Son was a Restrictive Early Action - Early Admit this past December. Only one other from his high school and that is a football signing.
I will definitely agree with they are looking for the perfect fit. Not only what you have accomplished, but what it looks like you will be involved in on campus, what your major will be (they will not over a book a major so they will not have to tell someone that while they were admitted to Engineering, they will have to settle for a different major. (have found this to be a problem elsewhere)
Service is key, and they type you have done. Did you help clean up or set up for many community events? or did you work in an inner city after school program tutoring kids, run by a Church? Definitely-- do they know your school? Is it common for students to go to Notre Dame from your high school? Were you involved in any prayer groups or campus crusade for Christ groups? NHS? Any national awards like National Merit Scholar? or National Latin Exam medalist?
Sports? Boy Scouts?
ACT 34
AP classes 10 all 4’s and 5’s so far
Dual College credit coursework 2
Rest are Honors classes
Rank 10/240
SAT were just a little lower 2170 one sitting or 2180 superscored
Applied 11/1
Have not visited
Sons essays are always top notch.
All of this said, we know several of his great classmates who are even above him class rank that have not been admitted yet. So it is a puzzle. I do know one in particular struggles with a great essay.