<p>Hi parents, I'm a senior at Northwestern and for those stressing out about where their high-achieving child might get in, I suggest adding Northwestern to your list (provided it's a good enough of fit, look into it). The consensus on CC seems to be that it's one of the more predictable top 20 colleges to get into in that if you have the stats and there are no red flags in your app, you are probably in. So if you have the stats, at least you're more likely to have it as an option compared to some of the other schools.</p>
<p>This fact might decrease NU's appeal a little bit (because it gives the impression that NU doesn't cherry-pick its students) and for that reason probably decreases its yield when it comes time to wooing admits who will have gotten into other schools. However, I actually think its admissions practice is a breath of fresh air in this crazy world of college admissions where everybody is trying to one-up each other to see who is more "special" or "unique" and for colleges, who is more "exclusive" and arbitrary in its pickings. Despite its more straightforward approach to admissions, however, NU has still managed to produce some extraordinary people, including those without formal honors or distinctions who simply excel at "living." Northwestern has always been relatively easygoing as an institution (as reflected in the attitude of the student body, its admissions practices, administration), and I love that. Its motto should be: Live life, keep things smooth and simple when you can. Don't get me wrong, excellence permeates every aspect of the institution, but people here simply don't make excellence the be all and end all of everything. If it happens, great, but we have lives to live besides trying to keep up with this never-ending ratrace. I'm not saying Harvard doesn't reward others who simply pursued their passions and excelled, because it does and I love Harvard for it. However, Northwestern is an alternative for those who might not have won that national championship in chess or founded that international NGO in the process of doing what they loved. Maybe they decided they will just play chess non-competitively with friends or decided there's already an NGO that addresses the causes they are passionate about and just decided to work there. Well, if they have the stats, NU might be a good fit if Harvard won't take them.</p>
<p>Anyway, I write this because I noticed how stressed the kids and the parents on here are with looming deadlines and everything, and thought maybe I could present an interesting option for kids who value a topnotch education and prestige but at the same time want an institution that will encourage a more balanced perspective on life. Good luck!</p>
<p>I noticed from our Naviance that NU is what you say. I also know someone who goes there and she is as interesting, accomplished and down to earth as they come.</p>
<p>Our school does not have Naviance so I am curious about the data from your school. Can you provide information on what the typical stats are for kids who get accepted to Northwestern from your school and what type of high school and location?</p>
<p>Need coffee, for our suburban high school of 1500 kids, the average GPA of students accepted to NU is 4.6 weighted, with a 32 ACT or a 2120 SAT according to Naviance.</p>
<p>mildcat, Thanks for taking the time to give us your personal perspective on NU. As the parent of a S, the whole application process this time around has been more stressful than the last time, when my D went through this process in 2007.</p>
<p>My S has had NU on his list ever since we visited the school in the summer of 2009 (from CA). Just last night, however, he said that he wasn’t going to apply there. When I asked him why he said he didn’t think there was enough to do in the immediate area around campus. Do you find that to be the case whereby you have to travel into Chicago for most of your outside-the-classroom entertainment?</p>
<p>It’s this kind of balance that helps new students achieve with the rigor of academics at Northwestern. My S is a freshman in the Integrated Science Program at NU, known to be one of the more rigorous programs, with high melt in the freshman year. </p>
<p>Well, with his first quarter under his belt, he is thriving with his life at NU, academic and otherwise. It’s not a 4.0 but in the high 3s, and that’s fine for this program. The ISP group is a pretty cohesive bunch and he’s bonded well with them. In studying for finals, he said he did almost all of it with a group, even though sometimes it was a group of students in a room, each studying solo. They know what works, and it’s more of a cooperative environment than a cutthroat one.</p>
