<p>Is being from the Chicago suburbs a negative in applying to Northwestern? It just seems so trite - like every bright kid in a decent high school around here wants to go to NU.
Is that offset by being a double legacy?</p>
<p>I'm not sure, but I am from the suburbs. I told my Econ teacher that I wanted to go to NU, and he said that it is really hard to get in for Chicago suburbs kids.</p>
<p>I guess if you put it that way, it'll probably offset your application if you're a legacy and only significatly if you apply ED.</p>
<p>I plan to go to NU's pre-college program next summer and then to apply ED. That should show some extreme interest and if I get decent grades and an ACT score, I should have a good chance of being accepted.</p>
<p>i dont think that if you're from the suburbs it will hurt you at all....i really haven't even met that many kids from the suburbs that go here...and plenty of suburban kids apply to schools other than NU</p>
<p>That's true. Most kids apply to UIUC.</p>
<p>I can't imagine it would hurt you.</p>
<p>haha i know SO many people from the burbs. Illinois is the most represented state at NU. they don't read my region, so i really don't think it's a big factor.</p>
<p>Right, that's my question - a suburban Chicago kid applying to NU isn't as "interesting" as a kid from elsewhere, because the suburban Chicago kids applying to NU are a dime a dozen. I'm trying to figure out whether that disadvantage is outweighed by the double legacy advantage.</p>
<p>Also, to what extent does attending NU summer programs (CTD, Cherubs, etc.) demonstrate interest?</p>
<p>Just to add to the question, since CA is the 2nd most represented state... does that hurt an applicant from CA applying ED? :(</p>
<p>i dont think it really matters either way where you're from as long as you are who they are looking for...yeah illinois is the most represented state but it's only like 33 percent or something like that which is really not that much so either way it probably doesnt matter. And with the whole double legacy thing...they say it doesn't help but it certainly doesn't hurt and it's not offsetting anything because theres nothing to be offset...if you got the stats and ECs and recommendations along with double legacy they are not gonna turn you away because you live close to the school where a third of the other kids come from...that doenst make much sense</p>
<p>It's not a positive or a negative. There are a ton of Illinois applicants, but also a ton of Illinois students, so you're competing for more spots. It evens out so that it shouldn't really hurt you.</p>
<p>i'm a freshman this year and there are 25% from illinois and i know at least 25 people from hinsdale a suburb about 45 minutes away</p>
<p>From the private schools (such as Benet or IMSA) or from the publics (Hinsdale Central, Hinsdale South, Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South, etc.)?</p>
<p>hm well personally i know more people from the publics</p>
<p>Do you know lots of people from CA?</p>
<p>Basically, can someone just reassure me that I'm being ridiculous in thinking that being Chicago-area is a disadvantage in applying to Northwestern?</p>
<p>Your concern is valid. Most important factor to consider when addressing this issue is how does a particular university, Northwestern in this case, "read" applications. The method or methods used can, and often do, have a significant impact on admissions decisions.</p>
<p>That doesn't really answer my questions, icy :-)</p>
<p>Actually it does. I just do not know Northwestern's method of reading applications or I could spoon feed you the answer. Last year I asked a longtime admissions officer from Northwestern how they "read" applications, and he refused to share their method with me. I do have a friend who reads apps for one of the six colleges at Northwestern and can tell you that they do read by college; therefore, if you apply to the college of engineering you are only competing with other applicants to that college. Do they further "read" by high school (as Georgetown does), by gender, minority, etc. and,if so, how do they subdivide? How a school "reads" apps is a key bit of knowledge when applying to highly selective universities. Most colleges and universities will not share this info. and that is why few outsiders discuss it.</p>
<p>if i were you i would not worry at all...it would be one thing if everyone of the top 50 students in your school had NU as their top school but thats never the case...you will be fine if you have the stats</p>
<p>I disagree with the above post. It is a very valid and important question in your situation. For example, if the top 50 students from your high school apply to Weinberg College of A & S and you apply to the School of Communications, it is not an issue for you but is for your classmates. The elite prep schools "manage" their students' applications to highly selective colleges with this concern in mind; which is one reason some get over 30% of each class admitted to Ivies each year. Being a double legacy should be a substantial advantage to you.</p>