Hello hello. I am a RD applicant at Notre Dame, and I would absolutely love to attend the school. I am already starting to worry a ton about my application #:-S I was wondering if anyone would mind chancing me.
I’m from a small public school in upstate New York.
ACADEMICS + TEST SCORES:
SAT: 1540… 800 Math, 740 Reading/Writing
SAT IIs: 800 Math 2, 760 Biology
Did not take ACT
National Merit Semifinalist
GPA: 95.78 Unweighted (I go to a NY public school so our GPA scale is out of 100. Not sure how this equates to a 4.0 scale.
Rank: 7/131. School is small and fairly competitive. Sends a handful of students to ivies each year (last year I think about 7 or 8 went to ivies, so that’s around 5% of the class)
Junior year APs w/ scores: US History (5), Biology (5), English Language (5)
Senior year APs: European History, Chemistry, Literature, Spanish, BC Calculus
**Concerned that I received an 89 first quarter in AP Literature. This is the only B on my transcript, but I know that most top schools appreciate only As.
ACTIVITIES / WORK EXPERIENCE:
President of my school’s community service club (huge club, over 130 members). As president, increased club’s size by 30 members by using digital recruitment methods on Google Classroom and Remind Messaging. Also broke several club fundraiser records (presumably as a result of this increased membership).
Vice President of Class Junior Year. Talked about events organized and specific amounts of money raised.
Conducted scientific research at the Sidi Chen Laboratory of Cancer Systems Biology (Yale Lab). Wrote a research paper and submitted it to JSHS competition. Discussed the research in application.
*** The principal investigator of the lab wrote me a letter of recommendation. I did not read it, but my guidance counselor told me it was good.
Student Gov Representative for 4 years
Co-Captain of Varsity Tennis Team. Second singles position. Competed in Section 9 tournament. Definitely not good enough to play at Notre Dame though.
National Honors Society
Community service trip to Rancho Quemado in Costa Rica
(Work): Little league home plate umpire
RECS + ESSAYS:
Really can’t say much about my recs, wasn’t able to read them.
Common App: Not sure how to rate my own essay? Maybe like a 7?
Failure prompt. Talked about experience as umpire and how I learned that criticism from spectators is inevitable, no matter how precise my calls are. I think some parts of it are actually kinda humorous (I described my first game, where I lost focus and called a BALL after the batter took a swing)
Supplementals were OKAY, I think. I don’t think they were anything extraordinary. I would say my strongest was “Why Notre Dame?” because I talked about my experiences as the president of my club’s community service club, and how Notre Dame’s spiritual atmosphere would allow me to pursue public service with a wide variety of peers.
Other supplemental essays were okay, not super duper personal or exciting.
I think my SAT is towards the higher end for Notre Dame, and I’m hoping this may help. Also maybe the rec letter from the Yale PI will be a positive touch.
Thanks!
