If your grades do not appear to be Notre Dame material, will my essay’s and EC’s/Volunteer Work still allow for my application to be competitive and have a chance of getting in? Since Notre Dame has been my dream school since the age of 6 (wrote about in Why ND essay) this is pretty important to me!! Thank you for any help anyone can provide for me:)
yes the essays are absolutely important! I really loved my essays and spent a lot of time on them and I got in REA.
thank you! i just feel like since my grades are a major downside that my chances of getting in are super low
@maddieh5599, please be sure to have a few safeties that are affordable and that you would be happy to attend. Essays are very important, but they are just a piece of the puzzle. I don’t know what your grades and test scores are, but if they are well below ND’s average then a great essay may not be enough to overcome weaknesses elsewhere in your application. Good luck!
From my experience, if you don’t have the grades/ test scores you are unlikely to be considered seriously. However, those who have stellar scores and subpar essays are less likely to get in than someone with good scores and great essays, Notre Dame is very holistic but also competitive
They aren’t holistic at all. If you don’t have a 33+ and 4.3+ don’t bother applying and wasting your time on the essays. There are so many other top universities that will look at your entire application and not just the numbers. Unless you’re really good at filling in bubbles with a number two pencil, just know that it’s a long shot.
@lukelamey I wouldn’t say that, but if you do not have a 30 ACT or 1400 SAT plus, then yeah, your shots at being accepted are slim to none.
I’d say essays are very important at Notre Dame as a way to diversify between different students who they have already looked at and have decided they meet their academic standards but are on the bubble. I think Notre Dame values them more than other schools, just by looking at how many they are they definitely want to see something!
@lukelamey I disagre. Last year ND accepted a few hundred kids with ACT scores lower than 33…and rejected hundreds of kids with ACT scores of 33 or higher. Rigor, grades, leadership, service and essays are hugely important. If the student has something really special about them they have opportunities through the common app, short answer prompts and recommendations to shine through.
Keep in mind that a substantial portion of the lower-scoring admits are recruited athletes, legacies, URMs, children of donors, etc. If you don’t have one of those hooks, and your numbers are lower than the typical admitted student, it’s unlikely that even a stellar essay will be enough to get you in. The longer essay and recommendation letters are useful for sifting the thousands of applicants with 33+ ACTS, top 5% + class rank, and the usual great ECs, many if not most of whom will still have to be turned away. Not to discourage you, but the reality is what it is. There are simply too many applications from superbly qualified students and ND cannot admit them all. So, by all means, submit your application and hope for the best (you can’t get it if you don’t apply), but don’t get your heart set on a school that usually rejects candidates with your numbers.
@lukelamey definitely don’t need a 4.3+ and 33+. I have a ~4.1 and a 34 and was admitted. I know a kid with a 4.1 and a 29 ACT who was admitted last year. Holistic admissions are exactly that… holistic. They don’t want mere numbers, they want kids who are going to be rabidly excited as Fighting Irish. They want students that have a passion and respect for the community, AND have great grades/scores. You don’t need to be in the tippy top of their admitted range to get in.
thank you @CheckMyBrain11 !! that’s my biggest fear, my grades. I had a tough few years of high school which led to my drop in grades… my first quarter grades of senior year however were very good. I have a large amount of extracurriculars, as well as leadership and volunteer work which definitely strengthens my application. I spent a lot of time on my essays, making sure the were perfect before submitting my application. I guess now it’s a matter of if the admissions office likes me or not!