@kuustarr :Statistics, Principles of Economics II (microeconomics), and Principles of Sociology. These classes will be taken seriously by selective privates (as in most have course equivalencies) and not so much the others. I would stick with these. Also, NU…maybe a reach, but I would not say a super duper high reach. I think people are really over-estimating it. I honestly don’t know how much your chances would increase by scoring a 34 or 1500…I am betting it isn’t that much. You are technically already in striking distance for NU, but it is just hard to get into and has high volume. Not much you or anyone can do. The effect of getting a higher score may be over-stated. NU has high stats because of rank whereas Northeastern has it because it wants a higher rank. If you get a higher score, it is more likely to effect your chances a lot for Northeastern because they are a lot more stats sensitive (moving away from “striking distance” or getting well above the median for there may actually matter because they want to admit as many very high scorers as possible).
@BiffBrown : My guess is that they are in somewhat below the median (30-40% which is fine. You really just want to be in the IQR. If they can hit 75% which requires perfection, that could increase their chances, but I have this feeling anything below is a waste unless applying to very stats sensitive schools like Northeastern where it may help) for an admit at NU, but are more like 50-60% for an Emory admit.
Also they aren’t pre-med and are aiming for graduate school. Research for them is actually substantially more important than it is for a pre-med, for whom it is often over-rated unless you plan to plan to apply to research intensive medical schools. Having the experience is nice if pre-med, but becoming a super star or doing tons of it is primarily good for those interested in it. It should be done for personal reasons in such a case and not merely as an attempt to enhance the application (it really isn’t for everyone). Basically, I would only do it if you think you would like it or really enjoy science as science is done (not all pre-meds do, some merely like the application). If not, there are schools that focus less on that and are accessible to those with good grades, ECs, and lots of shadowing and relevant volunteer experience. It is not a requirement so I wish that myth would go away. No pre-med should feel pressured into wet-lab or clinical research merely because everyone does it and it needs to be checked off. If not interested, probably better to pursue a less cliche or more unique/personal interest or opportunity that could have impact. I can attest to the fact that the University of Miami Miller med. school, a damned good med. school that seems to have an affinity for Emory students, takes excellent students without the stereotypical profile of having research.