<p>Fire away.</p>
<p>Beat you to this a lonnggggg time ago, buddy. ;)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Which is a smarter move(to improve odds of getting accepted)?
A. Retaking the SAT in November in hope of a 10-40 point increase (i.e. 2070 to 2100)
B. Taking two SAT subject tests for the first time</p></li>
<li><p>What is a good word range for the “why NU” essay?</p></li>
<li><p>Would having two teacher recommendations instead of one make a difference?</p></li>
<li><p>What is the average amount of AP and/or IB classes a NU student takes in high school?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>thank you for responding.</p>
<p>Are you employed?</p>
<p>^I’m in a very good professional school. All of my close friends who sought employment got a job. Several at google. But my friends were mostly very high achieving (all graduated with honors). The couple with poor grades still landed in jobs through internships they’d had or just applying.</p>
<p>^^Cornell Law?</p>
<p>…charger88
Even at 2100, NU is most likely a reach. You do not have to take the SAT subject II unless you are applying to one of the honors programs HPME or ISP, or were home schooled. You really need to get your SATs in the 2200+ range. Is that possible? If not…would you want to attend a college where most of the students did earn 2200 plus??</p>
<p>I’m in grad school at HYPS. I was hired by some corporate firms to work in human resources/implementation consulting but I declined since I imagine those jobs will be very boring. I have 10k in loans from undergrad which is very reasonable.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Which is a smarter move(to improve odds of getting accepted)?
Well it depends on what you will get on the SAT IIs, but if you’re not confident with them, I suggest just working on improving your SAT since you’re already familiar with it. 2100 will really not cut it anymore unfortunately. I don’t get the impression that SAT IIs count for much but I’m just guessing. I think they’re more valuable for achievement-driven rather than aptitude-driven people because the tests give them a chance to showcase their talents in a different way. Having high scores in both kinds of tests is the norm though and ideal.</p></li>
<li><p>What is a good word range for the “why NU” essay?
When I applied, I wrote two pages double-spaced, but I think most people go for a page double-spaced. Definitely be succinct so if you feel you can fit everything into one page, do so. I had a lot to say because I really loved the school, visited, knew a lot of people there, etc.</p></li>
<li><p>Would having two teacher recommendations instead of one make a difference?
Yes if the second is extremely positive, even better if it would shed a new light on you that the first letter wouldn’t (e.g. if your teacher who’s also an EC advisor wrote it).</p></li>
<li><p>What is the average amount of AP and/or IB classes a NU student takes in high school?
Enough so that your counselor will be able to check “most rigorous courseload” on your form. If your school offers multiple languages, you’re obviously not expected to have taken up more than one, let alone all of them at the AP level. If different AP classes conflict and you couldn’t take the one or the other as a result, your counselor should mention that.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>WCAS Parent: Yes. Please refrain from figuring out who I am :)</p>
<p>Lol arbiter! With a sophomore S at NU I was instantly curious to know if OP was employed. I’m glad you’ve had great success too! :)</p>
<p>I’m still here and more than happy to take any more questions.</p>
<p>Could you maybe talk a little about your experience at Northwestern? Academics, social life, extracurriculars, whatever you’d like to talk about (:</p>
<p>NU was a completely surreal experience to me, even more so now that I’ve graduated and can reflect on my time there in retrospect. There’s something about the place that’s left a very lasting impression on me, and I think it’s something that no brochure or website can capture and something that you have to visit the school to experience for yourself. I think it’s a combination of the vibe the students give, the aesthetics of the campus (the campus is like a forest, and the lakefront is so beautiful), the wealth of the school, and all the things that are happening on campus all the time.</p>
<p>Academically, I loved the emphasis on the liberal arts but also the opportunities to dabble in professional fields. I did an independent research study with a professor, worked for a research lab, pursued a project from class so in-depth it evolved into an internship, read a lot of books and journals in my free time, and did several other internships. The professors and students care a lot about what they’re teaching/learning and it shows in class. People do not hold back from pursuing their specific interests and stretch themselves beyond what they ever imagined they could do (and they’re dedicated enough that they will sacrifice sleep to do so). People are not only really intelligent but also driven, proactive, creative, socially conscious, and down-to-earth. Being surrounded by these people made for a really cool academic environment.</p>
<p>Socially, there are many different scenes on campus. If you’re into the arts, there are often multiple play/musical/drama options on campus. In addition, there are often cultural shows, guest speakers, conferences, music performances, dance shows, talent shows, charity events, etc. that you will not be bored. Some like to go to Chicago to hang out or go to the Art Institute/Water Tower Place (shopping)/Millennium Park/Lyric Opera/Symphony Orchestra, etc. Upperclassmen like to hold parties in their off-campus apartments and they tend to be pretty open. Fraternities also hold parties but they’re stricter in whom they let in. Generally if you know a brother, you’re in. If you’re a girl, you will probably get in, no problem. Money flows in some of these fraternities and I have to say, it’s good to know some of them. You never know who might invite you to their vacation house in Switzerland or whose parents might get you connections at a Fortune 100.</p>
<p>Extracurricular-wise, there are a million things you can get involved in. There are academic clubs, dance teams, community service clubs, cultural clubs, political clubs, religious clubs, sports clubs, a cappella groups, pre-professional clubs and frats, social innovation clubs, etc. There are just so many. My favorites: Bhangra, Happiness Club, Boomshaka, and Fusion Dance.</p>
<p>Search by category here:
[Wildcat</a> Connection - Organizations](<a href=“- Wildcat Connection”>- Wildcat Connection)</p>
<p>Wildcatalum, </p>
<p>For freshmen, is there any way to avoid hall bathrooms? Do the residential colleges offer suite-style living for freshmen? For those with semi-private baths, do they have to clean their own bathrooms? Thanks.</p>
<p>Yes, Foster-Walker has single-use bathrooms for every 3 rooms, and custodians come by everyday to clean them (they are lovely people btw). </p>
<p>I know community bathrooms can be awkward, but it’s completely normal to know that the people around you do #1 and #2 too and even pass gas occasionally.</p>
<p>Thanks Wildcatalum! I was was perusing the quite-helpful northbynorthwestern website and couldn’t find a description of “closed-style suites” and “open-style suites.” How are they configured and what is the difference between them?</p>
<p>Maybe somebody else can speak to this question because I’ve never lived in a suite. I believe “open-style” suites are more like Foster-Walker where the rooms are not joined together by a common private space (they are basically just singles but called “suites” because there’s a bathroom for every 3 rooms), whereas a “closed-style suite” requires a key to enter a common private space which then leads to all the bedrooms in that suite. In other words, “open-style suites” are just a bunch of singles that share a bathroom, and “closed-style” are private suites (which also have a private bathroom).</p>
<p>Thanks Wildcatalum. That’s it for now, but I’m sure I’ll have more questions soon.</p>