Probably wouldn't go anyway, but...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northwestern University
1

<p>I am an African American junior from CA, and USC is my dream school to major in Communication. I'm also applying to Northwestern, and want to see if I have a shot at being accepted there in this major. I don't really even know if I do. I've posted here before but now I have accurate SAT scores. I know my stats aren't stellar or anything, but I just want to get the opinions of others. Thanks! (Other colleges to chance me at: Syracuse U, UC Berk, NYU, UCSB, UCSD, Cornell, etc.)</p>

<p>GPA UW: 3.83
GPA W: 3.96
UC GPA (For the other schools): 4.05</p>

<p>AP COURSES:
AP Euro - (I freaked out, failed the exam w/ a 2.)
APUSH - probably a 5
AP English - probably a 5
I also took a psych course at a CC last summer that I'm told will count like an AP Psych course.</p>

<p>In senior year, I'll be taking...
AP English
AP Stats
AP Econ.
AP Spanish
I am taking an art history course at a CC this summer that I'm told will count like an AP Art History course.</p>

<p>SAT - </p>

<p>1st time:
620 CR
520 M
720 W
total: 1860</p>

<p>2ND TIME (JUNE 6):
680 CR
560 M
750 W
total: 1990</p>

<p>SAT IIs:
US History: 720
Literature: Probably will end up with a 600-650 or so</p>

<p>EXTRA-CURRICS:
- Newspaper: A&E Editor Junior Year, Editor-in-Chief Senior Year
- Visual and Performing Arts Academy - Visual Art Major (Countless hours put into college art courses, art exhibitions, etc. In senior year I graduate from the academy with a diploma.)
- By end of senior year, graduate of Ryman Arts @ USC (A prestigious, application-based program for gifted high school artists. I was awarded an $8,000 scholarship to attend this program.)
- Junior/Senior Year - "Link Crew" mentor for Freshmen
- Junior Year and Senior Year - Commissioner of Publicity for Helping Hands Club (Club that offers tutoring to students who need it)
- Hundreds of hrs. working at my Church for Arts & Crafts - throughout HS</p>

<p>HONORS:
- Blue Honor Roll all four yrs.
- CSF Gold Member (CA Scholarship Fed.)
- Art Awards - "Best in Visual Art," "Most Improved," etc.</p>

<p>CURRENT CLASS RANK (out of 531): 18 (top 3%)
CURRENT 10-12 RANK: 21</p>

<p>RECOMMENDATIONS:
- My recs will probably be great (at least one of them, anyway). One is from my newspaper advisor, whom I am very close with. </p>

<p>I would be happy to chance you back, but I don't know how great I would be at it. :-)</p>

2

<p>You have a good GPA, and some interesting extra-curriculars, although only one or two only really matter. However, your SATs are under average for pretty much every school you are applying to, except for Syracuse, UCSD and UCSB. </p>

<p>This doesnt go to say that there arent people at the colleges youre applying to that dont have those SAT scores, but they are a fine minority, and typically they have higher SAT IIs…which you don’t. </p>

<p>If I were you I would SERIOUSLY consider looking at some different schools than you are currently considering. NU and USC comm schools are extraordinarily competitive, and those who apply are fantastically overqualified, and quite brilliant. </p>

<p>So as a sort of “chance” ideal: UCB, Cornell, NU and USC are far reaches.<br>
NYU, you have a decent chance.
The rest you have a pretty good shot at.</p>

<p>I don’t mean to sort of rain on your parade, but it’s good to be realistic, and know where you stand.</p>

3

<p>As a URM, maybe. But your scores are probably too low.</p>

4

<p>I get UCB, Cornell and NU being “far” reaches, but USC? I realize that the Annenberg school is competitive, but… I don’t see how USC could be a FAR reach equal to that of the aforementioned schools. I’m not challenging your response, because I appreciate your honesty, but how are you making this conclusion? How familiar are you with USC?</p>

5

<p>I was accepted to USC, and am currently a student at NU. Based off of some of the things that I heard while I was at USC considering if I wanted to go there, they made it appear as if they had similar admission standards as the upper tier schools, just with a larger number of applicants.</p>

6

<p>I actually don’t think NU will be that far of a reach for you to be quite honest. I got into the school of communications (for theatre) with a 26 ACT, lower SAT II scores, and a lower class rank than you (but I did have a slightly higher GPA)—search my post history for my stats or look at the RD thread for Northwestern; it’s near the end. I think that after a certain point, scores play only such a significant part in the admissions process. I suggest writing interesting and convincing essays that may help put you into the admit pile. Also, because you are applying to the school of communications, really excentuate your ECs and passions for your newspaper position and your visual and performing arts activities, while simultaneously conveying other interests of yours (like community services, or science, or music, etc.)—just to make yourself seem more “well-rounded”.</p>

