Chances at Northwestern (ED) - Pretty nervous - please reply

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hey all, I'll be a senior this fall and so I'm already organizing my college admissions stuff and essays and narrowing down lists of colleges. However, Northwestern has been my #1 choice for three years because of its prestigious journalism program, its great location, and because I was born in Evanston and would love to return there for at least 4 years</p>

<p>Anyway, while this has been my first choice for three years, I've also constantly worried over the past three years whether I'd be deemed acceptable to attend there, so I'd like to hear any and all input on my chances.</p>

<p>It's a little demoralizing when you read some forums where people ask about their chances with 2300+ SAT scores and tons of ECs and great AP/SAT II scores, etc. etc., and it makes me feel a little more insignificant, and I know these are usually pretty long, but if you could stick with me and please give me your input (good and bad) on my chances and your opinion or reflections, I would really really appreciate it:</p>

<p>I go to a HS heralded as arguably the #1 public school in Pennsylvania and was about 7th best public high school in the country (according to Wallstreet journal) a few years ago -- renown for high AP scores, SAT scores for a public school, academic rigor -- affluent, main line community where it's a ivy league/ivy league equivalent or bust mentality for most of the students here because of the pressure they put on themselves and the influence the parents exert over their kids (large majority of parents in the area attended ivy league or ivy league equivalent schools) -- blue ribbon middle school and elementary school (not that that probably makes a difference at all)</p>

<p>by the way, I'm a white male and roman catholic (though my family doesnt go to church and we aren't religious)</p>

<p>I want to be a journalist and I consider my writing skills to be very good compared to kids my age, so I expect to write a good essay (which I expect will have a pretty large influence since otherwise I'd say i have a 50/50 or 60/40 chance of admittance at this point), and I'm having my letters of recommendation done this summer by two very intelligent, concise teachers, so I expect those to be solid</p>

<p>father is an alum from Northwestern's business school (Kellogg) where he got his MBA (though I keep hearing that legacies mean less and less these days)</p>

<p>applying ED (admittance rate is around 50% of the 900-1000 students that apply ED)</p>

<p>GPA (UW): 3.67
GPA (W): 4.27 (took standard classes as freshmen because middle school teachers made honors classes at my academically rigorous HS seem impossible)
Class Rank: Unknown - though my class is about 350 students and I believe I'm top quarter of my class (though there are a LOT of go-getters and super-brainiacs because of the previously explained mentality in my community)</p>

<p>SAT I (have taken new one twice):
M-780
V-640 (definitely subpar for my affluent area and Northwestern standards, I know - taking SAT I again in Oct. since I believe Northwestern will receive it by Nov 1 ED deadline)
W-700 (10/12 essay)
Total: 2120</p>

<p>ACT:
Composite: 33 (equivalent to 1470 old SATs)
M: 34
E: 30
Sci: 32
R: 34</p>

<p>SAT II:
Math IIc: 700
US History: 670</p>

<p>APs:
US History: haven't checked score yet (4/5 expected)
Physics C (Mechanics): haven't checked score yet (4/5 expected)
Physics C (E&M): taking senior year
AB Calc: taking senior year
AP Lit: taking senior year
US gov: taking senior year</p>

<p>ECs (these are lacking and frighten me the most about my chances):
school newspaper (11th)
debate (11th)
basketball (9th, 10th, 11th)
baseball (9th, 10th)
track (11th)
Latin club (11th)</p>

<p>Jobs (also lacking):
Baseball umpire for 3 years (2002-2004)
Township Park Counselor (2005)
Have Written for an unofficial Philadelphia sports website for 3 years now (2003-2005), contributing work daily as a volunteer</p>

<p>i'd really appreciate opinions and what you think my chances are (% wise or like "fairly decent" w/e) and some reflections on what I've done so far in high school -- I've longed to attend Northwestern since entering high school and the fear of being rejected looms large in my head -- i'd appreciate good and bad comments, I don't mind, just be honest</p>

<p>Thank you so much in advance to whomever replies
-John</p>

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<p>Your GPA is reakly strong esp since you are in such a great hs.</p>

<p>I hope i can join you in NW ^_^. very nice chance imo...very balanced..hmm maybe a higher sat wouldn't hurt but it looks nice.</p>