<p>NU will indeed help to develop this generation’s movers and shakers, in it’s own way. My S was very typical CA high schooler, very paraochial in looking first at only CA schools. We helped broaden his focus and came across NU due to S’s stated interest in studying science in an interdiscpilinary way. This is something that is NU’s strength, in many disciplines outside of science, too. I think the more “nurturing” yet exciting environment at NU encourages students to think about the interconnectedness of what they are studying and how it relates to other fields.</p>
<p>A year ago, I didn’t know a lot about Northwestern. Now I do and I’m very pleased my S is matriculating there.</p>
<p>jshain, Chicago is practically on the back door of Evanston. They are two train lines, CTA and Metra, that travel on lines just a block off campus (I think there are three stops adjacent to the campus.) There are buses as well. I only know about the trains, since that’s what my S has used thus far.</p>
<p>Anyway, with NU your students gets the nicer environment of a smaller, more residential kind of city, with the ability in about 20 minutes to be in the 3rd largest city in the US. If a student desires, it’s easy to get to Chicago and all the entertainment options it provides, which is quite a lot. Of additional importance is that those public transit options makes it easy for students to travel into the city for internships as well.</p>
<p>Evanston has everything that a student would want in terms of cafes, restaurants, bookstores, clothing stores, etc. - all geared towards a student population - within a 5 minute walking distance of south campus. You’ve got a lakefront and a beach (ok, not relevant THIS time of year …) And it’s a quick hop on the El to the parts of Chicago where young people want to be at night (Lincoln Park and the like). “Not enough to do” would not be a problem.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl, thanks. The downtown restaurant we ate at looked like a fun hangout for the students at night. I’m not sure how much free time an engineering student is going to have in the first place, particularly the first couple of years.</p>
<p>FindAPlace, thanks for your comments on the collaborative environment at NU. My S is definitely looking for that as his most important criteria for a college.</p>
<p>I’d say Northwestern definitely has a better college town than most. The only places I could think of that would have a better one are probably city schools like NYU and BU since they’re right in the middle of the action. Just to give you some perspective, Downtown Evanston is where North Shore residents go when they don’t want to go all the way to Downtown Chicago for their entertainment. There are literally over 100 restaurants, a big movie theater, 2 Whole Foods, a Jewel-Osco (main grocery chain in Chicago), a CVS, Barnes & Noble, Borders, World Market, multiple coffeeshops, about 10 bars. These places are all within 10-15 minutes walking distance of campus. After 7pm, students can also call SafeRide which can take you to pretty much all of these places. On Sundays, there are NU-provided shuttles running to nearby Lincolnwood Mall + Target + Best Buy. There’s a CTA bus (#201) that runs through campus that goes to Old Orchard, which is a fancier mall. I’d say most college students would be happy with these options, but it depends on what you’re looking for. </p>
<p>Chicago is also very easy to reach if your son is into that. There’s an intercampus shuttle that runs Monday-Saturday. You can also take the CTA either by train (which runs from 5 am to 2 am and there are 3 stops on campus as FindAPlace mentioned) or bus (which runs 24 hours and also stops throughout campus) OR the Metra (suburban train line that takes you to Union Station). The campus does not empty out on weekends since there are always plenty of things going on on campus that keeps students’ interest but there are enough people going to Chicago that your son will find easily find people who are into doing that if he wishes. As mentioned by posters above, the good thing about Evanston’s location in the north side is it’s near the places where college kids like to hang out- Wrigleyville and the Lincoln Park area so one always has that option.</p>
<p>Also note that Northwestern is a big enough college that they work to provide entertainment for the students. I can’t recall the location nearby, but NU sponsored a fall concert with Kid Cudi and Snoop Dog, which I understand was well received. In the spring (when weather is better) there’s a hug Dillo Days music festival at the beach area. </p>
<p>On the campus itself there is an awesome indoor sports facility, in addition to biking/running paths along the lakeshore. Evanston itself has some park areas as well, which I didn’t have time to visit in September.</p>
