Chance at Northwestern ED? Forum

[sictor]

Strongly considering doing ED at Northwestern. I like the culture I see (business focus) and have Chicago ties, and the scholarship is fantastic ($120,000).

I know ED typically gives a boost, but I figure with the scholarship (especially this cycle...) it may be more difficult. What do you think? If you know any past applicants that got in ED, how do I compare?

Stats: 3.6X High, 171
3 Years of WE (diverse but all business roles),T4 Softs

Thanks for your help!

[cavalier1138]

I know ED typically gives a boost

This is generally untrue at most schools, but it's especially untrue at Northwestern. ED at Northwestern is quite difficult to land, and they generally use it to poach applicants with both LSAT and GPA solidly above their 75th percentiles. In your case, your GPA is likely to take you out of the running, but it's certainly worth an application.

And to address a small red flag: "culture" should be one of your absolute last considerations in choosing a law school. All the top schools enable you to have a "business focus," in that they all place more than 50% of their students at large firms. Your first and foremost concerns should be job placement stats and cost of attendance. If you're considering two options that are basically equivalent, then it makes sense to compare school "culture."

[LandCrabLaw]

I agree with Cavalier that you should apply but it's unlikely you get it. Admissions is kind of a black box so you'll never know what happens, but I think a good rule of thumb for evaluating your ED chances at a school that has a substantial scholarship is ask yourself, if you applied RD would you get in and get $120K? With an LSAT = 75th and a GPA < 50th, I think that is very unlikely. So then I doubt they would give it to you ED either. But at the very least they would just kick you to RD with the knowledge that you are committed to NU. So go for it, maybe they have a lower number of ED applicants and they decide to take you. If it was an ED without any money I would say no, but the scholarship makes it worth it.