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<p>thank you for the reply vehement -- are you applying ED also? I think my chances are about between 50/50 and 60/40 like I said earlier, and I guess that's the best I can hope for at this juncture in time from a prestigious school like Northwestern, I'm just hoping to hear what everyone has to say since this has been making me nervous for years, and the time has finally come to start organizing my stuff</p>

<p>any other thoughts? all opinions appreciated</p>

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<p>Good luck! I think you have a pretty good chance, I know someone who was accepted with lower stats and from a less-than-spectacular high school, non-ED/
NW is a great school.</p>

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<p>no i am trying to get apply to ucla for ed but my chances are very slim. heh</p>

<p>but i am very interested in nw's econ program</p>

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<p>thank you for the nod of confidence david -- i'm well aware that northwestern is highly competitive and very selective, and not being a 2300+ SAT/boatload of ECs/tons of jobs guy has made me doubt my chances a little, and since I'm absolutely positive i want to attend Northwestern, applying ED helps my chances, but I'm glad my chances are looking pretty decent</p>

<p>at this point, there's nothing I can really do to improve my chances since my classes are set and colleges don't see the ECs u do in 12th grade, correct? So at this point, I'd just like to collect as many opinions as I can on my chances</p>

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<p>I think you have great chances, but I would submit that 33 ACT score instead of your SATs. Thats a great score, you have a good GPA, and I would just continue in the ECs you have been doing until now, they are really not that bad. Good luck, and I think applying ED definitely gives you a great shot. </p>

<p>Did you take the writing component of the ACT because NW requires that?</p>

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<p>one, I took the writing component of the ACT, yes, but they didn't have that score available in the "early viewing period" when i checked my ACT scores -- two, i've been submitting SAT scores to 4 colleges each time that I've taken them, so they already have my SAT and ACT scores...though I guess I should've just kept them all to myself and waited and paid extra at this point...but I don't think a 2120 SAT will hurt me...but I agree that a 33 ACT looks better</p>

<p>both my CR and W SAT scores should be higher -- I didn't take any courses and barely studied for them using a book on my own -- I plan to take them in Oct. if they'll go to Northwestern in time for ED, and I should (hopefully) get CR at or above 700 and Writing up to at least 750 (which is very possible considering I want to be a writer and I have a great grasp of grammar but seem to miss some easy questions on the SAT as my brain turns to mush over the course of a 4 hour test)</p>

<p>i'd love to hear as many opinions as possible, so please keep posting</p>

<p>but by the way, i've never been completely sure of this -- can you include ECs you're doing as a senior on your application? do they appear? can you write them in somewhere?</p>

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<p>yeah you do include them just to show that you've continued 'showing passion' for your hobbies or whatever, but yeah the 2120 is not bad, the ACT is better though, and I'm not sure what Northwestern's policy is, but some colleges even if they get all your scores will only look at your best score for admissions. You should find out what Northwestern does.</p>

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<p>well, Northwestern has been my fairly realistic dream school since high school, so you can see why this makes me so nervous to discuss my chances to the school that I think is perfect for me</p>

<p>anyway, anyone, what do you guys think my chances are % wise? how do i stack up against other people you know who have been accepted to northwestern? any help is appreciated.</p>

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<p>I don't have much experience with applying to colleges, but I think you should desist worrying about ECs. You have shown a progressive interest in journalism through writing for various programs, so all you need to do is play yourself up and make yourself interesting in your application.</p>

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<p>I actually think you have a pretty good chance. Of course, we can't tell you your percent chances of acceptance, since most of us are high schoo students struggling with admissions ourselves. However, I think you're chances are great! Northwestern is a great school, but with your stats, as long as your essay and rec's are great, you'll have an awesome chance! Personally, I'd give you maybe 75% chance of admittance...but then again, I'm just a kid. I really think you'll get in ED, but don't become cocky, because admissions are weird!</p>

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<p>i really appreciate the great advice from everyone and the prompt replies -- thank you!</p>

<p>dual, good post, and i understand that we're all kids here and we can only speculate about chances and that admissions ARE weird, but the LAST thing i'm going to do is become cocky -- though i'd certainly like to believe that my chances are 75% (or, hopefully, better)</p>

