<p>My great-aunt is a lifetime member of the board of trustees at ND, and I just found out tonight that my aunt's father is extremely good friends with another one of them... I almost feel guilty, because I'm definitely going to take advantage of my ties with them... but does anyone know if it would play any part in my getting admission?</p>
<p>I am in the same situation at Penn and Tufts... I also would like to find out if these connections hold any weight</p>
<p>Perhaps I am an idealist but I don't think it will have much pull, honestly. I have heard from good sources that the admissions director Dan Saracino rejected his own son! I may just be an idealist, but that is my opinion at least. The only other evidence I have is I have a friend who was not even close to ND numbers (granted) but his dad gave a million a year to ND and also he had all his siblings to go ND and he was rejected (I wouldn't have come if ND would have accepted him, I would have lost all respect honestly). You may as well see if you can pull some strings to help you but that is just my feeling, but I may be an idealist.</p>
<p>That makes sense, if the applicant is lower than average. However, I know my GPA, SATs, ECs, etc. are all solid for ND, its just with schools like this it can be a crapshoot... would any relations help a strong applicant get picked over a fellow strong applicant?</p>
<p>Perhaps it would make a small difference but I don't think much and it sounds like you are trying to talk yourself into it helping. Kev, relax. I know you do have good stats and rely on those to get you into ND, not your connections. I know you mentioned your connections or have used them but at the end of the day you want to know that you got into Notre Dame and not your connections. Maybe it is just me but I would want to know that it was my own abilities that got me in. Just take my word on it that I don't think it will help you that much and if I remember correctly (I believe I said) that you will most likely get in. That way, you will know when you get in that it was you and not your relation. I don't know, that is just the way I look at it. I think you are just stressing getting in, which is very common right now, and trying to find any hook you can (though yours sounds good). I just don't think you need it and I don't think it will help you much but I do think you can get in on your own. I odn'tk now if that helps or not but just the way I see it. Hopefully in a way it makes you feel better.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>You're right, I would feel bad if I found out I just got in because of my great-aunt... but at the same time I'm sort of in a "no-holds-barred" mindset. Who knows? I guess I'll just have to wait another 2 weeks.</p>
<p>I understand, I remember how badly I wanted to get in to ND and I would have done anything (and did do some crazy things as some of the people here know). Just know that it will work out for the best, no matter what happens. Good luck!</p>
<p>kevdude,</p>
<p>first of all, it's great that you have an interest in notre dame. secondly, it will definitely help that you know someone on the board of trustees. i believe irish6178 is a bit idealistic in the sense that it shouldn't help you. i also can't believe that dan saracino would reject his own son. I come from a school in michigan and one of the people in our administration used to be on the board of directors at notre dame. it is very easy to assume that it is because of that person that saracino accepted SEVEN kids from my high school, including myself, that went early action. Only SEVEN kids applied early. On top of that, Notre Dame already knows that another kid is for sure going there because he committed to play soccer there. Chances are that notre dame will accept even more kids from my school. any connections that you have will most certainly help you get into notre dame. remember, getting into a school isn't always a matter of how smart you, it's who you know. Good luck</p>
<p>We are both arguing with personal experience which isn't as helpful as facts so I will do what I can.</p>
<p>First, yes, Saracino did reject his son. <a href="http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=1017%5B/url%5D">http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=1017</a> You have to search for it but it is there. </p>
<p>From what I know of Notre Dame as a student I have a hard time believing that your school's administrator had a great impact on you guys getting into ND, even if 7 were accepted EA. Your school may be a great school (probably is) and it may be a feeder and those factors help. It also helps a lot if the students that ND accepts actually ends up attending, and perhaps you have a good ratio there. Also, perhaps the 7 of you were just very qualified and the soccer player was a good soccer player. I just don't see this connection personally. Could you argue your point, yes, but I do not believe it to be a clear correlation like you say. 15 kids got into ND from my graduating class but only 3 went and the next year they only accepted 2 from my high school because of the low numbers who attended the year before...they look at a lot of things and it is hard to say what caused what. I like the assumption that you are just one of seven really bright individuals :)</p>
<p>It is hard to argue this with any facts, I know, because all I can tell you is what I have seen from my years over on the PR board and this board but I am an idealist for what it is worth. What I can tell you is that Saracino did reject his son, as hard as that is to believe (and it is, I know) so take that into consideration when you think about these connections and their impacts. No worries about his son, he ended up being a transfer (like all of ND's best and brightest...lol, like I am not biased there) but he was rejected the first time.</p>
<p>The reason I argue this point is not that I want to ruin someone's hook, because what I think has no bearing on what admissions does. What I want to keep is an internal locus of control. I hope that people don't count on a hook to get them in and not work hard enough because then you may end up like Saracino's son where you have to transfer (or frankly end up like me, though I had no hook). Work hard, do what you need to do, and know at the end of the day that you got into ND and it wasn't something that was given to you because you know this person or that person. Perhaps I am an idealist, but I think it is better to assume I am right and then if the hook helps, great. Until then keep working your butt off to ensure that you will get into ND. I do not think that Kevdude needs a hook, but it is reassuring. I just think it would be a crime for him to get into ND and then ever wonder if it was him that got in or if he was given a spot because of his connections. From what I have seen, I would argue that it is him that got in. Okay, enough, lol, I am sounding way too much like a psychologist but remember...internal locus of control is good (meaning that you have control over the situation and it is in your hands) and not counting on a hook helps give you that.</p>
<p>irish,
the thing is that kids are getting into notre dame all the time because of connections. that's the way it is at every school. there are so many legacies at notre dame. i happen to be a double legacy, but believe me, my parents were not the reason i was accepted. Notre Dame IS a connection school and over the past few years since that former member of the board of directors joined my school's staff, notre dame loves my school. it didnt always used to be that way.</p>
<p>Another thing you say is that a person, specifically kevdude, would want to know that he was accepted into notre dame instead of another reason. the thing is, kids are getting accepted into notre dame for a number of reasons other than academics. I've heard numerous accounts of kids doing those science camps in the summer at notre dame just to get an "in" with the faculty and possibly, the admissions office. They're not doing it all for the science, but just for the opportunity to make a contact. Another example is athletic program at notre dame. many of the athletes who enter notre dame are not the best students, but are given scholarship money to come to the university even though they may not have good grades and scores. They did not get into notre dame because of their academic abilities, which is something I assume you pride yourself on.</p>
<p>Getting into college these days is very difficult, which I guess you can see from Saracino and his son, even though I still have trouble believing it. I try not to believe everything I see on the internet. There are thousands of students applying to notre dame, many of them just like you. Individuals need to find their own road to notre dame, whether that be through academics, sports, connections, etc. I encourage kevdude to have faith in his academic record, but to also be hopeful that his relative on the board of trustees will be that final push into a spot at notre dame. thanks.</p>
<p>Connections make a difference but only slightly. Unless there is some MAJOR connection (i.e. they donated an absurd amount of money) it won't make much difference. Basically, although ND values legacy it doesn't value it more than grades / SAT etc. That article about Saracino is in fact true, no matter how hard it may be to believe. Connections make slight differences, I know plenty of legacies, granted.. but don't forget that those legacies probably inherited some good genes along with great opportunities. I wouldn't say it makes no difference, but I feel like irishgold is overstating it quite a lot.</p>
<p>Legacy will help a good deal and I will never debate that but I just am not so sure about the high school connection. Regardless, I agree with mhawk completely.</p>