In the fall of 1987, my parents drove me from Ardmore, Pennsylvania, to Evanston for my freshman year at Northwestern University. At that time, people on campus would sometimes refer to Northwestern as the “Harvard of the Midwest.” I certainly understood the message. Northwestern was a highly selective, very expensive university that offered students a path to success and leadership.
So why was I admitted?
I graduated near the top of my high school class at an exceptional public high school. I had taken a range of Advanced Placement courses. I had been active in athletics, student government, clubs and community service. I wrote what I thought was a compelling application essay, and I suspect I received strong letters of recommendation.