<p>the only thing that worries me is that all the other students that post on various websites and forums that are applying to northwestern have better "stats" and ECs, etc. than I do -- and if they're worried about their chances (some ED), then that makes me worry more about my chances :/ -- the whole admissions process has been labeled a crapshoot essentially--there are no givens</p>

<p>so i'll just hope and pray that what i've done so far is good enough and that i'll be happy come Dec. 15 when I'm notified -- any and all reflections/comments/opinions are welcome -- i've enjoyed what's been said so far</p>

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<p>bump -- all help welcome :)</p>

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<p>bump - this is about the only thing preventing me from having a totally peaceful, relaxful summer and so i'd like everyone's opinion/comments :P</p>

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<p>you have a great chance. good chance ED, and good chance RD if deferred. don't sweat it...you've done a great job, & a good school (hopefully northwestern) will open its doors to you.</p>

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<p>aww don't worry about people with better stats than you... coming from someone who almost cried last year at this time when i first came on CC and read people's stats who applied/were applying to northwestern. What i've learned? ignore it. you'll be happier that way. After reading people's posts, i pretty much figured I had no chance getting into northwestern ED for Medill =). (same major as u!).. to the point were, i refused to check online for my admittance on dec. 15th.. instead, i found out through mail that i got in =D. As far as chances goes i think you have have a pretty decent shot at medill. I mean..they like intrest in journalism and you've shown it by writing for a website. (pretty much what people who apply to medill often do... which I Didn't -_- hence my belief in rejection) But, my personal belief is that dedication to wanting to be a journalism is important too in admission. (4 yrs of yearbook for me +2 in middle school), EIC senior year. As you said yourself "i'll just hope and pray that what i've done so far is good enough and that i'll be happy come Dec. 15 when I'm notified". Write a good and honest essay that shows who are and you'll be just fine, and keep your grades up..dont have senioritis. And, remember, no matter the results you know you did all that you can and you should take pride in that. BTW, just out of curiosity, will you be an editor on your newspaper next year? cause that's also a nice plus to have on the ECside. ( i lacked jobs and ECs too.. or so i belived.. compared to other ppl's lists.. mine was quite.. er short.)
Good Luck!!!!.. heh.. reading ur post title.. reminds me of myself last year at this time.. I was SOOOOOOOOOOOO nervous about applying... northwestern was my first choice too for awhile. It didnt help that Princeton review webite ranked my chances as "reach" and a friend of mine's as "match". Again.. good luck and dont worry about chances so much (easier said than done i know) =D less stress.</p>

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<p>thanks for the great post m3 -- no, i won't be editor of my school newspaper since 11th grade was the first year that i wrote for them and most of my time was devoted to standardized tests and homework, not exactly the school newspaper -- i'm starting to feel a little bit more confident with these replies and i'm glad that the rest of you think that I have a pretty good shot -- writing is what i'm most passionate about and it's what I take very seriously in school, so hopefully I can write an essay reflecting how much writing means to me and adequately show off my true colors</p>

<p>stamb -- northwestern doesn't defer ED, and if you don't make it ED, it's the same decision for RD (they said that at a group session thing that Northwestern held in Philadelphia)</p>

<p>i wish i had an older sibling to guide me through this process and tell me what classes to take and what to get involved in from the beginning of high school (which i plan to do for my sister when she enters HS in fall 2006), but what's done is done at this point and I just hope that Northwestern thinks that I'm good enough for Medill, because I know that I could turn out to be something great with their nurturing.</p>

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<p>.. i wish i had an older sibling too.. it would've helped..(only child -_-) haha.. just for kicks.. i was re reading your first post.. about people and super high AP scores... my AP scores were.. 4,3,4, no 5s as of yet...Now... how exactly do people on the east coast/midwest (specifically evanston) handle the cold? i'm from so. Cal.... talk about a major weather shock...</p>

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<p>well, i'm in a suburb of philadelphia, and it gets pretty cold here every winter. Over the past 10 years, I think there were actually 2 winters where we didn't even get a flake of snow, but even so, the temperature hovers around the teens a lot -- Granted, it's not Evanston, but since my mom works for the Philadelphia Eagles and we have season tickets, we're at all the home games, and come December and January at the end of the regular season/playoffs, it'll get to below 10, and below 0 with the wind chill -- sometimes it's not too fun sitting at the Linc for 3 hours as the wind whips across your face, but I'd never complain because I love the Eagles.</p>