Do you think I'd fit in?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Notre Dame
1

<p>I got my acceptance letter and I was SO happy!
After the excitement has quelled down a bit, I sat down
and compared the colleges I got into and all that.</p>

<p>I was just wondering if I'd fit in at ND</p>

<p>First of all, I'm Asian.
I'm Catholic. But I don't play sports nor LOVE sports (enjoy ocassional watching tho..)</p>

<p>I'm sociable and nice, but I guess I'm just afraid of my not liking sports that much. I hear almost everyone plays intramural sports at ND and the stadium is filled with students for every game.</p>

<p>Would I fit in?</p>

<p>P.S. how hard is it studying at ND?</p>

<p>thank you!</p>

2

<p>It's almost 2 am and there are a lot of students still at the library (where I am). Studying is so easy that it's very possible to overdo it at times (like now, man I should be going to sleep). People here are extremely dedicated students. It is also true that many are dedicated athletes who enjoy watching sports. However, if you don't like athletics this place is still wonderful. I have never been remotely interested in watching sporting events, but there is something about the sports of this place that just grabs ahold of you. Even if you don't fall in love with athletics, if you give it the old college try and decide that it just isn't for you, you're in good company. This is a school with a wide variety of students. They all love their school, and athletics for most is a convenient way to express that. For other kinds of people, there are any number of things to do and to enjoy. I'm being kicked out of the library at the moment. I might continue this later.</p>

3

<p>thank you so much.
I'd love it if you'd continue.
B/C I live in VA, I'm not sure if I can get the time to visit
before may 1. so I would really appreciate it if I could know more about
ND and its students.</p>

<p>thanks again</p>

4

<p>Son never played 1 sport in HS--yet has discovered club sports at ND. He is not an athlete, but enjoys playing to the best of his ability without the pressure of having to feel like an athlete. Plus, it is something he can take advantage of without feeling like he's neglecting studying!</p>

5

<p>If you want to fit in and are willing to be part of the Notre Dame family, you will fit in. I know the sports are intimidating to some, again Shellzie can help with this more than I, but you get pulled into them. You may not care about ND football coming in, but then you wake up for your first gameday...your friends are pumped an there is a sense of nervous anticipation all over campus. There are thousands of people walking up and down the quads, taking pictures, asking you where the bookstore is, and being speechless over the school you attend. You walk over to LaFortune (student center) and you see the team walk over to the stadium from Mass, everyone wearing suits, and you see the band step off and march to the stadium. At this point you realize this isn't just about sports, this isn't just football, but this is Notre Dame. This is what we are. We aren't defined by our football team, no, this day is made by every member of the community. ND wouldn't be ND without the tradition, the band, the Irish Guard, so many other things.</p>

<p>You walk over towards the stadium and see clubs of every sort with concession stands trying to sell "burgers and eternal salvation" to help fund their club for the coming year. You walk into the stadium, find your seat, and look at the pristine grass and realize that there is something very magical about this place. Something that can't be described. Then you realize that the students stand the entire game, which is a bummer, but you soon learn to embrace it.</p>

<p>As a student body you do all the cheers, and you flub up a few your first few times, but it doesn't take long to master more than just the "kill" chant (not my favorite but moving along). Notre Dame scores its first touchdown, and the stadium erupts. The extra point is good and a few of your buddies grab you and have you help lift up a girl for pushups. As you lift her up into the air once for every ND point, you realize this is not like any other school out there. There are many that have the academics, there are many that have the sports, but virtually none have both and none have this spirit, which we call the Notre Dame spirit.</p>

<p>At the end of the game the students all reach over and put their hands on each others shoulders and sing the alma mater...
Notre Dame Our Mother
Tender, Strong and True
Proudly in the Heavens
Gleams Thy Gold and Blue
Glory's Mantle Cloaks Thee
Golden is Thy Fame
And Our Hearts Forever
Praise Thee Notre Dame
And Our Hearts Forever
(pointing a finger to the sky)
LOVE THEE NOTRE DAME!!!</p>

<p>Walking out of the stadium you realize that you have had an amazing day, and are part of an amazing community. You also realize you have blown an entire Saturday and have Chemistry homework, but those things can wait. School is important, but there is more than that at Notre Dame, and though it may sound strange there is something very special about that.</p>

<p>If you can picture yourself here from reading that, or if that excites you at all, you will have no problem fitting in at Notre Dame</p>

6

<p>wow thanks..
I was moved when you said it's not about sports, but it's what Notre Dame is about.</p>

<p>I was really nervous, but now I'm thinking I may be able to fit in well after all.</p>

<p>p.s. Just ordered ND t shirt! can't wait to wear it to school after spring break!</p>

7

<p>Could you tell me more about academics at Notre Dame?
I was just at Borders reading college guides about Nore Dame and schools I got into and I read that Notre Dame has very rigorous curriculum.</p>

<p>I'm hoping to enter med school and I understand that GPA is very important for med school. So I was wondering how hard/easy studying and getting good grades is at Notre Dame.</p>

<p>I'm undecided at the moment, but I'm probably not going into math or science.</p>

8

<p>wowser- congrats
My S is a freshman, and his buddies all seem to be eng ( he is EE, at this moment), pre law, pre med, and they are very academically motivated- and the kids have formed study groups and support each other.</p>

<p>My S's room has become the official "study room"- his roommate is out of the room often, and he has different buddies who study Calc 3, eng and Bio-Chem.</p>

<p>If you are in the upper % of the accepted class I would think it will be possible to get the grades you need for med school. </p>

<p>Son made Dean's List first semester-with rigorous course load, and managed to have lots of fun-he is playing golf twice a week at the Par 9 and loving it.</p>

<p>You are in for a wonderful experience! Congrats, again</p>

9

<p>ND has a great reputation with medical schools and we have a great track record with getting students into med school. I can find the link but I think our acceptance rate is somewhere around 90%, but of course it all varies with your GPA.</p>

<p>One thing you will find at ND that you won't find at many other places is a cooperative atmosphere. You will have pre-meds helping other pre-meds study for a test, even if that test is graded on a curve. That doesn't happen at many other places, but it is part of life at ND. </p>

<p>The academics are tough, there is no doubt about that, but ND will more than prepare you for the next step and you will have a lot of support along the way.</p>

10

<p>I was thinking, but then what top collegest aren't tough?</p>

<p>This panic attack happend to me at the end of 8th grade cuz i was afraid of going to HS. I turned out fine (look where I got into!! :) ) but I was all worried about fitting in at HS.</p>

<p>All this time, I was focused on getting into a college that I'm just a little lightheaded now b/c I actually got into a great one. </p>

<p>Thanks everyone for your help!</p>

<p>I'd love to visit ND and experience it myself, but I'm not sure I'm geographically able before May 1st. So I appreciate your sharing your experiences!</p>

11

<p>Im Asian
Im Catholic
Im not a big athlelte
I watch sports (basketball, college football, baseball)
I fit in</p>

12

<p>I can top you on not fitting the Notre Dame mold. I'm Asian, I'm NOT Catholic, Sports bore me, I HATE the cold,and I'm definetely the stereotypical born and raised city girl. It was a little overwhelming when I visited but when I visited this weekend, I actually saw myself as a ND student, walking around campus, attending classes. So I think if I found found myself somehow fitting in, ANYONE can fit in.</p>