2009-2010 Northwestern University Application Thread

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ok so I've been accepted to Northwestern (!) but today i got an email about the Dean coming to visit my area within the next couple weeks (and an invitation to come to dinner at an alumni's house). Problem is, this was a FOLLOW-UP email... apparently the first email was sent earlier this month and the deadline to respond was earlier this week. This email was sort of a "you there? interested? pls respond!" I never received the first email at all and now I'm wondering if gmail is losing my emails or something... did this happen to anyone else?? I'm a little worried because if gmail is losing emails, then there could have been potential interview invites that have gone missing 🙁 I mean seriously, I was SOOO surprised that harvard didn't invite me! ok bad joke, but yeah I'm a little concerned. Anyone else with the same experience??
 
i just got an interview invite, but they only had one available date in february... i thought this might be a useful information to some of you. 🙂
 
Rejected today, e-mail. Good luck to everyone else! Before the application cycle started, I wanted to end up in Chicago like nobodies business, but apparently its not meant ot be!

Sorry bout that. Bizarre that they sent one on MLK Day. Who'd be in the office?

Anyway, anyone else still in limbo? I assume they're just picking from some hold pile to fill cancelled interview slots by now.
 
Accepted today!! interviewed Dec 11th.

Oh man I interviewed 12/2 and would love a decision. My status page still says thanks for interviewing and has the email addresses. Does the lack of a decision mean that they deferred me or something?
 
Oh man I interviewed 12/2 and would love a decision. My status page still says thanks for interviewing and has the email addresses. Does the lack of a decision mean that they deferred me or something?

Deferred until March.

If they weren't impressed, would they have just rejected me outright? Or do they defer almost everyone they don't love until March?
 
Deferred until March.

If they weren't impressed, would they have just rejected me outright? Or do they defer almost everyone they don't love until March?
40/40/20% accept/defer/reject post-int
 
Rejected pre-interview on Thursday. Forgot to post. Good-luck to everyone who's waiting to hear back or already interviewed!
 
ok so I've been accepted to Northwestern (!) but today i got an email about the Dean coming to visit my area within the next couple weeks (and an invitation to come to dinner at an alumni's house). Problem is, this was a FOLLOW-UP email... apparently the first email was sent earlier this month and the deadline to respond was earlier this week. This email was sort of a "you there? interested? pls respond!" I never received the first email at all and now I'm wondering if gmail is losing my emails or something... did this happen to anyone else?? I'm a little worried because if gmail is losing emails, then there could have been potential interview invites that have gone missing 🙁 I mean seriously, I was SOOO surprised that harvard didn't invite me! ok bad joke, but yeah I'm a little concerned. Anyone else with the same experience??

I was accepted and I didn't get any dinner invites...🙁 Maybe they just like you better. Or maybe mine got lost in the mail too...
 
I have no mail. (but it is expected) I still fume at the fact that UCSF owes me a rejection letter since October
Mail to Canada is just slightly more expensive than schools can afford
 
Does anyone know when second look weekend will be? Or anything about it? Can't wait to meet my future classmates!
 
Acceptance email earlier this afternoon for 01/04 interview. WOW. Really surprised and delighted by the quick turn-around here.
 
Does anyone know when second look weekend will be? Or anything about it? Can't wait to meet my future classmates!


Website says April 14-15th. You should really go--I thought they did a very good job with it last year. I also put down a deposit for a place to live when I went which made it easier to find good housing at a good price. Congratulations!
 
Website says April 14-15th. You should really go--I thought they did a very good job with it last year. I also put down a deposit for a place to live when I went which made it easier to find good housing at a good price. Congratulations!

I very much want to go, but are you sure its April 14-15? Thats a Wednesday-Thursday, it seems unlikely they would do that.
 
Has anyone who has been accepted received a background check request? Do the checks always come before you're accepted or do some schools accept and then do the check, if they do the check at all.
 
Has anyone who has been accepted received a background check request? Do the checks always come before you're accepted or do some schools accept and then do the check, if they do the check at all.

I had three background check requests, but I'm not sure what schools they were from. I am pretty sure they were all from schools that I was accepted at.
 
