Chats » Prospective Student Chat (Fall 2009)
Erin - North Canton, OH
What can I do when applying to make myself stand out?
ND Admissions
Hi Erin,
Honestly, that’s a really tough question to answer because it depends on a student’s application! Some students might have a really unique activity that they have been involved in, others might have a really great essay! As a prospective student, I would ask myself, “What makes me stand out? What makes me different from others?” Try to incorporate that in your application whether it be in the essay section, activities list, or teacher/counselor recommendation.
Michael Moran - Far Hills, NJ
How does club sports or intramural sports play a role in the life as a student at Notre Dame
ND Admissions
A large number of students will play either a club or intramural sport while on campus. The level of competition varies from the very competitive, full-pad, full-contact interhall football for males (and flag-football for the females which is equally intense) with the championship game played in ND Stadium, to things like slow pitch softball and horseshoes. ND is also the host to Bookstore Basketball: the largest, 5-on-5, outdoor basketball tournament in the world. Each year, hundreds of teams will get together and play; some are very good and competitive, others just goof around, and some thing they’re good but end up losing in the second or third round (I’m usually on those teams).
Regardless of the activity, there are plenty of club and intramural sports on campus!
Raymond - Garden City, NY
What is the average class size @ Notre Dame ? Also, is there a shuttle service or other available transportation for students to get from the campus to O'Hare Airport ?
ND Admissions
Hi Raymond,
The average class size at ND is about 27 students. The student to teacher ratio is 13:1.
We offer a fast and frequent Coach Bus Service that will shuttle students to and from campus to O’Hare and Midway airport. The round trip ticket is about $50.
John - Wexford, PA
How does Notre Dame look at an applicant whose school does not submit class rank? Does it hurt the applicant's chances of admission?
ND Admissions
John,
We evaluate each student within the context of his or her high school. Oftentimes when schools do not rank, the guidance counselor offers a grade distribution scale and/or deciles. If we have questions, we’ll often call your counselor.
Your chances of admission will not be impacted if your school does not rank.
Gregory Del Rosario - Los Angeles, CA
At Notre Dame, as an undergraduate, what do you do to help students acclimate to the new college environment? Being born and raised in California; what are the changes I should be prepared to make? Also, how does one get around; do they bring a car or is there a reliable public transportation system? How do students feel about their safety on campus?
ND Admissions
There is a freshman orientation weekend for students and parents to help both get acclimated to the new college environment and Notre Dame. Academically, students will work with advisors and mentors in the First Year of Studies to make sure the classes they are taking suit their needs while they also prepare for a specific college or program on campus. Socially, upperclassmen in dorms tend to be great resources and role models for the underclassmen. I hate to quote statistics, but the fact that about 98% of our students return to Notre Dame for their sophomore year (one of the highest rates in the nation) speaks to how well are students are able to adjust and feel comfortable at ND.
Coming from LA, the biggest change for you will likely be the weather. You just learn that you can’t wear shorts and t-shirts all the time, and you will probably need to buy a winter jacket in South Bend :) Each year, a rather large number of students join us from Southern California, so don’t worry-you’re not the first person to go through the transition, and you certainly won’t be alone!
Students will usually walk or ride a bike around campus. There are very few roads going through campus and it is closed to most cars and vehicular transportation. While campus itself is large, most of the dorms and academic buildings are in the same general area; my longest walk to class from one end to another was about 10 minutes. You don’t have to take a bus to class, nor do you have to worry about being run over by a bus on your way to class!
There are different types of public transportation (free bus, taxis, shuttles, etc.) for students to get off campus, and a number of students will also have a car on campus, though it is not necessary. You can always find someone to give you a ride if you need to go somewhere.
Campus is pretty safe-I never felt uncomfortable or unsafe. We have our own police department and fire department on campus, and the dorms are locked throughout the day (during the day, you have to be a ND student to get into a dorm, and at night, you have to be a resident of that dorm to enter). While probably not the best idea ever, I rarely locked my dorm room and never had anything disappear. And, should you feel unsafe while walking home from the library late at night, you can always call NDSP (our police department) or Safewalk to escort you back to your dorm.
Mackenzie - Bloomington, IL
Should I ask my teacher to upload the letter of rec on the common app if it is written specifically for Notre Dame?
ND Admissions
Mackenzie,
Yup! Your teacher can upload a different letter for each specific application submitted through the Common App.
Gian Emilio - El Centro, Ca
The faith-based family of Notre Dame promises to invite students to the traditions of Catholicism. What practical suggestions will help Catholics integrate our faith into our everyday lives at ND? How can I focus on the time-honored traditions and practices that will guide me to share in the Notre Dame Family?
ND Admissions
Gian,
Notre Dame offers a multitude of resources for students to grow in their faith, whether they are of the Catholic faith, another Christian denomination, or a non-Christian denomination. Some examples include chapels with daily or weekly mass in every single dorm, and opportunities to participate in retreats, faith-sharing groups, service, and/or spiritual direction offered by Campus Ministry. We also require students to take at least two semesters of Theology and Philosophy as part of their graduation requirements.
