Do I have a chance? RD

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northwestern University
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<p>Hi everyone! I really appreciate anyone who takes the time to give me feedback on my chances.</p>

<p>White/Jewish/Female
public high school, magnet program</p>

<p>GPA: 4.122
Class rank: 24 out of 741
ACT: 34
SAT I: 730 CR, 710 M, 720 W (2160)
SAT II: 740 World History, 730 Math II, 650 Chem
APs: World History: 4, European History: 4, Physics B: 3, Calculus AB: 4, Chemistry: 3, U.S. History: 5, English Language and Comp.: 5
12th grade classes: Jazz Ensemble, AP Eng. Lit and Comp., AP Calc BC, honors French 3, AP Macro/AP Econ, Adv. Band, AP Biology</p>

<p>ECs:
drum major of marching band (band: 9, 10, 11, 12)
section leader in jazz band (10, 11, 12)
started and run my own klezmer band (klezmer is a genre of Jewish folk music)
president of barbershop quartet club (10, 11, 12)
have taken art classes for 10 years
art teacher's TA at summer camp
Skirball Cultural Center (museum) volunteer in Family Programs</p>

<p>Awards:
AP Scholar with Distinction
National Merit Semi-Finalist
Clarice Chapman Music Scholarship</p>

<p>1 letter of rec from physics and chem teacher (he says it's glowing), 1 from my Euro and U.S. history teacher, 1 from counselor</p>

<p>Anyway, I am applying RD, but NU is definitely my first choice. What do you guys think? I'm freaking out over here! >.<</p>

<p>(Also, I'm not applying to the music school, I'm applying to the engineering school for civil eng.)</p>

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<p>Anyone? I’d really appreciate it</p>

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<p>Rank and scores are great. But, AP Scores are iffy, grade inflation present?? SAT 2 scores decent. How competitive is your school? Do students get into top colleges?</p>

<p>I think your biggest problem will be the wide gap between your ECs and your intended major. </p>

<p>I’m not qualified to judge your chances, but I do think your ECs will hurt you in the eyes of the admission officer.</p>

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<p>I think you’re competitive. I don’t think the ECs will be a problem because if anything, it shows you’re multi-dimensional. Females applying to engineering also have a slight advantage though you don’t need it since your profile is very strong.</p>

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<p>My school regularly sends grads to top schools, many ivies, Stanford, etc</p>

<p>And, no grade inflation, I’m just a bad test-taker</p>

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<p>And by bad test-taker, I mean it’s hard for me to do math under pressure</p>

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<p>You’re a solid applicant. Yes, your AP scores are underwhelming, but as a woman applying to engineering with those numbers, I think you’ve got a pretty fair shot.
Good luck!</p>

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<p>Maybe I’m missing something here, but how do her ECs show she is multidimensional if none of her ECs listed relate, in the slightest bit, to engineering?</p>

<p>I can’t speak for NU, but for other top engineering schools, like MIT and Caltech, this would severely hurt her application.</p>

<p>I guess what I’m trying to get at is her passion shown from her ECs is incongruous with her intended major.</p>

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<p>Well, it’s multidimensional because it shows she can do math and science without having them rule her life. She’s engaged in other pursuits, which for some people is perfectly natural and fine. I guess some people in engineering are all about engineering and that’s fine but for others, doing so might actually hinder their personal development if they have other interests they’d like to pursue. Whatever you do, do it because you love it, otherwise it will come off as contrived.</p>

<p>I just realized though, for engineering, your 3 in physics, calculus and chemistry aren’t the best but your other scores are certainly strong. Would admissions make a big deal out of it? I don’t know. You do say you have a glowing rec from your science teacher so that certainly counts for something. I’m guessing you have strong grades in math/science classes as well?</p>

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<p>I say you should update your Santa List and get a Purple NU sweatshirt for your Winter Solstice present. My D’s numbers were similar, and women in Eng are golden.</p>

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<p>Well, I’m applying as a civil engineer with the intention of doing the architectural engineering and design concentration. My why NU essay is about how the program combines art with math and how that’s good for me, so some of my ECs aren’t too far off the mark</p>

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<p>Just don’t put those 3s on the application. Colleges do not require them.</p>

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<p>Well, NU is a more well-rounded school, WongTongTong. I fail to see what’s bad about an engineering applicant who is about more than math and science.</p>

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<p>WongTongTong, I know some kids accepted to MIT and Caltech on the virtue of not being one-dimensional. One kid swears he was recruited for theater, of all things, because he did not distinguish himself with any math and science extracurriculars and had a subpar gpa (he also had other cards to play). Furthermore, Northwestern places a strong emphasis on an interdisciplinary, integrative academic experience and I highly doubt that any passion would ever hurt the applicant. To be honest, we do not know what any of these adcoms, even ours, are looking for, and we can only wish future applicants the best of luck.</p>

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<p>It’s not that she is more about math and science, it’s just that from what she has posted, she is not at all about math or science.</p>

<p>Obviously she is really passionate about music and art and has definitely distinguished herself in those fields, but I don’t see any awards (or ECs) in the math or science department- and the 3s don’t help either.</p>

<p>I guess what I don’t get is why she wants to do engineering? I would never guess, from that kind a resume, that she would choose engineering. Idk.</p>

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<p>Let’s not be silly here. The number of kids who apply for engineering at MIT and Caltech who get in for ‘theater’ are far less than the number of people that get because of math and science related activities. </p>

<p>And if you want proof, go check the EA decision threads and show me one person who got in because of theater, or art, or music. </p>

<p>Anyway, we’re (mostly me) deviating from the original purpose of this thread. </p>

<p>Well, good luck to you toby!</p>

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<p>I’m not applying to MIT or Caltech, and yes, my ECs don’t show a lot of engineering stuff, but I’m applying with the intention of doing architecture, and my essay explains a lot of the concerns WongTongTong seems to have</p>

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<p>Also, thanks to everyone for giving me your opinions :)</p>

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<p>Well, WongTongTong, there are cultures and college systems in which merit is derived solely from quantitative grades in related areas, and there are cultures and college systems in which merit is derived from a combo of qualitative and quantitative factors, including what makes the person more interesting than just being academically inclined. I’m guessing by your screen name you come from a culture where you’re used to the former, but in general, the US, and NU in particular, is the latter. So your query as to why would NU be interested in a future engineer who shows a lot of non-engineering related interests and EC’s makes no sense in a US context. It might make all the sense in the world in other cultures.</p>

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<p>Also, mildcat, I got a 4 on the calc AP, and I’m continuing with calc BC this year, which I think they’ll like to see</p>