Hi, I just had a concern over my class rigor.. I have taken normal math (technically accelerated/enriched) throughout high school. (9th grade: geometry, 10th grade: alg 2, 11th grade: precalc, 12th: calc). Most of my other classes are AP except in math. Is this gonna be a major red flag for college admissions if I am applying ED to Northwestern as a poli-sci major? Thank you so much.
Why worry ? Your background is your background.
If you get in - great. If not, you’ll never know why. You can’t change it.
You are talking about a school with a sub 6% acceptance rate.
If your stats and overall profile are strong, apply and see. Given the major, there’s a zillion great schools at which to study.
So why worry ?
Good luck.
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I think that you should take the classes that make sense for you without worrying about university admissions. Then apply to colleges and universities that are a good fit for you, while making sure to apply to safeties and keeping your budget in mind. Some political science majors may be thinking about law school at some point, and if this applies to you then make sure that you budget for a full 7 years of university.
The large majority of applicants to the top ranked universities in the US are very well qualified to attend, and only a handful get accepted. You can’t live your life based on the idea of attending a school with an acceptance rate well under 10% (regardless of whether it is 4% or 6% or 7%).
Instead do what is right for you, and have faith that it will work out.
And regardless of whether you get accepted to Northwestern or rejected, you will most likely never know why.
And perhaps most important, if you are even remotely competitive for admissions to Northwestern, then there are lots and lots of other very good universities who would be glad to have you and where you can get admitted and get a very good education.
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It looks like your math track is +1, i.e. one grade ahead of the regular sequence, since you will reach calculus in 12th grade without doubling up or taking summer courses.
Contrary to popular belief on these forums, students do not need to be on the +2, +3, or higher tracks to get into highly selective colleges.
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A less rigorous math track would not be a positive for Northwestern, but I do not think it, in itself, keeps you from being admitted as a political science major.
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Thank you!
I could not agree more. The OP is already ON a more rigorous track than “normal”. That will be fine for the OP’s purposes.
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Very much agree.
OP - my kids both did the +1 math track like you are doing. D22 took pre-calc in 11th grade and then AP Stats in 12th (so no Calc at all!) S24 also took took pre-calc in 11th grade and then took AP Calc in 12th grade. They both got into Northwestern. My son is a math major and doing great in his classes.
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