Is Northeastern a safety for me?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northeastern University
1

<p>My guidance couselor said it was a safety, and I just want this confirmed.</p>

<p>BACKGROUND:
Male, live in NY, born in South Asia, moved to U.S. when almost three yrs old, English was my third language, household income is around 85,000 so about 55,000 net, I have two older siblings, both of whom went to college. Father is a pharmacist. Mother is a housekeeper.</p>

<p>STATS:
GPA: 103 weighted, 95 unweighted (weighting system: honors = +10, AP = +12)
Class Rank: 6/300
SAT Reasoning Test: M: 710 Cr: 670 W: 670 Total: 2050/2400 and 1380/1600
AP: Last year I took 3 APs, and got two 4s and one 3. This year I am taking 5 AP classes (6 if you count economics as macro and micro as separate since tests are separate) + engineering research class + phys ed + a graduation requirement class.
SAT II: Phys: 800 MathIIC: 800 Literature: 700
Essays: Good, meaning not super because I am not an extremely creative writer and I rarely use SAT words, but good in the sense that I feel I successfully expressed my personality
Letters of Recommendation: One of them was really good, and the other two were average good.</p>

<p>AWARDS/EXTRACURRICULARS/WORK EXPERIENCE:
--AP Scholar
--Varsity Tennis Team: 3yrs (I made counties once)
--Varsity Excellence Award (received twice)
--Two-time scholar athlete
--Distinguished High Honor Roll student
--Mathletes: 4yrs (county champion last year, captain this year)
--Science Olympiads: 2yrs, ever since it was offered (I entered all the physics and chemistry competitions)
--SWEEP (an environmental club): 2yrs
--Key Club: 20 hrs community service
--School Radio: 2yrs (journalist)
--Have been working hard at a convenient store 30hrs/week for 3yrs. I have been sales manager for 1.5 years. This is big for me since it took up a lot of my time on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
--Even though I am an atheist, I have been helping every year, for five years, to help set up the food and dining preparations during the four weekend community feasts in the month of Ramadan. My counselor told me this is community service. So it took at least 3hrs/day<em>2days</em>4weekends<em>4yrs(high school yrs)=96 hours.
--I volunteered to tutor two students, on math and chemistry during junior year, after school every day, 1 hr each session, for 32 weeks. So 1</em>5<em>32 = 160 hours.
--I gave tennis lessons to a couple of persons at my tennis club during sophomore year, once a week, three hours a week, for six months. So 3</em>4*6= 72 hours. Afterwards, she became my girlfriend, which indeed was the ultimate payoff!</p>

<p>RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:
--I have completed original research on two projects, one involving chemistry at a state university, the other involving a bit of physics, environmental science, and biology—mixed—at a prominent national lab. I will be sending my abstracts for both research projects. Neither project was published, but I am entering the second one into ISEF. All this research stuff is perhaps my biggest “hook.”</p>

<p>MISCALLENOUS:
--I have been privately tutored for Arabic twice a week, for about 2 years now.
--I speak four languages fluently: Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, English; I know there are some conflicts about whether Urdu and/or Punjabi are languages or dialects, it’s acknowledged.
--I have taken part in civil protests against the war in Iraq as well as against the Patriot Act for twice a month, for two years.
--I trained at an international tennis academy in Texas for 1 month. (But please note, I do NOT wish to play college tennis)
--I regularly play tennis at a local club
--I love to play chess with my friends; I tried to create an official club, but my school’s board failed to pass it in time to make it official this year.
--My favorite album is War by U2
--As subtly mentioned above, I am taking an engineering research class. This year is the first year ever that my school is offering it, and it is very unique. I doubt many other schools have it, so this may catch a second glimpse.</p>

<p>PERSONAL QUALITIES:
--Mathematically and scientifically inclined
--Extremely politically active (I’m somewhere between liberal and libertarian)
--Very outgoing, I love my closest friends with all my heart, and I like most everyone else (except for the cocky jocks, for they are so annoying).
--Theologically open-minded
--I like to get personal with small groups of people, rather than lead a huge pack, as evident in my tutoring and tennis-lessons providing.</p>

<p>ACADEMIC INTERESTS:
--Economics
--Philosophy
--Mathematics
--Physics</p>

2

<p>WAIT, before you start thinking that I'm some overly self-assertive loser, please understand that my guidance couselor said that it was a safety, whereas I on the other hand doubt her, which is why I created the thread. Northeastern, from what I've heard, has an awesome reputation. So don't feel like I'm dissing Northeastern or anything, it is quite the contrary!</p>

3

<p>yeah, i'd say safety.</p>

4

<p>Wow, I am so happy to hear it. Northeastern was actually at the top of my list. This doesn't mean I'm going to bump it down, now that I've learned it is a safety, but really, I am quite shocked. I know A LOT of really smart persons who go to Northeastern, persons whom got into schools like Tufts, UChicago, Cornell, etc. I suppose they chose Northeastern because they got good money. But anyway, I'm really excited now.</p>

5

<p>yeah I'd say safety too.
make sure you're not confusing northeastern and northwestern!</p>

6

<p>Yes, I agree with Suuuueee - are you sure you're not confusing NorthEASTern with NorthWESTern?</p>

7

<p>What is wrong with hoping to get into Northeastern ? </p>

<p>Does it have to be a typo, or could it be that intelligent, high achievers would choose this university ?</p>

<p>Is it inferior to elitist snobs ?</p>

<p>Seems like only a few select colleges are spoken about here.</p>

8

<p>Wait? Are you talking to me or someone else, 'cause I never said anything was wrong with Northeastern, otherwise I wouldn't be applying there.</p>

9

<p>There are lots of things wrong with Northeastern.</p>

10

<p>no sat123, not you.</p>

<p>I was refering to the remarks following your post suggesting that you must be mistaking Northeastern with Northwestern.
It happens to be my daughter's first choice school and her stats are much like yours</p>

<p>I just find it to be rude and condescending to knock the various schools that come up here beyond the usual repetitive colleges and universities.</p>

<p>There are schools that I have seen on the " chance me " posts that students are sweating it out waiting to hear from..some of them are what my kids would've considered to be a huge disappointment if that was where they ended up.
There are so many schools to choose from...so why knock someone's choices and dreams ?</p>

11

<p>definitely a safety for you; just a note though, Northeastern doesn't consider SAT II scores, which is somewhat unfortunate on your part. however, your score puts you in the top 25% applicants and thus makes you a likely candidate for merit scholarships</p>

12

<p>@lje62
a few of my own stats..
weighted GPA: ~103
class rank: 5/600
IB Diploma candidate
SATs: 2360 (800CR 800M 760W)
loads of extracurriculars, awards and volunteer work, mostly concentrated in music (flute).</p>

<p>and guess what? Northeastern is my first choice.
So no, I'm not bashing NEU.</p>

<p>I just said that because it is a common mistake.</p>

13

<p>yes definitely</p>