Graduating a Year Early and The University of Notre Dame (Chance Me)

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Notre Dame
1

I am deeply ashamed with the fact that I am posting an infamous “Chance Me”, but my own curiosity has consumed me. You see, I am a rising junior who decided last year that I am graduating a year early. So, by the end of this coming year, I’ll be out on my own postsecondary journey and subsequent academic excursions. Ove the last year, the University of Notre Dame has caught my eye, and for obvious reasons: the campus is breathtaking, the student retention rate is fantastic, there’s a strong Catholic community, the joint religion/philosophy major carries a ton of weight, and the professors - oh, the professors. However, I cannot help feeling unsafe applying to Notre Dame. Perhaps an academic overview would better help paint the situation:

From Georgia
Female
Will definitely be 18 by next year’s fall semester
Very low income household
Catholic (just not yet indoctrinated into the Church)
4.00 GPA (no weighting in our school)
Class rank: 1/140ish
2 AP’s/4 (Haven’t been able to take the other two, as they are mathematics courses intended solely for seniors, and I have a humanities focus); both tests = 4/5
All other Honors possible
Section leader in band for 2 years as of the end of next year
Junior Lieutenant in band
Went to a National Academic Competition in 8th Grade (did not place high or anything, just attended and represented northern Georgia)
Certificates of Excellence in Latin, Honors Bio 1, Honors Eng II
Musicianship Awards in Band (Grades 9, 10 so far)
Club President in two student-driven clubs (one Sept. 2016-Graduation, the other Sept. 2017-Graduation), member of 6 by graduation
Volunteered at creamery Sept. 2016-Graduation; 180 hrs. so far
32 ACT (have been practicing and my most recent ACT prep test scored 35, so I have high hopes of making a better score. Testing twice before turning in my applications)

Problems I foresee:
Not first-gen
Not child of alumnus/i
No sports record

It probably goes without saying, but I would be going to the College of Arts and Letters.

I haven’t yet written any essays, but my peers tell me that I tend to have a way with words. I also have strong relationships with those whom I intend to ask for recommendations. One teacher actually asked me if she could write my recommendation, so I have some high hopes there.

Is there anything you think I should mind while applying? Any considerations I should make? Thank you for your time reading my Chance Me, and have a good day.

2

Over*

Shame, self. Shame.

3

I’m not sure you need to worry about being first-generation, child of alumnus, or sports record. Around 80% of admitted students are not legacies. My two ND students are not legacies/first gen.

If you can raise that ACT score though, that would help. Does your school have a college counselor? If your school has a relationship with ND, then you can get a sense of who gets in from your school. Have you visited? Notre Dame does consider demonstrated interest. You should go to talks given by ND in your area. You could also write to your rep with questions. A good question might be how ND views admitting student who graduate early, and whether you should apply EA or RD.

Good luck!

4

Graduating early will probably be a negative when applying to elite colleges. You would think that graduating early would help to impress these universities, but in reality they could care less. They would rather you graduate in 4 years and have a proven track record while taking a very difficult schedule.

The problem is that you’ve only taken 2 AP classes thus far and you will not even have semester grades yet for those that you will be currently taking if you plan on on applying EA or REA. For RD they would at least have semester grades. Still not ideal.

If you can get your ACT up to a 34 or higher and have good essays, then I’m guessing you can overcome the above concerns . If you have a 32 or 33 on the ACT, combined with the lack of AP classes will probably hurt you significantly.

Just my opinion.