still a chance at Northwestern?

[alwaysleah]

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The reason I think the suggestion to aim higher is “insulting” (and that might not be precisely the correct word) is because: </p>

<p>1, none of us knew what pkmontag was looking to do/major in from his first post. It’s actually possible that Northwestern had a better/more expansive program in that field than the schools being suggested that are ranked higher. Or perhaps pkmontag was drawn to NU’s extensive choice of special programs and/or certificates, like MMSS or the Kellogg Certificate, which are unique to NU. Who knows? (We do now, but I think that question should have been asked first.)</p>

<p>2, I feel that the difficulty of getting into NU is being downplayed. phuriku actually said, “As long as you show interest in them in your application, you’re in.” I think that is what set me off more than anything else in this thread.</p>

<p>This is where I think that being a senior rather than a sophomore comes into play. I had plenty of secondhand knowledge when I was a sophomore; that’s when I joined this site. But now that I’ve gone through it all, at a time when many colleges have had their most competitive admissions season ever, I can say that I feel much more knowledgeable.

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<p>I don’t think that Grammernazi meant to insult NU. I agree that the top 5 schools aren’t “all that” and that NU is one of the absolute best. It is possible that NU is THE absolute best for the OP. If it is, fine. DEFINITELY apply ED if the financial situation is looking okay. That said, for most fields, NU is outpaced by a few schools. Nothing wrong with that, and there certainly isn’t a need to be at THE best school in the field. I took the suggestion as simply “Hey, consider XXX because you might have a chance. They’re reaches for everyone, sure, but it wouldn’t be ludicrous to give it a shot.”</p>

<p>As far as optimism/pessimism, I have been through this process both with siblings and with close friends. I am completely aware that there is a certain amount of luck involved in admissions to top schools and that no one can count on anything. To me, “high match” means that a person is certainly as qualified as admits, but any school with admissions as selective as NU certainly can’t be a match. Hence, “high match.” I certainly do not agree that simply showing interest will lead to an acceptance. </p>

<p>Of course you have to err on the side of caution–the OP should have safety schools. I completely agree. That said, I DO think that NU is attainable. Not certain, attainable. </p>

<p>That’s it.</p>