Hello there,
I am here to get advice on a simple question-- if I am a direct legacy of the University of Notre Dame (fathers alma mater) would my legacy status benefit me more in applying early admission or regular admission? Note that I am NOT going to be a top applicant at Notre dame however still consider myself to not be completely out of the realm of admission ( top 10%, varsity team captain, 3.85 GPA, 28 ACT)
EA in general has a much better selection rate. http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1774 That ACT score is not helping you at all. Make sure you have other schools that you like and can afford on your app list.
@“Erin’s Dad”: College Data has some good info, so just want to add the most recent the incoming Freshman class statistics here:
http://admissions.nd.edu/apply/admission-statistics/
However, I do believe the conventional wisdom is that if you want to use legacy as a boost in your application (in general, not necessarily at ND) applying early is the way to do that. OTOH, ND does EA a little differently, looking for the strongest students in that applicant pool. It really is best to ask your local rep his or her advice about when is best for you to apply.
Agree with @ruby789 My kid’s high school sends a bunch of kids to ND every year – what we hear is that applicants should ask their admissions rep specifically for advice about whether they are candidates for EA. ND apparently does reject kids at EA stage, and we’ve heard, encourages only the strongest apps to apply at that stage. A 28 is not going to do an applicant any favors, regardless of legacy status. How’s the SAT score? Perhaps give it a try?
Agree with asking your admission rep. You can also have your father pose the question to alumni relations to see if they have an opinion. However as noted above the 28 ACT is problematic so you may be better off studying and retaking the test in the fall to try and raise the score (ND middle 50% is 33-35 per the school website).
If you apply EA as a legacy with a 28 ACT, most likely you will be deferred
In my opinion you will have trouble with the test scores. I would try the SAT. I would also check with your regional rep. It seems to me, after having two kids attend ND and as legacies, that you might be better served in RD. Lately it looks like the “gate” for ND is an ACT score of 32. Good luck though! Where else are you looking?
UCLA, UNC (my other reaches) and then semi reach UF and UT and my safety schools are Ohio state and TCU, as well as Texas A&M.
What makes you say that the gate is a 32? I am double legacy candidate with an ACT of 32 that is trying to decide if I must retake the test and raise my score. I am also trying to decide if I should apply EA or RD? Any insight would be greatly appreciated! 
I graduated from ND and all 4 of my kids have attended or are attending. The two with very good academics and 32/33 - I encouraged to apply regular decision. The Admissions rep has always said to turn in your application early if its as good as its going to get. The other 2 were stronger students - with ACTs of 34 and good SAT (1500), so they applied early. I would say that with a 32, I would try to increase it to a 33/34 and/or try the SAT, and then decide if regular or early. Unlike many other schools, ND doesn’t consider REA to be a sign that you really like them, and they want the strongest candidates for REA. Also, last year, a lot of deferred students seemed to be applying to Mendoza, so if you want Mendoza, I would suggest applying regular.
I do think a 28 is a low ACT for ND, but there is still time to get it into the 30s.
pkdeegan25, I am saying that 32 seems to be a “gate” since my kids and friends have proven this. A few with 31’s and 30’s (good ec’s etc.) were deferred or denied. Legacies with low 30’s are deferred fairly often (so sad!). My son, a senior now, had a 35 with 36’s in math/science wanting engineering and we were seriously worried that he might not get in. That said, I think a 32 is your gate~it’s good!
On the note of EA vs RD, I truly believe that you have a better chance with EA-no matter what. If your app is ready to go-send it! You will be looked at with a smaller group of kids and I have seen that if not accepted, you will likely only be deferred to the RD~why not? It is SO nice to hear by Christmas if possible…
Go for it! And, truly, best of luck to all!!!
Wish we could do it again!
So what you’re all telling me is that no matter WHAT- because of my ACT score I will have a very hard time getting into ND and could possibly be the very reason I don’t get accepted? Very sad that the application process isn’t holistic… However I guess my ACT of 28 is just that much below what they are looking for.
@nduclaunc The application process IS indeed holistic and yes, you will have a very hard time getting in with a 28. It doesn’t mean it’s impossible, but it will be extremely unlikely. You are competing with other applicants that will have higher scores and I’m sure will have very compelling essays, EC’s, leadership etc. The lower your test scores or GPA are, the more amazing your other areas would have to be in comparison with the others. The legacy will help some, but unless you discovered the cure for cancer or successfully found a way to time travel, I believe you won’t get in with a 28. Of course I’m exaggerating but you get my point. I think you need to get your ACT above 30 to have a real shot. Defnitely retake the ACT again or take the SAT to see if you score better on that test
A holistic process does not mean that academics and standardized testing are not important. It means that a school does not just fill up with applicants who have the highest GPA/testing and considers other factors as well (such as essay, LOR, ECs). If I were in your shoes, I would study very hard for the ACT and retake in the fall (or perhaps try the SAT)
A bit of a warning re: REA. Unlike many schools, ND denies over half of its early applicants. For the most recent cycle, of 5300 applicants, 2900 were denied, 1600 accepted, and only 800 deferred. Given that the 50% range at ND is now 33-35, I think that unfortunately a 28 will be very hard to overcome. My advice would be to wait until RD, prep well, and re-test.
Just to add a bit to the hurdles necessary for REA, my children (three sent to ND so far) attended a high school that sends many students to Notre Dame each year. The counselors there advise students with lower than a 34 ACT score to wait until RD. I believe the acceptance rate in REA is higher than RD, but that is because the pool of REA applicants is so much more competitive relative to the RD pool. It is not easier to get in REA unless you have an application that is very competitive within that pool. And to address the legacy question specifically: You have to be qualified on your own first, and then legacy might break a tie. Get that ACT up, or use the SAT if that works out better for you. Best of luck!
I would say that the application is worth submitting even if the score doesn’t increase. I got in with a 28 and no real hooks (no legacy-status either), I am a rising sophomore for reference. A lot at ND comes down to major, and I applied to a major that was underrepresented at the school, and I got in. So don’t sweat it, if you can increase your score beforehand, great, if not, at least give it a shot! You never know what may happen.
@Sheepeasy do you have any other books? & did you apply as a less competitive major?
@ZBlue17 I am not exactly sure what you are asking, so forgive me. Yes I did apply as a less competitive major at the college, and although I have no real “proof” I get the feeling that filling up classes for some majors could get someone in the door that they are on the fence about, or even someone that wasn’t being considered (me most likely). I didn’t have a Notre Dame level application, much less my early decision application at Cornell, but it worked out for me. I got here and have changed my major to something else in Arts and Letters and am very happy, well, mostly happy, not having air conditioning in dorms with a school that has a 10 billion dollar endowment is annoying, but I digress.
Really needed this encouragement. Thank you.