Once admitted, you are automatically a part of the Notre Dame Family for life! We offer something for everyone and we encourage students to share their gifts and talents with our community.
Jacqueline - rancho palos verdes, ca
How diverse is the school?
ND Admissions
Jacqueline,
I would say that Notre Dame is diverse in many ways. We have students from all 50 states and 91 different countries. There are students that went to a small, Catholic school whereas others may have attended a private of public school. A guy down the hall from me comes from a really big family – 56 first cousins! – I come from a small family of four. Notre Dame is 24% ethnically diverse. Many students are Catholic and many are not. I would say Notre Dame’s pretty diverse.
Catherine - , VA
Do you recommend that the supplement essay be around 500 words?
ND Admissions
Hi Catherine,
We do recommend to keep the supplemental essay around 500 words though it does not have to be exactly that amount. But most importantly, be succinct! We had one applicant who wrote a 47-page essay! We do read everything that is included in your application, but remember we typically read about 14,000 applications a year!
Ann - Indianapolis, IN
How many early action applications are accepted, deferred, and denied? What would be the criteria for denial versus deferral of an application in early action?
ND Admissions
Ann,
The number of students in each category varies each year and depends on the strength of the Early Action pool. We only defer students who we think would be competitive when compared to admissible students in the Regular Action pool. While I don’t know the specific percentage, we do often deny more students that we defer during Early Action.
Patrick - Okemos, MI
Can you tell me about ND's theater program?
ND Admissions
Hi Patrick,
We have a wide range of theater programs from student-led productions to a full-fledged theater major. With student-led productions, we have productions that range from musicals to opera to Shakespeare, and students from beginner to advanced are more than welcome to join and participate!
If you want to major in theater, that would be under the Film, Television, and Theater Department. Theater majors will have an opportunity to take a variety of classes in different theatrical areas. For more information, please visit http://ftt.nd.edu/major/
Patrick - Sioux City, IA
I am trying to decide if I should apply early or regular action. I am involved in many activities, have a 34 ACT, 1430 SAT and rank 7th out of 159. (so not in the top 2-3%). I plan to retake the SAT in Oct. Do you think it would be advisable to apply early action?
ND Admissions
Hi Patrick,
From the limited information you’ve provided here, I would probably recommend applying Regular Action. But contact us if you’d like to discuss it more.
Matt - McSherrystown, PA
How much of a role does having a multitude of extracurricular activities play in the admissions decision?
ND Admissions
Matt,
We want to enroll a well-balanced class so having a diverse set of interests can be helpful in the admissions process, but it is but a part of the application.
Mallory - Grand Rapids, MI
What are the differences between north quad, south quad..etc?
ND Admissions
Each part of campus has a unique personality and its own defining characteristics which help it stand out from the others; different parts of campus are special in their own ways.
Naomi Morrison - Milwaukee, WI
What kind of research oppurtunities are available for biology students?
ND Admissions
Naomi,
There are many exciting research opportunities for undergraduate students in Biology. These students have access to the Jordan Hall of Science, which is a world-class research facility for our undergraduates. In addition, we have the GLOBES Program, which matches students with faculty mentors and offers them funding to do research linking biology, the environment, and society. For more information, visit their website.
In the spring, Notre Dame hosts the Summer Undergraduate Research Regional Symposium, where freshmen are encouraged to present their research projects from the year. For more specific example of student research projects, visit the Science website.
Michael Moran - Far Hills, NJ
I am interested in studying Business in college. At Notre Dame, would I apply to a specific college or as undeclared and then choose my major from there?
ND Admissions
Hi Michael,
While we do ask for you to check one major on the application, you are not tied to what you select and we do not admit into certain majors or colleges. All of our freshman start out in the First Year of Studies program before they enter a college in their sophomore year. You’ll have plenty of time to explore and test things out before you select a major.
Josh - Sterling Heights, MI
If you apply through Early Action, but get deffered to regular admissions, what do you have to do to reapply? Do you have to send everything in again? etc.
ND Admissions
Josh,
You do not need to reapply and your application will automatically be evaluated again in the context of our overall applicant pool. You can feel free to update us with new test scores, grades and awards.
Brandin - Lawton, Ok
Are you able to be in the Marching Band and the ROTC Program at the same time, or would this be too overwhelming?
ND Admissions
I do not see why it would not be possible to do both ROTC and marching band, though certainly you would have to budget your time well! Most students will take part in a number of different activities on campus while balancing a full load of classes as well.
Brandin - Lawton, Ok
Does living out of state have an effect on the application?
And does taking the ACT but not the SAT have an effect?
ND Admissions
Hi Brandin,
Either ACT or SAT is fine with us, neither is preferred. And Notre Dame is fortunate to be able to assemble a geographically diverse freshman class because we are well known across the country and get applications from all over. Sorry, it doesn’t help to be applying from Oklahoma. (Although I appreciate it, as it’s my home state!)
