<p>just wondering if anybody has received a sort of likely letter from northwestern. I heard that some universities will send obscure likely letters that are an invitiation to apply for their more "elite programs"; I got an email/ letter a while ago encouraging me to apply for the integrated science program. Do they send that letter to everybody? Or could it be a type of likely letter?</p>
<p>Anyone who applied to engineering got the ISP email.</p>
<p>My S applied for physics. he got an invite to apply for ISP. Is that considered a “likely letter”?</p>
<p>“Anyone who applied to engineering got the ISP email.”</p>
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<p><em>keeps self from laughing</em></p>
<p>I don’t think Northwestern sends out likely letters, at least not to non-athletes.</p>
<p>My son attends a Chicago school that sends at least a few students to Northwestern every year and he has a higher weighted GPA and higher ACT score than any student in the school has gotten in the last 5 years, if not forever. He also got early acceptance letters this week to Amherst and Williams, both of which have lower admit rates than Northwestern.</p>
<p>@LoremIpsum - sounds like you’re rightly proud of your S! IIRC, Amherst and Williams are both very small (~2000 students) which is why their admit rates are lower, yet with stats about the same (or in the case of math lower) as NU. It sounds like your S has a great shot at NU if it’s on his radar… it will be fun to see what he decides!</p>
<p>Note: my S applied to Physics—not engineering.</p>
<p>chemcolo: my letter, and perhaps yours, quoted my interest in sciene and mathematics; would that apply to your son as well?</p>
<p>My son mentioned computer science, physics and math as his interests; he got the ISP invite, too (and applied). I would think it would be easier for NW to just send the email to everyone who expressed interest in these fields – the ISP requirements are pretty steep, so those who respond will be a self-selected minority.</p>
<p>It’s possible NW might scan its applicant database for those who already have the qualifying APs or SAT IIs, but that would leave out a lot of students who are still in the midst of qualifying for one or more subjects, given that AP Calc and another AP lab science is often taken senior year.</p>
<p>For those of you who received this email, do you/your child have the required classes with high scores already behind them? My son already has AP 5s and/or SAT II 800s on all the required components, so I have no way of assessing NW’s threshold requirements.</p>
<p>While I doubt this is a likely letter, it’s possible that the ISP Program Chair will lobby for your admission behind the scenes, just like a coach might for a key athlete.</p>
<p>My S submitted Math II, Physics and Chemistry Sat II scores, got a 5 on AP chem, and has 10 credit hours of Organic Chemistry and Labs from University of Colorado (with A’s) under his belt. He is taking AP Calc BC and AP Physics C right now. He has also had several years of interning with a company that does alternative energy systems for aviation. So, I guess you could say he is into science! He’s not very well rounded with language and social studies, though, so if they are looking for that, he won’t get in!</p>
<p>Chemcolo, your son sounds like a lock for NW and the ISP program; there are only so many hours in a day and no one can be an expert in all areas!</p>
<p>I for one did not have all the qualifying test scores; I only took 2 SAT’s. I got the email but I wasn’t interested in applying to ISP because I am applying for a dual degree with music and engineering.</p>
<p>They invite almost everyone to apply for ISP</p>
<p>LoremIpsum, I don’ think many of the ISP applicants have all the requirements locked down at the time they apply. For one data point, I know my S did not. He was still taking AP Chemistry senior year (and had not taken the corresponding Subject Test) so he inquired about this. He was told to go ahead and apply but that they would be looking for a strong showing in AP Chemistry first semester (he got an A.) He’s now a freshman in ISP.</p>
<p>chemcolo, your S has applied with a stronger science and interning background than my S had at the time, but a less strong math background. My S had completed linear algebra and was strong his senior year in multivariable calculus. If your S gets admitted to NU, I think the ISP invite will follow (they come a few days later.)</p>
<p>Check a few thread below here and you’ll find about three ISP threads. I believe I posted to all of them.</p>
<p>As a parent of an ISPer, I’m pleased to see strong interest in the program.</p>
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<p>That’s what I suspected, and it also looks like there are some exceptional students, like your son and Chemcolo’s, who have gone beyond these substantial requirements in one area, but are still filling in another. It would thus be logical for the ISP administrators to cast a wider net and take email inquiries from those who meet the spirit of the guidelines but are still working on some of the details.</p>
<p>Since this pretty much became the ISP thread, does anyone know when the ISP results will be announced, given that NW’s decision was earlier than expected?</p>