<p>@cluelessbelle, I hadn’t seen your post prior to asking your status. </p>
<p>Another concern of mine is the essay requirements. I am no where close to being a literary person, so I am struggling with the first paragraph of my essays! </p>
<p>I know exactly who I want to work under and what program I want to enroll into, but the essays and low ACT are holding me back!</p>
<p>To be blunt, Northwestern is most likely not going to accept an unhooked applicant, even as a transfer, with an ACT score of 22. If you do not get in for fall, I would strongly recommend retaking your ACT and applying at a later date. Everything else in your application is solid, but the score is abysmal. With a solid score, i.e. 31+, I would say you have a very good shot.</p>
<p>@ mattymark: Do you have time to take it and have scores submitted before the May 1st deadline?</p>
<p>@chicagolak23: I am a prospective transfer student. If you feel like your score will jump significantly by retaking the ACT, then go for it. But as I am advising mattymark, make sure your scores will be in by May 1st. I retook the SAT/ACT last year for USC (which I ended up not applying to), and they remained virtually the same. I would say your GPA and HS ranking cover for your ACT score. How where your SAT scores?</p>
<p>As for the essays, just be honest and direct. Let them know exactly why you deserve a spot in the class. Try and show a little of your personality too. If you’re bored writing your essay, the admissions committee will be bored reading it.</p>
<p>@ dqjcr4: I have to agree. NU really loves those perfect scores, but to raise test scores by that many points is very difficult, especially with so little time left.</p>
<p>My scores where no where near that, but I’m applying anyway because other parts of my application make up for it. And if I don’t get in for Fall 2012, I’m gonna reapply in the spring. Tbh, I would really like to get my GPA up before I apply there, but I’ve already gone to far into the process (sent transcripts, recommendations, and financial aid items already, so might as well finish)</p>
<p>@dqjcr4 THANK YOU! Finally, an unbiased opinion that supports my assumption exactly. I hadn’t thought of retaking it and applying for another term. Would you suggest applying for the Winter or Spring term? And do you know if that means I have to regather all the necessary info and submit NEW essays? </p>
<p>@CluelessBelle I feel that it SHOULD change drastically since I took it three years ago. I’m not sure though. I unfortunately did not take the SAT.
I know what I want to say…the problem is consolidating my 10 pages of info into one page, lol.</p>
<p>Oh yeah and just some general questions: Is the communications major (not the theatre and stuff like that) hard to get into? And does anyone know the expetance rate for northwestern as a whole or possibly by majors? </p>
<p>I’m not sure when you should apply. I do not know which term is more competitive. </p>
<p>Just to give you some hope I scored a 1550 (everything) in high school - didn’t study, showed up hungover, and ultimately just didn’t care. I found out the schools I wanted to attend needed a much higher score about a month before the March SAT. I crammed for about a month and got a 2100. Literally a month. Now I’m not saying it’s an exceptional score or even a competitive score for these top colleges, but it is certainly acceptable. You can do it. If I had another month I could have probably broken 2200. Start studying now. Master the test. It really isn’t that hard if you are familiar with it.</p>
<p>Regarding the essays - you could probably keep the same main essay, but might have to change your supplements if they change the prompt.</p>
<p>@dqjcr4 I am 50% Mexican and 50% Polish, however, did not delve into that in any of my essays. Would you recommend I mention that within one of my essays?</p>
<p>Okay, then I will definitely consider that! NU offers the exact program and research opportunities I am looking for in preparation for my career. </p>
<p>@ chicagolak23: If being that mix has any special impact on your life, then write about it. Don’t just mention it if you really haven’t had any life changing experiences because of it.</p>
<p>I agree with CluelessBelle about only writing about it if it has affected your life greatly. But certainly identify as Hispanic on your application where it asks. It’ll help big time.</p>
<p>I have been reading through some stuff and i have seen things say that NU is considered a transfer friendly school considering it is a TOP school?
Would you guys agree with that?</p>
<p>Well yay for me, lol. At least I’ve got 1 brownie point. I’m not really going to talk about my race in my essays because I haven’t had an life altering experiences because of it. And I imagine a large number of minorities applying there are already talking about that anyway. I’m also tired of writing about the woes of being black in America</p>
<p>@mattymark From what I have researched…I would strongly beg to differ. Especially considering the increase in the number of transfer applicants. This year they had about a 6% decrease in acceptance rate for incoming freshman (I think it was close to 6%, don’t quote me though). </p>
<p>So I would have to argue that where you found that info is not exactly too accurate. </p>
<p>He’s a math major. Not sure what exactly though. </p>
<p>And it varies from year to year. Last year NU was NOT a transfer friendly school. 130/1,521 accepted for a total acceptance rate of 8%. I believe in years past it has been higher.</p>