<p>NU has a music school as well, so there are plenty of performances going on all year round.</p>
<p>It struck me that there is a plethora of student groups on campus that a student can join and keep quite busy just in Evanston, for pretty much any interest level.</p>
<p>And then Chicago beckons always because of the curve in the lakeshore.</p>
<p>My S really likes it. In fact, he says it reminds him much of home. We live in one of the smaller cities on the west side of Los Angeles, with a view of downtown LA. So he’s quite used to the feel of living in a smaller city surrounded by a larger one, with the beach 15 minutes away as well. It kind of provides the best of both worlds, here and in Evanston, smaller feel on a daily basis but big time stuff just 15 minutes or so away.</p>
<p>My son, a sophmore at NU also loves Evanston. He was in Elder Hall freshman year (north part of campus) and didn’t have too many chances to get into town. But he did intern at NU this summer and lived in an apartment in Evanston near south campus and was in Evanston daily. Shows, Shopping, fairs and there was a huge bike race that went right thru town. He said 4th of July on the lake was beautiful. Got text pictures throughout the summer. And being from the Jersey Shore area - he loves being right on the lake. He’s always texting me (well, when the weather is warmer) that he’s reading by the lake.</p>
<p>And remember, even though NU isn’t a huge sports mecca, we are part of the Big Ten and the Football, Basketball and Girls Lacrosse games are always well attended and fun.</p>
<p>" The consensus on CC seems to be that it’s one of the more predictable top 20 colleges to get into in that if you have the stats and there are no red flags in your app, you are probably in. "</p>
<p>I still don’t think anything with a 25% acceptance rate (I think that is what is was last year, obviously this year hasn’t come back yet beyond ED) isn’t “predictable” for anybody. I would just be really cautious of using that description.</p>
<p>Our D attends BC and it sounds similar in that Boston is easily accessible from the BC campus in the way Chicago is from NU. The neighborhoods adjacent to the NU campus also reminded me of Newton MA-- beautiful, stately homes. It seemed like it took forever though (almost an hour?), to drive to Evanston from Chicago by car when we visited in 2009. Public transportation is the way to go!</p>
<p>It takes about half an hour to go from Evanston to Chicago (or vice-versa) - unless your going during rush hour. Easiest way is North Lake Shore Drive. I’ve done it many, many times. But Public transportation is the way to go because of parking as well.</p>
<p>That’s true…it’s not entirely predictable. There was somebody on the NU board who applied ED this year with a 33, top 5% rank and good everything else who was denied. Also, if you look at Naviance data from that other thread, there are some interesting denials also from previous years. At my high school back in my year (graduating class of 2007), I know there were people who regretted not applying ED because a 34 and top 10% got in ED but others who applied RD had mixed results…somebody with a 35 ACT and top 2% was denied, a 32 and top 10% was waitlisted, the valedictorian was denied (I don’t know what her score was but the salutatorian was admitted and generally fared better in the college process but I don’t know her record either), and a whole lot of people in the 28-32 range were denied. FYI, my school is in the Chicago area so maybe it’s a little more competitive for us. We also don’t have a good record with NU, which might have to do with the fact that we’re overshadowed by top-performing schools all throughout the city and suburbs. If NU wants geographical diversity and there are enough higher quality applicants from other area schools (Naperville, Downers Grove, Winnetka, etc.), they just admit those students and we get shut out. I don’t think they do it on purpose, but my HS has historically had a poor record of preparing people for APs so NU is probably not very impressed when they see As on the transcript but only 3s on the exams. I don’t have access to people’s AP scores so a spotty AP record could explain a lot of the rejections. It’s not the ECs that are the issue because the top students my year pretty much ruled the school in terms of clubs, theater, and sometimes sports.</p>
<p>However, despite the above, I still think that if somebody has a 34 ACT, strong grades and rank from a competitive school, and 5s on a slew of APs and great extracurriculars, they are probably likely to get in. I don’t know for sure what will happen this cycle, but in the past years, at least that’s been the case. The overall acceptance rate last year was 23%, factoring in ED, RD, and waitlist acceptances.</p>