Can I Get In? -Chances

Colleges & Universities A-Z Northwestern University
1

<p>I'm also applying to the Ivies and other top schools, but Stanford is my top choice.</p>

<p>Student:</p>

<p>User Name: Dana772576
Gender: F
Background: Middle-eastern (Palestinian)
Location: CA
College Class Year: 2014
High School: Good Public
High School Type: grads to top schools every year (5 to Stanford this year)</p>

<p>Academics:
GPA - Unweighted: 4.00
GPA - Weighted: 4.44 (projected 4.68 by end of high school)
Class Rank: 20/564 [projected to go up-will be valedictorian(valedictorian is GPA of 4.65+ at my school)]
Class Size: 564</p>

<p>Senior Class Schedule:
Calculus AP
Human Geography AP
US Gov't AP/Econ H (don't have Econ AP)
English Lit AP
Physics C AP
Psychology AP</p>

<p>Scores:
SAT: 2090
SAT I Math: 700
SAT I Critical Reading: 630
SAT I Writing: 760
ACT: 32 (april), taking again in september (hoping for 34)
SAT II Spanish: 740
SAT II Math Level 2 (IIC): 700
SAT II Biology: 700
APs: European history(3), took 5 APs this year, but haven't gotten scores yet</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
-Invisible Children (9,10,11)
-California Scholarship Foundation (9,10,11,12)
-Muslim Student Association (9,10,11,12)
-Amnesty International (10,11,12)
-One Million Ways (Good Deeds club-"pay it forward" type) (11)
-Students Against Destructive Decisions (11,12)
-Palestinian-Israeli Alliance (12)
-Community Islamic Youth Group (9,10,11,12)
-Guitar-3 years (more of a hobby)
-Tutoring-2 years- Math Analysis(Pre-calc), Spanish, Geometry
-National Spanish Honors Society (12)</p>

<p>Leadership:
-Muslim Student Association-Secretary 1 year, President 2 years
-Amnesty International- Publicist 2 years
-One Million Ways- Secretary
-Students Against Destructive Decisions- Student Awareness Week: anti-drug group, co-founded Every 15 Minutes program at school (huge California 2-day program about reckless driving), Secretary
-Palestinian-Israeli Alliance-founder, president
-Founded annual school culture fair</p>

<p>Community Service
-Many Mansions-helps less-fortunate families (4 years-summer camp 1 year and events throughout the 4 years)
-Sunrise Assisted Living (2 years)
-The Friendship Circle-helps kids with disabilities (begins in August)
-Staying with family in midwest for 3 weeks this summer to help with their 2 Autistic children (i don't know if this counts as official)</p>

<p>Awards
-Chosen to represent Muslim American teenagers from the West Coast in Muslim Girl Magazine</p>

<p>Hooks:
-none </p>

<p>Recs:
-One from my Spanish teacher of two years that will be amazing-we're really close
-One from my English teacher of two years (10th and 12th grades)-should be great; she really likes me and we keep in touch
-Counselor rec-should be good; probably generic because there are so many kids, but will definitely be positive</p>

<p>Other:
-I've recently decided that I want to go into the field of Autism, so that's why my extracurriculars dealing with disabled kids are really recent</p>

<p>I know my test scores aren't great, but hopefully other areas of my application will make up for it.
Please give me as detailed a chance as possible!</p>

2

<p>Looks good. Your community service and activism look great.</p>

3

<p>Thanks so much! Northwestern is definitely one of my top choices, so I really hope I can get in! I know my scores are a bit on the low side, but are they okay for NU?</p>

4

<p>That’s the only iffy part. a 33 or 34 will put you in safe territory. otherwise, make sure your essays and recs are the best they can be.</p>

5

<p>Yeah, I’m going to start studying for the September ACT soon, so I’m hoping for a 33 or 34</p>

6

<p>Your background and ECs are fairly compelling; hopefully that will be sufficient.
As you noted, your board scores - standing alone - would not be highly competitive for NU or any of the other top schools to which you are applying. The 700 in math is pretty strong, but entirely unremarkable for these schools, and the 630 CR is poor for these schools (most of them will give little if any weight to the writing score). I already think you’ve got a pretty fair shot at NU. If you could get a 34, or even a 33, on the ACT, I’d like your chances a lot better.</p>

7

<p>i think you have a good chance. good luck</p>

8

<p>@WCASParent, yeah, I’m pretty much completely disregarding my SAT score. I don’t think I’m going to send it in because my ACT is stronger, and I’ll be focusing on that much more with the retake. I’m pretty confident that with the studying I’m planning to do, I’ll be able to get a 33 (or hopefully a 34)…fingers crossed…</p>

<p>Thanks everyone for your input!</p>

9

<p>UPDATE: I just got my AP scores from this year! do these help with the subject tests at all?</p>

<p>Biology-5, Spanish Language-5, Statistics-5, English-4, US History-2 (didn’t study at all…i hate history…oh well, I thought I’d get a 1 haha)</p>

10

<p>only a 2 on US History? what did you get in the course?</p>

11

<p>yeah, i literally didn’t touch a review book and didn’t even write one of the essays. i despise history…European history was surprisingly easier for me because i was ACTUALLY interested in it…all other subjects are perfectly fine though.
i got an A in the course because I worked my *** off…I’m not worried about it being viewed as “grade inflation” because my school is known by colleges to be rigorous, with grades that are not inflated…</p>

12

<p>bumping this thread for ED CHANCES…i’ve decided to apply early to NU, so I was wondering what my chances are looking like for that…</p>

<p>Updates:
AP Scores: Biology-5, Spanish Language-5, Statistics-5, English Language-5</p>

<p>Awards: AP Scholar with Distinction; California Scholarship Federation Gold Seal Bearer</p>

<p>Community Service: founded Project Downtown-unite members of the community to prepare meals and feed the less fortunate while becoming friends with them; raise money for housing for the less fortunate</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

13

<p>Uhh I thought you said you got a 4 in AP English…?</p>

14

<p>Sorry, I did get a 4…I typed 5 instead of 4 by accident…</p>

15

<p>To be honest, a 32 isn’t exactly dismal. Their middle 50% of students range 30-33, so a 32 puts you somewhat comfortably in the top half. I’m sending in a 32, and I’ve seen upperclassmen at my school (academically intense, similar schedules to yours) get into schools of comparable caliber with lower scores. But definitely stick with that ACT score - it looks much better than your SAT score.</p>

<p>Your EC’s are solid and unique, though, which is definitely cool and will be a plus for you. Good luck!</p>

16

<p>Thanks perididdle!</p>