<p>Northwestern is ED for me. Absolutely. I have (what I think is) a great supplemental essay and regular common application essay prepared for when I actually do apply. I am worried, however, that my chances won't be great. That's why I'm here.</p>
<p>GPA: 3.8 UW, 4.2 W
IB Program (I have already taken one IB Exam a year early and received a 6/7 on it)
Applying to Engineering School for NW
SAT: 660 M, 700 CR, 690 W (2050)
ACT: 28 M, 28 S, 35 E, 35 W (32)
PSAT: 70 M, 80 CR, 69 W (219, National Merit Semifinalist!!!)</p>
<p>Obviously, my math is on the downside for the engineering school. I am far, far better in actual application of math and have always had a fascination for engineering and all of its components. </p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
Regional Writing Contest Grand Prize Winner, grade 9.
5th Place Nationally in Academic Bowl Program, grade 10.
Model UN: Best Resolution, Outstanding Delegate, grade 11.
3rd Place in HOSA Regional Competition, grade 11.
National Honor Society.
Spanish National Honor Society.
Peer Tutoring.
Tutoring at Elementary School every Monday.
Pep Club President.
Concordia Language Villages for a month; earned a credit for Spanish over 10th grade summer.
120 hours volunteer work at zoo.
Quizbusters (Trivia) TV Show participant.
Have held a job as a waiter, worked 20 hours a week on average, for the past 2 years. </p>
<p>I am applying Early Decision and have an interview set up. How do my chances look? </p>
<p>You’re definitely a candidate, but those test scores are on the lower side for a school like Northwestern. </p>
<p>If you have an interview, you should be less concerned about your test scores, and more about discussing why you think you are a good fit for Northwestern. Talk about your extracurriculars, your passion for math/engineering, and what makes you sure that Northwestern would help you achieve higher educational studies, especially in an environment that is highly competitive and challenging. </p>
<p>I would fare away from earlier events in high school (i.e. 9th and 10th grade things) and focus more on long term issues you have tackled and overcome - whether that be something you did at the zoo, or a project you might have created to address a problem you see in the world/your community. And if you’re set on engineering (which you don’t have to be), make sure you talk about your strengths in math/computational studies, and how you overcame your weaknesses.</p>
<p>Good luck! You’re on the right path, my friend!</p>
<p>I did not take the Math II Subject test. I am actually retaking the SAT this October.
Considering I received a 219 on the PSAT, and I have been consistently receiving 2150-2250 on my practice tests, I see no reason why my score would not improve. I’m pretty optimistic about this.</p>
<p>ALSO! This may not seem like a huge deal, but I think I can play it right. I was born at Evanston Hospital, which just so happens to be two minutes away from Northwestern University. I have moved around my entire life and plan on touching upon the fact that there is a great deal of sentimental value in returning to the place that brought me into the world in order to develop into the person I need to be to enjoy success later in life. </p>
With all due respect, they are not going to care. There are so many applicants, they can’t afford to be sentimental. They are going to admit most qualified/fit students. Your math scores are low for engineering.</p>
<p>My younger daughter also did IB program. She did very well in IB math, but she had to study on her own for math 2. She was a humanities student, but managed to get over 700 for math 2. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry about your interview. Unless you do very badly, it would have no impact on your application.</p>
<p>Well, I do appreciate your honesty. I probably will throw something about that in the supplemental essay, but I’m not banking on it getting me in. I just hope that everything here will get me in.</p>
<p>If I can improve my score to, say, a 700M 700W 800 CR (2200), how much will it improve my chances? Is it worth putting in the effort to get that score? The scores I currently have on the SAT and ACT were with absolutely no preparation. Literally none. </p>
<p>Math is the easiest one to bring up by doing a lot of practice tests, that’s what I would focus on. One should never take any tests without prep because most schools will see them.</p>
<p>Well, NU recommends that all applicants take two SAT subject tests. If you are interested in engineering, I would strongly suggest you take Math II. A score of 800 or very close is likely required.</p>
<p>When do you plan on taking your subject tests? Your present ACT and math portion of your SAT are really too low for Northwestern Engineering.</p>
<p>Don’t submit your SAT score but definitely submit your ACT score. Keep your mind open to schools like Georgia Tech, UIUC, and other strong engineering publics.</p>
<p>You should take your time to improve your score and apply RD. Having mediocre GPA/score and applying ED would not help. Your Math scores are really weak for McCormick.</p>
<p>A 32 ACT is not “mediocre” for Northwestern. In fact, the score of the average person walking around the campus today…no, not athletes or legacies…but just a regular student…is 32. </p>
<p>That said, I would rethink that essay topic. An insight given by Duke last year has really stuck with me…“Writing in your essay that you really really want to attend Duke and that’s why we should let you in is not going to work.” And the poster above is right that sentimental appeals seldom work…its harsh to say but they don’t work… </p>
<p>For McCormick, ACT 32 was the 25th percentile of enrolled freshmen in 2013. The 25th percentile for Math section score was 33 whereas OP has 28. SAT Math 25th percentile was 710 (680 for OP). Again, that is from enrolled freshmen stat. Admission stat should be slightly higher. So ACT 32 is indeed mediocre for McCormick. SAT 2050 is also below the 25th percentile.</p>
<p>After reading all this, I am very discouraged. I had hoped my PSAT scores would help my case. But alas, that is not the case… </p>
<p>I find myself drawn more to the business school, but feel McCormick would do the best job of preparing me to be totally successful. But maybe I should reconsider my options and forget about applying to Northwestern entirely. I appreciate the help.</p>
<p>PSAT=PRELIMINARY Scholastic Aptitude Test. You still need high scores on the actual SAT and subject tests if you want to get into a highly competitive engineering program like NU.</p>
<p>" The scores I currently have on the SAT and ACT were with absolutely no preparation. Literally none." Why did you do that? I’m curious why you would take those important exams with “absolutely no preparation”.</p>
<p>This is a question I often ask myself. And, to be honest, I do not have a great answer for it. I would chalk it up to laziness. At this point, I am completely willing to put in the work necessary to improve my score (and have done so, and seen results). </p>