Richard Teter - Madison, Oh
How do you compare the ACT/SAT, in terms of what are considered equivalent ACT and SAT scores?
ND Admissions
Richard,
We don’t prefer one test over another. If you send both test scores to us, we’ll see which makes you more competitive, use that in your application, and ignore the lower. We use a generic scale to draw a comparison between the two tests.
Brandin - Lawton, Ok
If you do not have an alumni family member, will it still be helpful to have a letter of recommendation from an alumni?
ND Admissions
Hi Brandin,
You do not need to have a graduate of Notre Dame in your family in order to be accepted. In fact, most students are not related to someone who graduated from ND when they come as freshmen.
We discourage additional letters of recommendation as part of your application; we would prefer that you only submit the one letter from a counselor and one for a teacher. It’s nothing against the Notre Dame alumni, but we want the letters to be people associated with you within a learning environment, and additional letters tend to slow the application process.
Rachel - Newaygo, MI
Our school does not offer AP courses - instead, we have dual enrollment. I know that the credits are not always counted, but how our dual enrollment courses looked at - would they be viewed as comparable to an AP course?
ND Admissions
Rachel- We will consider those concurrent enrollment classes to be roughly equivalent to AP courses in another high school. Hope this helps, Rachel.
Precious Okonokhua - Atlanta, GA
When do you reccomend is the best time to visit the Notre Dame campus? I have visited several times and I love it more each time I visit. However, my friends would like to know exactly when they should visit.
ND Admissions
I’m not sure there is a bad time to visit campus! You get the best “feel” for the personality of campus when you visit when school is in session, and campus is particularly beautiful 1) when the leaves are changing colors in the fall; 2) when everything is blooming in the spring; and 3) when it’s snowing, though I don’t think there’s a bad time to visit!
Rachel - Newaygo, MI
I am interested in studying environmental science at ND, however, my ACT scores are lowest in science. Because my intended major doesn't match with my test scores, will this hurt my chances of being accepted?
ND Admissions
Hi, Rachel- Because we know that your intended major may change after your arrive at Notre Dame, we don’t necessarily “match” major back to test scores.
Stephany - Vandalia, OH
I know that Notre Dame does not offer co-ops for engineering students, but will they help you to get summer internships or other work experience?
ND Admissions
Hi Stephany,
Notre Dame’s Career Center has a wealth of resources for undergrads to take advantage of from career counseling to internship fairs. You can find out what types of internships students have done in the past by major.
Scott Borer - Indianapolis, IN
As a prospective student I would love to interview at the University of Notre Dame and was wondering if scheduling special interviewing appointments is allowed?
ND Admissions
Hi Scott,
We appreciate your interest, but unfortunately do not have interviews of any kind as part of the admissions process.
William - , MI
Is there a disadvantage to applying early action? I am ranked first in my class with an unweighted 4.0 g.p.a., rigorous course load and a 32 on the act. Am I a good candidate for early action admittance?
ND Admissions
Hi William- Thanks for your question tonight. Based on what you’ve shared, you would be a reasonable candidate for Early Action. Remember that we will admit some students in EA, defer some decisions to Regular Action, and deny some applications. Thus, while I can’t offer assurances that you’ll be admitted, I suggest that the “worst” that can happen in your case is that you’ll have a decision deferred. Remember, William, there are a lot of other things that will be considered in your application.
Crystal - Grand Prairie, TX
What are the most popular student organizations at Notre Dame?
ND Admissions
Hi Crystal,
It depends on the different branches! For community service clubs, our biggest community service clubs are
Circle K and Habitat for Humanity.
If you are into music, the Marching Band is quite popular.
If you are into politics, Student Government (which ranges from class committees to Judiciary committees) is a big one.
Or, if you are into journalism, many students write for the school newspaper “The Observer” or the school’s news magazine “The Scholastic”.
Gabe - Binghamton, NY
My school submits a class ranking at the beginning of our senior year, however in the middle of the year, after the first two quarters of the senior year (Late January), a new class rank is made up including senior year grades. Will Notre Dame accept the new class rank if I send it in after the application deadline, or only consider the first one?
ND Admissions
Hi Gabe,
We will accept the latest information that you send us. For anyone who applies Regular Action, we ask for the mid-term senior year grades, which we consider before making an admissions decision.
Any student who is admitted to ND will be required to submit a full four years of grades, including final high school grades.
Aly - Williamsburg, VA
Hi! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. :) I've grown up in very warm climates. How cold is "cold" at Notre Dame?
ND Admissions
Aly,
I grew up in Florida! To be honest with you, it was quite an adjustment and the hardest part for me wasn’t the colder temperatures, but the fact that I didn’t see the sunshine everyday. You quickly learn how to layer and dress for the colder temperatures.
