Chances of Getting into Notre Dame?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Notre Dame
1

New SAT: 1430 (720 on CR;710 on Math)

Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0 (4.4 Weighted)

Rank: 27 out of 364 (Top 8 Percent)

AP: AP Stat (5), AP World History (4), AP US History (3), AP Psychology (5), AP Lang (4), AP Calc AB (Pending), AP Lit (Pending), AP Environmental Science (Pending)

Senior Course Load: Debate, AP Environmental Science, AP Lit, Journalism, AP Calc AB, American Government, Economics

Major Awards: AP Scholar with Distinction, Governors Honors Program Nominee, County Science Fair Winner, Georgia Boys State Honors Graduate, Numerous Honor Societies, Top Honor Roll

Extracurriculars: 5-time missionary to Guatemala, Youth Group Volunteer, Member on Church’s Future Planning Committee, Debate Team, Model United Nations, Student Body President, Editor-in-Chief of School Newspaper

Volunteer/Community Service: Missionary, Youth Group Volunteer, VBS Volunteer

Summer Activities: Georgia Boys State, Global Travel

Essays: Personal Essay: 8; Essays for School Specifically: 9 (I definitely took a risk on the “Take a risk” prompt)

Recommendations: Counselor: 7 (Doesn’t know me as well as I would like), Teacher Recommendation: 9 (Has strong ties to the University of Notre Dame and has taught me for three years) Other Recommendation: 9 (Notre Dame alumnus who has been my small group leader since 5th grade)

Applied for Financial Aid: Yes

Intended Major: Marketing

State: Georgia

School Type: Public

Ethnicity: White

Gender: Male

Notre Dame is far and away my top choice for school, and I know my SAT score isn’t super high relative to their averages. I want to know if people think if I have a fighting chance to go here for the next four years.

2

I think the rigorous course load, GPA and class rank are in your favor. As you mention the SAT is a bit low for ND, but your extracurriculars - especially your trips to Guatemala are fascinating. I would think you have an excellent chance if you showed the real you in your essays. Good luck!

3

I’m not saying you have a good chance, but you certainly have a fighting chance.

Your SAT score will definitely hurt you and possibly your class rank. But your GPA is excellent and as @IvegotFour said, the EC’s will definitely strike a chord with Admissions. Make sure you put in enough time on making your essays the absolute best they can be.

The one question I would have if I was in Admissions is how does someone with an unweighted GPA of 4.0 and what appears to be an academically rigorous schedule, only end up being in the top 8% after the GPA is weighted? There are 26 people in front of you that also have 4.0 unweighted GPA’s and took even more AP/Honors classes?

4

I attend one of the best public schools in the state of Georgia, which can be a blessing and a curse in the fact that I receive a quality education, but my rank lowers even though my average grade of 96.4 is only slightly lower than the people in the top 10. It’s extremely competitive.

5

So they rank you on average grade (You have a 96.4) or they rank you on the weighted GPA (Yours is 4.4)?

6

They rank on some combination of average grade and unweighted GPA I believe.

7

If that is truly the case, then your rank can easily be explained cause you took a rigorous schedule. Someone could’ve taken all “cupcake” classes and gotten 100’s in all of them and are ranked higher than you. I would confirm that is what is happening with your high school. If true, I would communicate with your admissions rep your concern. If ND has dealt a lot with your school in the past, they should already be aware of this

8

I will do that. Thank you so much for your help! Go Irish!

9

@GraceDad I have one more chance to take the SAT for Notre Dame. What would your best estimate for a score that would help make me feel a little more confident in my chances?

10

I am currently a Freshman at ND going premed! I had very similar application stats to you (ACT instead w/ a 34) and I was granted admission RD last year. I cant guarantee it, but I’d say you have a good chance of getting in!

11

Below is the link to the admissions video from earlier this year where they give a lot of useful info. At the 32:30 mark they give the stats you might be interested in. You want to be in the top 1% of standardized test scores which is a 33-36 ACT or 1500-1600 SAT (Based upon the old SAT test). You can see the big swing in admit rates. If you are in the top 1% you have a 50% admit rate. If you are not quite in the top 1%, the admit rate drops significantly to 14% or lower.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DQOPx1EGE8