Yale EA or Northwestern ED?? (International applicant)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm an international student from a local school in Hong Kong (school ranked #3), and I'm thinking between doing Yale University's Early Action or Northwestern's Early Decision. I'm one of the top musicians here and has okay good grades.</p>

<p>I know Yale's probably a reach for everyone, but it'd been my dream school, so I might as well take a bet on it; however, I love Northwestern equally and its dual degree in the liberal arts college and music school sounds appealing. I feel like I have a fairly high chance to get it, at least via its music school. </p>

<p>Should I take a bet, or stick with Northwestern and possibly get done with college app early (who doesn't want to) ?</p>

<p>Here are some of my stats:</p>

<p>SAT approx 2300 (retaking in Oct)
SAT II: Chinese 790, Maths2 710 (retaking in Nov, possibly 780+), Chem 700-750 (Nov test), French 600</p>

<p>GCE AS: 3A 3B
3 self studied APs: 5(Music Theory), 4(Calculus AB), 3(Macroeconomics..lol)
No GPA in school, but top at least 20%</p>

<p>ECA:
1. MUN chair
2. Zonta Z International school club VP
3. School music club President
4. School debating club committee member
5. School Chinese History club VP
6. Music: Various international awards recipient, studying in a professional music skl in Hong Kong, record holder, knows many instruments
7. School magazine editor
8. Local newspapers and magazines contributing writer
9. Co-founder of a local online orchestra
10. Interned at an investment company
11. Many voluntary works</p>

<p>I think essays and recommendations will be fine.</p>

<p>Potential studies and career paths:
1. Media and communication
2. Business
3. International Relations
4. Minor in music/dual degree</p>

<p>Regular decision choices:
NYU Stern, Barnard College, Cornell, Columbia, Wellesley, (maybe) Johns Hopkins</p>

<p>Given that I want to remain in US and possibly Wall Street after graduation, should I risk Yale or should I resolve to a 2nd choice school of Northwestern?</p>

<p>Thanks :))</p>

2

<p>Yale EA. I don’t think you want to be bound to Northwestern. You have good shots at many of your RD schools. </p>

3

<p>Thanks, but I just feel like Yale applicants are all with perfect score and stuff. My APs and school grades are disastrous comparisonly…</p>

4

<p>whats your gpa?</p>

5

<p>No GPA, mainly B+ I guess</p>

6

<p>try hard on your test scores. because you’re international, they can’t really verify your GPA- so test scores will matter more. Aim for 2350+ on SAT, and 800 on SAT Math II. </p>

<p>I also think you’re underestimating the benefits of having international awards in music. Your EC’s are really strong- get the scores for them to read you application, and I think your ECs can get you into Yale. </p>

<p>You can always apply Northwestern RD- I think you have a decent shot there. Getting into Yale RD is insanely difficult. </p>

7

<p>I’m pretty sure the max I can get on SAT will be 2300, coz I’m pushing myself to the limit already. As for SAT Maths II…I dunno, don’t feel like I can do it. Basically I’m really diffident on my scores, but I agree, Northwestern seems a little low on the scale.
Any other suggested schools for early?
Being international is also a disadvantage.</p>

8

<p>Scores aren’t too hard to improve. Get the Barrons book for SAT Math II and go cover to cover, and do all the practice tests. I will be very surprised if you don’t get the 800. </p>

<p>For SAT, it is all about practice. Do all of the blue book tests, online tests, and released PSATs. Once you have completed those, do them again. Its really not that hard to improve your tests scores- its just a matter of time and effort. The difference between a 2300 and 2350 is just a few questions, but could mean the difference between Yale considering your application or not considering it. Put testing as your first priority right now (unless you have an international music comp coming up).</p>

9

<p>If Yale is your first choice, definitely apply there SCEA- I don’t think you’re completely out of the running. I would think all of your schools are matches except for Cornell and Columbia. Have you considered not applying to Stern at NYU? It may be to business oriented if your interested in music. I may be wrong, but they might offer a business minor, and you could have courses at Tisch if you didn’t have Stern as your primary school. I may be wrong about this though. </p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

10

<p>I don’t really want to put Music as my priority, so I guess I’ll stick with Stern for NYU despite I know it’s harder to get in. And yes, I feel like Cornell, Columbia and Yale are all reaches, that’s why I’m uncertain if I should put Yale for early. If I’m not applying SCEA to Yale, I’ll just leave it for regular.</p>

