Northwestern Chance Me?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I’m applying to NU College of Arts and Sciences

Any help would be appreciated:)
Thanks!!

SAT I Superscore: 2260 (M 760, CR 800, W 700)
ACT : N/A
SAT II: Math 2: 800, Chemistry 760
GPA: 4.73/5.00
Rank: School doesn’t rank
AP Scores: Chemistry 4, APUSH 4, BC Calc 5, Lang 5, Mechanics 5
Senior Year Course Load: AP Lit and Comp, Senior Seminar (math class after BC Calc), AP French, AP Gov, Orchestra H, AP Physics E&M
Major Awards: National Merit Semifinalist, AP Scholar with Distinction

Extracurriculars:
Debate Club (Vice President)
Environmental Club (Secretary)
Asian Culture Club (Treasurer)
Newspaper (Copy Editor)
Varsity Swim Team (4 yrs.)
Districts Orchestra
Regions Orchestra

Other Awards:
Some violin prizes here and there; nothing too big though

Community Service:
Local Hospital (~220 hrs)
Violin tutor in an interschool program (~50 hrs)

Summer:
I teach violin in a summer camp in Chinatown

Essays: Pretty decent; I got a couple of people to edit it
Teacher Recommendations: Pretty good; math teacher for 3 years and English teacher from last year
Counselor Rec: One of the better ones
Interview: Not yet

Other:
Financial Aid: Nope
Intended Major: Political Science and Premed
State: PA
School Type: Large public
Ethnicity: ASIAN
Gender: Male
Hooks: None

Strengths: Test scores and Extracurriculars
Weaknesses: GPA and lack of summer activities

Others schools I’m looking at are: Michigan, Cornell, NYU, Hopkins, and Penn, but Northwestern is still top choice

Much Appreciated!

2

If you have the time, chance me back, please! Absolutely unnecessary if you don’t want to.

Political science and premed are two very different majors. Unless you plan to have a double major, choose one or the other and collect your EC’s in one field of study. Orchestra is a plus - but - you’re Asian, and I need not speak of how many Asians play the violin. Your SAT score is good, but not particularly exemplary (in terms of top 20 colleges). Your GPA, however, is extremely competitive and more than makes up for the SAT score; however, you might want to consider taking the ACT too, in order to improve your chances. (provided you get a 32/33+)

About your EC’s. They are excellent in terms of the average bound-for-top-20-colleges student, but when considered in lieu with a college that regularly competes with Ivy Leagues for students, they are average. Try to show that you are passionate about political science/premed or even in any subject in particular. It might be too late, though, seeing that you only have around two or three months left to improve your EC’s. I would say that Michigan and NYU are safe schools (relatively high chance of getting in compared to others) and that Cornell, Hopkins, and UPenn are slight-normal reaches along with Northwestern. (NYU is ranked lower than many on this list, but keep in mind that the college does not make the individual. I know someone who graduated from NYU and is currently making a million a year, more than most HYPC grads)

Take this with a grain of salt: I am your junior (quite literally, too, I’m in junior year and you are in senior) and am less qualified to speak on this subject compared to the veterans on this board. However, I believe your application is quite strong and wish you the best of luck on your journey to college.

3

What is going to make you memorable?

Why should the admissions committee go to bat for you?

Answer those questions and that is how you market yourself to get in

4

I think you have a good chance at getting in!
Your passion for violin truly shows through your ECs. I feel like you just need to make a solid college essay to truly convince the admission officers. Since you are Asian, you have strong competition so that is why I am saying this.

Wish you the best of luck!