Thanks! So people get a background check for each school that accepts them if the school is on the background check list then. One check doesn't cover it all then, I assume.
 
Accepted, interviewed 1/6 so I was definitely not expecting to hear back until March. It was a pleasant surprise indeed. I get everything sent to my home address so I never get any mail in time.

I loved Northwestern and I'm so glad to have gotten accepted.
 
Accepted, interviewed 1/6 so I was definitely not expecting to hear back until March. It was a pleasant surprise indeed. I get everything sent to my home address so I never get any mail in time.

I loved Northwestern and I'm so glad to have gotten accepted.

Northwestern seems pretty great and I'm thankful for being accepted, but the financial aid situation makes me a little nervous. I haven't heard great things about need-based or merit-based aid from NW, and the cost of living downtown is ridiculous. :scared:
 
Northwestern seems pretty great and I'm thankful for being accepted, but the financial aid situation makes me a little nervous. I haven't heard great things about need-based or merit-based aid from NW, and the cost of living downtown is ridiculous. :scared:
Yeah. It's literally in one of the most expensive (albeit beautiful) areas of Chicago.
 
Northwestern seems pretty great and I'm thankful for being accepted, but the financial aid situation makes me a little nervous. I haven't heard great things about need-based or merit-based aid from NW, and the cost of living downtown is ridiculous. :scared:

yeah agreed-its SUCH an awesome area, but I really don't know if I'm down with paying 1100 a month to live near campus...
 
Hi guys, the acceptance letter I received had no details on 2nd look. Did you guys get anything else in the mail other than 1 acceptance letter and 2 copies of a return sheet?
 
Hi guys, the acceptance letter I received had no details on 2nd look. Did you guys get anything else in the mail other than 1 acceptance letter and 2 copies of a return sheet?

I didn't get any info at all. I haven't had much 2nd look info from any school I've been accepted at. Its a little annoying, because I would like to get plane tickets taken care of sooner rather than later...
 
yeah agreed-its SUCH an awesome area, but I really don't know if I'm down with paying 1100 a month to live near campus...

The students were really chill and nice, but I did have a slight problem with their attitude toward the high costs of attending Northwestern. It seemed to me (just my impression from the interview day) that students either a.) have parents who pay for everything or b.) are just going way into debt and have a really nihilistic and/or overly relaxed view of their massive impending debt-load.

Just my opinion from talking with 7-8 students that these were the ways they were handling NW's cost of attendance.

Has anyone, student or otherwise, heard of them giving out need-based aid to those with very low parental incomes? Or do they just expect you to suck it up and take the full cost on loans? 🙁
 
No idea about the financial aid situation though they do have PDF about NW's aid applications and some FAQs. Coming from California and compared to rents in NY 1100 for an apartment in downtown Chicago in an upscale high rise is not too bad.

I think their second look according to the website is mid april (15th?) and I'm sure they'll send out a big packet in the near future with health forms and junk.
 
No idea about the financial aid situation though they do have PDF about NW's aid applications and some FAQs. Coming from California and compared to rents in NY 1100 for an apartment in downtown Chicago in an upscale high rise is not too bad.

I think their second look according to the website is mid april (15th?) and I'm sure they'll send out a big packet in the near future with health forms and junk.

Coming from the Midwest, $1100 for an apartment anywhere is absurd. Anything over $650 is getting close to overpriced in Iowa. 😛

Debt accumulates the same no matter where you are, no reason to justify it based on the area, you will be busy studying whether you are in the middle of nowhere or downtown Chicago.
 
Can any current students comment on how much it costs to get a room in a 2- to 3-bedroom apt in the area around Northwestern? Coming from a city where I can usually get ~$600 rent, I am also concerned about the prospect of shelling out 1K+ for monthly rent. If I do decide to attend NW - which could be ideal, given my parents' location in the Chicago 'burbs - I may need to live further from campus (remaining in the city proper) and just deal with the hassle of commuting.
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Edit: Alright, I did the grown-up thing and looked on Craigslist to answer my own question. It looks like studios in the Streeterville area range from $1000+ and 2-bedrooms are about $1900-2100. Didn't see any three-bedrooms. If you look at areas further out that are supposed to still be student-friendly and nice, it appears that Wicker Park has a lot of really affordable options. Anyways. So I guess you can live on the cheap in Chicago, but maybe not in Streeterville.
 
