Since I live a good distance from Notre Dame, I was wondering how much Notre Dame looks at demonstrated interest or if I could just apply and visit if I get in (hopefully)
Thanks
I don’t think demonstrated interest is a big factor at Notre Dame
If you live within a few hours from campus, they may wonder why you’ve never visited. If you live across the country, they understand that a pre-app visit might not be feasible. We live about 1,000 miles from ND, and my daughter didn’t visit until after she was accepted.
You can look at section C7 of a college’s Common Data Set (CDS) to see how a school weighs different selection criteria. The 2013-14 CDS for Notre Dame shows that the applicant’s level of interest is considered in admission decisions. https://www3.nd.edu/~instres/CDS/2013-2014/CDS_2013-2014.pdf
If you can’t visit, I’d suggest showing interest in other ways.
I lived 2,000 miles away from Notre Dame, but I showed interest by attending admissions events in my area. For example, I think ND, UVA, UNC, and Emory had a conjoined event near my house. I’m not sure if they recorded that I attended, but I was accepted early action and am now a current student.
Contacting your regional admissions representative will help to boost your chances if you live far away and don’t have events available to go to. In my experience, the reps are extremely helpful and love to get to know a student