June 5, 2020

We know recent events have been overwhelming for many of you. The killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and other black Americans in the hands of police; the ongoing protests; the ensuing sadness, anger, fear; the difficult but important conversations with those who view things differently than you—all this on top of a pandemic that upended your school year, disconnected you from friends and teachers, and brought health and/or financial distress to your communities around the world.

Northwestern’s leadership has expressed support and solidarity across a number of statements: “A Message from President Schapiro Regarding the Tragic Events in Minneapolis”; our Interim Provost’s “Northwestern Strives to be an Instrument of Change”; “Support and Care in Times of Racial Injustice,” from the Vice President for Student Affairs; and a joint message from our Interim Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President for Human Resources, “Supporting Black Members of Our Campus Community.” These notes will give you insight into how our community is responding and uniting in this time of injustice.

But here, in this post, we want to affirm that we in Admissions are mindful of your current context. While plenty of you have finished your school year, others are juggling all of this in the midst of homework, or even finals. Data shows that effects of the pandemic have hit communities of color especially hard, and we recognize that those of you who identify as black may experience the pain of the past two weeks more acutely than most. We know any number of our prospective applicants have family members who are police officers or healthcare workers; some of your parents have been furloughed or laid off. Or perhaps you lost a job. With the number of Covid-19 deaths surpassing 100,000 (another grim headline of the past week), we imagine a number of you may have even lost loved ones.

We understand that times like these may affect all aspects of your life, including your grades. Simply put, with all that is going on, it may be hard to stay focused on school. As I stressed in my earlier blog post, “Some Reassurance Amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic,” our review process always foregrounds context. And it’s worth restating that reassurance now: We seek out narratives in data points as a rule of practice. Grades are never just letters or numbers, but a story of your path through high school. So this spring will become part of that story, and we’ll do our best to interpret it with understanding and compassion.

The college process is fundamentally optimistic: you are beginning to square who you are now with who you see yourself becoming. You are looking ahead, investing in the idea that learning on a residential campus alongside different people from across the globe will benefit both you and society. Times are especially tough right now, but if you’re reading this as you explore Northwestern and plan for college applications, then you possess imagination and a future-focused mindset—two qualities that are sure to help you, and those around you, navigate any challenge.

The surrounding circumstances have raised many questions and uncertainties about the admissions process, and we’ll stay in touch with answers as we continue to assess this unprecedented landscape. We hope to connect with you this summer through one of our many live digital programs. In the meantime, we wish you and your family safety, health, and peace.