Margarita Williams is majoring in Journalism. She intends to graduate in 2027.
What led to your decision to attend Northwestern University?
I went into college applications knowing that I wanted to be a journalism major – I love writing and hearing about peoples’ lives, so it only seemed natural. When I started looking into schools, I really liked the fact that Medill didn’t require journalism majors to declare a concentration within journalism, which meant that I was free to take classes in anything ranging from print investigative to podcasting to broadcast to magazine. I am a very indecisive person, so having that freedom within the major was exciting. Besides that, I liked the idea of having to take classes outside of my major, with the foundational disciplines system (which I talk about later) immersing me in classes that would require different types of thinking and hands-on learning than I would be getting in my major-related classes.
Lastly, I’m from the DC suburbs, so having the familiarity of that big city but still living in the suburbs was comforting, and I think it’s helped me with feelings of homesickness. I think students sometimes fail to consider the environment of the school itself when they are applying, and I think the suburban environment of Northwestern while still being on the water has improved my experience a lot, with it feeling so much like home while still having the connections and internship opportunities of being near a large city. Plus, being on the water means beach days when it's warm, which are absolute highlights. I toured campus the July before my senior year of high school, and I was sitting on the beach when I decided that Northwestern was the place I wanted to be. I was an early decision applicant into the Medill School of Journalism, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier with Northwestern. I feel like it provides me with that academic flexibility and has so many different extracurriculars and career opportunities to make connections and grow as a student and as a person.
What advice do you have for Juniors and Seniors in high school who want to attend Northwestern University and are...
From the East Coast and worried about being far from home?
Being from the East Coast, I absolutely love being here in the Midwest! It still has all of the seasons that I’m used to back home and being from the DC suburbs, Evanston is a very nice parallel to home since you can see Chicago from campus! The Midwestern charm rings true, I have met some incredibly friendly people in my time here and building community is really prioritized, and everyone is willing to give you a helping hand when needed.
Undecided about what they want to study?
The idea that someone would know exactly what they want to do for the rest of their life at 17/18 is kind of crazy to begin with, so being undecided is totally normal and very common. The most popular first-year major at Northwestern is undecided, so applying as an undecided major is a great idea if you have multiple fields of interest!
Want their application to stand out?
Northwestern’s application process is nice because they operate from a holistic framework, so they really are just looking for well-rounded students who are involved both in and outside of the classroom and have a multitude of interests. That being said, I would highlight specific Northwestern programs and resources that you think you would take advantage of/participate in in your time here and try to connect it to some activities that you do currently.
What are some of Northwestern University’s most notable programs?
Northwestern is known for being a very interdisciplinary school that encourages
students to get outside of their degree-related classes. Our gen-ed class system
is called foundational disciplines, which means that in the four years we take 12
classes outside of our major as a part of our degree requirements. This often
leads to students adding another major, minor or certificate in a different area,
with about 78% of Northwestern students studying more than just one thing.
Additionally, we are a Tier 1 research institution that allocates $3.5 million to
undergraduate research every single year and it is super easy even as a first-year
to get involved in research here. We are also known for our a cappella scene, our
14 groups inspired the movie “Pitch Perfect.”
Can you describe what kind of support/communities exist for minority students at Northwestern University?
There are so many different affinity groups here on campus for minority students.
I personally am a part of our Black Student Union, For Members Only, which
hosts multiple events a quarter that allow you to get to know other Black
students. Besides that, there are numerous affinity-based mentoring programs,
like the Black Mentorship Program, where freshmen are paired with
upperclassmen that are there to guide them. There are also many art-centered
affinity-based groups, including dance groups like NU Bhangra, Dale Duro and
NU K-Dance, music groups like the Latin Music Ensemble, and a cappella groups
like Brown Sugar (South Asian-interested), Treblemakers (East Asian-interested),
and Soul4Real (Black-interested), which I am also a part of. There are also
affinity spaces such as the Black House, the Gender and Sexuality Resource
Center, and the Multicultural Center. Religious spaces on campus also include
the Sheil Catholic Center, the Alice Millar Chapel and the Hillel Jewish Center.
One word to describe a Northwestern student?
Passionate. I think the beauty of Northwestern students is that they are so much
more than the work they do inside the classroom. Students just have so many
varied interests and are interested in so many different things, it’s a place
teeming with passion for life and learning.
