Chance me: Poli Sci/Econ, 3.53 UW, test-optional, ED Northeastern [OK resident]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

Non-US citizen living in Tulsa, Oklahoma; green card expected before enrollment
Small private religious college prep school
Born and raised abroad, moved to Massachusetts and studied in a boarding school there in 2022. Repeated 9th grade after moving to Oklahoma(explained in application). Not first-gen, no legacy, not a recruited athlete.

Cost Constraints / Budget

No budget constraint. Not applying for need-based aid; merit scholarships welcome.

Intended Major(s)

Political Science/Economics (also interested in sociology and philosophy)

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

3.53 /4 unweighted (upward trend)
3.80 on a 5.0 scale (+1 for AP/Honors/dual enrollment)
School does not rank
Test-optional everywhere

HS coursework

DC Honors 11th grade and 12th grade English
AP Precalculus, AP Calculus AB (junior year), AP Calculus BC (senior year)
Honors Chemistry(sophomore year), AP Chemistry(senior year), AP World History, DC US History, DC Government, DC Sociology, DC Psychology (senior year)

Awards

-Regional Band Directors Association Honor Band – Clarinet (9th grade, regional)
-Regional Band Directors Association Concert Band Selection – Clarinet (10th grade, regional)
-Excellent Rating – State Clarinet Quartet (9th grade, state) Superior Rating – District Clarinet Quartet (9th grade, district)
-College Board National Recognition Program – School Recognition Award

Extracurriculars

1. Founder & President of The Forum Club (Debate Club)
2. President of Model UN
3. President of International Club
4. Part-time job (~10 hrs/week)
5. Band, clarinet (4 years: concert, jazz, marching)
6. Mock Trial
7. 200+ volunteer hours
8. Shadowed a university sociology professor through a senior career program
9. Student Council historian
10. Family responsibilities (translating, immigration)

Essays/LORs/Other

Personal statement about growing up between different cultures and political systems and how that led me to the social sciences. Supplements focus on political philosophy, institutions, and Latin American history. I’d guess essays are strong (8/10). LORs from counselor and teachers should be solid.

Schools applying to

Far Reach: BU, NYU, Wake Forest

Reach: Northeastern (ED), UIUC, Rochester, Lehigh

Target: Villanova (ED2), Syracuse, Brandeis, Maryland, Wisconsin, UW Seattle, Texas A&M,
GWU

Likely: Oklahoma, Michigan State (JMC), Minnesota, Rutgers–NB, Penn State, Pitt, Stony Brook

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For Boston University, NYU, & Wake Forest, if your AP scores are all "4"s & "5"s, I would strongly recommend self-reporting or submitting them, w/o an ACT or SAT score.

Your unweighted GPA <3.7 is going to screen you out of some of the top “reaches”.

Your ECs look quite strong. Not sure if some schools will need or prefer to ACT or SAT score or they will accept AP scores for merit grant & scholarship consideration.

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Based on these interests, you would make a great match for a public policy major.

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bzk4t7 could also pursue the minor, if offered, & complete an MPA or MPP degree later on.

5

Consider adding schools like Trinity (CT), Gettysburg, Dickinson and SMU.

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You sold me at private college prep school. Certainly they have counselors, etc. So you need to ask them.

If you weren’t at a private college prep school - let me start at the bottom:

Yes, Oklahoma, Michigan State, Penn State, Rutgers and Minnesota are 50/50 as are Pitt and Stony Brook. If you’re open out West, Arizona is strong in social sciences, has the major and would be a safety. College of Charleston would be a mid size safety in Politics, Philosophy and Law. You can add en econ minor. It’s strong in Poli Sci. Public Policy was mentioned above and U Delaware would be solid in the major as would Pitt.

Target - Nova no. SU because you are full pay but if you seek lower cost, you can find it many places., Brandeis maybe (full pay helps). UMD, Wisconsin, Washington no. A&M unsure - and GW you have a shot if full pay. Don’t expect money though.

Reach - maybe Rochester do to money but not on the merits and no to the far reach.

When I read your interests, I think Pitt of all the schools on your list - and the Pol and Philosophy major. Binghamton has it too - but better yet would be PPE majors - schools like Elon, Rhodes, and Buffalo (better SUNY for you) have it.

I think if you are ok with OU (really pretty campus), Michigan State, or Penn State (really large campus), you are fine but I think Arizona, Buffalo, Elon, and for an LAC - Rhodes - would be nice subs or add ons to look at.

Don’t say full pay but I’ll take some merit.

Know what schools cost - if your family doesn’t want to play $80K plus, there are certainly more affordable options. My C of C grad worked for our state and interned at a top think tank in DC - so where you go in this major is likely less critical. You do want to ensure your school provides access to a DC semester, although even if they don’t, they might allow you to study a semester at American U.

I do think though - your 3.5 might be different than another 3.5 and that’s why you need to check with your school.

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Thank you for replying!!
I only have a 4 in AP World History. Do you think I have a chance of getting into Northeastern through ED1? It’s my dream school.

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most people at my school are going to state schools. So my counselors are unable to provide good advice on college admissions especially for top 50 schools

9

For Northeastern, your best options are to apply ED1 or to enroll a different university or a community college & apply again as a transfer for the second or third year (> 3.7 GPA). The EA & RD rounds are way too competitive. Although TO, Northeastern does consider Standardized Test Scores as Very Important for applicants that choose to submit.

You’ve taken AP Precalculus in 10th & AP Calculus AB in 11th. Did you pass these exams with "3"s? Even so, I wouldn’t submit AP scores unless you are required to.

Same thing with Villanova. Your best bet is applying ED2, assuming you don’t get admitted to Northeastern ED1.

The Maxwell School at Syracuse University is a good option for economics, political science, & public policy which is also TO. Consider applying EA to SU.

American University, located in D.C., is another school to explore & also TO.

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Tell us why you love Northeastern. It’s a great school, campus-like feel but in the city. Also has (or at least had 15 years ago) experiential learning requirement… usually fulfilled via 2 or 3 useful co-ops that result in 5 years of commitment but provide job experience / insights. Are there other aspects that appeal to you?

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Most people at most schools go to state schools - even from the big ritzy private in my wealthy area.

Given the major, focus on fit, affordability and activities. These majors are difficult, and yet my daughter at a regional public had 7 intern offers in DC. Many schools have leading faculty doing real world work like Dr David Merkel at C of C. And institutes, like Mriz, to help grow students.

In the major, look less at the name and more at what schools offer and what you can afford. And at some schools, there’s more competition. If you watched the Trump trials a few years back, it wasn’t to 50 who was in focus but Kent State and Christopher Newport U.

You don’t need top 50. You need access to strong and connected faculty and enrichment opportunities.

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Let’s say you get into NEU or Nova. Neither is giving you a nickel, most likely.

You mention no cost constraints but merit welcome.

Is your family ok paying $90k plus when you could pay 1/3, essentially for a degree without a certain path ? I’m good at no cost constraints but when you add merit welcome, it changes the criteria in my mind. Have you discussed the true costs with your family ?

I’ll be honest, I don’t think of either school for your major. Doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be good. Just that, for example, with Nova, I think of business, etc. if you like the co op model of NEU, you can consider easier entry Drexel.