Chances at ND (please help)

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Notre Dame
1

<p>What are my chances at ND? Match me up with some other fits. Well, I have shown a tremendous upward spiral in my grades since freshmen year. My gpa is about a 3.72/4.0 unweighted. I go to a small competetive public high school in Connecticut that lacks AP's and I am a junior.</p>

<p>I am hoping to get at least a 2000 on the SAT's and I believe I will get over that since I am scoring very well on practice tests. I should get close to a 2100 if I keep working my butt off.</p>

<p>Classes:</p>

<p>Freshmen Year:</p>

<p>Freshmen science (my school makes you take it)
Intro to Business
World Cultures
Spanish 1
Algebra 1
English 9
Gym (requirement)
Communications 1
Sophmore year: Began to realize i had more potential then the school set me up with. I Moved from another town and the school didn't know my profile. My middle school was small and didn't offer a lot of classes. I worked my butt off to get ahead in math.</p>

<p>Honors Geometry
Honors Algebra 2
Civics
english 10
Band
Gym (requirement)
Spanish 2
Biology</p>

<p>Junior Year:</p>

<p>Honors Precalc
Trig
Health (requirement)
Spanish 3
AP History ( really enjoyed history received A+) (countless hours of lost sleep over papers and projects)
Chemistry (no honors sciences in my school or honors languages until Spanish 3)
Band
Investments and Taxation</p>

<p>Predicted Senior Year:
AP English
AP Calc
Physics
Band
Business Law 1
Business Law 2
Honors Spanish 4</p>

<p>Well yeah that's about it, my school is small so it can't offer many AP's. No my gpa is not inflated, I work very hard.</p>

<p>About me/EC's</p>

<p>I speak Polish fluently and I learned both English and Polish at the same time. I grew up in poland till I was 8. I learned how to read, write, and speak English in a matter of a couple months when I arrived in the U.S.A. If I didn't I would have had to stay back a year. I was class valedictorian in middle school (catholic school). I am a deep devote catholic.</p>

<p>I am treasurer/recorder of the FBLA
Math Team
Band (play clarinet)
Beta Club
National Honors Society
Did Radio freshmen year
Track and Field
Job Shadowed with a lawyer</p>

<p>Community: Very active in my Catholic church. I attend mass every week.
I help out the parish by being an altar server. I help out at the weekly sunday mass as well as holidays and special occasions. I have been doing this since I was 8 or 9 years old. In the summer I help out the parish school by cleaning, and doing yard work. And when I am not busy doing homework and activites I help take care of my 8 year old sister.</p>

<p>Awards:
Introduction to Business Award
High Honors every quarter of high school
Math team award
Invites to the leadership conferences
Tremendous thanks and awards for my service in the parish.</p>

<p>I really like Notre Dame. That is one of my top choices. Could I get into Notre Dame? Any other slight reachers and/or matches.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Any idea on your class rank? Knowing that would really help a lot as would knowing what your SAT really would be. As it stands, I would say that ND is a reach, but it is hard to say without that information. If you can give me a guestimate of your rank I can tell you more and also tell you about some other schools to look at...just tell me why you like ND and what you are looking for in a college</p>

3

<p>Well, I was supposively in the top 20% of a class of 140 kids. However, I moved up to about top 12-15%. My school is very competetive, we have a ton of doctors' kids and lawyers' kids. I think making it to the top 10% will happen, but for now that is my class rank. My pastor knew the formal president of ND if that helps. He has to know someone if he is constantly getting football tickets and flying out there. Well, I want to go to ND because it provides a great education, it's a private catholic school, it is in the nation's top 20 schools, a degree from ND means a lot, and also because of the appeal of the school. I also loved the movie rudy if that counts. :) I'm looking for colleges no bigger than the size of ND, with good ranking, a great education, and hopefully catholic. My previous civics teacher went to Amherst and I love that place. That is probably the biggest reach of all also. Boston College seemed like a great school, college of holy cross was decent, but it didn't catch my eye. ND is a reach even if you get great grades, have a good class rank and an SAT score past 2000? I'm pretty certain i will break at least 2000 since i currently am on practice tests. I even scored 2100 on one, so i think that i will be able to get a 2100 with a lot of practice over this summer come october. I took the May SAT, but unfortunately I was ill and I'd be lucky just breaking 2000. So, with practice I bet i can get that 2100. Would a 2000 provide a good shot at the school with my stats?</p>

4

<p>I think it is going to be a reach for sure with a 2000 and I would say it is a reach with a 2100. Remember that ND's average class rank of the incomming class was top 6% and the average SAT score (old version) for someone without affirmative action or legacy is a 1495 (from a good source). Because of that, I think even with a 2100, ND will be a reach for you. I am sorry to say that because your stats are just like mine were so I can relate. Don't give up and work like crazy on your grades but I do think it is a reach (I was rejected and then transferred into ND, btw). </p>

