chances

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Notre Dame
1

<p>Middle income, both parents
Ethnicity: Asian</p>

<p>SAT I (Old): 1510 760M, 750V
SAT IIs yet to be taken</p>

<p>AP:
US History 5
World History 5</p>

<p>GPA weighted (4.78)
Unweighted (3.98)
Class rank: 6 out of about 450 (above average high school in Lexington, Kentucky)</p>

<p>Clubs:
Mu Alpha Theta- 10, 11
Speech Team- 9
Academic Team- 11
French Honor Society- 10, 11
Orchestra- 9, 10, 11, 12
Math Honors- 12
Chess Club- 9, 10, 11
ASIA Club-12
Science Honors-12</p>

<p>Leadership:
Treasurer- Symphonic Orchestra
Vice President- Mu Alpha Theta</p>

<p>Awards:
Advanced Geometry Award
Advanced Algebra II Award
Advanced Precalculus Award
Mason and Hanger College Incentive Fund
Optimist Respect for Law Award
Academic Team-Governor’s Cup (social studies) 5th place district
5th place regional
State Top 20
4 distinguished solos- Kentucky Music Education Association
Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship</p>

<p>AP Courses:
AP World History-10
AP US History-11
AP Statistics-12
AP Calculus-12
AP Chemistry-12
AP English Language-11
AP English Literature-12
AP Physics-11, 12
AP Biology-11</p>

<p>Other:
Tutor for Mu Alpha Theta (2 years) and Math Honors (1 year)
Assistant Concertmaster of Symphonic Orchestra (2 years)
Violin private lessons (10 years)- also performed several times a year for different groups
Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra (5 years)</p>

2

<p>I think you have a very good shot and I would apply EA if I were you.</p>

3

<p>What’s the acceptance rate for EA? RD?</p>

4

<p>I don't know RD off the top of my head, but I think it is about 28%. EA is about 48%, I think. The EA acceptance rate is so high, comparatively speaking.</p>

5

<p>As always, however, a word of caution...the EA rate is high, yes, but that is because ND usually uses EA for recruited athletes and for those who are clearly going to get in and recommend only those with really strong high school records to apply EA. Because of that, coming from personal experience (unfortunately) I would not recommend anyone apply EA if they think they are going to be a marginal candidate and may not get in. EA will not help that kind of candidate, lol, I am living proof (I was rejected EA). However, there is always transfer admissions if that happens :). Don't apply EA in order to get an edge, I don't think there is one to be had there.</p>

6

<p>M, I respectfully disagree - in one sense. You are correct that marginal candidates should apply RD, and this is true. But you have to be careful how you define marginal.</p>

<p>Notre Dame <em>encourages</em> people to not apply EA unless they are qualified for it. BUT, I know many kids who applied EA who would be marginal even for RD. EA is not reserved for recruited athletes. They're getting in no matter what (if they meet ND's bar for athletes) and it just doesn't matter when they apply.</p>

<p>Just think of it this way: you applied EA and were rejected. I know kids from my son's hs who applied EA and were rejected. There are more than you think. If there weren't, and everyone just took ND Admission's word for it, the acceptance rate for EA would be almost 100%, because only kids who were top 2%, 4.0, 1550/35's would apply.</p>

<p>I think there is an edge for EA, but only if your stats are in range for admitted students and you've got a strong application on everything else. If I can dig up the analysis on it I'll post it here, but somebody objectively analyzed their admissions and found a definitive edge for EA. </p>

<p>If you're most likely not getting in RD then you will be rejected EA.</p>

7

<p>I think we agree, but I am not quite sure. Here is my belief on it. By marginal candidate I mean people like me coming out of high school where you are very much borderline between getting in and not getting in. I am not talking about someone with a 1450 wondering if they should go EA, but rather someone with around a 1300 and shaky grades (by ND's standards) wondering if they can get in. </p>

<p>I know EA is not just for athletes but that is usually where ND accepts most of them I have heard, so it may bump the overall acceptance % of EA up some, especially since it is a much smaller pool. That is all I am trying to say there, not that it is just for athletes.</p>

