Chances for Northwestern and UChicago?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

So I’m applying for a Northwestern Medical Discovery Program and also applying for research studies and internship at UChicago.

Can this increase the chances for Northwestern and UChicago if I get accepted to these programs? Can my chances for other colleges increase because of these studies and programs? Thank you so much!

Here are my stats:
Major BioChem
I go to a SUPER competitive hs!
State: Illinois
Income: 200k +
Indian

Unweighted GPA: 3.8(9) Will Go Higher in the Future
Weighted GPA: 4.1(9) Aiming for 4.5

PSAT: 1200 Aiming For 1550 On SAT

EC’s
Swimming Team JV (9)
Debate (10)
Sophomore Class Board (10)
Vex Robotics (9, 10)
NHS (10, 11, 12)
FMP (Freshman Mentor Program) (11)

Community Service: Aiming for Leadership and 350+ All Hours documented
Senior Home Care 32+ Hours (10) Aiming for 200 Hours, very consistent time set, and the volunteer manager loves me
Sophomore Class Board 5+ Hours (10) will receive about 50 hours by the end of this year, planning a lot of big events in our school
Library Work 10+ Hours (10) just over the breaks and summer, probably 40 hours by the time I apply
Innerview Community Services 10+ Hours (10) Probably 100+ and very consistent
Leading a Group In Senior Home Care Activities 0+ Hours (10) I lead a bunch of my friends at senior home care activities, probably 75+, just started

Fundraisers:
Give - a - thon (30+ Hours) (10)

Medical Related Activities:
Senior Home Care (30+ Hours)(10) Aiming for 200 as listed above
Physical Therapist Shadowing (2+ Hours)(10) Aiming for 50 hours
Northwestern Medicine Discovery Program (10, 11) Very hard to get into, will be attending for next two years if accepted
Some sort of a Medicine Program (11)

Research Studies:
Bio Studies at UChicago (11)
Dr. Rubins Medical Camp (11)

Research Internships: None Yet?
Aiming for a Research Internship at Stanford (11 or 12)

Awards: Need MANY more awards
NHS (10)
Vex Robotics Design and Judges Award (9)
Participated in National Tournament in Robotics and was Team Designer (9)
Merit and Honor Award In Community Service (10)

2

Bump

3

Your EC’s are very good. Just my opinion it’s a bit of a stretch to believe you will go from a psat 1200 to a SAT of 1550

4

@Nicki20 I’m just a sophomore and just started studying for the SAT. I’ll be taking some classes and more so hopefully I can get to 1500+?!

5

@Nicki20 Also thanks for your reply!

6

…If you’re a sophomore, you can’t say for certain what your ECs are going to be when you’re a senior. And saying “I’m aiming for X score” is meaningless–what kind of improvement do you think you can legitimately make based on prior academic performance? (I’m not saying that 1500+ is out of the picture–it’s not–but predictions don’t always come true, especially with such finicky things as SAT scores.)

You just started your sophomore year. You’re not applying to Northwestern and UChicago for another two years; in two years, you’ll probably have different schools. Have fun and do your best in high school, and then come back senior year and ask again.

7

Just to be realistic, I wouldn’t bank on a 1550 SAT score. I also got a 1200 PSAT and the highest SAT I got was a 1450 (that said I probably don’t have as much access to premier test prep programs as you do). Given your math and science background, I’d recommend taking the PreACT or practice tests in order to prepare for the ACT, as you’re likely to do better on it. You seem like you have everything planned out and forecasted for the next few years. I’d be wary of that. Just enjoy yourself and actively explore what you’re going to find makes you happy. In sophomore year I wanted to be a microbiologist with a dual major in theatre, now I want to do Poli Sci and IR. Don’t bank on anything because you’re likely going to change a lot over the next few years.

As to the research programs for UChicago and Northwestern. I have a friend who goes to Northwestern and another who goes to UChicago, and both of them say that the school doesn’t care whether you’ve taken classes or interned at the University. What matters are the connections you make with professors during those programs. If you demonstrate you are a good student and ‘fit in’ at the school, and you make yourself known, then those professors may feel inclined to remember you and put in a good word for you over at admissions. But personally I don’t think spending the money for those programs for the off chance you make a lasting impression on a professor is worth it. If you’re truly passionate about biochemistry, I recommend creating your own opportunities. My friend who just got accepted into Harvard last year (I feel bad showing off these friends–they’re truly one in a million people-- but they’ve given me valuable insight into the elite universities) founded a biotech start-up with some of his friends in local universities and made his own groundbreaking research on sleep disorders through there. If you want to show you are truly the top in biochem, do your own research without the insane backing and oversight of these universities. Good luck!

8

@SirStencil

Thanks so much for your reply!

Basically, tests and grades are more important than EC or outside of school work.

Programs and research are not very important?

How am I supposed to create my own opportunities?

Thanks!

9

Test scores and grades are important, to a point. You need to at least do well enough in order to be considered. Realistically, this means scoring a 1450 or higher. Then EC really skyrocket in importance.

I’d just like to clarify what I meant: research programs through colleges are great, but they’re not that original since anyone with a pocketbook and halfway decent test scores can do that. Research through a professor is better, and research with a professional is even better (by that I mean a career biochemist).

As for creating your own opportunities, doing so is one of the best ways to stand out to colleges. Showing that you didn’t just apply to a program, that you went out and created something for yourself to enrich your learning goes a long way.

10

Summer programs are a great way to solidify your interest in certain areas but rarely does it boost your admission chances at a specific university. Where it could help is in the “why us” essay because you’ve spent time on campus and have made some connections.

And yes, your hard stats are the most important part of your application. If your GPA and test scores aren’t in the ballpark, the rest isn’t going to matter much. ECs, including research, volunteering, etc… are important too but they aren’t going to make up for a deficit in another part of your application.

11

you only have space for ten EC’s, including clubs, work, volunteering, and anything else like that, it seems that you are already over that limit. So, I’d spend less time on the frivolous ones that aren’t too important and find the ones that you actually devote your time to. I counted 18 ECs, and there since there also space for only 5 awards, you don’t need “many more”.