Will I get into Northwestern with a C?

Hi! So throughout highschool, I’ve been in all APs and honors and have gotten As in every single one except math, which every single semester I’ve gotten a B in (which I’ve given a pass bc it’s honors math). I’m in my junior year now, and first semester I was in all honors and I got 4 A+s and a B in math. This semester, I have all As and A+s except in math, where I potentially am going to get a C or C+ if I don’t do well on my next test. How will this affect my chances of getting into NU? I’m applying ED and I’m ranked in the top 10% of my class, my ACT score is a super score 33, and I’ve varsity sport since freshman year, volunteer weekly, and participate in a lot of clubs. I feel like a C will really affect my chances and I’m really nervous.

–Work hard to do your best on the next exam. See the teacher after class, do extra problems etc.
–After that all you can do is put forth your best application (including essays, LOR, etc.) and see what happens.
–And FYI, Northwestern doesn’t superscore the ACT from what I see on the school website under Admission FAQ:. “For students taking the ACT, we use the highest official composite score that you choose to report”.

Definitely possible. I got into a school that was slightly more selective with a C, and I have a friend who got into another school that was just as selective as NU with a C on their transcript. As long as your academic record is solid beyond that one blemish, you should be home free.

@happy1 good to know! I’m aiming for a 33-34 composite so we’ll see how that goes in june

No one knows for sure if they will get into NU. NU cares a lot about grades, test scores, and essays. ECs do not play a large role unless they are competitive, so the varsity sports look nice. You are an excellent candidate for any school, but NU is weird in their admissions in that they may choose a student with lower stats based on numerous factors over a student with amazing stats.

I’ll be honest, its going to be an uphill battle, but it is definitely possible.

I got in this year and I had a C in Precalc my Sophomore Year (semester 1) but I made up for it with As in BC next year and I took Calc 2/3 at a local University. There was definitely an upward trend, and while yours is during junior year it is definitely possible to make up for it by taking the hardest math class you can and working hard.

Your stats are pretty good, I would make sure to supplement them with subject tests in different fields (I took Math 2 to make up for precalc) and dont forget to show demonstrated interest. That’s really key. Visit campus for an official tour and if the admissions officer comes to your school, go and build a connection with him/her. You got this!