Sorry for posting another Chance Me Thread, but I just submitted my App and Notre Dame is my first choice so any input that would either calm my mind (or put me on edge) would be greatly appreciated!
UW GPA: 3.97
SAT: Composite: 1490, Math: 770, Reading: 720
APs: World History (4), US History (5), Language & Comp. (5), Biology (5), Envi. Science (5), Calc AB (3), US Government and Politics, Literature & Comp., Chemistry, Physics 2, & Calc BC
Essays: I feel that they were pretty good and my college counselor really liked them
Extracurriculars: (Activities Section on Common App)
Local Internship at Audubon Center
Volunteered at Fish Hatchery for 5 years
Boy’s State
Orchestra & Jazz Band
Ultimate Frisbee
small, local Museum Docent
Environmental Science and Tech. Program at Pacific Science Center
VP of school Interact Club
Awards: (on Common App)
Harvard Prize Book
Villanova Book Award
AP Scholar with Distinction
Membership in French National and National Honor Societies
Student of the Month in AP Biology
Other:
Visited the college multiple times and attended an information session
My sister is currently attending
Attend a small Catholic High school in Washington State
So you didn’t take the ACT? That’s fine, but I think it’s helpful to show both of the tests.
Your extra curriculars are very good. Boys State is great. And your Academic Rigor is also very good.
My personal opinion is that you would probably be deferred. Reason? The SAT test. My son took it twice and had a super score of 1520. He also had a 34 ACT (not super score). He had excellent academic rigor - 9 AP classes and never got a B in all four years of HS.
His essays were very well written and I know he had glowing letters of rec.
The one think he was lacking was community service - but he was involved in lots of leadership and extra curriculars that took up a lot of his time. We were concerned about the lack of service, but thankfully it worked out for him.
ND was his first choice and he applied EA. He does not have any legacy connections.
Best of luck - now it’s just time to sit back and wait.
My son is class of 2021 from WA. One thing that they say they don’t consider but seems to work out more often than not is having a sibling already attending. What may count against you, and again it is only anecdotal, but they seemed to only accept one kid from each of the high schools. He went to an accepted student event and met one from O’Dea, one from Seattle Prep, one from Holy Names - you get the picture. He is the only one who got in from his public HS. Best of luck, and let us know in December.
I think the fact that your sister attends will help somewhat but I don’t know how much. ND really values family connections. Also that you are from Washington state will help (anything other than the Midwest will help). Your SAT is near the top end of their mid-50 range for last year’s class, which was 1390-1530. I think your numbers and ECs look good, it might just come down to your essays, which honestly is the case for a lot of applicants to a school like ND. The simple fact that they have a lot of top applicants to choose from, and a limited number of spaces. Good luck!
Thanks everybody for your input! Also, Magnetron, I have also heard of the one student per high school thing, but my school regularly has 30 to 40 kids applying to ND for each class and they usually accept 3 to 4, but that almost makes me worry more because its about a 10% acceptance rate. I guess all I can do is wait
AK -
Our son was accepted EA. We are from the Chicago area - so lots of applicants and a highly competitive pool. He was not going to apply early action, but his college counselor recommended it. Our high school sent two kids to ND this year. Public high school. Never heard the one kid per HS for ND.
The one kid per high school thing is categorically untrue. My daughters (ND '17 and"19) went to a very small (@50 students per graduating class) high school. My older daughter’s year, 2 applied and both were accepted. Younger daughter was the only one of 3 applicants accepted, but the other 2 weren’t very competitive. Last year’s class sent 3 to ND.
