<p>Yeah -- I'm definitely not a perfect student with perfect grades...
State: NJ
GPA: 3.8 UW, 4.4 W (I have taken a very rigorous courseload -- as indicated by my weighted GPA)
SAT: 2070 (1430 M+V) <-- Retaking for 2150+
SAT II:
Math IIC: 720
Chemistry: 710
*I go to an extremely competitive school
*we do not rank because of overly-competitive atmosphere</p>
<p>EC
Freshman Summer-- Took classes at local community college
Sophomore Summer -- UPenn PreCollege Program
Junior Summer -- Taking classes at state university</p>
<p>JV Lacrosse (9,10)
Summer LaX League (9)
Red Cross (9,10,11)
Amnesty International (10)
Model UN (10,11)
National Spanish Honors Society (11)
Have attended numerous national conferences in Model UN and have won several Individual Awards
200+ hours of volunteering at Nursing Home
New Jersey Legislature Citation of Praise for my Community Service</p>
<p>*Model UN basically consumes about half of all my free time weekly, I've put tons of effort into it and have won Individual Awards at National Conferences. I think I really want to emphasize how MUN has changed me as a person in my essays.</p>
<p>I will be applying Early Action -- hopefully that'll help me</p>
<p>I agree. Early action is extremely competitive. The smartest thing is to take your standardized tests a few more times, then go regular decision. Don't get me wrong, you have great stats, but this year was crazy as far as admissions goes.</p>
<p>Although ND works hard to build a diverse student body, I think a commitment to social mobility and economic justice is more important. An upper-class Indian from an affluent school may not get any extra consideration; a working class or low-income student with a commitment to values that are consistent with Catholic teaching is probably going to be a stronger candidate. </p>
<p>I don't think you get any diversity points just for being Indian and Muslim; it's what you do with your faith and values that will matter at ND. </p>
<p>Let me flip your questions back to you in a different form: why do you think you'd like ND? What is it about the place that interests you? What do you think you would contribute to the community there? How will attending ND help inform your values and beliefs; how will it expand your intellect and make you a better person? </p>
<p>If you can articulate that, you would be a strong candidate. DD was able to express why she could contribute to ND, and although her grades etc. were terrific, kids just as qualified as her did not get accepted. I think it may have also helped her to be from a public school but be able to articulate what she found so important about a Catholic community.</p>
<p>thanks for your input! Well, one of the admissions counselors has the title of "Asian-American recruiter" so I assume that Asians, Hispanics, African Americans, and Native Americans are all considered URM (also look at ND couselor's chat-- he says asians are an URM). By being a URM and applying Early Action, I would think that I have a better chance of gaining admission, no?</p>
<p>according to collegeboard, the average ND SAT is a 2000 (1350 Math Verbal). My SAT Score is 70 points above the total and 80 points above the Math+Verbal. Plus, I am a URM (according to ND Admission Counselors). My GPA is solid. I have national awards in Model UN (not very easy to do). I really feel that ND is a top school of mine, and I will show it in my essay. Why would it be so detrimental for me to apply EA? :(</p>
<p>Apply early if you want, but this year admissions was ridiculous. Search for the Early and Regular Decision results threads and you will see what I mean. They rejected some guy with a perfect SAT score this year. 1350 is way way low from what I have seen, and I can only imagine that it will be harder to get in next year.</p>
<p>Individual-you don't seem to "get" ND. You seem to think you are doing them a favor by bestowing your URM self on them, those poor benighted Catholics crouched out there in the rust belt. Like you are Warren Buffet discovering an undervalued but wildly profitable business or something. </p>
<p>Knock yourself out, and apply whenever you want to, but you better be thinking about the big picture: what can you do for the community, and how can you grow as a person by attending ND?</p>
<p>actually not just a couselor, your regional rep... keep in contact with him or her constantly to show your interest. I really think that was what got me in because I called my regional rep about every day, and the reps have a pretty big impact on admissions (from what i hear).</p>
<p>i disagree with a lot of people on this issue... i feel that as long as it is your best application possible apply early... you'll probably get deferred--if you get rejected early you would have gotten rejected RD too... people say you can get more awards/retake the ACT if you wait--you can still do all these things! and then you have a reason to send out a letter... every new award you get and every time your ACT goes up then you can send admissions a new letter with a message showing how interested you are in ND...</p>
<p>I almost applied ED with a 1310 on my SAT, but I didn't finish my essay on time. I then took the ACT for the first time in December, got a 33 and was accepted RD. There is no way I would have been accepted had I applied ED. It is no only a lot harder to get in ED, but for applicants who don't have the strongest scores or record that extra few months can make all the difference.</p>