On the bright side, you get to have interesting experiences that you wouldn’t have in warmer temperatures, ie, campus snowball fights on the quad after the first major snow, sledding on campus, snowman and igloo building, etc :) I really enjoyed these experiences!
Arielle - Brownsburg, IN
Lets say i have a great essay, great reccomendation letters, am in the top 5 percent of my class, and have a 3.968, but got a 21 on the act, what are my chances of getting accepted. I am re-taking the ACT october 24.
ND Admissions
Hi Arielle,
Note that in the most recent admitted class, the middle-50% of admitted students scored between a 1390 and a 1490 on the SAT (Math + Critical Reading) or between a 32 and a 34 on the ACT. This means that 25% of admitted students scored below that bottom score, and a quarter scored above the top score.
A stronger standardized test score will strengthen your application and right now you may want to think of Notre Dame as a “reach school.”
John - Wexford, PA
How does Notre Dame look at an applicant whose school does not submit class rank? Does it hurt the applicant's chances of admission?
ND Admissions
Hi John,
We will work in the context of your high school if it does not rank, meaning we will use information that is provided on the high school profile (sent to us by your high school counselor) to help us determine where you academically stand in your class. We do not penalize students or high schools if they do not rank.
Minji - College Station, TX
I'm an international student living in the U.S. How much do you consider the TOEFL scores when you look at the applications?
ND Admissions
Hi Minji,
We require TOEFL scores for any student who does not speak English as a first language (regardless of citizenship, residency, type of English classes, etc.). We can, however, waive the TOEFL is a student scores above a 600 on the Critical Reading section of the SAT.
The TOEFL does not substitute for the SAT or any other part of the application, but is used to supplement the other information we have when making a decision.
Daniel - Marietta, GA
I am Jewish and I was wondering how much does religion play in as a factor in acceptance into the University? And what is life like for a Non-Catholic Student?
ND Admissions
Daniel,
Religion plays a relatively small role in the admissions process. We aim to enroll a well-balanced class where all majors, ethnic groups, religions, etc. are present. In my time at Notre Dame, I never found it awkward being a non-Catholic and actually found that I grew in my faith despite that fact. The university offers a lot of programs and services to students despite their faith background and seeks to grow its students spiritually in addition to academically, physically, and socially.
Gabe - Binghamton, NY
During my high school years, I have had a different guidance counselor every year due to staff members leaving. The new senior guidance counselor has only been at our school for a month, and does not know much about me as a student. Should I still have her submit a letter of recommendation, or should I have two teachers who know me better submit letters?
ND Admissions
Gabe,
Because of the situation you describe, it would be appropriate for the guidance counselor to write a short recommendation and also have a second teacher write on your behalf.
Minji - College Station, TX
Hi, I'm interested in majoring business. After Freshmen year, do all students can declare a major they want or do they have to apply because of the limited space? Thank you.
ND Admissions
Hi Minji,
After freshman year, students will enter the Mendoza College of Business. Sophomores will then submit a “Business Major Request Form” to indicate their first and second choices. Because the Mendoza College of Business is an extremely strong and well-known program, there may be capacity issues in the future, so the College has instituted an algorithm to give students a choice in their major. Details on the algorithm can be found here
In the end, if the algorithm is used, we expect it to influence a very small number of students each year and most students will have nothing to worry about.
Teresa - Houston, Tx
Can I apply to early admission and send the sat subject test grades later?
ND Admissions
Hi Teresa,
If you submit your part of the Common Application by November 1, your application is considered on time. If you’re taking the October SAT Subject Tests, we will see those scores in time to be evaluated.
Matthew - Garnerville, NY
How would you describe student relationships with their professors at Notre Dame?
ND Admissions
Hi Matthew,
I would say the student-professor relationships are close. Many of our professors are easily accessible and are always encouraging our students to stop by their office for help or just to chat. Some professors will even take students out to lunch, or even invite students over for dinner! I once had a philosophy professor who invited his class over to his house for a BBQ and study session!
Amber - Palm Harbor, FL
I am a high school senior in the Early College Program in Florida. I earn college credits and high school credits at the same time. I will graduate high school with an AA degree and have over 60 college credits. Do I apply as a transfer or a freshman?
ND Admissions
Amber,
We would note your Associate Degree, however classes taken during your time in the Early College Program may not transfer as credit to Notre Dame. In order for dual degree credits to be considered as transferable, the student must be taking the class on a college campus, with other college-level students, and it must be taught by a college professor. In addition, the class must not count toward a high school graduation requirement. If a class meets these standards, then the syllabus must be sent to the corresponding department at Notre Dame, who will then review the coursework and determine whether or not it can count for credit. Essentially, students who participate in the Early College Program would still need to apply as first year students in the Notre Dame application process.
Connor - West Hartford, CT
Is your GPA weighed against the difficulty of your course schedule? Do you consider AP classes or take AP credits?
ND Admissions
Connor,
We do want to see a rigorous curriculum in the areas of math, science, English, history and foreign language and will consider your GPA in light of those strong classes. Click here to see what credit you can earn for which AP tests.
