nd or ivy league?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Notre Dame
41

<p>I have to agree wtih my fellow posters here. I have absolutely no regrets about turning down an Ivy (Cornell in my case) for Notre Dame. While I have only completed a semester myself, I can gladly say that ND has met every expectation that and I really cannot imagine myself being anywhere else at this point in life. It has been exactly what I wanted in a school. I get top-notch academics with great professors. My largest class last semester was eighty students and I had a TA discussion session that was only twelve students. I have to agree with the statement that the average ND student is going to act outwardly "intellectual". My average conversation with my friends revolves less around philosophy and schoolwork and more about movies and sports scores. And I prefer it that way as well. College isn't all about learning; it's about relaxing and having fun as well. </p>

<p>And yeah, I am sure I would have been just as challenged or more so at an Ivy, but none of those schools could match the community that I have experienced in my dorm and with my other fellow ND students. When people say you become a part of a "family" here, they definitely are not lying. It is unbelievable who you can strike up a conversation with in the airport or on the subway in Chicago simply by wearing a Notre Dame sweatshirt and telling them you are a current student.</p>

<p>What makes the biggest difference for me though is the ability to have a spiritual community. Spirituality, regardless of what faith or religion one follows, is an integral part of the human soul. The fact that people here will not laugh at you for going to church and will even encourage it allows people the opportunity to fully explore that part of themselves. The Catholic nature of the school also has helped created a sense of humbleness in its students. I have rarely met anyone that feels that they are entitled to everything in the world. Many people here are willing to devote themselves to service and to go out and do something great in the world to really tackle some of our society's greatness problems. This is most evident by citing that 10% of our student body goes into some sort of service after graduating from here.</p>

42

<p>I chose ND over Dartmouth and Vanderbilt!</p>

43

<p>who gave you the most FA?</p>

44

<p>MiPerson, my guess is Vandy--they seem to be very generous with aid as well as scholarships regardless of financial need.</p>

45

<p>Vandy really will go after getting high quality applicants that are from the non-south and give a lot of aid, the problem is Vandy isn't a national name (except if you grew up in the south, like I did, and it's rep as a rich kids school)....very good school, just not national enough in this "global" age</p>

46

<p>I think ND has just as many smart, exceptionally bright kids as the ivies do. If you look at the stats, the averages are close enough to be inconsequential But the kids at ND are more down to earth. They're not interested in acting uber-intellectual, so they don't act it.(for the most part) There's really a well-rounded student population, which is a great thing, but the consequence is that something is given up in terms of the intense, singularly focused and driven type of students found at some other elite schools. IMO though that's what might make ND students particularly good at being leaders.</p>

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