Northwestern Uni. Chances (Extreme ECs but average GPA/special circumstance)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey guys. I'm Kayla, a rising senior and am planning on applying for Northwestern University Early decision for the Medill School this fall. I know it shouldn't matter but for the record I am a minority.</p>

<p>ACT Score: 27
GPA: 3.48 W/3.38 UW</p>

<p>AP Exams I've Taken:
-English Language
-U.S. History
-World History</p>

<p>Senior Schedule:
-AP English Literature
-AP Government
-AP Macroeconomics
-Environmental Science
-Pre-Calculus</p>

<p>I know my grades are obviously not stellar but I did have a family hardship and other circumstances that prevented me from achieving higher grades than I am capable of. My parent's had a very rough divorce, including almost 40 missed days of school because of court dates and other related events. The judge for the case will be including a written statement for my application going into more detail about the circumstances.</p>

<p>Extra-circulars:
-Editor in Chief of national award wining school newspaper (actively involved with newspaper for the past 3 years)
-Winner of several state writing competitions
-Active Girl Scout member since kindergarten and have earned Silver and Bronze award; am now working towards Gold Award that will be completed before spring of 2012
-Organized international organization Invisible Children to come to high school and have raised over ten thousand dollars for the school to school program
-Over 500 hours of various volunteering service, including working at the library during the summer and at three different vacation bible school's every summer for the past three years
-Vice President of Rotary Sponsored Club Interact (previously secretary during this past year)
-Member of band as clarinet player since 6th grade and have earned several local and state awards
-Member of the Environmentalist Club
-Founding member/president of Novel Writing Club
-Member of Secret Drawer Society: local club aimed at inspiring others and ensuring optimism in the student body (helped organize benefit concert that raised almost a thousand dollars in one night)</p>

<p>I go to a really competitive school in the North Texas area and have a few alumi connections to the school, for what it's worth. Comments would be greatly appreciated!</p>

2

<p>I wouldn’t call your EC’s “extreme,” though they are good. For extreme, you would also be a great sports player. Anyway, it’s hard to tell with these special circumstances cases, but I think you have a chance. Were your bad grades only in the year in which your parents were going through this divorce?
Also, what kind of minority are you? It actually does matter quite a bit.</p>

3

<p>Yes, there was a dramatic improvement from my sophomore year grades to what it is right now. I mean, they weren’t horrendous-it was B’s and one high C-but now I have mostly A’s for this semester. My parent’s divorce still continued into this year when it was finalized. I’m African-American from a middle class background.</p>