Early Application: Northwestern ED vs Notre Dame and Georgetown EA

College Search & Selection
1

Hello! I’m a white Catholic guy from an Arizona Catholic school, and I need some advice on my early applications for next year. Here are some brief stats:

ACT: 35
SAT-II: 800 (U.S.), taking Math 2 and Bio-M in May
GPA: 4.0/4.4 (top 5% for sure, but there are no class ranks)

I’m stuck between applying Northwestern ED to the Medill School of Journalism (world renown) where I would want to double major in economics. My other option is to apply EA to Notre Dame and Georgetown. I’d be going for International Business at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service (#1 in the nation in poly science, maybe even the world). I’d probably do the Mendoza Business School at ND with a minor in PPE.

I love all three schools and think they’re all great fits––I like Northwestern the most. I just don’t know which early application option to chose. I NEED, for my own sanity, to get in somewhere early, so I at least have an option I’m happy with by Christmas. I think I have a good chance at all 3. Northwestern ED––24% acceptance rate. Georgetown EA––15%. Notre Dame––15%.

I have gotten into ND’s Leadership Seminars pre-college program and am super excited to attend that this summer. Reportedly, 98% of those kids end up getting into Notre Dame at some point in the process. I am tempted to go for Georgetown and Notre Dame early, but then I might not end up getting into Northwestern during RD.

I don’t know. I just really want to know that I can go to one of the three by the new year. That’s basically my only criterion for this choice. Thanks for your help and advice!

2

You can apply both EA and ED. It is just that if you are accepted ED and the financial aid package is acceptalbe to your family, then you are expected to take that admission offer and withdraw all of your other applications.

3

Applying early will give you the biggest boost at Northwestern. I recommend applying ED to Northwestern if you’re sure you’d be happy to attend if admitted and that it’s affordable.

If you really want an acceptance by December, look for less selective EA options that you can combine with Northwestern ED – Wheaton (MA) or Furman, for example.

Boston College, Georgetown, and Notre Dame do not allow their EA applicants to apply ED elsewhere. They’re aware they usually play second fiddle to the Ivies and similar schools.

4

The acceptance rates for this past early admission cycle were NU 26%, ND 25% and Gtown 13%. Gtown is one of the rare schools where their early acceptance rate is lower than the rate for the regular round. Also, just FYI, Notre Dame has an International Economics major in the College of Arts & Letters, if that’s of any interest to you. But you can only apply to either that college or Mendoza, not both. Link is below. Good luck with your decision :slight_smile:

https://economics.nd.edu/undergraduate-program/academic-programs/international-economics-major/