<ul>
<li>high school junior (Class of 2012) at a competitive public high school</li>
<li>Caucasian female from metro-Detroit, Michigan</li>
<li>all Honors/APs (most rigorous possible) - AP US History in sophomore year (4), AP Euro History & AP Lang junior year</li>
<li>senior year courseload: AP Calc BC, AP Physics, AP Lit, AP Gov, AP French, Yearbook</li>
<li>cumulative GPA (so far): ~3.75 UW, 4.35 W (high honor roll all 4 years)</li>
<li>school does not rank</li>
<li>ACT: 32 (haven't yet taken SAT; will take Physics & Math II SAT IIs later this year - will study and probably do well)</li>
<li>Major ECs: Varsity Forensics Team (Broadcasting category) [10, 11, 12], Tennis Team [9, 10, 11, 12], Robotics Team [11, 12], National Honor Society, editor-in-chief of state-awarded school's yearbook [11, 12 (on staff during 10th too)]</li>
<li>founder and president of a Haiti relief club at my school; hosts fundraisers and will make a summer 2011 trip</li>
<li>volunteering: Detroit summer relief work (providing free day care to underprivileged children, painting murals, picking up trash, gardening), food banks, Interact Club at school, local art center summer day camp counselor, Safety Town summer camp instructor, tutoring, middle school Forensics coach, Haiti (over 200 hours)</li>
<li>work: babysitting (recently-certified lifeguard; plan on applying for a position at local pools or swim instructor)</li>
<li>good student; am asking my yearbook advisor/AP Gov teacher for a rec letter and my Honors/AP Physics teacher (who both like me/know me)</li>
<li>good writer; plan on writing about my dual interest in engineering and journalism and how NU is ideal for me for the supplement essay</li>
<li>will apply to the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science</li>
</ul>
<p>Applying as a regular candidate will be tough, if you truly want to go to Northwestern I would suggest applying early decision. Chances are relatively good.</p>
<p>You’re chances are okay. NU is a low reach. I’d say your best shot at getting in would be to apply early decision, but only do that if you’re SURE thats where you want to go.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. Jw, one of my biggest concerns is financing it. I’ll get a part-time job, but how do these people afford these colleges? My dad’s retired and my mom spends way too much so we have to draw money from his retirement fund, so apparently that appears as income on the FAFSA? And I guess - because of her excessive spending albeit the fact that she’s a substitute elementary school teacher and my dad’s retired - it looks like we spend a ton and are “extremely wealthy” although we’re not? My dad’s worried we wont get any FA. What did you people do? Loans?</p>
<p>You have some good stats there! Strong ACT score and strong grades, not to mention good ECs. Northwestern isn’t easy to get into but I think you are a real contender. You could apply ED if you really feel the school is for you, but be aware that you might change your mind in the time from December to September. Either way, your chances are great!</p>
<p>Chance me as well?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1072856-transfer-chances-unc-ch-duke-ill-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1072856-transfer-chances-unc-ch-duke-ill-chance-back.html</a></p>
<p>Is a 3.7 unweighted GPA too low for NU? that’s my biggest concern. I looked up my official transcript and it was a little worse than I thought. :(</p>