<p>I disagree on the fact that there is a clear advantage to EA other than the student finds out early (which is an advantage to them). I just don't think it will help you get in. Those who get in EA would have gotten in during RA just as easily. With EA, first of all, they are more rushed due to the time constraits so while ND assures you this is not the case I am not sure that the applications aren't read just a bit quicker and not as thoroughly as they are in RA. Secondly in EA, they are guessing what the application pool is going to look like, but they aren't sure as of that point. Because of that, they are going to be more cautious just in case the application pool is large. Granted, I would assume this would lead to more deferrals and not rejections, but still, I am having trouble finding the advantage in EA. I know the percentages are higher, but I just attribute that to the fact that you have a majority of top applicants applying EA. Does anyone see an advantage other than that? I do really want to know and ask genuinely because I would recommend EA more if I saw any advantage other than finding out about your acceptance earlier.</p>

8

<p>Did you ever think that maybe, if your stats are in range for ND, you should <em>definitely</em> apply EA, because you'll just be one of many, many more applicants with similar stats in RD? I disagree that "Those who get in EA would have gotten in during RA just as easily." How do you know that? It's entirely possible that those in range stand out more in EA than just being one of the masses in RD.</p>

<p>There is a huge advantage to applying EA, both statistically and personally. Statistically should be obvious. M, you were not in range you yet you applied EA. I knew kids not in range who applied EA, and you and I are in far different parts of the country. What makes you think everybody else is doing it differently (or following ND's advice) on this? A lot of kids want to know just as badly that they're NOT admitted, so they can make other plans. The advantage to knowing early works both ways. </p>

<p>Recruited athletes are admitted on a rolling basis. They are counted with the RD applicants, and trust me on this, their admissions are not counted in the EA statistics. You know how I know this.</p>

<p>If your stats are in range, you should apply EA. Period.</p>

9

<p>Well, I am going to agree on parts and on other parts we will have to agree to disagree I am afraid, but at least everyone will get to see both opinions.</p>

<p>I stand by the fact that someone accepted in EA I believe would be accepted just the same through RD because of how they describe EA. They say that EA is for those who are "clearly admissable" and that if you are borderline they will defer you to regular. I think, therefore, if you get in EA you would have stood out enough to get in RD because by accepting you EA they are saying that they know you are going to be good enough to get in, even before seeing the whole applicant pool. I think that is a powerful statement! I see your point about getting lost in the mix in RD, but I just think that a true EA applicant is going to shine even in the mix of RD, but that is just my personal opinion.</p>

<p>I see your point about the statistical advantage as well, and I can't fight that too much, because you are right in that I did ignore ND's recommendations. However, I think I was an idiot in doing so, honestly, in retrospect. I can't say for sure, but I think that the fact that ND takes so strong a stance on EA will make some of those smarter than me actually wait for RD instead of going EA. Maybe you are right, it is hard to know, but I just think it would discourage some from going EA and that may be enough to make the statistical difference you see, since EA is so much smaller of a pool. I just have a hard time believing that it would be any easier getting in, even if the statistics show it, since they don't know their whole applicant pool yet. If anything, I think they err to the side of caution, but that is just my intuition on it. It is just my gutt that there is no advantage, but again, I could be wrong. Do you not agree it seems harder to get in EA than RD? Maybe it is just me? I agree though, the 48% number makes it tempting, it got me!</p>

<p>I stand corrected on the recruited athletes info, I had heard differently but I do believe you and I do stand corrected on that point.</p>

<p>I do agree with you (gasp) that EA has advantages, especially knowing early, and that if you are in the EA range you should apply EA...there is just no reason not to. There probably is no reason not to for anyone, since they technically should defer you if you are close. I guess I am just bitter still and I really wish I had waited just in case it would have made a difference. In retrospect, I wish I had trusted that there probably is a reason ND says what they say about EA and just got RD. I didn't, however, and I was rejected EA. I do think, however, that I would have been rejected RD as well, my high school stats just weren't quite there and I needed a year of college to actually prove that I belong here :)</p>

<p>I will leave it at that, because I recognize that some of my beliefs may be because of my experience and may not be accurate. Please tell me if you disagree still on any of these points and I will think about them further before I give advice, because I don't want to give slanted advice. I just wish I had waited and because of that I think I am more cautious to recommend EA. However, no matter what anyone says on this board, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE everyone to email admissions before deciding upon EA or RD</p>

<p>-Mike (just so it is out there and you don't have to call me M, lol)</p>

10

<p>anyone else?</p>