Erin - North Canton, OH
What can I do when applying to make myself stand out?
ND Admissions
Hi Erin,
Honestly, that’s a really tough question to answer because it depends on a student’s application! Some students might have a really unique activity that they have been involved in, others might have a really great essay! As a prospective student, I would ask myself, “What makes me stand out? What makes me different from others?” Try to incorporate that in your application whether it be in the essay section, activities list, or teacher/counselor recommendation.
Michael Moran - Far Hills, NJ
How does club sports or intramural sports play a role in the life as a student at Notre Dame
ND Admissions
A large number of students will play either a club or intramural sport while on campus. The level of competition varies from the very competitive, full-pad, full-contact interhall football for males (and flag-football for the females which is equally intense) with the championship game played in ND Stadium, to things like slow pitch softball and horseshoes. ND is also the host to Bookstore Basketball: the largest, 5-on-5, outdoor basketball tournament in the world. Each year, hundreds of teams will get together and play; some are very good and competitive, others just goof around, and some thing they’re good but end up losing in the second or third round (I’m usually on those teams).
Regardless of the activity, there are plenty of club and intramural sports on campus!
Raymond - Garden City, NY
What is the average class size @ Notre Dame ? Also, is there a shuttle service or other available transportation for students to get from the campus to O'Hare Airport ?
ND Admissions
Hi Raymond,
The average class size at ND is about 27 students. The student to teacher ratio is 13:1.
We offer a fast and frequent Coach Bus Service that will shuttle students to and from campus to O’Hare and Midway airport. The round trip ticket is about $50.
John - Wexford, PA
How does Notre Dame look at an applicant whose school does not submit class rank? Does it hurt the applicant's chances of admission?
ND Admissions
John,
We evaluate each student within the context of his or her high school. Oftentimes when schools do not rank, the guidance counselor offers a grade distribution scale and/or deciles. If we have questions, we’ll often call your counselor.
Your chances of admission will not be impacted if your school does not rank.
Gregory Del Rosario - Los Angeles, CA
At Notre Dame, as an undergraduate, what do you do to help students acclimate to the new college environment? Being born and raised in California; what are the changes I should be prepared to make? Also, how does one get around; do they bring a car or is there a reliable public transportation system? How do students feel about their safety on campus?
ND Admissions
There is a freshman orientation weekend for students and parents to help both get acclimated to the new college environment and Notre Dame. Academically, students will work with advisors and mentors in the First Year of Studies to make sure the classes they are taking suit their needs while they also prepare for a specific college or program on campus. Socially, upperclassmen in dorms tend to be great resources and role models for the underclassmen. I hate to quote statistics, but the fact that about 98% of our students return to Notre Dame for their sophomore year (one of the highest rates in the nation) speaks to how well are students are able to adjust and feel comfortable at ND.
Coming from LA, the biggest change for you will likely be the weather. You just learn that you can’t wear shorts and t-shirts all the time, and you will probably need to buy a winter jacket in South Bend :) Each year, a rather large number of students join us from Southern California, so don’t worry-you’re not the first person to go through the transition, and you certainly won’t be alone!
Students will usually walk or ride a bike around campus. There are very few roads going through campus and it is closed to most cars and vehicular transportation. While campus itself is large, most of the dorms and academic buildings are in the same general area; my longest walk to class from one end to another was about 10 minutes. You don’t have to take a bus to class, nor do you have to worry about being run over by a bus on your way to class!
There are different types of public transportation (free bus, taxis, shuttles, etc.) for students to get off campus, and a number of students will also have a car on campus, though it is not necessary. You can always find someone to give you a ride if you need to go somewhere.
Campus is pretty safe-I never felt uncomfortable or unsafe. We have our own police department and fire department on campus, and the dorms are locked throughout the day (during the day, you have to be a ND student to get into a dorm, and at night, you have to be a resident of that dorm to enter). While probably not the best idea ever, I rarely locked my dorm room and never had anything disappear. And, should you feel unsafe while walking home from the library late at night, you can always call NDSP (our police department) or Safewalk to escort you back to your dorm.
Mackenzie - Bloomington, IL
Should I ask my teacher to upload the letter of rec on the common app if it is written specifically for Notre Dame?
ND Admissions
Mackenzie,
Yup! Your teacher can upload a different letter for each specific application submitted through the Common App.
Gian Emilio - El Centro, Ca
The faith-based family of Notre Dame promises to invite students to the traditions of Catholicism. What practical suggestions will help Catholics integrate our faith into our everyday lives at ND? How can I focus on the time-honored traditions and practices that will guide me to share in the Notre Dame Family?
ND Admissions
Gian,
Notre Dame offers a multitude of resources for students to grow in their faith, whether they are of the Catholic faith, another Christian denomination, or a non-Christian denomination. Some examples include chapels with daily or weekly mass in every single dorm, and opportunities to participate in retreats, faith-sharing groups, service, and/or spiritual direction offered by Campus Ministry. We also require students to take at least two semesters of Theology and Philosophy as part of their graduation requirements.
