Can I get into Northwestern??

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi! I’m currently a junior in high school and Northwestern is my top choice school. I would really really appreciate anyone who would take the time to read this and let me know what they think my chances of getting in are. Thanks in advance :slight_smile:

Stats:

ACT: 34
English 34
Math 34
Reading 36
Science 31
Writing 25

GPA:
Unweighted: 3.5
Weighted: 4.44

Class Rank:
School does not rank, probably top 15% at a very competitive public high school

AP Classes:
AP Biology, AP US History, AP Language and Composition, AP Chemistry, AP Literature and Composition, AP Political Science, AP Statistics-- all other classes that I’ve taken are honors

Teacher Recs:
My English teacher is writing mine-- mostly likely will be very good but not excellent
Counselor rec will most likely be good although he does not know me as well as my English teacher

Personal:

Ethnicity: Caucasian, Jewish

Parent Status/Financial Situation: My dad went to Northwestern for undergrad, my mom went to Northwestern Law School and my grandmother went to Northwestern undergrad; Income is around $200,000

Summer Activities: 1st year: summer school honors chemistry, 2nd year: summer school honors physics, 3rd year: I am going to be a camp counselor and going on a two week service trip to Thailand

Extra Cirriculars:

Soccer:
I have been playing since I was 5, playing all 4 years of high school for my school team as well as a club team during the offseason

Congressional Debate:
Have debated all 4 years of high school, will be captain during my senior year, have won many local and state titles

Peer Jury:
Student panel that assigns community service to peers who have committed minor crimes, have been on the panel for 2 years

Boys and Girls Club of Chicago:
Tutor underprivileged kids in the inner city after school, have been doing for 3 years of high school

National Spanish Honor Society:
Invited this year, will participate next year as well

Service:
80 hours on community service at a local hospital

Extra things to note:
I will be applying ED and I am a legacy

2

It looks pretty good. The Thai service trip will not help you. It is seen as vacation slumming of the rich or religious. The tutoring is nice. Find someone who will give you an excellent recommendation. Ask directly. “Can you give me an excellent recommendation?” If they hesitate say thank you any way and find someone else. I stole that from a great book. Perhaps pitch yourself as that great person that helps everyone in the dorm be happy. Good Luck.

What Colleges Don’t Tell You (And Other Parents Don’t Want You to Know): 272 Secrets for Getting Your Kid into the Top Schools Paperback – July 31, 2007
by Elizabeth Wissner-Gross (Author)

3

Are you good enough to play on the Northwestern soccer team?

4

No :confused:

5

GPA and rank are a bit low, but the score’s good and ED legacy will definitely help. You’ve got a chance, even though it’s a big stretch.

6

Your GPA may be the problem.

7

@billcsho yeah that’s what I was thinking too. I’m hoping it will help that it’s mainly my freshman year that’s holding me down, and there has been an upward trend since then.

8

As a double legacy I think you’ve got a decent shot. Does Northwestern have any special procedure for alumni kids admissions?

9

@sgopal2 Not that I know of, I believe you just indicate that you are a legacy on your application

10

Ok some schools (Duke) has a special group that advocates for alumni kids applicants. But I think you have a good shot. Just show a lot of interest and I think you will be fine.

11

Oh my gosh, you will succeed at Northwestern