I'm new here, but i think i'm supposed to say chance me? :P

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northwestern University
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<p>Hey CC community, I recently joined this site, so if i'm missing any information, lemme know! </p>

<p>NU is and has been my dream school since middle school, my youth pastor went to NU and he was like a role model for me. I'm applying ED. </p>

<p>I'm still a sophomore, so all these numbers are ballpark numbers, so feel free to ignore my thread, haha! Anyway, here goes!</p>

<p>GPA: 3.4 out of a 4.0 scale (UW) [4.23 W] :(
ACT: 35
SAT: 2300
Class Rank: Top 10%
EC: Football Fresh/Soph years, Wrestling all four years, tennis Soph-Senior year, debate team, youth in government, NHS
AP: Taking 9-10 by the time i graduate
Course Rigor: I've taken all the most rigourous courses our school has to offer
Recs: Really good
Essay: Hopefully really good? </p>

<p>I think i caught everything, but i'm not sure. And yeah, i know this is a BIG reach for a school of NU's prestige. My GPA is pretty terrible, it makes me wanna cry. My class rank is also not that great, considering the school i'm going to isn't the most competetive one out there (hence 4.23 W GPA making top 10%). I've always been a great tester, and diagnostic tests + Plan tests put my score at 34, but i'm taking private classes that are ridiculously overpriced, which can hopefully bring my test score up just one point. I should perform similarily on the SATs, i took a sample SAT in 8th grade, and i performed really well. Oh, but here's the bombshell. I'm an asian male, so i kinda got screwed. :/ Oh yeah, I know my ECs are really weak, so i plan on joining as much clubs / participating in events as my schedule can handle, and i also volunteer every monday to help out at a homeless shelter. My GPA is terrible, but there is an upward trend, so hopefully that looks good? But my GPA & class rank is really freaking me out, hopefully my test scores outweigh my GPA? I'm going early decision, if that matters for anything. If you're still reading my rant, thanks for your time. :) Also, i'm pretty sure that i'm gonna test as well as i projected; in middle school i was always in the top 1% in my state (no nationwide standardized test was administered), and in high school i was in the top 1% of all college bound students (PLAN test; the ACT performance predictor provided by the ACT company). And i'm taking personalized classes to optimalize my performance. So guys, think i'll get in? If not, what are some other schools you can recommend for me?</p>

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<p>Also, while it’s up, i’m considering some other schools. Can you guys tell me what my chances are considering these schools ? Some of the schools i know i’ll get rejected by, but it doesn’t hurt to try.! :wink: </p>

<p>UCLA
UCBerkely
U of I in Urbana-Champaign
Boston College
Amherst
Claremont Mckenna
Stanford (ha, this isn’t happening)
Cornell
Dartmouth
UWash
U of wisconsin
U of michigan
Notre Dame</p>

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<p>Lol, a 4.23 GPA is LOW? Being in the Top 10% is BAD?</p>

<p>So… you’re going to be a junior next year? Just concentrate on challenging yourself and getting your GPA up. If you can get straight As, or close to that, your junior year, that’ll help your upward trend and your overall app.</p>

<p>Then as long as you can convey your genuine interest for the school in your essay, I don’t see why you wouldn’t get in. I got in with much lower objective qualifications, especially if your predicted test scores are correct.</p>

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<p>You don’t have to join as many clubs as your schedule can handle. From what I’ve heard, adcoms prefer that you’re heavily involved in a few ECs that you’re passionate about than that you have a laundry list full of things you only participated in to put on an application (and that you probably only participated in minimally because you did so many ECs).</p>

<p>I second julibelle that you should show genuine interest for NU in your “Why NU” essay. Do your research so you can put lots of things specific to NU in your essay.</p>

<p>And yes, your GPA is definitely your weak point. You should try to get that up. However, you’re right that an upward trend in GPA looks good, and being in the top 10% is good, and your test scores are fantastic. (Are you going to take any SAT II’s? Since you’re a strong test taker, you might want to consider that.)</p>

