<p>Hi CC,</p>
<p>I got an email telling me that I am invited to apply to ISP. The specific text reads, "If you are considering studying science and mathematics during your time at Northwestern and you have taken (or are enrolling in) AP or AP-equivalent calculus and physics courses I would like to bring our unique program to your attention and invite you to apply."</p>
<p>Is this a likely letter? Or is it just sent to all science applicants?</p>
<p>I got it too and I don’t think I’ll get in so I doubt it. Probably just sent to all applicants or something.</p>
<p>Okay thanks. I would say I’m a competitive applicant for NU but by no means a shoe in, so I was thinking the same.</p>
<p>I seem to remember all STEM applicants got it a couple years ago when our D applied, so I don’t think it’s a likely letter (but wouldn’t that be nice?).</p>
<p>I was going to make a thread concerning this, but I’ll just piggyback this one, if anyone can help me:</p>
<p>When I was applying back in 2012, I saw the ISP but assumed (bad mistake) that it was only for the CAS, not McCormick, so I didn’t look too much into it. The e-mail, however, caught my attention with “Incoming McCormick School of Engineering students may also apply to ISP.”</p>
<p>1) is it alright if I apply now, even though I did not check the associated box on my supplement?
2) the focus seems to be for the Weinberg students, so how do you think an engineer would fare? My impression at first was that the engineering curriculum is packed, but then again so are physics and mathematics majors. Still, the sources I researched don’t seem to mention engineers much at all. Would it be wise to go for ISP anyway?</p>
<p>I am not, of course, making any assumptions about acceptance, etc. It’s just that I have some free time on my hands and I would honestly enjoy such a rigorous program.</p>
<p>S is in ISP and Engineering (sophomore). He is able to manage the work load so far and seems to enjoy the challenging curriculum. Is is not too late to apply. You can always send an email to Steve, the ISP program coordinator. </p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>I just got the email too and was wondering the same thing! I don’t want to unnecessarily get my hopes up. It sounds like they might send it to all prospective science/math students. I would like to know if there are any kids out there that got the ISP invite but then got rejected to Northwestern itself??</p>
<p>^ They sent it to all applicants who indicated math, science or engineering as a prospective major!! Nothing to get excited about! 
(Source - 5 students from my school(International) applied to Northwestern, 4 for Science/Engineering - and all 4 got the ISP invite. I doubt Northwestern is going to accept all 4 of us… Though that would be nice! 
)</p>
<p>This brings me to the next question - can applying to ISP increase or benefit your chances in any way? </p>
<p>And @NorthwesternDad - Would your son say that the main focus of ISP is more on the core understanding of science( in the sense - theoretical & mathematical aspect) or does it also focus on the application aspect(engineering side) of science??</p>
<p>I guess I will email them anyway!! :)</p>
<p>@rishav17 - ISP focuses on the core and the unifying aspects of all the branches of sciences, in great depth…which provides one with a greater appreciation of the inter dependencies of these different aspects. It does not lend itself to the application aspects, per se. Some courses can be substituted for engineering classes ( the core ones), though.</p>
<p>^ When you say “unifying aspects of all the branches of science” - do you mean that the course is inter-related? In the sense that we get to learn the same thing from different perspectives??</p>
<p>^ Then this sounds interesting. But I kind of dislike chemistry! 
The ISP invite’s an added dilemma now!!</p>
<p>Let me put it this way…any indepth scientific research needs sound knowledge of different branches of science and this is where ISP dominates.</p>
<p>^ I get it now. Decided that I won’t apply!! :)</p>