<p>Is Northwestern one of those crapshoot schools like the ivies or is it easier to tell if someone is most likely going to get in or not? </p>
<p>For example, could someone like me, who has a 2200 SAT score, top 4-5% of their class with around a 3.9-4.0 UW GPA with pretty good ECs consider NU to be a match? </p>
<p>If the above isn’t considered “match material”, than what is (if anything at all)?</p>
<p>I would say you are probably a match. But there are no guarantees, so have a back up plan.</p>
<p>Nope. I know of legacies with stellar scores, GPA and EC’s who don’t get it. It’s a match for no one, IMO. No top 20 school could ever be a match.</p>
<p>Agree with both above. Nothing ever guaranteed. But I’d add that Northwestern does not play the kinds of games that have been seen at other colleges. They shoot straight in assessing applicants - stellar grades, stellar standardized scores, stellar ECs DO translate into a stellar admittance probability.</p>
<p>While an applicants stats may fall within the range of the previous accepted applicants, and they have strong EC’s-a “Match” is not dealing with the reality of the strength of Northwestern University and their applicant pool. With that being said, it is prudent to determine if your stats and EC’s fall within that range to determine whether taking the time-and money- to apply to Northwestern is worth it to you. G’Luck!</p>
<p>It’s a match when you feel pretty good about your chance (likely to get in). But since your stats are pretty much the same as the average of admitted students last year, I wouldn’t classify it as “likely”. I would call it slight reach (maybe high match).</p>
<p>I would say that in your situation, it’s a high match (as in it’s not a reach, but it’s also not a straight match either).</p>
<p>Can we split any more hairs? Match, high match, straight match, slight reach?</p>
<p>I don’t really care what you call it. Bottom line - you have a reasonable shot, but you better have a back-up plan because you may not get in.</p>
<p>Don’t get so worked up about it. If someone wants to get more specific, let them, it can only help.</p>
<p>Its a good idea to have backups no matter what the situation.</p>
<p>Worked up? Not me. I just find meaningless distinctions to be humorous. We are all saying essentially the same thing about BengalTiger234’s chances regardless of what label we put on it.</p>
<p>As to the original question - could Northwestern ever be considered a match? Since it accepts a higher percentage of its applicant pool than the Ivies, acceptance would seem to be a little more predictable. So, yes, I would think it would be a match for a stellar student with stellar test scores and stellar EC’s. But, there are no guarantees even for a “match” at any school. My daughter was admitted to Northwestern and wait-listed at a less selective school (presumably because they rightly sensed her lack of real interest).</p>
<p>i have a friend who was rejected by northwestern, but got into cornell, dartmouth, and wharton (off the waitlist). he claims he rushed his essays, but whatever, i think some top 20 schools can be matches in certain situations, but you would have to be pretty close to perfect for northwestern to be a match.</p>
<p>hktk,</p>
<p>His stats are high but not higher than average stats of the admitted students (last year, the admitted students had an average of close to 1470 in M+CR). That means half of the admitted students have higher stats than the OP while the lower half has many athletes, musicians, URMs…etc. That’s why I wouldn’t call it “most likely”, the phrase the OP used (I am not using label here and no, we are not saying the same thing).</p>
<p>I think that people like me (who did the NHSI programs at Northwestern) have a better chance than most.</p>
<p>Sam Lee,</p>
<p>Okay, I give up. Go ahead and split your hairs.</p>
<p>I wasn’t defining “match” in the way you think the OP was. To me, “most likely” better describes a “safety” school than a “match” school. I think we agree that Northwestern is not a “safety” school for anyone. In my mind, if you have average-to-above-average stats for a school, it is a “match” and you have a reasonable shot at admission. But there are no guarantees. Do you still think we are saying something different?</p>
<p>You do sound “worked up”.</p>
<p>Whatever you say.</p>