Should I pick Northwestern as a safety?

Colleges & Universities Northwestern University
1

<p>I was looking at perhaps Bucknell, Colgate, and Northwestern as my safeties (as in, more than 75% to get in)</p>

<p>But perhaps that’s a little cocky. What do you think?</p>

<p>Here’s my app:</p>

<p>4.0 GPA
As many APs and honors as possible</p>

<p>SAT II:</p>

<p>Mathematics Level 2 800
Spanish 690 (expected 30 - 60 point rise in October)
U.S. History 780</p>

<p>SAT I: (decided not to re-take)</p>

<p>Writing 800
Reading 750
Math 740</p>

<p>APs:</p>

<p>Euro, 4; US 5; Calculus AB 5; Spanish 4; English 4.</p>

<p>ECs:</p>

<p>4 years of tennis, 2 varsity
1 year JV basketball
1 year JV baseball (most improved player)
3 years NHS, 1 year NHS president
3 years “Cultural Relations” – organization designed for promoting racial and cultural understanding and peace
2 years Spanish club
3 years school mentor, 1 year leader of mentors
3 years chess team
1 year investor’s club
Editor on school newspaper
Considerable sucess as a painter (accepted in several prestigious art shows)
Founder/president of three minor clubs at my school
NMS semi-finalist</p>

2

<p>i wouldnt call NU a safety as much a pretty solid match. so yes, i would apply if you are interested in the school but its not a sure thing to fall back on.</p>

3

<p>yeah i don’t know if i’d give you a 75%+ chance in the rd pool, also northwestern is in an entirely different league than colgate and bucknell.</p>

4

<p>ok. NU should definitely NOT be your safety. it should be no one’s safety really. maybe a more confident application, etc., but never a safety.</p>

5

<p>Yeah, you guys are right. I didn’t look into the school throughly enough. Thanks for the advice.</p>

6

<p>hm, i applied to it as a safety. had kinda similar scores and ec’s as you. ended up really liking it though when i visited this past april after getting in and here i am now heading to nu this year over some of my other choices XD.</p>

7

<p>To make Northwestern a safety, you’d need nothing short of a 2300 and be legitimately nationally ranked in something. Your SATs arent that much higher than the averages and none of your ec’s particularly stand out. Not that you that they aren’t good, but nothing insanely spectacular that creates a “wow” factor.
I hate to refer to the rankings but Bucknell is somewhere around the 30s and NU is #14.</p>

8

<p>your stats are good though, were you to apply, i would say you have a very strong application.</p>

9

<p>If I were you, I wouldn’t conside NU a safety. I have friends of mine who have better “stats” meaning scores and they were rejected/waitlisted, then ultimately rejected. As Cerebral said, as much as I don’t really care/like the ranking system, you should probably apply to a different school as your safety and keep NU as a match. Good luck</p>

10

<p>AKA</p>

<p>snakebyte got pwn3d!!!1one!one!!1!</p>

11

<p>CerebralAssassin, I’ve been told that a 2290 is almost identical to a 2400 in the application process several time on this forum. Do you think there’s a sizeable difference (because I’m considering re-taking).</p>

12

<p>don’t retake because if you score lower, they will send those scores too, and it is probably highly likely that you score lower. a 2290 is really good.</p>

13

<p>I think you have a good chance at getting in, as in its a match school. But really, I don’t think NU is a safety for anybody. Sorry</p>

14

<p>Is it true that colleges consider ONLY your highest scores or is that completely undocumented? Because if they consider one’s lowest scores in NO WAY then re-taking would probably be worth it.</p>

15

<p>For SATs, schools do have your complete list of scores whether you want your lowest score to show up or not. But I do know there are some schools that consider your highest score only.
For ACTs, you choose whichever score you wish to send so only your highest will be seen and considered.</p>

16

<p>you have a solid chance, but NU is definitely not a safety or match school for anyone. I had friends with your stats that applied to NU and were rejected this past year.</p>

17

<p>If you are a Native American with SAT scores higher than whatever the new equivalent of a 1200 are, most colleges in the US are safeties for you. :)</p>

18

<p>I’d count on getting in, but you should probably choose a safer school as your safety, just to be safe.</p>

19

<p>“If you are a Native American with SAT scores higher than whatever the new equivalent of a 1200 are, most colleges in the US are safeties for you.”</p>

<p>That’s so stupid, i’m sorry this is the wrong venue, but i really hate affirmative action.</p>

20

<p>I’m pretty sure it’s accurate statement, though. Native Americans are among the most socially oppressed peoples. But you are right, this probably isn’t the venue for such a discussion. :)</p>