How lacking are my ECs for Northwestern ED?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northwestern University
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Hi, I’m applying to Northwestern ED this year, but my ECs are mostly academic/service (honors research program, math tutor, medical club, NHS, SNHS, special education tutor) and not varsity sports/debate/DECA or anything fancy like that… I’m a section leader in my school’s concert symphonic band and was in track my freshman year but that’s it for those types of ECs… Plus, I will have over 800 service hours for several volunteer organizations/programs (including ones abroad) by the end of the summer.

How screwed are my ECs for Northwestern ED? I’m really worried that I haven’t done enough with my high school career and don’t want to come off as lazy. If it helps to judge, my stats are okay (3.98 UW/4.74W/35ACT) and I’m middle income and multiracial.

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Your HS ECs SHOULD only be what you wanted to do - so don’t worry about what NU or any other school is looking for. Also, keep in mind that ECs are only as important as Rec Letters, Essay per the NU Common Data Set (Look at Page 7). If you don’t get into NU - there are plenty of excellent schools out there - but IMHO - you have done a heck of a lot, so enjoy your last year and HAVE SOME FUN!

http://enrollment.northwestern.edu/pdf/common-data/2014-15.pdf

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@nugraddad thank you so much. It’s definitely a struggle for me to enjoy the remainder of my high school career as I’m obsessing over college admissions and getting into a few dream schools

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@misusedsemicolon I think you’re in pretty decent shape for ED imo.

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@Boothie007 do you really think so? I’m mostly worried that I’m in a bad position because most of my outside-of-academics activities are in volunteering and not DECA or key club etc…

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key club is a community service club haha but I think you’ll be fine! if volunteering is important to you you should pursue that instead of other ecs that you don’t actually enjoy

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@lilia3 haha, I know that key club is a service club. I was mostly conveying that I’m not too involved in popular in-school clubs

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I wouldn’t worry about the in-school ECs. Volunteer/service work can be very compelling, depending upon how you work it into your narrative. I think your ED application will be very solid.
Good luck!

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@WCASParent thank you!!!

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NU doesn’t care that much about ECs unless they’re special like your research program, which sounds awesome. Stats are good. They put a lot of weight on essays like their supplement essay. As their president has said, they really appreciate students who show that they are committed to NU and will love to be a student there. Applying ED will help a lot. You do not look lazy at all. Good luck!

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