<p>So I have a friend who has the same stats as me in terms of GPA, ACT, extracurriculars, etc. The only difference is that she is enlisted in the military... So my question is, does military enlistment increase your chances of getting into a college, say Northwestern?</p>
<p>Assuming you and your friend have competitive GPAs, ACTs, and ECs for Northwester, and holing all else constant except for the military enlistment difference, your friend may have an admissions advantage as long as he/she is able to effectively convey his/her experience(s) in the essays or interview.</p>
<p>I am a little confused by the question. Is your friend a high school senior? Delayed entry enlistment requires you attend boot camp after graduation, and it is unlikely that she would be able to start college in Fall 2015. Even in reserves (and certainly not for active duty) she would at least need to take at least a gap year, but it is difficult to imagine being free to make the commitment to attend college. I would be cautious as an admissions officer to enroll a student with such a huge outside commitment into a rigorous university like Northwestern, where a starting student is expected to attend full time and finish in 4 years. If your friend is a returning student, who has served part of an enlistment and has a plan to balance her remaining obligation with her studies, then yes, that applicant would have a significant advantage. </p>