To what extent does ND actually consider legacy in the admissions process? For example, if you’re already a competitive candidate, and then additionally have legacy from parents, aunts/uncles, and grandparents, would that make much of a difference? Curious – not for the purpose of “estimating chances” but to see if it’s genuinely a reason one applicant might be admitted over another.
23% of last year’s admitted students were legacy. From what I understand, Notre Dame definitely places high value on legacy students. Obviously, it won’t save you from a 1000 SAT 2-part or 20 ACT, but it will definitely help boost the odds of those who were already competitive without legacy being factored in.
That’s very interesting. I’m sure it’s a part of the idea of the “ND family” continuing on. Thanks for the reply! What do you think about EA vs. RD? That is, do you think legacy would help an applicant more during the regular cycle as opposed to the early action pool? This is all just speculation, I’m sure, but I am curious to hear what others think about this. And was that stat from their website?
You are only considered a legacy if your parents attended ND. It does confer a pretty substantive advantage. That having been said, the legacies that I know personally that have been admitted have been strong candidates regardless. If there are two equally competitive applicants, the legacy candidate will have a leg up in the process. I have also seen more marginal legacy applicants waitlisted or denied. As an admissions rep told me, it will cure the sick but not raise the dead.
@ejcclc, thank you for your response! So in other words, if both of your parents attended ND, that is the most possible legacy you could have (so to speak)? In other words, there is nothing beyond double legacy? I have also heard the same saying (“cure the sick, not raise the dead”) before. Curious what you think about legacy in the admissions of EA applicants vs RD applicants? Which group do you think would be helped more by legacy? Again – this is essentially all speculation. I’m just genuinely curious. Legacy in the admissions process has always been interesting to me.
I have seen no anecdotal evidence that suggests REA is better for legacies than RD. I think it goes more to what an individual applicant looks like. ND reserves acceptances in REA for the top of the applicant pool. My guess in this round is that a marginal legacy candidate might be more likely to be deferred than denied in the early round. (FYI ND denied over half the early pool last year. 800 were deferred.)
My wife and I both attended ND. Our son was admitted and is a freshman this year. His scores, grades, etc were all very competitive. I was under the impression from my research when he was applying that REA was a good move if you are a legacy applicant if you don’t need to boost your scores/grades that first semester senior year.
My cousin and her husband both attended ND and one of their kids was rejected. He went to the high school in Illinois that sends the most kids there. So there is no guarantee.
OP, to answer your question, that stat was directly from their website.
I thought that I had heard that legacy factors a little more in REA admission cycle… That if you want the legacy boost, you need to show the interest/commitment by applying REA. But I certainly didn’t hear that from anyone official.