Chance Me Notre Dame 2021 Early Action

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Notre Dame
1

Hi! I am very interested in attending Notre Dame, it is my top school, and has been for several years.

I attend a Catholic high school in southern VA, Hampton Roads area. We don’t report class rank, btw.

GPA: 4.49 weighed (not sure UW)
Rigor of classes has been the most difficult I can. We have mandated regular Theology, but other than that all honors and AP.

Scores: AP Euro (5) APUSH (4) Won’t report AP Calc AB, was not good. I’m also taking AP Lit and AP Microeconomics this year.

We also have a lot of dual enrollment/college-level classes to make up for lack of ap. I’ve taken dual enrollment American Lit, and dual enrollment Bio.

SAT: 1410/1600

SAT Subject Test: 690 on Literature, 710 on US History

Extracurriculars/Awards:

Cross Country (3 years, Manager fourth) Our team is state-winning two years in a row. I’m managing this year because I had a fracture early in the season and I decided it would be better to be manager, so I could still be on the team.

NHS - since sophomore year

Spanish Honor Society - since sophomore year (Secretary Junior Year)

Student Council:
Homeroom Representative Freshman year
Class Secretary Sophomore Year
Class President Senior Year

Member of the INTERACT Club (Service Club) and the Green Club as well

Was on Prom Committee junior year

In the Math honor society, Mu Alpha Theta.

I volunteer at a position at a museum in my area biweekly, and have also volunteered with the local Youth Volunteer Corps and at my church’s nursery.

I attended Girls’ State and was a Party Delegate/City Council Member there.

I also have a paid Sales Associate job at Justice, the little kids’ store.

Have attended the UVA Young Writer’s Workshop Program two years in a row, is pretty selective. I also went to ND Vision last year at Notre Dame.

Hooks:
My essays are really strong, and I should have awesome counselor (I’m really close with him) and teacher recs.

I’m legacy, both my parents attended, graduating in '90 and '92.

Catholic? (idk how much this will help hahaha)

I’m a white female, in $150,000 > up

Thank you, chance me back!!!

2

You have a nice profile, but the SAT score is under the 25% range for enrolled students and ND is more selective in the early admission round. http://admissions.nd.edu/apply/admission-statistics/

Can you retake?

3

1390-1530
SAT (MID 50%)

CONCORDANCE TO THE NEW SAT 1440-1540 (MID 50%)

What is the difference between these two? I’ve always wondered. Like I’m in the mid range for the top bolded statistic, but not the bottom.

4

The first one is the range for the old SAT, combining just the Math and Reading scores. (ND just used those subscores, not the total score.) Those scores are not applicable to the new SAT scores.

Since the new SAT combines reading with the writing score, I don’t think there is a way for them to tease out the reading score, and thus they are going with total score. So the mid-range for the new SAT looks to be 1440-1540. Your score of 1410 falls below that range.

5

Solid record with double legacy gives you a good chance. Your test scores are your achilles heel, but they don’t rule you out by any means. No one can tell you what your actual or even approximate odds of admission are. Have you visited ND, done the tour and met with your regional ad com rep?

6

To quote @GraceDad from another thread: “A couple of stats that I found interesting. They had 1500 applications from children of alumni, only 500 of those were admitted. Being a legacy is a plus, but it is certainly not a golden ticket.”

Legacy will help the OP, but to what extent is unknown.

OP - I would take the SAT again (or the ACT) to try to bump your score up.

7

Also, your UW GPA is important. Schools weight differently, so they look at UW GPAs to compare apples to apples. I agree that your scores could be better and I hate to be harsh, but your ECs don’t really jump out. You appear to be a solid middle of the road applicant. Your essays and recs, however good they might be, aren’t hooks. Being a legacy is a hook, but as an ND admissions rep once told me, it can cure the sick but not raise the dead. It will probably marginally help. Though good essays aren’t a hook, ND is one of the places where they can really tip the balance, though. It’s very important that your essays speak to who you are and how you can contribute to and further the mission of a school that really is like no other. Best of luck! I have two daughters currently there and their experience has been fantastic.

8

I agree with @ejcclc , we really need to know your unweighted GPA. If you have an unweighted GPA in the mid 3.9’s or higher, I think you have a pretty good chance. Notre Dame has repeatedly said they believe academic performance while taking a rigorous schedule is a better predictor of success in college then standardized test scores. You’ve said that you’ve taken the most difficult schedule you can, your unweighted GPA will tell us how well you excelled in that rigorous environment.

I actually thought your EC’s were pretty good. I don’t know how the admissions department will look at them. I like the fact that you stuck with your XC team despite your injury. I believe that speaks to the kind of person that you are. Many kids would’ve quit because they felt sorry for themselves or would’ve used the sudden “free time” to focus on their studies, etc. Notre Dame is looking for someone who can be a positive influence on others and that are not solely focused on themselves.

As others have stated, I would encourage you take the SAT’s again. Even if you could get your score above 1450, I think it would significantly improve your chances.

9

i’m also applying to nd ea! I would agree with the others - your sat scores may be a little low for EA knowing that they are more selective in this round. you have good extracurriculars though and it should help a lot that your parents graduated there and you went to nd vision. if you ever want to talk about applying to ND feel free to message me!

10

EA is VERY selective .My daughter was ranked number 1 in her class for 4 years GPA of 4.0 of 4.0. President of the NHS. She was an Archdiocesan Scholar. She was involved in numerous service groups and headed Ministry and Service. She was the co editor of the schools paper and had SAT’s of 770 Math; 700 Reading; 790/ Writing and was not selected EA. She was admitted during regular decision and could not be happier with her choice (over Georgetown, BC, Scranton. Temple and others). If you do’t get in EA do not be discouraged. Contact your admission counselor and reiterate your interest. We stopped by during the early fall of her senior year just to put a face with the application. I don’t know what factored in the decision to admit her (prayers may have helped too) but she made the cut. Best of Luck and Go Irish.

11

ALSO ND will look at what your school offers as far as challenging academic offerings (AP classes) versus how many you took. They are looking for a track record of you challenging yourself.

12

Hello everyone, thanks for your comments! I am actually not sure what my UW GPA is. However, I know I have gotten mostly straight As, with a few A minuses and one B+ in a course with a very tough Precalc teacher. (An insight is that the students in his Ap Calc classes had solid Bs, but most scored 4s and 5s on the AP exam.)

I took the October SAT and I should have scores soon. :slight_smile: I have not done a prep class besides the small two-hour one-sessions my school offers. I may try to do that, and I’ll see what happens!

@ejcclc @GraceDad @junior2017 @Dadof4greatkids

(Also, I’m not sure who said it, but I’ve been trying to pray about it as well. Spent a lot of time at the Grotto during Vision talking to and imploring Mary ((: )

I know I’ll end up where I’m supposed to be!

13

It was me who mentioned prayer. I will be there this weekend and light a candle at the grotto for your intentions. Keep up the hard work. You will be rewarded whatever colleges choose you.