<p>1.) When do I hear my decision from ND regarding my EA application? Is it Dec 15th, later, or earlier?</p>
<p>2.) If accepted to ND hopefully, would it be a good idead (though a financial aid applicant) to apply to a less number of RD schools because I could always have ND under my belt or could financial aid circumstances go wrong(that is not meeting my needs) that I should still apply to a wide variety? I was thinking that if I had ND under my belt, I would only then apply for my "reach" schools and maybe 1 match school...?</p>
<p>Just a word of advice; when posting about another top 20 school and their financial aid it is not in your best interest to make the school look like a TTT by showing it as the ultimate backup not just for your EA school but also for your RD "reach" schools. The people that can answer your questions are Notre Dame students and parents and it simply doesn't go over well when you make it sound like you are just using Notre Dame, especially when so many kids truly would die to go here (kind of like you with Duke). The first time I read your post I left it for that reason, but since I am not an a**hole, I decided to come back and help as much as I can.</p>
<p>Notre Dame's need based financial aid is very good and I believe always will match your FAFSA, so that is the good news (correct me if I am wrong others, I am not on financial aid so I am not sure). However, I would apply to at least a couple matches or safeties that will not only give you good need based aid but also merit aid. I would look at one or two schools like Creighton University (which has a fair amount of kids who got into ND but went there for the money) where it is very possible you may be required to pay under your FAFSA becuase of the merit-based aid.</p>
<p>I would apply to at least a few schools like that but ND is very good with aid.</p>
<p>Sorry irish, I didn't mean to come off that kind of impression. It was all for the purpose of planning out my admissions. I cannot say how much I would love to come to ND as well, a university that is definitely on my top school list and my question merely targeted as to a specific circumstance. I really did not intend to come off in any sort of negative vibe or anything.</p>
<p>it's alright, we do understand, but I just wanted to bring it up because I want you to get the help you need and I am afraid that a few people may have passed on helping because of it.</p>
<p>they send out the letters on the 15th so depending on how long it takes the mail to get to you, you will know.
i was really pleased with my financial aid, but i also know of other kids who werent happy with their aid and went elsewhere. if you want some other schools apply to them. I only applied to ND so i was gonna take whatever money they gave me. I didnt care how much debt i was in when i graduated, as long as i could go to ND.</p>
<p>Minor refute, but just to make sure: In one of your posts it says they send the letters out on the 15th and in a different it says around the 15th. I honestly do not remember when mine was sent, so I can't help, but I do think the date depends on the year. Applicants, don't think of this as a date that is set in stone and be calling ND if it doesn't get to you by the 17th; I think they send them all out whenever they finish all of them.</p>
<p>Your best bet is to check on the boards and see when people are getting them. That is what I did.</p>
<p>i first said the 15th because thats when they sent mine out. I then said around the 15th because I wasnt sure what day of the week the 15th was this year and obiviously it its a Sunday they wont be sending them out that day. I know i didnt get mine till the 18th last year. It all depends on where you live when you get them because it takes different amounts of time for the mail to arrive where you live.</p>
<p>"If accepted to ND hopefully, would it be a good idead (though a financial aid applicant) to apply to a less number of RD schools because I could always have ND under my belt or could financial aid circumstances go wrong(that is not meeting my needs) that I should still apply to a wide variety? I was thinking that if I had ND under my belt, I would only then apply for my "reach" schools and maybe 1 match school...?"</p>
<ul>
<li>If financial aid is a concern than I would certainly apply to one or two RD schools, either public or private (in/out of state) so you would have a back-up in case you don't get what you are hoping for. Is ND generous with financial aid, YES. Do they always give you what you need, NO. I graduate with about 20,000 in debt, but that's a heck of a lot better than it could have been if i was paying full ride at 160k. I got a huge amount of need based money (the only kind ND gives), but with a sister in college, parents still had to take out loan against house to pay for education, I was very lucky they were willing to do so.</li>
</ul>