<p>Hello! I will be applying Early Decision for the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University this fall. I was wondering if you could chance me, as I have a bit of a situation.
In freshman year, I was an A student, but as I slowly started to slide into clinical depression, things got bad academically. I got a couple of c's, which I know doesn't cut it for Northwestern admission. Things got so bad medically that I went on a two month medical leave at the end of first semester junior year. The leave is on file. I came back better, but still adjusting. I anticipate to have one b, one c, and the rest a's for second semester junior year. I anticipate straight a's for the rest of my high school career. I hope to have my guidance counselor explain the situation to the school and not write about it in the essay. Know this information, here are my stats:
SAT: 2240
SAT II: Math II (730), Literature (720)
ACT: 33
GPA: I anticipate anywhere from a 3.6 to a 3.8, but let's assume 3.6 for now.
EC's: die hard French Horn player. I teach privately, I play in a payed orchestra, and I play in multiple chamber groups aside from the main orchestra and concert band in school. I am in Music Honor Society (historian). I am president and coordinator of a school organization that travels to underprivileged middle schools to give music lessons that the kids wouldn't get ordinarily. (Plus member for 3 years) I made district an state honor bands for the past 4 years. I am also VP of our students against melanoma club.
Community service: 300+ hours as a volunteer at a children's science museum
AP's: human geography, world history, half of a credit for Lang and comp and us history (got taken out after medical leave), and next years classes are us government, calc ab, psych, art history, literature.
Essay: common app will be about my 6 year battle with Trichotillomania, overcoming it, all while becoming comfortable in my own skin and defying society's ideals of a "pretty girl"
I think it will be strong (hopefully lol)
I go to a nationally ranked public arts high school. Also, i will be taking an interview.
As I said before, it is rare that a student with a 3.6 gets in. What is your opinion?</p>
<p>NWU Bienen: Reach</p>
<p>Are you sure U Rochester Eastman is not an option?</p>
<p>If it is a music major in instrument performance that require audition, there is usually no ED.</p>
<p>It is, but I prefer to be near Chicago, and I’m considering Doug pre business at NU as well :-)</p>
<p>Hey, brass student at Bienen here. I confess to not knowing how ED within Bienen works, as I did RD everywhere. </p>
<p>With how rapidly competitive NU is becoming, it’s difficult to say whether or not your academic credentials on their own would guarantee you admission. However, I will say that you are definitely within the range for people who get academically accepted to NU, both in Bienen and the other schools. Your ECs certainly don’t hurt either, and there has been a push under President Shapiro to admit more of each incoming class from ED, so that helps too.</p>
<p>However, regardless of when you apply, the strength of your audition has much more to do with your potential acceptance than your academics. If you have an amazing audition but weak academics, the studio professors can push for you to be accepted. However, if you have superior academics but a bad audition, you won’t even be academically accepted.</p>
<p>To be sure, I know of a lot of people in multiple studios who had amazing auditions, were at the top of their respective studio professors’ lists, and didn’t get in because their academics were awful. But on the flip side, I know many people who had far worse academic qualifications in high school than you who were accepted because they’re fantastic musicians.</p>
<p>Bottom line: spend less time worrying about your GPA and more time focusing on your Eulenspiegel, and you ought to be fine.</p>
<p>Also, protip: Email Gail Williams. Ask questions about the studio, about auditions, about the school in general. Try to come visit the school, see if you can get a lesson with her. Find current students in the studio and talk to them. Having that additional contact before your actual audition can be a huge help.</p>
<p>Thank you so much! It’s really awesome to hear from a fellow brass player. 
I will definitely email professor Williams. You made my day, thank you!!!</p>