Hey guys,
So, I got accepted to Northwestern University Class of 2023. But, I am still in high school and want to drop a course I am currently taking in high school. I was wondering if Northwestern would rescind my application if I drop Band and take on Art. I am looking for a Northwestern student, admissions officer, or just someone who knows the answer. My counsellor says I shouldn’t email Northwestern asking for the answer because it puts a target on my back. I would basically be saying “I want to slack off.” Is this true?
I disagree with your guidance counselor. Contact your Northwestern admissions officer and ask if the proposed schedule change would have any impact on your offer of admission. Get the answer in writing. FWIW I don’t think swapping band for art will matter but it is definitely best to check.
I agree with your counselor. Communicating such a minor change will make you appear neurotic. While I doubt that would “put a target on your back” it might result in a few internal email chains of “can you believe this?” But I doubt it would get you on the Top Ten Weirdest Things Accepted Students Have Done list…
Seriously, NU is not going to think you were slacking off because you substituted art for band. You’ll probably end up working harder in art LOL. Go for it and enjoy!
I think it would make sense to notify them - not to ask if they’d rescind admission, but to notify them that you are planning to change your arts elective, and that you don’t think they would have an issue with that, but to be cautious, you are notifying them since it is a change in your courses from what you had originally submitted to them.
Unlikely. The general threshold for withdrawal of acceptance involves: anything with felony, multiple Ds, any F, or any racist/objectionable behavior (like the Harvard meme kids).
@sgopal2 In this case I agree that the switching of classes from one elective to another should be no problem. However, if a student were to switch classes and lower the rigor of his/her curriculum without the prior approval (if already accepted) or notification (for a pending application) to the college it could be grounds for a college to rescind an acceptance. My friend’s D wanted to drop down from AP calc to honors calc after being admitted ED to a top tier college – but when she called she was told if she did make the change “her ED acceptance would be reevaluated” (she stayed in AP calc).
D19 wanted to drop an AP class at the semester and go to non-AP class in same subject that is at the same level (high honors and same GPA weighting) as the AP class. It was an ordeal getting her ED school (top tier LAC) to approve that switch. Literally took a month of back and forth, between D19, her future sports coach, and the admissions office, but they ultimately allowed the change.