<p>I’m still worried about the standardized testing. I really don’t have much time left when school work’s pretty tough too.</p>

11

<p>prioritize. </p>

<p>Music/Testing >>>>>> Schoolwork, for you at this point. </p>

12

<p>I think with good essays and recommendations,you can get into top schools.However Yale is probably a reach considering the fact that your high school grades are not in the 90 %s.Just an opinion! </p>

13

<p>Your ECs are very strong. I also don’t see how being International could be a disadvantage. These types of schools are always trying to market their student diversity and how everyone comes from across the globe, meaning they have to take a good amount of international students, but perhaps that has just been my experience. Just use Barrons and Khan Academy to boost your SAT score to a min of 2350. (Disclaimer: I’m not the biggest fan of Khan Academy, but I know many people who scored well on their tests and found Khan helpful.) </p>

<p>As long as your grades do not go down, I suggest you apply EA to Stanford. It never hurts to try and I do not think it is impossible for you to get in. You are just going to REALLY need to market your music ECs.</p>

<p>You’re also a match for all your schools except Cornell and Columbia. They go in the Yale category: you’re not guaranteed acceptance, but with your music and a better SAT, you have a really good chance.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

14

<p>Why would you suggest EA to Stanford? Thought they have similar admission rate as Yale?
Does school results matter that much? I think some of you have a point that ppl can’t verify international students’ school results, however it does seem like I have a true record becoz of the lower marks … :pensive: </p>

15

<p>There’s no such thing as having “a decent shot at Northwestern” (or any of its peers) while “getting into Yale RD is insanely difficult” at the same time. It’s not rare that applicants get rejected by Northwestern (or any of its peers) but accepted to Yale (or Stanford/Harvard). </p>

<p>OP,
You may have a decent shot at the music school at Northwestern, depending on how good you really are. As you know, Northwestern music is among the best outside of Curtis/Julliard. But Northwestern arts & sciences school is definitely a reach.</p>

<p>Also, you mentioned you are at a “local” school but your curriculum (GCE / French) sounds more like some international school in Hong Kong to me. Actually, a local from Hong Kong would not and should not take SAT II Chinese; it’s silly and makes one look bad if he/she somehow manages not to get 800.</p>

<p>To be honest, the Bs in GCE, your school, and the relatively low SAT II scores all indicate you are far from one of the top students in Hong Kong, at least academically. But to get into Northwestern, let alone Yale, you’d need to be one of the top there normally. On the other hand, very few locals there would match your ECs. So maybe you have some chance, especially with ED.</p>

16

<p>Well, you seem to have a good chance considering your SAT 1s and I think you can ace the Math 2 as well, so just try to get some ECs and recommendations and I think you’ll be fine with Yale as well…All the best!</p>

17

<p>Music performance major is mainly depending on the audition. It is hard to chance with scores. Academically, your class rank is a bit low for top schools. Most of students in these top schools are within the top 10% of their class. Northwestern is just slightly less competitive than Yale. Its overall admission rate was 12.9% last year. What other schools are your considering too? You may want to arrange a trip and do the auditions in a single trip to the US. UMich also has great music school and strong in other areas too. It is just a few hours bus ride away from Northwestern that you may want to consider.</p>

18

<p>I don’t find UMich that appealing, but yes I know its business and music program are good. However, I think Northwestern’s admission rate is similar to UMich?</p>

<p>I have to say I’m not academically talented, especially in the competitive Hong Kong, but my SAT scores are okay, and considering the fact that my needs are ignored by the school because I’m the only one applying to the States, this is really the best I can do.</p>

<p>Regarding GCE and French, just to clarify, my school offers GCE and IGCSE. I’m not in an international school, or else I’d be doing IB or APs in classes. GCE grades really matters when you’re doing easy subjects, but my Bs are mainly hard subjects such as English, which almost no one can actually get A.</p>

<p>I’m not worried about music at all, and I think I can get in through Northwestern’s music school. There are some auditions offered here in Hong Kong, so I’m not sure if I would fly to US for the auditions, therefore unable to really visit the schools.</p>

<p>I will continue to see if I can boost up my SAT scores…but are there other schools between Northwestern and Yale for me to consider? Or which school between the two would you guys choose?</p>

19

<p>Just wanna let you guys know that I’ve been accepted to Northwestern already! Thanks again for your input.</p>

20

<p>congratulations :)</p>