<p>So, i am a sophmore in high school right now and i really could use some advice on the best strategy to get into NU and if i am on the right page. So far I have scored a 34 on a real ACT (meaning i can submit it [32 english, 34 reading, 35 math, and 36 science]) and have gotten an 800 on my SAT II Physics. By the time I apply i will have 200+ hours of volunteer service at one location, and may start volunteer somewhere else at the same time. I have a 3.9 gpa unweighted and a 4.4 weighted. By the end of junior year i will have taken 5 a.p. courses and have no regular courses planned to take next year (meaning all courses are weighted). I am captain of the debate team, key club member, math team, and JSA. I do not have any national awards that i can think of.</p>
<p>I will give you the response which I suspect you anticipated (and deserve): You are certainly on the right track!
Your scores, GPA and ECs are all impressive.<br>
Any idea what you’re interested in studying?</p>
<p>It sounds like you’re well on your way to a stellar application. I got in with a 34 ACT, so if you’re getting that as a sophomore you may be able to score even higher, although it’s probably unnecessary unless you’re applying to Harvard. Keep up with the EC’s and start getting to know a few teachers really well so that they can write you great recommendations. When it comes time to apply, just write awesome essays and I don’t see why you shouldn’t get in.</p>
<p>Unless you’re an insufferable little git and your reccomendations are terrible, or your essay a delineating of the reasons you enjoy mutilating orphaned puppies, you’re pretty much set if you just hold your position as it is.</p>
<p>it definitely sounds like you’re on a high track for any college. While you keep up with your academics/ecs/etc, make sure you research colleges a ton. I don’t know how much you’ve looked into NU or weighed other options, but here’s just the friendly reminder that you should look at various institutions and try to find a place that fits you.</p>
<p>but if you are sure of NU, then good luck and good job on staying way on top of things early on!</p>
<p>WCAS im most likely going to go into the medical field. Will hopefully be either a cardiologist or neurologist. NU seems like a good school for me becuase it is close to home (i live in Naperville wich is like 2 hours away) and i have heard that it has a beautiful campus. I am used to the suberb life.<br>
Quick question for those either accepted or that know: is it better to send an ACT or an SAT I? and also how many of letters of recomendation should i be looking to get? And one final question that just hit me, are there any specific SAT II tests i should take for the Honors Med program?</p>
<p>For recommendations, NU requires only one teacher rec and one counselor rec, but you are free to send as many as you feel is neccesary. I wouldn’t do more than 2 or 3 though, since after that they become somewhat less meaningful. The admissions committee can only read phrases like “wonderful student” and “best person I ever taught” so many times before it becomes repetetive and loses its impact. So stick to just a couple teachers who know you really well. Anyways, best of luck. It sounds like you’ll go on to great things no matter where you go.</p>
<p>If you’re planning to apply to the HPME program just know that it’s really competitive. While your chances may be good for WCAS, it may not be as good for HPME. The acceptance rate is extremely low, and a few of my friends this year who applied with stats like yours never even got to the interview round.</p>
<p>My son did not submit SAT IIs. He had very similar stats but also very strong ECs, standout essay (counselor’s opinion) and we think strong recs. Make sure your ‘why NU’ essay really demonstrates your interest in the school. This is not just a ‘by the numbers’ schools and standardized tests will not get you in. In fact I have heard from several admissions officers that if the scores are really high and the transcript doesn’t demonstrate success in classes, it means you did not work up to your potential. So in some cases, high scores can hurt. But your grades so far seem solid. Make sure you challenge yourself junior year. If you can, take a leadership role.</p>
<p>Of course visit and if they come to your school, chat with them.</p>
<p>I have heard that Northwetern doesn’t really focus on the interview process as an indicatior. is this true? And to anyone accepted or attending, what is the best part of Northwestern?</p>
<p>when appling to Northwestern, is it mostly scores/academics based rather than interview/volunteer sercives? and do i apply for the HPME program if i apply EA?</p>
<p>I don’t think you can apply EA to Northwestern, only ED.</p>
<p>And from what I can tell it’s actually essays and demonstrated interest that weigh the most in admissions decisions, followed by scores/grades/etc. NU loves people that love NU. Interviews don’t really affect decisions at all.</p>
<p>I never once interviewed, set foot on campus, or went to an NU info session prior to applying, though my guess is my Why NU essay was somewhat better than most, since I had a ton of personal reasons why (family from Chicago, specific things unique to NU that were of interest to me, etc.).</p>
<p>sweet. ok. i think i have a better grasp of things at NU. arbiter i live about 30 min from Chicago so maybe i could emphasize that? I heard that they waitlist out of state people that dont visit the campus to keep their yeild down… wonder if that is true.</p>
<p>Just my two cents: I do not think that demonstrated interest and essays are higher on the priority list for the adcom than transcript and scores, and I am not aware of any top university where that would be the case. As a general rule, transcript (the combination of difficulty of courses and GPA) is first, and board scores second in importance. As would be expected, all of these top schools get far more people with great transcripts and scores than they could possibly accept, so they then look to the individual characteristics of the applicant, so that you will sometimes see the kid with the lower scores and GPAs get in ahead of the kids with higher scores and GPAs (although comparing GPAs between different curricula and schools is often not very meaningful). But I doubt that any admissions officer could candidly tell you that demonstrated interest and essays are higher in the hierarchy of factors they look at; I just don’t think it is true.</p>