applied with a cumulative 3.71 uw and 4.11 w, submitted a 35 ACT with my application (36/36/35/32 36(12)W). If you can, I would suggest trying to raise your ACT score by perhaps a point if you can (NU’s average is 34) as soon as possible, but of course, a 33 is pretty strong already. It’s good that you’re already deciding on where you want to go, so see if you can attend a NU campus tour sometime before you apply. Otherwise, best of luck! Know that there are others applying this year with similar stats!
A 33 ACT, 3.8 GPA, stellar extracurriculars, and great recommendations- this is basically my application. I, too, have an upward trend in my GPA from freshman to (now) senior year, from about a 3.6 to a 4.7. I also go to a competitive college preparatory school, and will have taken 10 AP classes.
I applied ED this year and am waiting to hear back, so we’ll see what happens!
Guys, thank you so much for all of your feedback! I haven’t checked CC in awhile, so sorry for the late reply. Daxy, I’m actually going to be taking a summer program at NU, so hopefully that will be both a great experience and show how interested and devoted I am to Northwestern.
Also, please let me know how you guys fare in admissions, and I wish the two of you the best of luck!
@seahawksjoe I think you can still get in with a 3.75 unweighted as long as you have that upward trend.
My Fresh/Soph year- 3.8~3.9 weighted
Junior year- Around 4.4 weighted
Senior year 1st semester- Around 4.3 weighted
I got in with a 4.04 cumulative weighted this year (and to make it worse, I’m asian) but I think I got in mainly due to my other stats.
On the Taiwanese national debate team, founder of 2 and president of 6 clubs, broke county records for swimming, 2280 SAT (which is okay I guess)…etc.
Goes to show that a low GPA won’t break your chances!