<p>All in all, I definitely think you have a chance. Apply and see what happens! Good luck! Oh, I also suggest sending a supplement of your work! I sent a DVD of two monologues, a play that I wrote, a recommendation letter from my drama teacher, and a science abstract to all of the schools I applied to—I think this made up for my lackluster test scores.</p>

7

<p>you definitely have a chance at NU. don’t be discouraged by your scores. Spend a great deal of time on your essays, which I don’t doubt will be great given your background in writing.</p>

8

<p>Do not apply just to see if you can get in. You would be taking somebody else’s spot if you do. However, with your rank being outside the top 10% AND scores being below the average, it’s highly unlikely. Apply only if you will seriously consider attending.</p>

9

<p>^^No offense, but people crack me up with statements such as those (“with your rank being outside the top 10% AND scores being below the average, it’s highly unlikely.”). Again, I was accepted (and to MANY other selective schools) with a rank outside the top 10% and “scores below the average.” Remember, 25% of accepted students scored below the middle 50% mark, so it’s definitely possible! Apply and see what happens!</p>

10

<p>I didn’t say it was impossible. I said it was “highly unlikely.” About 90% of accepted students have a top 10% class rank, for example.</p>

11

<p>just a reminder…NYU’s one of the few schools no longer requiring SATs…they accept other tests instead (ex: SAT IIs or APs), so you may want to look into that…
it’s new for the class applying next fall, so I don’t really know all the details</p>

12

<p>ohh wait, I just re-read the original post and realized you’re African-American. that might actually you give a solid boost. NU has been trying to increase its African-American population. to others reading this thread, keep in mind that the stats of non-URMs need to be higher. I believe AmbitiousMind is URM as well.</p>

13

<p>study incredibly hard for the october SAT, score over 2200, then apply to Columbia ED.</p>

14

<p>I thank everyone for their helpful feedback. @ brebuff… I’m actually in the top 3 or 4 percent of my class if you do simple math. It may seem like I am just applying on a whim… but this is not the case. I had no idea if I even had a shot at Northwestern. I was wondering if I should apply at all. Please read posts carefully before responding. </p>

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15

<p>marmar16-I am confused-why do you headline your post as “probably wouldn’t you go anyway…”. is it because you feel USC will accept you? As you know, the college acceptance levels are skewed when it comes to Stats/ECs/URM/Class Rank-sometimes someone will get accepted to a school with stats lower than yours-and you shake you head, and wonder. The point I am making is in this application process have the “reaches” the matches and the safeties, then you will more likely be in an enviable position of having to make a choice. You know, and others may too, the URM is not a end all be all in determining whether you are accepted.
Both NU and USC have good programs in Communication. NU would offer you an opportunity to experience a different part of the US. My DD elected to attend NU, and you may, too. G’Luck</p>

16

<p>whoops, sorry. totally misread that. you did put top 3% in the original post. </p>

<p>however, i would caution ambitiousmind not to mislead anyone who is outside the top 10% (like he/she is) into thinking they don’t have anything more than a below average chance given the statistics. URM status might give one a bit of a boost but i don’t know by how much.</p>

17

<p>Top 10% is almost entirely meaningless.</p>

<p>If you go to a ****ty ass school, you better well be in the top 10%. If you go to an amazing school, being in the top 20% probably means you’re smarter than 80% of the Valedictorians in the country. </p>

<p>Think about it this way: Every single HS in America has a Valedictorian. They can’t POSSIBLY all be qualified for schools like NU. That’s precisely why test scores have any value- they give at least one metric by which to compare the various schools, if not students.</p>

18

<p>it’s true that NU probably does take into account the difficulty of the school, but I don’t know how much accommodation they make for schools that are considered good but not elite (i.e. anything other than Exeter, Andover, Choate, etc.). in the end, the school is still concerned about the % of students in the top 10%. i guess here is where test scores would come in.</p>

19

<p>I would agree with your point, but probably thikn your conception of “elite” is likely too narrow. There are no small number of Elite HS’s in the nation- you likely know if you attend one. If you qualify your rank with “very competitive”- it’s not. If you would say “top in the country”, it is. E.g. NYU is very competitive, UPenn is elite.</p>

20

<p>@ APOL…</p>

<p>The reason why I put “probably not going to attend anyway” is that, chances are, if I were accepted to a highly selective school like NU I would probably be accepted to the upper-tier UCs (UCLA, UC Berkeley) and I would prefer to attend an in-state university even though an out-of-state university’s comm program may be stronger. Of course, I have no idea whether or not I will get into USC. I never said that I was positive of my acceptance or anything. </p>

<p>Anyway, thank you for your insight.</p>