<p>I'm sorry, but I just cannot understand why I was rejected from northwestern. I have stellar grades ( one a-, the rest a) in difficult classes (5 ap classes this year, 6 last year). Top 3% of my class. I scored all 5's on the 8 ap tests I've taken so far. 2230 Sat, 800,790 SAT II, 34 ACT. I took college level chemistry, got an A and am currently in college level Econ, getting an A. I partcipate in Mock Trial, Robot Club, Cross Country, marching band and i do materials science research. All this and I was rejected by northwestern. Why???</p>
<p>Hey, nfm2012, I hear ya. I didn’t think that I had NU in the bag when I applied, but I certainly felt that I had a shot of getting in. Last night, I was up till midnight waiting for the server to came up. I fell asleep and woke up this morning, only to find that I’d been rejected like yourself. I go to a competive public school and scored 2180 on the SAT and I too scored 5s on most of my 5 APs (taking an additional 3 this year). Your scores are far more impressive. I guess that we just didn’t have whatever they were looking for. Keep in mind that they had a record number of applicants this year. </p>
<p>Well, it’s easy to say this now but… “What happens, happens!” I guess. </p>
<p>Best of luck with the rest of your college process. :)</p>
<p>nfm2012, i scored 2300 on the sat and 5 800s on the SAT IIs and got rejected too. Well, guess they have their reasons…but anyway, don’t let this get you down, and good luck with the rest of your college decisions!! =)))))))</p>
<p>I got accepted with stats lower than all of yours. But I showed a devout level of interest in NU. I live in California but I still visited the campus, took a tour, and went to a seminar. I think level of interest matters a whole bunch to them because last year my schools valedictorian was wait listed with stats much better than mine, and he never showed any sort of interest.</p>
<p>it’s not level of interest. I was there for a two week summer program and was rejected…not even waitlisted. And I know for a fact that the accepted kids from my school haven’t even visited. </p>
<p>It is most likely because of other kids in your class that applied…do you know who else applied? That’s what screwed me. Like 20 kids at my high school applied to NU.</p>
<p>I feel your pain. I got rejected too, even though my stats were a little lower than yours. It hurts…a lot especially when you get 3 rejections in one night.</p>
<p>Yep, life blows right now. 3 wait lists and one rejection for me yesterday. Looks like I’ll being going to Pitt</p>
<p>Rejected as well. Canadian. Applied for FA. Yet I still had a bit of hope :(</p>
<p>My friend’s kid was also rejected, with top stats</p>
<p>2240, 800phy, 800mathii, 4.0 GPA. founded a youth organization in my country, president of 3 clubs in school, adviser to the president at a firm, had 2 internships.</p>
<p>Rejected. Not only here, but also at Lehigh, Colgate. How do I explain this to myself? Can’t blame it all on “oh i needed a lot of FA”…because my friend got waitlisted and he needed more.</p>
<p>nfm, others</p>
<p>First of all, NU is not a safety or near safety for anyone. In fact, none of the top 20 or 25 schools are, really.</p>
<p>More importantly, it’s not you. NU received approximately 32,000 applications for 2000+/- slots. It will problably translate to a 15% acceptance rate +/-. They receive many many more applications from highly qualified students than they could possibly accept. Plus, neither NU nor any of the other top schools admit solely on stats. </p>
<p>No one knows exactly what they’re looking for or how they put together a class, so it’s really impossible to predict.</p>
<p>However, I think it’s safe to say with NU (and any of the other top top schools), that if NU put together a list of the stats of the group they accept (4-5000, ish). And then put together a list of stats of the next 4-5000 students and you compared the lists, you’d be hard pressed to say which list was which.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, that’s the system. However, in the long run, it works out most of the time. Almost all top students get into top schools at the end of the day.</p>
<p>I was rejected as well and am in the same boat as you guys, as I thought I had a pretty decent chance with the application and everything else I submitted. I don’t think it’s demonstrated interest because I had an amazing, super long interview, which is pretty much the best I can do as I live in California. To be honest, I was really bummed last night… 2 reach rejections in one day (albeit I did get into a match school, which is nice). Buuuuut thinking about the whole process and how truly random it is, I guess these rejections aren’t as painful and we still have hope for Ivy Day and other top schools. </p>
<p>Also, thanks zephyr15, that was comforting :)</p>
<p>Zephyr15, what’s a top student then?</p>
<p>Well, if you’re talking about admissions to a school like NU. Top 10% of the HS class +/-.</p>
<p>
I agree
While it is disappointing not to get to your top choice school, just keep reminding yourself that you are a good student and you WILL do well no matter where you go. Once you are in your career, honestly, hardly anyone cares where you went for undergrad. Work hard, do well where ever you go.</p>
<p>My friend’s kid was accepted by MIT and rejected by NU. So IMO a rejection only means you are not what that school is looking for, not that you are not good enough. :)</p>
<p>nineinchnails… are you Asian? perhaps NU had too many Asian applicants to choose from with stats just as good or better than yours??? just wondering</p>
<p>Scores are a minor part of the process. How did you present yourself within your essays? Did you show a genuine passion and the fact that you did your research on the school? There are so many factors that go into this decision and it seems as if you’re entirely concerned with your statistics rather than your potential fit.</p>
<p>This is my view on college admissions: searching for acceptances is like gambling. The more times you apply, the more times you get to roll the dice, and the higher chances you have of getting in. To get in, you need a 1. The better your stats, the fewer the sides on the dice, but there will always be more than one side on the dice at most selective colleges. If rolled a 1, congratulations you’re in! But if you rolled a 2 on your two-sided dice (which would maybe look like a penny?), well too bad, but you’re really not the one to blame. I personally was fortunate enough to roll a 1, but I don’t take that to mean I was any better than the denied or wait listed applications. All it means was that I rolled a 1 and had sufficiently reduced the amount of sides on my dice.</p>
<p>I am sorry for your loss, and I know how it feels to be rejected from a top college, as I have received and will receive more of those emails.</p>
<p>@bottomofthepile yes. South Asian.</p>
<p>Northwestern was perhaps a perfect fit for me. My why NU essay could have been a notch better.</p>
<p>I’m just too depressed now.</p>