Once admitted, you are automatically a part of the Notre Dame Family for life! We offer something for everyone and we encourage students to share their gifts and talents with our community.
Jacqueline - rancho palos verdes, ca
How diverse is the school?
ND Admissions
Jacqueline,
I would say that Notre Dame is diverse in many ways. We have students from all 50 states and 91 different countries. There are students that went to a small, Catholic school whereas others may have attended a private of public school. A guy down the hall from me comes from a really big family – 56 first cousins! – I come from a small family of four. Notre Dame is 24% ethnically diverse. Many students are Catholic and many are not. I would say Notre Dame’s pretty diverse.
Catherine - , VA
Do you recommend that the supplement essay be around 500 words?
ND Admissions
Hi Catherine,
We do recommend to keep the supplemental essay around 500 words though it does not have to be exactly that amount. But most importantly, be succinct! We had one applicant who wrote a 47-page essay! We do read everything that is included in your application, but remember we typically read about 14,000 applications a year!
Ann - Indianapolis, IN
How many early action applications are accepted, deferred, and denied? What would be the criteria for denial versus deferral of an application in early action?
ND Admissions
Ann,
The number of students in each category varies each year and depends on the strength of the Early Action pool. We only defer students who we think would be competitive when compared to admissible students in the Regular Action pool. While I don’t know the specific percentage, we do often deny more students that we defer during Early Action.
Patrick - Okemos, MI
Can you tell me about ND's theater program?
ND Admissions
Hi Patrick,
We have a wide range of theater programs from student-led productions to a full-fledged theater major. With student-led productions, we have productions that range from musicals to opera to Shakespeare, and students from beginner to advanced are more than welcome to join and participate!
If you want to major in theater, that would be under the Film, Television, and Theater Department. Theater majors will have an opportunity to take a variety of classes in different theatrical areas. For more information, please visit http://ftt.nd.edu/major/
Patrick - Sioux City, IA
I am trying to decide if I should apply early or regular action. I am involved in many activities, have a 34 ACT, 1430 SAT and rank 7th out of 159. (so not in the top 2-3%). I plan to retake the SAT in Oct. Do you think it would be advisable to apply early action?
ND Admissions
Hi Patrick,
From the limited information you’ve provided here, I would probably recommend applying Regular Action. But contact us if you’d like to discuss it more.
Matt - McSherrystown, PA
How much of a role does having a multitude of extracurricular activities play in the admissions decision?
ND Admissions
Matt,
We want to enroll a well-balanced class so having a diverse set of interests can be helpful in the admissions process, but it is but a part of the application.
Mallory - Grand Rapids, MI
What are the differences between north quad, south quad..etc?
ND Admissions
Each part of campus has a unique personality and its own defining characteristics which help it stand out from the others; different parts of campus are special in their own ways.
Naomi Morrison - Milwaukee, WI
What kind of research oppurtunities are available for biology students?
ND Admissions
Naomi,
There are many exciting research opportunities for undergraduate students in Biology. These students have access to the Jordan Hall of Science, which is a world-class research facility for our undergraduates. In addition, we have the GLOBES Program, which matches students with faculty mentors and offers them funding to do research linking biology, the environment, and society. For more information, visit their website.
In the spring, Notre Dame hosts the Summer Undergraduate Research Regional Symposium, where freshmen are encouraged to present their research projects from the year. For more specific example of student research projects, visit the Science website.
Michael Moran - Far Hills, NJ
I am interested in studying Business in college. At Notre Dame, would I apply to a specific college or as undeclared and then choose my major from there?
ND Admissions
Hi Michael,
While we do ask for you to check one major on the application, you are not tied to what you select and we do not admit into certain majors or colleges. All of our freshman start out in the First Year of Studies program before they enter a college in their sophomore year. You’ll have plenty of time to explore and test things out before you select a major.
Josh - Sterling Heights, MI
If you apply through Early Action, but get deffered to regular admissions, what do you have to do to reapply? Do you have to send everything in again? etc.
ND Admissions
Josh,
You do not need to reapply and your application will automatically be evaluated again in the context of our overall applicant pool. You can feel free to update us with new test scores, grades and awards.
Brandin - Lawton, Ok
Are you able to be in the Marching Band and the ROTC Program at the same time, or would this be too overwhelming?
ND Admissions
I do not see why it would not be possible to do both ROTC and marching band, though certainly you would have to budget your time well! Most students will take part in a number of different activities on campus while balancing a full load of classes as well.
Brandin - Lawton, Ok
Does living out of state have an effect on the application? And does taking the ACT but not the SAT have an effect?
ND Admissions
Hi Brandin,
Either ACT or SAT is fine with us, neither is preferred. And Notre Dame is fortunate to be able to assemble a geographically diverse freshman class because we are well known across the country and get applications from all over. Sorry, it doesn’t help to be applying from Oklahoma. (Although I appreciate it, as it’s my home state!)
