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<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 Science</li>
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<p>Hmmm…the only thing that seems to hold you down is your GPA (which isn’t bad, but could be better). What is your grade trend? With only 3 APs so far that means you must be getting Bs in regular and honors classes…is there a reason for that, because if there is, make sure you talk about it in your essay. A 32 ACT score is decent for NU, but if you could pull a 33 or 34, you’d be in much better shape. How good are you at tennis? Do you play in any USTA tournaments? Are you good enough to get recruited? </p>
<p>Your leadership and extracirriculars (including volunteering) are strong. Do you have any awards in any of your extracirriculars? </p>
<p>If you can get your GPA/scores up, I think you will be a strong applicant to McCormick. By the way, I also applied to McCormick :). As for the research thing, I’ll PM you later when I’m not busy studying for midterms. Remind me if I forget. Good luck!</p>
<p>Haha thanks for your input! Freshman year, I really didn’t realize how my grades would ultimately impact me. I was dumb. That’s what really brought down my GPA. I probably got 2 Bs, and a C+ in both Honors Bio & Honors Geometry (gaaaah). But last year, I really turned things around. All As and A-s (with like 2 B+s) in basically the most demanding courseload my school offers. I’ve been at the top of the top JV team for tennis since freshman year. At most schools, I’d be on varsity by now, but not mine…hopefully I make it this spring? I hope to do really well in Forensics this year (state finalist?) and think I will. Robotics, I know weve done well at states before. Hopefully I’ll have some leadership role in NHS next year. I’m doing my best to increase my GPA, and I WILL get my scores up, haha. Based on what I’ve told you about tennis, do you think I should enter some USTA tournaments? Maybe to show I am decent? Not good enough to get recruited though, haha. Are you a girl? Do you think it’s kinda a hook to be a girl into engineering. Would a summer internship/research strengthen my resume? Also, advice on ED/RD? thanks! :)</p>
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<p>Yup…I’m pretty sure a lot of kids didn’t realize it either at the time (like me). </p>
<p>It sounds like if you did play in tournaments, you’d probably be playing 6.5-7.0 level tournaments, of course I’ve never seen you play, so I’m not sure. If you have a strong passion for tennis and plan to keep playing in college then by all means go for it. It will show dedication to the sport, and maybe you could win some trophies or something.
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<p>Nope, I’m a boy.</p>
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<p>In general, yes. How much of a hook? I’m not sure.</p>
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<p>It would definitely strengthen your resume, but more importantly, it would give you an insight into the lives of scientists, and you will have a lot of laboratory experience working with them. </p>
<p>I would not recommend a summer internship becuase it is not nearly enough time to do research. I would, however, advise working with a professor at a nearby university during the school year. Here’s my advice for getting research done in high school: </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/1063562-math-competitions-research.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/1063562-math-competitions-research.html</a></p>
<p>Mine’s post #3 on there.</p>
<p>As for RD/ED- apply ED if you are 100% sure NU is your #1 choice. Having said that, NU is getting a lot more competitive as the years progress (record number of applicants this year).</p>
<p>Really, thanks so much! I hope things work out the way I want them to. And what was your GPA? What year are you? Haha, sorry for all the questions; I just LOVE Northwestern and its curricula/opportunities! Are you involved in their co-op program? Im sure I wanna go to NU (if I can afford it), but im wondering if sending in my first tri senior year grades will raise my GPA? Or will it ultimately not matter seeing as I’ll probably be up against more competitive applicants? Lol</p>
<p>PS: good luck on midterms! what was the “legend”? if you stay up all night and study in that one building that looks like books, and see the sun rise, it’s good luck? Hahaha. Also, how should I mention that I didn’t realize the seriousness of my high school grades frosh year? (got like all As in middle school by the way lol.) and is my parents always fighting/family stress a good reason for sub-par grades? Is it worth it to re-take honors geom & bio? Or should I just prove I know it (geom) now by scoring well on the SAT, and spend my summer doing something more worthwhile? I actually asked some senior involved with admissions when I visited, and he said not to. But idk. And again, sorry to bombard you with questions! You’re very helpful though.</p>
<p>As I have indicated earlier, I am currently an applicant to McCormick (you should know that…since you CHANCED me lol); I do not attend Northwestern. My school uses the weighted GPA system, and my GPA using that system is 4.504 and class rank is 20/538. I can’t answer your other NU questions because I don’t go there. You should try asking current students in the NU forum. </p>
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<p>Talk to your guidance counselor.</p>
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<p>Depends. I would say no, though. </p>
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Take it again during the summer or something and show you can get an A and that you have matured from the first time you have taken it. BUT, if that means not applying to summer programs then I don’t think it’s worth it. You didn’t fail the classes so it wouldn’t really be necessary to retake them. It’s your call, though.</p>