<p>As for other colleges to look like, definately check out BC and perhaps WUSTL if you are looking at those that are rated very high. If you are willing to not look so much at the rankings, then perhaps look at Saint Louis University, Marquette, Creighton, Santa Clara, San Diego, Portland (run by the same order as ND) and schools like that. They aren't ranked as highly but they are very good Catholic schools. Speaking from experience, I would recommend that you don't look so much at the rankings but look more at the school and how the fit is. You can get a great education at any of those schools if you have a good fit. Good luck; let me know if there is anything I can do to help!</p>

5

<p>the middle 50% of SAT scores at ND is 1340-1440, so you are in there with a 2000 or 2100, but many other factors to consider. FYI dont metnion the Rudy movie in admissions or on your essay, its a deal breaker. ;-)</p>

6

<p>Try Marquette University. Same size as Notre Dame, Catholic, good education. Not as highly ranked but well-respected.</p>

7

<p>I's like to plug Villanova. Our counselor said it was the most like ND.</p>

8

<p>nova is no where near the school that ND is, not even close. cant even put the two in the same sentence.</p>

<p>dont waste your money at villanova</p>

9

<p>Agreed With 66472</p>

10

<p>Hey NDjake!</p>

<p>Glad to hear of your interest in ND; that's where I'm headed come fall! Keep in mind that as you start your application process no one can tell you exactly what will you get you in. I would say that you have a lot going for you - you seem to have been working extremely hard and have definitely been pushing your school's opportunities to the limits. I agree with irish when he says that a higher SAT score would make your application more competitive, but remember that your personal statement and recommendations could make or break you as well. </p>

<p>As far as other schools go, I also looked at Washington University in St. Louis, Boston College, Boston University, Case Western, Princeton, Harvard, and some schools in the State of New York system. Just keep an open mind throughout the entire process, and what happens happens. Good luck, and feel free to ask about any application questions!</p>

11

<p>thanks guys, i guess i should work on the SAT to get the best possible score. :( I really wanna go to ND.</p>

12

<p>Just keep the grades up, work hard on your grades, and keep your fingers crossed. You never know so good luck!!!</p>

13

<p>NDJake, don't forget that Notre Dame takes your ECs and essay very seriously. Work on your SATs and grades, of course, but you have a good story going for you with your arrival to the U.S. and then your involvement with the church. So show your personality through your essay and make it a great one.<br>
P.S. I agree with those guys before me... don't waste your $$$ on Villanova...</p>

14

<p>why don't you get your stuff together and then ask....your school offers a lot of unusual courses</p>

15

<p>uhhh what is that supposed to mean? How should I "get my stuff together?" I'm taking the best classes I can. I think it be better to take an academic class rather than an art class....</p>

16

<p>jake, you are fine. plgallagher has already said they are waitlisted so they may be a bit iffy today because of that.</p>

17

<p>Blueboodliberal, just pm'ed you. thanks</p>

18

<p>UPDATE: Well, I still have not given up despite my week SAT score. I am prepping and i am still hoping for that 2000-2100. I also received the Gettysburg College Book Award for excellence in American History. My A+ for AP History all year stayed, and I managed to get a near 4.0 unweighted this year. So yeah, with these updates do I have a good shot at ND? Most likely it's still the keep trying, but it doesn't look good. I still have not given up hope with the SAT, if i keep prepping the rest of the summer and get my 2000-2100 i hope i got a good shot. My parents also enrolled me to an SAT prep class. Does ND care how many times you take the SAT's? I plan on taking them till I get my desired score. I know some people say don't take it more than 3 times, but if you know you can improve greatly is this true? If so, I am royally screwed :(. Thanks. Let me know guys! :)</p>

19

<p>Forgot to mention, these are going to be my senior courses:</p>

<p>Ap Calc
Band
Honors Spanish 4
War Between the Worlds
College physics (honors level)
College English 12
Astronomy
Health Requirement
Principles of Law
Business Law 1</p>

<p>Some of these are half year courses. </p>

<p>This is pretty much a maxed out schedule. I only have a study hall half of the year, and I couldn't fit in a class for it. My school lacks AP's and there are barely any that I enjoy. The only other possibile AP's for this year could have been AP English, Ap Biology, and AP Spanish, but spanish is not an option since i am in 4 honors. Physics appears more challenging even though it's not AP so i took that. I figured why go for the AP bio if i took bio, rather learn a difference science. My guidance councelor refused to put me into ap English even though my euthanasia paper was the best paper my last current English teacher has ever read. So yeah, trying to to the best with what I have. I hope with the recent award that I have a better shot (Book awards are highly coveted in my school and we only offer a few. The recepient needs to be in the top 10-15% of the class). I love ND and I am trying everything I can to get in. Only thing I can do now is improve my SAT. I hope the drastically higher upward GPA trend and the increased vigor of classes will help. I am in the works of opening up a site like this one, but it will be called college chase. I will use my money and try to raise money to offer scholarships yearly. Then, I will have my college story. :) I figure I might as well show the world my story and offer possibile help to others. Maybe I should write a world best selling novel, then I could gain ND admission? Heh.</p>

20

<p>irish, do you really think the non URM SAT average is a 1495?</p>