soozievt

goldtortoise, you sound like an appropriate candidate and should not hesitate to apply. It doesn't matter that you didn't do Cherubs. And you should not change the major to "help" your "odds." Apply for what you truly want to apply to.

My student who just got into Northwestern for theater (hopefully MT) ED did not do Cherubs, though did pre college programs elsewhere. I had a student get in RD another year for theater/MT (and who now attends) who had done Cherubs. I had another student who had done Cherubs who did not get in.

Sure, at any of these colleges, there are some students who attended that college's pre-college program. My own kid went to NYU/Tisch and there were surely a number of kids in her class who had done the pre-college there but she wasn't one of them and didn't do pre-college anywhere.

If you have the qualifications, and good recs, experiences, achievements, essays and all that jazz, then you will be a contender for admissions, regardless of whether you did pre-college at that school. That should never be a deterrent. Good luck.

PS, one thing I can guarantee....if you do not apply, you can't get in.

goldtortoise

actually, i'm most interested in pursuing a career in improvisational/stand-up comedy, not MT, though a few of my ECs are MT related. thanks for all of the advice, though!

goldtortoise

sorry, did not see most recent post. Thank you for your advice. I'm still trying to decide what to do, not sure yet.

soozievt

goldtortoise, Northwestern is very strong in theater/acting, not simply MT and so go for it. There are many other schools where you could hone those skills. Some of these schools also have extracurricular improv groups. For example, I don't know if you are applying to NYU, but they have a great group for you called Hammerkanz. Chicago would also be a great place to be for someone like you, as well as NYC, just for other performance opportunities in improv and stand up comedy.

My own kid is into musical theater. However, since graduating college, she is involved in a comedic cabaret troupe that performs weekly in NYC and it is a mix of sketch comedy and music, all original written by those in the group. Many in the group are sketch comedians, though that is not her career aspiration, even though she is very involved in it on a weekly basis as a writer/composer/performer.

In any case, look into the extracurricular opportunities at each school on your list for improv and sketch comedy troupes.

momof3sons

My S is a freshman in the NU Theatre major and he was a Cherub. He told me that a little more than 20 former Cherubs are in his class this year, if I remember correctly, and the same is true for the class of 2013. I'm not sure if being a Cherub is insignificant in admissions.

goldtortoise-your 33 ACT is a good score, and you seem to have the EC's to back up you interest. NU has a great improv group, so I agree with soozievt that you won't get in if you don't apply. Let them know in your essay where your interests lie, and what you can bring to the campus.

soozievt

Just to clarify what I meant about Cherubs, and this goes for any pre-college theater/MT program.....it CAN be a help if they really liked you in the pre-college program in the sense that they know more about you than someone who can only be "seen" through an application (or at some colleges, a ten minute audition). Going to the pre-college won't get you in, but if they have a very favorable impression, it can help as they know you better than beyond the application itself.

That said, I know a LOT of people who have gone to pre-college programs who were not admitted to that very same college where they went for the summer. So, it isn't a ticket in, but can be a beneficial chance that they know you more than someone they have never met.

As I wrote, at my own kid's program, NYU/Tisch/CAP21, there was a contingent in my D's class who had gone to pre-college there (though she did not).

But my main point is that one should not worry if they did not go to pre-college at that college as plenty of slots are filled by applicants that they do not know beforehand (momof3sons gives an example of only 20 out of 100 in the theater program at NU went to Cherubs). My D and lots of kids I know got into plenty of theater programs having no "hook" of having attended pre-college first. So, that should not stop goldtortoise (who appears to have a shot) from applying. I recall when my D was auditioning for college, thinking of all the kids who went to pre-college at some of these schools, and all the kids who attended performing arts high schools, and all that and she'd be up against them, etc. She did great anyway and so do lots of kids and just believe in your own qualifications and those will see you through.

sberryfields

Keep in mind that there were incredibly talented, smart, and qualified Cherubs who did not get in ED this year. Also, Cherubs (at least in the Theatre division) is not taught by NU faculty, and certainly not by anyone who reads your app, so your performance over the summer is almost irrelevant - I say “almost” because Lynn made it very clear to us that if you get kicked out of Cherubs, NU admissions is notified...!
That said, if demonstrated interest is a big factor in admissions, you definitely do that by being a Cherub, but there are always tons of other ways.

MomCares

I had lost track of this thread until today, but I just noticed on College Board that NU accepts 50% female and 50% male students overall to their incoming freshman class.

Do folks here know if they also apply this 50/50 cap to individual schools, like Communication, or to individual majors, like Theatre, or are there probably a lot more male Engineering students and a lot more female Theatre students accepted?

Also -- I think the RD application deadline was January 1st, true? BEST OF LUCK to all who have applied!!

Staryulover

I'm going to bump this thread to see if anyone replies. Anyone accepted this year, could you post your stats for me? I'm thinking on applying ED for theater, and I'm just curious. I'm really strong academically, and have a wide array of EC's, but not focused completely on theater. I've been in tons of productions, dance in a company, sing in all state chorus, and act, but (for instance) I'm going to a summer program in the sciences to explore more of my interests - thus I am worried.
Anyway, could anybody post stats?

MomCares

There are a few threads in the regular NU section of CC where folks applying to NU posted stats and decisions. I'll try to remember them and post links for you...

Can accepted NU students please posts their stats?

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/...decisions.html

Northwestern University Early Decision thread 2010


Hope this helps a bit!

SDonCC

Staryulover, i checked out your stats, and you certainly look competitive, so go for it! You've demonstrated your commitment and passion for theater through your ECs, and I can't imagine that at a school as academically strong as NU, your interest in pursuing other intellectual interests during the summer would be looked down on!

It would be a pity if you based your summer decision on what you "think" the admissions committee is looking for, and then didn't get in anyway, so go for what makes sense for you!

Staryulover

Thanks guys! Those threads were helpful!
SDonCC, thanks so much! I really feel that I might apply ED lately, because of the caliber Northwestern is for theater (and hopefully eventually musical theater). I adore the school as well, so thanks so much for your advice!

lightningstrike

I'll probably get no responses since this thread is pretty much dead by now, but does anyone have any info to share about acceptances for technical theatre at NU? I have lots of ECs for stage management and design and that's what I want to pursue in college. I have a 4.1 GPA and a 2010 on my SAT so the school is definitely a reach for me but I'm wondering if my technical theatre stuff could help me out if not a lot of people apply for that?

MomCares

D's NU roommate this year is an aspiring (and very accomplished) stage manager, and I think she did emphasize that experience in her application and essays. The kids who plan to pursue technical theatre and those who hope to perform all share many classes, which was a huge plus to the program in D's eyes when choosing between schools.

I have never heard a definitive answer about whether admissions actively attempts to balance the incoming class of ~100 students with technical folks, writers, directors, producers, MTs and straight actors, but somehow it seems ever class has a nice balance of kids with various interests.

Over 60 productions are mounted every year on campus, so you will find an almost unlimited number of opportunities to practice your craft in addition to getting great instruction.

The latest posted stats for NU, presumably from the 2010 or 2011 admission cycle, gives the 50% range of test scores as follows:

Critical Reading: 680-760
Math: 700-780
Writing: 680-770

ACT Composite Scores *

31-34

It sounds like your stats are already in the right ballpark, and if you wanted to you'd still have time to take another shot at the SAT and/or ACT in the fall if you thought you could notch your scores up a little. D submitted the ACT, so I don't remember if NU superscores the SAT.

Congratulations on your great high school accomplishments, and good luck with the upcoming application season!