Too Little Too Late?

<p>I just came to this website because i am thinking about college.. and I really like NW.
I wanted to know if my grades would hold me back from NW and if it would be like an automatic NO.</p>

<p>I just finished my junior year and I have taken Ap Bio, Ap Stats and Ap US history, but i did bad this year, which is partly my fault and partly family issues (deaths, divorce and I accidentally found out that my dad has a second family that he has been keeping a secret from my family, hes an A hole) I have like a 3.5 W and like a 3.0 UW now, the drop is from an F this semester and 3 C's.
my sats are M 800
CR 780
W 720
and SAT II MII 800
Bio E 800
USH 740
I have good Ec and volunteer 5 hours a week and have a job for 20 hours a week. Also, i am low income living with mom who makes 19,000 a year and neither parents went to college. And next year im taking 3 Aps with rest honors and can bring up my GPA to a 3.85 W/ 3.4 UW.
and i think NW is my first choice, so what would my chances be ED and none Ed and how much financial aid do you think i would receive because i have to pay myself. thanks for your time.</p>

<p>IMO...your SATs suggest you are bright-and your situation sounds messy. You may benefit from waiting to apply regular decision-in hopes to show a strong first semester on your transcript to reassure them of your willingness to work coupled with the ability.</p>

<p>NU is known for being more lenient and understanding than other peer institutions (including the ivies).
Your SATs are great.
NU also guarentees to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need. If you get an insufficient package, you can back out of ED.
Make sure you write great essays to show how your experiences have affected you and make you interesting.
As an unofficial delegate from NU, I'd love to share campus with someone like you. You epitomize Diversity more than any "minority" could. If NU is your top choice, I urge you to apply ED, and you have a very good shot of getting in.</p>

<p>How about fixing that F? Find somewhere to take the class again. What class was it? Sometimes, a different textbook can make a big difference. It would show initiative to find a way to compensate for the weakness.</p>

<p>My F was in AP statistics..Math is my best subject, but the class was online and it was difficult to work at home. I finished all of my work for the class and received 90s or better on everything, but the work was late and I didn't receive credit. I think that I either received a 4 or 5 on the AP exam. Should I still retake it?</p>

<p>well I think that you have a pretty good shot. If you write great essays, you'll probably be heading to Northwestern in the fall. btw I have to say props to you for keeping up and not just giving up completely in your rough situation.</p>

<p>about 15% of northwestern is composed of students outside the top 10% of their high school class. granted this can probably be somewhat attributed to athletes, i think you still have a shot.</p>

<p>your essays are going to be really important.</p>