<p>Do you know what you want to major in yet? If not, don’t worry – you’re a sophomore in high school, you have tons of time to figure it out – but it can help the people chancing you to give you a better idea.</p>

<p>Overall, I’d say you have a decent chance. It’s great that you’re so passionate about NU. However, you still have half of high school ahead of you. Although it’s great to get an early start in thinking about college, what you want might change between now and when you apply. Just keep that in mind. :)</p>

<p>And you’re absolutely right – it doesn’t hurt to apply to reach schools. Who knows? There’s always a chance. Those other schools seem like solid choices, but I can’t help but wonder at the number of them. Are you actually planning to apply to all those schools? Or are they just schools you’re thinking about? </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Haha thanks a lot guys!</p>

<p>julibelle; a lot of people applying to NU seem to have significantly higher GPAs, and that 4.23 is weighted. :frowning: But that’s really encouraging to hear, because i’m something of a worrywart. And yeah, my test scores should be in that range, but i hope i can pull of a 36! </p>

<p>siemprecuriosa; Is the SAT II a requirement? but i’ll probably take it anyway. I have no idea what i’m gonna major in, but i want to go to law school after college. Apparently there’s no such thing as a law major, so i’m not to sure. And about the schools, Wisconsin and U of I are kinda sorta my “back up schools” so to speak, my parents insist on my applying to stanford even though i won’t get in, i’m geniuenly interested in UCLA, Cornell, and Dartmouth. The other schools, i don’t really know enough information about, but from what i’ve heard, they seem okay.</p>

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<p>I was a similar applicant: low GPA (3.65 UW, STEEP downward trend), 2300 SAT, rigorous courses, and a smattering of substantive but unremarkable extracurriculars. I got waitlisted. Northwestern loves the high GPA crowd, let me tell you. My school send 10-15 people to NU a year.</p>

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<p>No, they SAT II’s are not a requirement, but they can help your application, and since test taking seems to be a good strength of yours, why not use it as much as possible? And don’t write off Stanford yet. Yes, it’s unlikely, but it’s unlikely for almost everyone. You never know. It can’t hurt to try. :)</p>

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<p>Drought was the 3.65 out of a 4.0 or a 4.3 scale? Dang it! I knew my GPA would kill me! I guess i need awesome essays. :confused: Siemprecuriosa and julibelle, what were your credentials when you guys applied to NU?</p>

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<p>I had a 3.85ish unweighted (out of 4.0) and a 4.15 weighted (out of 5.0, but the highest anyone in my class had was like a 4.45). I was top 10% unweighted and top 5% weighted. AND I had two Cs on my transcript, and I didn’t really load up on APs (8 total). I took challenging courses that I was interested in, and the rest of my electives were choir/band/theatre. My test scores weren’t quite as good as you project yours to be, either. But I did work my butt off on the essay, and I ended up getting in, so anything’s possible. haha</p>

<p>ETA: If you can get a rec from an AP teacher of the “OMG best student I’ve ever had!!!1!” variety, that’ll help you a lot, too. :)</p>

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<p>Haha i’m hoping my AP Micro teacher gives me the OMG! essay! :smiley:
And the tidbit about the two Cs are really encouraging, because i’ve heard AP Calculus BC is a pretty tough class to tackle. Gracias!</p>

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<p>I’m a junior right now and I will have completed 8 APs by the time I graduate, and everyone thinks I’m insane… :)</p>

<p>@OP: I don’t think you should be necessarily worrying about colleges right now. Looking is okay, but as someone has previously mentioned, you’re not even halfway done with high school. Just enjoy your high school years, get the best grades you can with the most rigorous courseload, and get involved in a few activities that really interest you. By the time you actually start seriously looking at colleges, these are the things that cannot be changed, so make the most of them now!</p>

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<p>yeah… whats up with this AP garbage? You went above and beyond. I would like to know what your school thinks of as the “norm.”</p>