Will ethnicity help?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northwestern University
1

<p>I am an African American junior from CA, and while I know I don't have top-notch stats for Northwestern I think that I do have a fair chance of being accepted there with my being a URM. I just want to get the opinions of others. Thanks! (Other colleges to chance me at: USC, 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
AP English
I also took a psych course at a CC last summer that I'm told will count like an AP Psych course.
In senior year, I'll be taking...
AP English
AP Stats
AP Gov./Econ.
AP Spanish
AP Studio Art</p>

<p>SAT - I haven't taken the official test yet, but I have a private tutor and am not stopping until I achieve at least a 1960. </p>

<p>EXTRA-CURRICS:
- Newspaper: A&E Editor Junior Year, Editor-in-Chief Senior Year (My teacher promised me the position)
- 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)
- Junior/Senior Year - "Link Crew" mentor for Freshmen
- Junior 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</p>

<p>HONORS:
- Blue Honor Roll all four yrs.
- CSF Gold Member (CA Scholarship Fed.)
- Service Learning Award (completed far beyond the requirements)
- 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, IMHO, be awesome since I am close with both the teachers writing them. One will be from my newspaper advisor and the other will be from my art teacher.</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 can achieve >1960. </p>

<p>Get the Coll Board online course, do all the tests, take 2-3 hours to go over each test, and i'm positive that you will get a 2000+. </p>

<p>Learn lots of vocab too!</p>

3

<p>I think you'll need more than a 1960. My sister ( a URM) got in with a lower GPA than yours, but her friend who is not a URM and had a higher GPA did not. He was actually our salutatorian. But I think you have pretty good chances.</p>

4

<p>Aim for at least a 2100.</p>

5

<p>I think you have wonderful score. Yes, being a URM will weigh in for most schools. You can find out at the school's website how much weight they place on minorities and diversity. Otherwise, don't downplay your scores. Take credit for working hard in high school.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for all your feedback. It seems I will have to set my goals higher... hopefully I can achieve at least a 2000. BTW, I didn't mention that I am applying to Medill... is Medill more competitive?</p>

7

<p>Yes, Medill is more competitive. But it helps that you're editor-in-chief.</p>

8

<p>Wait a minute, would Medill cover communication? Or would the "School of Communication" cover the communication major? Well, I think I just answered my own question. Is that school more competitive?</p>

9

<p>Medill is usually the most competitive school within NU since it's the most prestigious. SOC is less selective, comparatively.</p>

10

<p>ull get into all of those schools with AA due to you URM as long as you get like 2000....good luck chance me back its labeled as(chances would be appreciated, chances back)</p>

11

<p>just a minute now- if you're going to chance someone, at least do it right- 3 of those schools don't even have an AA policy, written or otherwise..</p>