<p>Hi! So my average GPA is a 3.25 but i am trying to pull it up to a 3.5 or above.
I am an international student and I am really really hoping of getting into Northwestern University! It is my dream college and I will be applying ED.
I just got my SAT scores. I got a 1780 which is completely ridiculous because I was hitting 2100 in practice tests. I don't even know what happened. It was my first try. I am a junior and plan on taking it again in May.
Do you think I still have a shot of getting into northwestern? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME</p>
<p>Not much of a chance unless you increase your SAT and your GPA.</p>
<p>Academics-wise, I would say Northwestern is a reach. However, you may be able to compensate through excellent extracurriculars and strong essays/rec letters. It would also help if you have any prior connections to Northwestern (i.e. parents are alumni).</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1575372-curious-my-chances.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1575372-curious-my-chances.html</a></p>
<p>I know it is a reach school. As I said I am an international student. I am doing the IB curriculum and am predicted around a 39 out of 42. Although my IGCSE grades were not good. I have shown drastic improvement. I have talked to my teachers already ( a year in advance) and 3 out of 6 are going to give me good recommendations and so is my counselor. I have done volunteer work and I have done 3 internships with publishing firms under the econ sections. I also know how to play the guitar (although I haven’t gotten a teacher since I learnt it a few years ago, nor do I have certification) and I have done a classical dance form for 3 years.
Does this by any chance increase my chances of getting into Northwestern?</p>
<p>If you are serious about Northwestern you need to really focus your efforts starting now. You’ll need a higher GPA but if you make really strong grades this year you can show an upward movement in your grades which will be helpful. You are a junior so you have time to really pull up your SAT score. Take the SAT a couple more times. Prepare, prepare, prepare for the next one. At minimum buy an SAT prep book and take the online SAT tests for practice. If possible find a tutor or a course for SAT prep. You need to treat this like another high school class and spend hours preparing if you really want to increase your score which you’ll need to do for Northwestern. Then make sure you visit campus, if you can, and definitely meet with an admissions counselor and talk to them! Get to know your admissions counselor. If you do get a 39 on your IB (but you won’t have result until after the admissions process), you really improve your SAT and can show an upward trend in your grades you might just have a shot! Are you living in the U.S. now? If so and you have a 3.25 because you attend a very rigorous high school let your NW admissions counselor know. Ultimately, you’ll either get in or, worst case scenario, you’ll be a great candidate for another great university! Best of luck!</p>
<p>@Hopey05 I am not in the US. The 3.25 is what I guessed I would get. Although I know for a fact that I will be predicted a 38 if not a 39 out of 42. The predicted is what colleges look at when they admit us. The school I go to is pretty competitive. I have no way to visit the campus because there is no time. I am still baffled over my SAT score because I was consistently reaching above 2000s in my practice tests. I have no idea how it got so low. I did another test today and that gave me a 2090. Anyway, I do have a SAT book and everything. What I really want to know is if I do get a 2100 or above and then submit my 1780 with that, would Northwestern not look at my application because of my first test that I bombed?</p>
<p>I don’t think the 1780 is going to hurt you if you can get a 2100 or higher. I know a guy who was a Yale admissions counselor and if a school super score they most likely have an undergraduate getting the scores and finding the top scores and submitting those top scores to the admissions counselor. That is what he said they did but, honestly, I don’t know. I am wondering the same thing. I took the SAT in October just trying to bring up my math scores but I did let me reading/writing score drop because I was told those were already good enough and not worry about the reading/writing portion and now I am wondering if my prospective schools are going to wonder why I let those scores drop. Not, sure the Yale guy gave me the correct information for myself about the math score or about how super scoring works but that is what I was told.</p>
<p>@Hopey05 Super Scoring works that way. They take the highest score from each section and add it to get a final score which is sometimes higher than what you get overall…
I am pretty sure you will be a prospective student. What did you get in each section the two times you did it?</p>
<p>First SAT:
560 math :-(, 710 CR, 730 writing</p>
<p>Second SAT
570 math, but didn’t really put the extra effort in for CR and writing (per Yale guy suggestion) and got a 690 CR and 720 writing. </p>
<p>Not sure the extra 10 points for math is worth that my other grades came down.
That is my question that I’m not sure Yale guy gave me accurate info on - does admissions actually see ALL the score or just SEE the TOP scores when super scoring?</p>
<p>The schools I am applying to in the U.S. don’t have as high a entry requirement as Northwestern. But, I am also applying to some international schools and it can be really confusing knowing what you actually need to meet their qualifications.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>