<p>How bad is it if you put Cornell instead of Northwestern on "Why Northwestern" essay? so if it goes like "so this is why cornell's college of arts and sciences is a great match for me.. blah blah blah. " is that an automatic rejection?></p>
<p>I'd hate to say it, but you've basically guaranteed yourself a rejection. :(</p>
<p>Yeah... the school generally isn't looking to accept morons, so I'd say that would be a bad idea.</p>
<p>Yikes -- I bet it's a big pet peeve for schools like Northwestern that lose a lot of their students to ivy league colleges...</p>
<p>I don't necessarly agree - while scouring college admissions books last summer, I came across the topic of accidentally sending an essay with the wrong college's name on it. If I remember right, an admissions offer from Harvard or Yale wrote that it happens more than you might think, and no, it doesn't guarantee rejection.</p>
<p>However . . . I would imagine you'd need some lovely stats and a hook or two to make up for carelessness.</p>
<p>Northwestern is very particular about its essays, especially about the “why Northwestern” essay. I don’t know if such a screw up is one that could be overcome. I mean, if an applicant can’t even check what he is sending before he does, how can he get through 12 (and sometimes more) quarters of study?</p>
<p>I think it depends on who receives it. One admissions officer I spoke to from another school said that when that happened, he sent the kid an email and let him send the real essay. I would say talk to your counselor or someone and think about if it is worth calling NW and asking if you could send them the real thing. For RD, they probably haven't processed your app yet and it might not be to late to get the real essay processed and for the actual readers not even to find out.</p>
<p>Agreed with above, I would definitely try to fix it. </p>
<p>Btw, did you send the Cornell ESSAY, or just forgot to replace Cornell with NU but you wrote about NU? I'm just curious.</p>
<p>Obviously the readers will think the OP just recycled his Cornell essay. That in turn will lead them to believe the OP does not have a genuine interest in NU. I honestly think this would equal rejection. I don't think it would matter if it was any other essay.</p>
<p>No, I did have a specific essay about NU and I just can't believed I sent my "Why Cornell" essay there. OK. here's what happened. i was applying to Cornell and Northwestern at the same time; so right after I sent my common app to NU and Cornell and I basically copied and pasted Why Essays from word documents and copied it from the WRONG WINDOW(that is, of course, cornell doc). Jeez. I feel so dumb. I think my interview went really great.... but... ugh.. i don't know. i just can't believe I blew my NU app.....</p>
<p>^
Maybe if you call them and explain it to them, they'll understand and let you switch it out?</p>
<p>Yeah, I think that's better than sending your NU essay with the name Cornell, cause that would seem like you used the same/similar essay but forgot to switch it. If it's a completely different essay, it's more understandable.</p>
<p>You must turn in a replacement, because it does seem like Northwestern, in particular, puts special emphasis on the "Why X Univ" essay. Your chances of being rejected will be much higher if you don't.</p>
<p>I don't think that it's too late to correct your error of sending the incorrect essay but informing the admissions office at this point so you are accepted is crucial.</p>
<p>Good Luck :-)</p>
<p>If I get rejected from Chicago tomorrow I am going to write my "Why NU" essay about Northwestern, but replace the word "Northwestern" with the names of other ivies and such in the essay. "I love the community Northwestern has to offer (...) The view of Lake Michigan from Columbia University is fantastic! (...) Because of all these factors and more, I am positive Dartmouth is the best college for me." Should be amusing if nothing more. =P</p>