Richard Teter - Madison, Oh
How do you compare the ACT/SAT, in terms of what are considered equivalent ACT and SAT scores?
ND Admissions
Richard,
We don’t prefer one test over another. If you send both test scores to us, we’ll see which makes you more competitive, use that in your application, and ignore the lower. We use a generic scale to draw a comparison between the two tests.
Brandin - Lawton, Ok
If you do not have an alumni family member, will it still be helpful to have a letter of recommendation from an alumni?
ND Admissions
Hi Brandin,
You do not need to have a graduate of Notre Dame in your family in order to be accepted. In fact, most students are not related to someone who graduated from ND when they come as freshmen.
We discourage additional letters of recommendation as part of your application; we would prefer that you only submit the one letter from a counselor and one for a teacher. It’s nothing against the Notre Dame alumni, but we want the letters to be people associated with you within a learning environment, and additional letters tend to slow the application process.
Rachel - Newaygo, MI
Our school does not offer AP courses - instead, we have dual enrollment. I know that the credits are not always counted, but how our dual enrollment courses looked at - would they be viewed as comparable to an AP course?
ND Admissions
Rachel- We will consider those concurrent enrollment classes to be roughly equivalent to AP courses in another high school. Hope this helps, Rachel.
Precious Okonokhua - Atlanta, GA
When do you reccomend is the best time to visit the Notre Dame campus? I have visited several times and I love it more each time I visit. However, my friends would like to know exactly when they should visit.
ND Admissions
I’m not sure there is a bad time to visit campus! You get the best “feel” for the personality of campus when you visit when school is in session, and campus is particularly beautiful 1) when the leaves are changing colors in the fall; 2) when everything is blooming in the spring; and 3) when it’s snowing, though I don’t think there’s a bad time to visit!
Rachel - Newaygo, MI
I am interested in studying environmental science at ND, however, my ACT scores are lowest in science. Because my intended major doesn't match with my test scores, will this hurt my chances of being accepted?
ND Admissions
Hi, Rachel- Because we know that your intended major may change after your arrive at Notre Dame, we don’t necessarily “match” major back to test scores.
Stephany - Vandalia, OH
I know that Notre Dame does not offer co-ops for engineering students, but will they help you to get summer internships or other work experience?
ND Admissions
Hi Stephany,
Notre Dame’s Career Center has a wealth of resources for undergrads to take advantage of from career counseling to internship fairs. You can find out what types of internships students have done in the past by major.
Scott Borer - Indianapolis, IN
As a prospective student I would love to interview at the University of Notre Dame and was wondering if scheduling special interviewing appointments is allowed?
ND Admissions
Hi Scott,
We appreciate your interest, but unfortunately do not have interviews of any kind as part of the admissions process.
William - , MI
Is there a disadvantage to applying early action? I am ranked first in my class with an unweighted 4.0 g.p.a., rigorous course load and a 32 on the act. Am I a good candidate for early action admittance?
ND Admissions
Hi William- Thanks for your question tonight. Based on what you’ve shared, you would be a reasonable candidate for Early Action. Remember that we will admit some students in EA, defer some decisions to Regular Action, and deny some applications. Thus, while I can’t offer assurances that you’ll be admitted, I suggest that the “worst” that can happen in your case is that you’ll have a decision deferred. Remember, William, there are a lot of other things that will be considered in your application.
Crystal - Grand Prairie, TX
What are the most popular student organizations at Notre Dame?
ND Admissions
Hi Crystal,
It depends on the different branches! For community service clubs, our biggest community service clubs are Circle K and Habitat for Humanity.
If you are into music, the Marching Band is quite popular.
If you are into politics, Student Government (which ranges from class committees to Judiciary committees) is a big one.
Or, if you are into journalism, many students write for the school newspaper “The Observer” or the school’s news magazine “The Scholastic”.
Gabe - Binghamton, NY
My school submits a class ranking at the beginning of our senior year, however in the middle of the year, after the first two quarters of the senior year (Late January), a new class rank is made up including senior year grades. Will Notre Dame accept the new class rank if I send it in after the application deadline, or only consider the first one?
ND Admissions
Hi Gabe,
We will accept the latest information that you send us. For anyone who applies Regular Action, we ask for the mid-term senior year grades, which we consider before making an admissions decision.
Any student who is admitted to ND will be required to submit a full four years of grades, including final high school grades.
Aly - Williamsburg, VA
Hi! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. :) I've grown up in very warm climates. How cold is "cold" at Notre Dame?
ND Admissions
Aly,
I grew up in Florida! To be honest with you, it was quite an adjustment and the hardest part for me wasn’t the colder temperatures, but the fact that I didn’t see the sunshine everyday. You quickly learn how to layer and dress for the colder temperatures.
On the bright side, you get to have interesting experiences that you wouldn’t have in warmer temperatures, ie, campus snowball fights on the quad after the first major snow, sledding on campus, snowman and igloo building, etc :) I really enjoyed these experiences!
