Chance me? [Northwestern, NYU, UCLA, USC] --- Thank you :)

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>I'm starting my senior year and I've lived in Iowa since Preschool {It's really exciting...^^}
Asian [Taiwanese] Female + born in California.</p>

<p>I'm planning to double major in music performance (classical saxophone) and some type of engineering or computer science. </p>

<p>SAT: 1920 --- No worries... I'm taking it again.
{I will also be taking the Math II and Chemistry subject tests in the fall}
ACT: 31
PSAT: 192 </p>

<p>I'm not a very good test taker. haha.</p>

<p>All my grades are UW, I'm not sure how to calculate weighted grades. Is an A in every AP/honors class a 5? Or is there a limit to the number of 5s?</p>

<p>Freshmen: 4.0/4.0</p>

<p>Sophomore: 3.98/4.0 (one B in Chemistry H)
- AP Spanish Language - 3
- AP European History - 4</p>

<p>Junior: 3.84/4.0 (A's in all AP classes)
- AP Chemistry - 4
- AP Macro - 5
- AP Micro - 5
- AP Gov - 4
- AP Spanish Lit - 3</p>

<p>Cumulative GPA (UW): 3.94/4.0 --- I'm pretty sure it's 4.0+ weighted.</p>

<p>Senior classes:
- AP Calculus BC
- AP Physics
- AP English
- Introduction to Spanish Literature Analysis
- Newspaper Lab (Staff designer)
- Wind Ensemble
- Lots of random art classes</p>

<p>We don't have class rank.</p>

<p>Community service is not my cup of tea. I even wrote a paper sophomore year about how the majority of students only volunteer for their resume. ;) </p>

<p>But, I design websites, brochures, programs, etc. for people. I love design (+ fashion) ^^ </p>

<p>ECs [I spend most of my time with music]:
Saxophone (7 years, 5 years private lessons)
Symphonic Band (1 year)
Wind Ensemble (soon to be 3 years)
Jazz Band (4 years)
Violin (12 years)
Orchestra --- outside of school (6 years? I quit last year)
Piano (9 years)
AWANA - will hopefully earn Citation Award next year :)
School Newspaper Staff Designer</p>

<p>Accomplishments/Awards:
SEIBA Honor Band '08 - 2nd chair, 1st part
All State Band - '08 (1st chair, 2nd part), '09 (1st chair, 1st part)
ISU Honor Band '09 - 1st chair, 1st part
U of I Honor Band '10 - 1st chair, 1st part
I ratings at Solo Festivals --- I won't go into detail about this... haha.
National Honor Society </p>

<p>I'll also be doing lots of saxophone competitions this upcoming year.</p>

<p>Recommendations should be good ^^ It's hard to explain... I'm not an amazing test-taker and don't participate in class, but I'm very creative and have good work ethic. </p>

<p>Essays will hopefully be good. </p>

<p>So, what do you think? I'm in love with Northwestern because of their saxophone professor, but I'm not sure if I can get into their engineering school as well. NYU, UCLA, and USC don't have well-known saxophone professors, but have amazing engineering departments.</p>

<p>I'm not really considering other UC schools because of the classical sax issue... </p>

<p>Thank you!!!</p>

<p>Let me know if you think I missed anything.</p>

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<p>Wow. That was long. Sorry!</p>

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<p>Yay for web designers :)</p>

<p>I’d say the only thing that might bring you down is that SAT score, so definitely try to bring that up.</p>

<p>Northwestern - Not too sure. I’d say a High Match to Low Reach, though I could be wrong.
NYU - High Match - SAT score again, here.
UCLA - Don’t bruin your life :P… but i’d say a Match.</p>

<p>and of course, saved the best for last… :wink:
USC - Match, especially if you try to boost up those test scores - We’re pretty big on our marching band, if you’re into that. Plus USC also has a renaissance scholar thing for people who double major in very different fields.</p>

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<p>Thank you :)</p>

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<p>3.94/31ACT. I think academically you’re in a fine spot for the engineering programs (yes it would certainly help to have better SATs but that’s a solid ACT). To me the issue is with music performance. As you probably already know you’re going to have to audition for the Northwestern, USC and NYU schools of music (I don’t know about UCLA). Obviously those are strong music programs and the competition is likely to be intense; so there’s always the risk that you’ll qualify academically for engineering but have a hurdle with the audition. I would check the Music Forum to see if people can give you some insight on how competitive the sax programs are at these schools.</p>

<p>Then there is the issue of time management and dual degrees. Engineering is a very structured program as are many music performance tracks. Some schools outwardly promote dual degrees but soft sell the fact that it may take 5+ years to fulfill all the requirements. From personal experience I know of one school that actively promoted their Music and Engineering dual degree program only to have the (lone) instructor for a particular instrument tell an applicant that “it can’t be done”. Ultimately this professor softened their position to, “Well, it’ll take you at least 5 years and I own 90% of your time for the first two years.” This professor made it clear that, regardless of what the brochures said, she was not excited about giving up a spot in her studio to an applicant who was less than 100% committed to her. (This particular school is not on your list) NOT ALL SCHOOLS ARE LIKE THIS, but you should investigate thoroughly to make sure that the school of music and the specific professor are truly supportive of the dual degree program.</p>

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<p>@vinceh : Thank you! I know that at Northwestern, they have a 5 year program for Engineering-Music Performance. I just visited NU last week. My tour guide was a saxophone performance + history double major and she said that quite of few members of the saxophone studio do some form of a double major. Dr. Hemke is also one of the top 3 saxophone professors in the nation. That’s why NU is one of my top choices ^^</p>

<p>It makes sense what you’re saying about the other schools, so I will definitely keep it in mind, I’ll probably contact the professors and ask them what they think. </p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>