Hi, I’m currently a high school junior and am very interested in washu. I believe that it’s a great school. However, my parents don’t want me to apply early decision because they don’t think washu has good job placement and they feel it’s not good enough. Is this true? If not, how can I convince them to let me apply Ed? Thanks!
Well, first of all, you’re a junior. You don’t yet have to worry about an ED school; you’ve got several months before you have to decide that.
Second of all, I don’t think you should apply ED at all…unless Wash U has been your clear first choice for many months or even years, and you’ve never switched or daydreamed about anywhere else, then ED has little benefit for you.
That said, your parents are incorrect - Wash U is a great school that has good job placement. It’s an elite school; there are only a relative handful of schools that are more prestigious than Wash U. Where would they like for you to apply ED?
Are your parents immigrants to the US? I ask because some may think that only Ivys are “good enough”.
Which schools do they think are better than WashU?
WashU is a top school. What is your career goal?
Thanks for answering. My parents are not immigrants but alumni at NU. They want me to apply there since it’s near Chicago, it’s ranked higher and it has better placement. @juillet @mom2collegekids
Tell them that rankings don’t matter when you’re talking about a #12 ranked school vs a #19 ranked school. Once you reach this point, US News’ opinion goes out the window and it’s more about which school you like better. NU is of course great too, but your decision should obviously be about what you want and what you can afford, not which school you’re parents attended. Also, so what if Northwestern is near Chicago… whether you like the college itself is far far more important than whether you like its location.
Seems like your average WUSTL student earns slightly more than your average NU graduate.
Your parents are being pretentious lol.
Maybe point out to them that WUSTL offers the opportunity for merit scholarships, albeit very competitive ones. If your parents are full pay, the possibility of a merit-based discount might be interesting to them. The scholarships require a separate application and are very hard to get, but still, maybe worth a shot. You also wouldn’t know about the scholarship result until some time in March.
ED substantially improves your chances of admission at both schools.
Have you visited either school? Before applying ED anywhere, it’s important (probably necessary) to visit at least once. Also, if you can see both of them you can get a better feel yourself of whether they are right for you. Maybe NU is better, maybe WashU is better. There are some important differences between the two. If you visit both and decide that you’d rather apply to WashU, you will at least be able to give your parents some more concrete reasons why you think it’s better for you (i.e. you liked the culture/feel better because students are more laid back, or you thought the surrounding area was just as good as Evanston, or you really liked that WashU has __ club/program/any other thing). If your parents won’t let you visit WashU, that is a different discussion, as it seems more than a bit crazy to make such a huge decision based solely on your parents’ (very biased and subjective) opinion instead of on what you think is right.
I have visited both schools and loved both. I just like washu more. It is true that washu students may earn slightly more but this is because 38% of them are premed. I am not premed.
After acceptances to both, I chose WashU over Northwestern. I felt that the culture at WashU was much less competitive than Northwestern’s, and while students were certainly extremely active in both academics and extracurriculars at WashU, they seemed more happy than stressed. Additionally, I got a full tuition scholarship to WashU, whereas I was full pay at Northwestern. The amount of personal attention I felt I received when visiting WashU far exceeded what I felt when visiting NU. That said, I think I could be happy and successful at both schools. And, fyi, I didn’t apply ED anywhere. I left my decisions open, and I don’t regret it.
Unfortunately your parents have a big role in choosing since they bankroll your education. You might have to appease them and apply RD. If you get a big scholarship from WashU, that persuades a lot of parents.
Thanks everyone!
I once was a guest lecturer for a small seminar at Washington University in St Louis. It is a great university with a beautiful campus in a great location. The students in the seminar were smart, engaged, and asked good questions. I came away with a very positive impression of the university.
Could you apply EA to both?
NU grads likely earn more if you compare apples to apples - in liberal arts/engineering only. 1/3 of NU students are schools of communications (film, theater, etc), journalism, education, and music. In contrast, WashU has schools of architecture and business. Accounting grads from anywhere is gonna earn more than music grads from top schools including Curtis/Juilliard.
First, you have to get the admit. Earnings come later. Make sure you can put forth a strong app and supp. Know what they look for, not just what you like.
If finances and FAid matter at all, don’t apply ED. Also a lot can change between now and when you 12 months from now when you’re picking where you want to be for 4 years.
WashU is an elite school. Your “placement” is so much more a function of how and what you do than which elite school you attend, that it should really be a non-issue. Your parents are misinformed.
If WashU is your first choice, and the NPC provides an acceptable cost, then applying ED will increase your chances of admission.
It is NOT true that you shouldn’t apply for FinAid if finances matter. If you are accepted ED you will not be able to compare offers, but if you don’t apply ED you reduce your chances of getting in. Many students on FinAid apply and attend ED.
However, if the NPC number is not acceptable, do not apply ED because you know in advance that you can’t afford it and would have to get a release from your ED commitment.
Finances are not a problem for my family. I think I have a good shot at both schools if I apply ED according to my guidance counselor and college counselor. I just want to know if NU or washu is better now.
Both great schools. Both highly competitive for an admit and many feel WUSTL is more difficult to predict. You don’t get into either because you like them or you think either will offer you a great job future. You get in because they want what you offer, which is more than stats and love. Asking these questions suggests you don’t yet know what they value and look for in applicants. You’re going to need to present what they want in your app and supps, show the attributes they seek, in your record. You may be putting the cart before the horse, worrying which you’d pick before this deeper look into how you match. Miles to go.
Washu doesn’t require supplements. What do you mean that washu is harder to predict? They have a 37% ED acceptance rate compared to NU at 26%