So you want to be a member of Northwestern University’s Pledge Class of 2013? You’re in for a challenge. But if you’re lucky, you just might be jingling your keys with the rest of us.
But first…
You’ll have to attend Fall Preview: a day of touring a select group of universities: Northwestern, The University of Chicago, Columbia, Georgetown, Cornell and Brown. You’ll spend twelve hours shuttling between each one, eagerly waiting to be invited in to speak with admissions representatives. Keep that smile plastered on your face — first impressions are everything, and you can’t let them sense your feelings of inadequacy and fear.
At the end of the day, all that small talk was exhausting. Worse, you may very well have found that the “preview” didn’t actually improve your understanding of the universities. The schools meld together after a while to the point where no particular institution sticks out.
Regardless of what you remember, you know you’re desperate to get in.
So you’ll continue to build up your reputation by volunteering at local community centers, picking up extra shifts at your job, captaining the debate and basketball teams — all the while maintaining your 4.0 GPA — in the hopes that some news of your success will travel through the gossip mill and reach the universities.
And before you know it, official recruitment is here…
You’ll complain about the archaic nature of the process and grumble to yourself about how the system is designed to eat away any last shred of self-confidence you may have. But you’ll conform, because getting in makes it all worth it. Right?
As recruitment gets underway, you come to the realization that you’re really just a fish in a massive pond –- not even a fish, you’re plankton. In an ocean. Lining up alphabetically at the admissions gates with 25,369 other applicants, you feel intimidated. You’re surrounded by students who seem just as qualified as you are, if not more so. Each one is nervous, and they’re all looking for any possible opportunity to distinguish themselves.
You visit all six of the university houses and even though you’re wearing jeans and a recruitment t-shirt, you’re reminded that the interview process is still extremely formal. At the University of Chicago house, one admissions officer asks you to draw inspiration from “super-huge mustard.” After you mumble out a half-baked answer, the first representative files out and is replaced by another. Question. Answer. Next rep. Question. Answer. Repeat.
You then make your way to Northwestern. About to knock at their door, you quickly put your fist down when you remember you have to wait to be called in. You stand there, shivering slightly as the wind blows over.
When the Northwestern admissions officer asks what appeals most to you about the University, you quickly recite your planned answer. And when the next representative asks “Why is NU better than UChicago?” you know that you’ve got that question down too. Just like you did at the last house.
At the end of the day, you rank the universities. But you aren’t fooled into thinking what you’ve written down will count for anything. The houses will rank you too, and this “secret” list is the one that really matters.
You’re all geared up for the second round, holding your list with Northwestern at the top, followed by UChicago, Columbia and Georgetown. It’s the same process of uncomfortable dialogue and interviews, but this time you get to talk to more people at each house and have more “in-depth” conversations. All goes as planned.
The next day, things are even more narrowed down. The Universities throw longer parties, meaning that while you are subject to longer periods of awkward activity, you get a better idea of what the students are like. Each one really gets into it — there are themes, decorations, and skits about the University’s values.
Again, Northwestern comes out on top. The waves of ambient purple catch your eye as Willie The Wildcat greets you at the door. You just know you want in. Badly. You can see yourself here… clad in purple, walking under the Arch on a bright fall day.
The next night, “Pref Night”, you’re invited back to two houses – Northwestern and UChicago. You’ve made it this far. You know you’re guaranteed a bid to one of these. You have a dilemma: Will you settle for UChicago or are you confident you’re destined to be a Wildcat?
Finally, the moment of truth has arrived…
And as you’re handed a white envelope, you can feel your life about to change.
You open it and pull out the card.
“University of Chicago.”
You’re paralyzed with shock. Looking around, you see other applicants jumping for joy and a few hanging their heads dejectedly. You haven’t moved.
Your friend comes over and excitedly tells you she got into Northwestern, ready to celebrate with her future pledge sister.
You burst into tears.