cclolzftw

I wanted to show NU that I was balancing an internship, college class, and three APs the first quarter of my senior year, so I sent in my grades thus far. Will that B come back to haunt me:

1. AP Statistics - A
2. AP Composition - A
3. AP Psycholohy - B
4. Newspaper - A+
5. Internship (Three Periods) - A+

WCASParent

Those are impressive grades, so it was not a mistake to send them in. I am concerned that yours will not be among the more difficult senior year curricula they will see. Which is the "college class"?

cclolzftw

The college class is a journalism course taught by my city newspaper's editor-in-chief. You've got to be kidding me, though. I take three AP classes in the morning, drive 45 minutes south for my newspaper internship, intern for an hour and a half, drive 45 minutes north back to my high school, and spend the rest of the day EIC'ing my student newspaper. Then I go to my college class in the evening.

If they don't think that schedule is "difficult," then I don't want to go to this school.

sainclaire

Don't take it personally or anything, but at my high school, AP Stat and AP Psych were seen by most kids as the "easy AP" classes the kids who don't feel like working too hard take.

Is your school on a block schedule so that your AP classes run for half a year or something like that? It wasn't uncommon for kids at my high school to load up with 5-6 AP courses for the year.

cclolzftw

I hate that perception. Neither Statistics nor Psychology are "light" APs at my school.

WCASParent

^^ sainclaire expressed my thinking exactly: For AP math, BC Calc is the biggie, AB is impressive, and Stat is not terribly impressive. To the contrary, most schools at this level like to see that applicants have taken or are taking Calc and Physics. Have you taken both before your senior year, because that might make a difference? AP Psych is definitely a softer AP than, say, AP Physics, which again is the the tough one, or even AP Chem or Bio. And AP Comp is good, but it's not as hard as APUSH or AP Euro History.

I wasn't talking about whether your "schedule" is impressive, because it sounds exhausting. I was talking about the curriculum, and yours does not look as hard as that of many other applicants.

cclolzftw

I took two years of Physics (Physics I and Physics II) prior to my senior year. Also, I took APUSH as a sophomore. I repeatedly signed up for AP Physics, but it was canceled over the summer each time (I made a brief note of this in my Additional Information section). I guess the only place where you got me is Calc. I have always been two years ahead in math, so I guess I really shot myself in the foot by taking Statistics this year.

WCASParent

You've taken plenty of physics (I assume one or both were in HS), and your explanation as to why no AP Physics is fine. But yes, you probably should have taken AP calc, especially if you are a strong math student. That doesn't mean it will kill you, but AP Stat is certainly less impressive, and an AdComm, seeing that you have always been ahead in math, might infer that you were avoiding the most challenging course.

cclolzftw

Haha. That's exactly why I didn't take it. I have other priorities.

Glenny

Don't worry about it too much. Math Shmath if, as you're other posts have indicated, you're interested in Medill. As long as you've shown you're strong interest in journalism. I'm pretty sure Northwestern welcomes any information you send so it's fine.
I think you should've dropped math altogether and taken up another social science or Government class. But you'll be fine.

WCASParent

Did OP say Medill?

cclolzftw

Yeah. I'm aiming for Slumdog Medillionaire status.

Everything else on my application from recs to awards is dead-on for Medill, but I've always been a little weary of my secondary school record.

Glenny

Slumdog Medillionaire.... HAHAHAHA! HA.

cclolzftw

I came pretty close to using that in my Why NU? essay. I settled for "Medillians" instead.

WCASParent

If you're going for Medill, the absence of AP Calc per se might not be a problem, but as you indicate, an inference that you did not take the hardest curriculum that you might have taken would essentially be correct. I am concerned that might hurt you.