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for those deferred til march, did they tell us when in march a decision will be reached?
 
for those deferred til march, did they tell us when in march a decision will be reached?
I don't think so, but last year's thread shows that they sent acceptances for deferred people on 3/17.
 
Just interviewed here and LOVED it. Anyone happen to know when the next committee meeting is? Good luck to all still waiting (like me!)
 
You're right in that most people are paying in the range of 900-1100 for rent. There are some people who live outside streeterville and probably pay a little less but to be honest I would really recommend just shelling out the money. Take out loans--thats what they're there for. Honestly, I'd say about 70-80% of us live within 3 blocks of the school and that makes life so much easier. I couldn't imagine living farther away because of how cumbersome it is to deal with lunch, changing clothes, walking in the cold, hauling books, etc. Furthermore it is SO MUCH BETTER SOCIALLY to be close to where everyone is.

For reference--most people live either in McClurg Court, Onterie, 420 E. Ohio, or Worcester House on Pearson and Dewitt.

Hope that helps. Seriously though--don't worry about rent--you'll make up your loans and interest once you're in your 30's....ahha..




Can any current students comment on how much it costs to get a room in a 2- to 3-bedroom apt in the area around Northwestern? Coming from a city where I can usually get ~$600 rent, I am also concerned about the prospect of shelling out 1K+ for monthly rent. If I do decide to attend NW - which could be ideal, given my parents' location in the Chicago 'burbs - I may need to live further from campus (remaining in the city proper) and just deal with the hassle of commuting.
------
Edit: Alright, I did the grown-up thing and looked on Craigslist to answer my own question. It looks like studios in the Streeterville area range from $1000+ and 2-bedrooms are about $1900-2100. Didn't see any three-bedrooms. If you look at areas further out that are supposed to still be student-friendly and nice, it appears that Wicker Park has a lot of really affordable options. Anyways. So I guess you can live on the cheap in Chicago, but maybe not in Streeterville.
 
You're right in that most people are paying in the range of 900-1100 for rent. There are some people who live outside streeterville and probably pay a little less but to be honest I would really recommend just shelling out the money. Take out loans--thats what they're there for. Honestly, I'd say about 70-80% of us live within 3 blocks of the school and that makes life so much easier. I couldn't imagine living farther away because of how cumbersome it is to deal with lunch, changing clothes, walking in the cold, hauling books, etc. Furthermore it is SO MUCH BETTER SOCIALLY to be close to where everyone is.

For reference--most people live either in McClurg Court, Onterie, 420 E. Ohio, or Worcester House on Pearson and Dewitt.

Hope that helps. Seriously though--don't worry about rent--you'll make up your loans and interest once you're in your 30's....ahha..

Do all Northwestern med students really just take out loans for all this and not worry about it? I don't know how I could get over paying so much for rent/tuition/cost of living... :scared:
 
it depends on where you live. you can actually live close to campus and pay 600-750. this is a rare scenario, but if you find 2 roommates..you might be able to find a 3bed2bath condo for around ~2200. i'm paying around 630 for my place right now. chicago has had a lot of development in the past couple of years and there is a glut of condos that are vacant right now.
 
You're right in that most people are paying in the range of 900-1100 for rent. There are some people who live outside streeterville and probably pay a little less but to be honest I would really recommend just shelling out the money. Take out loans--thats what they're there for. Honestly, I'd say about 70-80% of us live within 3 blocks of the school and that makes life so much easier. I couldn't imagine living farther away because of how cumbersome it is to deal with lunch, changing clothes, walking in the cold, hauling books, etc. Furthermore it is SO MUCH BETTER SOCIALLY to be close to where everyone is.

For reference--most people live either in McClurg Court, Onterie, 420 E. Ohio, or Worcester House on Pearson and Dewitt.

Hope that helps. Seriously though--don't worry about rent--you'll make up your loans and interest once you're in your 30's....ahha..