Arielle - Brownsburg, IN
Lets say i have a great essay, great reccomendation letters, am in the top 5 percent of my class, and have a 3.968, but got a 21 on the act, what are my chances of getting accepted. I am re-taking the ACT october 24.
ND Admissions
Hi Arielle,
Note that in the most recent admitted class, the middle-50% of admitted students scored between a 1390 and a 1490 on the SAT (Math + Critical Reading) or between a 32 and a 34 on the ACT. This means that 25% of admitted students scored below that bottom score, and a quarter scored above the top score.
A stronger standardized test score will strengthen your application and right now you may want to think of Notre Dame as a “reach school.”
John - Wexford, PA
How does Notre Dame look at an applicant whose school does not submit class rank? Does it hurt the applicant's chances of admission?
ND Admissions
Hi John,
We will work in the context of your high school if it does not rank, meaning we will use information that is provided on the high school profile (sent to us by your high school counselor) to help us determine where you academically stand in your class. We do not penalize students or high schools if they do not rank.
Minji - College Station, TX
I'm an international student living in the U.S. How much do you consider the TOEFL scores when you look at the applications?
ND Admissions
Hi Minji,
We require TOEFL scores for any student who does not speak English as a first language (regardless of citizenship, residency, type of English classes, etc.). We can, however, waive the TOEFL is a student scores above a 600 on the Critical Reading section of the SAT.
The TOEFL does not substitute for the SAT or any other part of the application, but is used to supplement the other information we have when making a decision.
Daniel - Marietta, GA
I am Jewish and I was wondering how much does religion play in as a factor in acceptance into the University? And what is life like for a Non-Catholic Student?
ND Admissions
Daniel,
Religion plays a relatively small role in the admissions process. We aim to enroll a well-balanced class where all majors, ethnic groups, religions, etc. are present. In my time at Notre Dame, I never found it awkward being a non-Catholic and actually found that I grew in my faith despite that fact. The university offers a lot of programs and services to students despite their faith background and seeks to grow its students spiritually in addition to academically, physically, and socially.
Gabe - Binghamton, NY
During my high school years, I have had a different guidance counselor every year due to staff members leaving. The new senior guidance counselor has only been at our school for a month, and does not know much about me as a student. Should I still have her submit a letter of recommendation, or should I have two teachers who know me better submit letters?
ND Admissions
Gabe,
Because of the situation you describe, it would be appropriate for the guidance counselor to write a short recommendation and also have a second teacher write on your behalf.
Minji - College Station, TX
Hi, I'm interested in majoring business. After Freshmen year, do all students can declare a major they want or do they have to apply because of the limited space? Thank you.
ND Admissions
Hi Minji,
After freshman year, students will enter the Mendoza College of Business. Sophomores will then submit a “Business Major Request Form” to indicate their first and second choices. Because the Mendoza College of Business is an extremely strong and well-known program, there may be capacity issues in the future, so the College has instituted an algorithm to give students a choice in their major. Details on the algorithm can be found here
In the end, if the algorithm is used, we expect it to influence a very small number of students each year and most students will have nothing to worry about.
Teresa - Houston, Tx
Can I apply to early admission and send the sat subject test grades later?
ND Admissions
Hi Teresa,
If you submit your part of the Common Application by November 1, your application is considered on time. If you’re taking the October SAT Subject Tests, we will see those scores in time to be evaluated.
Matthew - Garnerville, NY
How would you describe student relationships with their professors at Notre Dame?
ND Admissions
Hi Matthew,
I would say the student-professor relationships are close. Many of our professors are easily accessible and are always encouraging our students to stop by their office for help or just to chat. Some professors will even take students out to lunch, or even invite students over for dinner! I once had a philosophy professor who invited his class over to his house for a BBQ and study session!
Amber - Palm Harbor, FL
I am a high school senior in the Early College Program in Florida. I earn college credits and high school credits at the same time. I will graduate high school with an AA degree and have over 60 college credits. Do I apply as a transfer or a freshman?
ND Admissions
Amber,
We would note your Associate Degree, however classes taken during your time in the Early College Program may not transfer as credit to Notre Dame. In order for dual degree credits to be considered as transferable, the student must be taking the class on a college campus, with other college-level students, and it must be taught by a college professor. In addition, the class must not count toward a high school graduation requirement. If a class meets these standards, then the syllabus must be sent to the corresponding department at Notre Dame, who will then review the coursework and determine whether or not it can count for credit. Essentially, students who participate in the Early College Program would still need to apply as first year students in the Notre Dame application process.
Connor - West Hartford, CT
Is your GPA weighed against the difficulty of your course schedule? Do you consider AP classes or take AP credits?
ND Admissions
Connor,
We do want to see a rigorous curriculum in the areas of math, science, English, history and foreign language and will consider your GPA in light of those strong classes. Click here to see what credit you can earn for which AP tests.
