<p>Ever since visiting NU over the summer it's been one of my top choices...and yet I can't seem to really put it into words. For one thing, one of my favorite reasons for loving NU is Chicago and the campus (particularly the proximity to Lake Michigan, which I think is great for a biology major), both of which I hear are not good for this type of essay. Is there anything special I should touch on for both an aspiring musician and biologist? Opportunities for research? Mentioning Chicago/Lake Michigan somewhere?</p>
<p>Your primary focus should be how Northwestern is good academic fit for you. Lake Michigan and Chicago should be secondary to this, obviously. Numerous other students are probably going to mention Lake Michigan and Chicago in their essays, but this also doesn't mean you shouldn't mention it. I think you should go think more deeply WHY Northwestern is fit for you...then strategize on how you can best express your love for the school.</p>
<p>I'm not sure about lake michigan, but mentioning Chicago is definitely legitimate. There are so many academic/learning opportunities associated with being so close to such a great city that it would be strange to not mention it. I'm sure it is a big attraction to many prospective NU students.</p>
<p>but obviously don't make it the main focus of the essay. I also talked about the students, the outstanding faculty, etc. But re-reading my essay now, I realize it could have been talking about almost any ivy league/ upper tier university. I wouldn't stress out too much about this part of the application.</p>
<p>Alright, it's just that so many people seem to say that Northwestern in particular puts a great deal of weight in this essay, so I've been slightly worried.</p>
<p>Just do your best. If you need to, do some research on NU's programs/campus...also, a visit makes it much easier to write about the school and the city.</p>
<p>What I did was focus on two areas that really appeal to me, the MMSS program and Northwestern's great debate tradition. I tied in specific info I had learned through research and why these things fit with my personality and what I want to do. I'm pretty happy with how my essay came out, personally.</p>
<p>I think when people say that NU puts a great deal of emphasis on the Why NU essay is because applicants should want to be part of the NU community -- a knowledgeable applicant is (usually) an enthused and highly interested and involved one.</p>
<p>So could it also be interpreted as what I could bring to the campus? I'd love to participate in the performing arts department even as a non-music major, such as with the strong theater arts program, though I'm not sure if that's just restricted to music majors.</p>
<p>hm, i too included a bit about the lake/campus in general. Although that actually is part of why i want to go i don't want to be the same as everyone else, especially since i need to make up for my low scores.</p>
<p>i realize how incredibly desperate and pathetic this may seem, but does anyone want to read over/evaluate my essay? just pm me if you do, it would be appreciated to no end.</p>
<p>Just so you know, Enteril, from what I've heard from others and from what I've read while doing my own little "research" on NU, it's very possible to be involved in theatre and music even if you're not majoring in either subject. A friend of mine is a junior and english major at NU, for example, and in his sophomore year he was able to co-direct a small play in the theatre department. Apparently there are plenty of opportunities to cross over into different fields and participate. And like you, I don't plan on majoring in music at NU but want to continue playing my instrument for all four years of college. Fortunately, NU has a nice selection of concert bands, quartets, and ensembles open to non-music majors. You might want to consider looking into that and integrating it into your essay if it's important to you.</p>
<p>And as a side note, I don't see what is so wrong about including info about Chicago and Lake Michigan in your essay, particularly if you apply it your intentions to study biology - to me it shows an awareness of what the campus location can offer you career-wise. But obviously, you want to keep it brief because, as kimfuge said, it's not exactly personal to NU - you could copy and paste that same information into an essay about Loyola-Chicago, Columbia College, or UIC. </p>
<p>You might want to visit NU's website and click around a bit, particularly on the biology and music department's pages. You might come across some information that would be useful in your essay.</p>