I was wondering if you perhaps could tell me a little more about these buildings. What are the pros and cons of each of these four? I'm about 90% sure I'm coming to Feinberg and want to start thinking about housing. I really want to live near campus and so I started searching online. What about 215 E. Chestnut, do any students live here (prices were reasonable)?
Anything you could tell me would be greatly appreciated!
 
I live in McClurg Ct now, I'm not a Feinberg student yet, hoping to be next year. My roommate is though. If you want an opinion on that building send me a PM, I'd be glad to talk about it.
 
You're right in that most people are paying in the range of 900-1100 for rent. There are some people who live outside streeterville and probably pay a little less but to be honest I would really recommend just shelling out the money. Take out loans--thats what they're there for. Honestly, I'd say about 70-80% of us live within 3 blocks of the school and that makes life so much easier. I couldn't imagine living farther away because of how cumbersome it is to deal with lunch, changing clothes, walking in the cold, hauling books, etc. Furthermore it is SO MUCH BETTER SOCIALLY to be close to where everyone is.

For reference--most people live either in McClurg Court, Onterie, 420 E. Ohio, or Worcester House on Pearson and Dewitt.

Hope that helps. Seriously though--don't worry about rent--you'll make up your loans and interest once you're in your 30's....ahha..

Thanks for the information and advice. I don't want to have a blase attitude toward loans, but it does seem worth it to borrow a little more now in order to have a better quality of life. Especially when the cost of med school is so prohibitive that I'll probably be borrowing a lot no matter where I go, barring major institutional grants/scholarships. I'll look at the places you mentioned. Thanks again!
 
Do all Northwestern med students really just take out loans for all this and not worry about it? I don't know how I could get over paying so much for rent/tuition/cost of living... :scared:


yes i take out loans for living expenses. unless you get a job or have family money there is no other way. and when you really think about it.... you are saving maybe 100-200 bucks a month by living further away. over the course of four years thats maybe 5-10k. which is so minimal when you consider the debt you take on. add the convenience of being within walking distance of the school/hospital/peers and its a wash. also... a lot of life as a med student is a kick in the groin... might as well increase your quality of life where possible.
 
oh northwestern, how i'm just smitten with you!

is there a consensus on the percent of interviewees who are offered an acceptance?

i believe i heard dr. wallace murmur at the tail-end of the presentation that of 700 interviewees they have 330 spots available...can anyone else corroborate this statistic? seems rather high, no? maybe it was just wishful thinking..hmm
 
oh northwestern, how i'm just smitten with you!

is there a consensus on the percent of interviewees who are offered an acceptance?

i believe i heard dr. wallace murmur at the tail-end of the presentation that of 700 interviewees they have 330 spots available...can anyone else corroborate this statistic? seems rather high, no? maybe it was just wishful thinking..hmm
330 seems extremely high. 330 may be the number of acceptances that go out at one point or another (whether outright or off the waitlist eventually), but 330 spots... no. Think half of that for number of spots in the class.
 
Just received an acceptance email from Dean Wallace! I interviewed on 1/20.
 
330 seems extremely high. 330 may be the number of acceptances that go out at one point or another (whether outright or off the waitlist eventually), but 330 spots... no. Think half of that for number of spots in the class.

Today, the admissions dean said "we accept half (50%) of all interviewees, the other half have the option of being placed on the waitlist."
 
oh northwestern, how i'm just smitten with you!

is there a consensus on the percent of interviewees who are offered an acceptance?

i believe i heard dr. wallace murmur at the tail-end of the presentation that of 700 interviewees they have 330 spots available...can anyone else corroborate this statistic? seems rather high, no? maybe it was just wishful thinking..hmm

According to US News, last year they accepted about 58% of interviewees (I assume this represents outright acceptances as well as waitlist movement) in order to fill a class of 169. Like Pitt, they tend to accept a good proportion of their interviewees, probably because the school is pretty expensive and they're competing with other top-20 schools for matriculants.

I was also smitten with Northwestern! Hopefully financial aid packages work out <<fingers crossed>>
 
Hey guys, now I am deferred until March, do you know how much chance I still have in this school?
Does it become a long shot for me once I'm in the deferred pile?
 
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