@FarmerMom thanks for the info. I honestly feel if she can get that ACT up even a point (she’s at a 32) she has just a good a shot as everyone else. Again, thank you!!! She wants to go into Arts and Letters with a major in History.
My S19 has a 36 ACT and strong ECs and GPA. Even with that, his counselor said he could possibly get deferred applying EA because his junior year he only took two AP courses (along with 2 honors courses). He is taking 4 APs this semester, and while he is performing great with this course load, admissions won’t have visibility to his first quarter performance. He does plan to forward his 1st quarter grades to the admissions person, however, hoping that will help his application.
@WineLover well if your S’s counselor told him he could get deferred woh at 36 my D probably doesn’t stand a chance. Good luck to you S
@HM0527 I think he was being conservative really. But we will see. It is such a crap shoot and there is no way to truly predict the outcome. Good luck to your daughter!
“@northwesty in your honest opinion why do you think ND tries to discourage REA?”
A lot of schools aren’t thrilled with the extent to which binding ED (which carries improved admit chances) has become the main gateway into many top 20 schools. Penn fills 54% of its seats via ED; Vandy 51%, NW 50%, Duke 47%.
So ND (and its peers BC and Gtown) have opted for REA (which doesn’t carry an admit advantage) as a lesser restricted early path as compared to binding ED or SCEA (used at HYPS and almost the same as ED as a practical matter).
ND admitted 1,470 kids REA for 2021 and 1,636 kids REA for 2020. Since ND has high yields (and probably even higher yields on REA offers), ND is already filling half its seats (or more) through the early path. Given the restrictions that come with REA, ND’s results (as a practical matter) look pretty close to what you’d get with ED.
ND (and other EA schools) would prefer RD to be the main path into the school. But that won’t work if more and more and more kids keep applying REA rather than RD. Hence the discouragement.
I think most universities would like to look at the whole applicant pool at one time and make admission decisions with all available information. Further, Notre Dame doesn’t need REA or ED to demonstrate a strong yield - which drives many schools to go with ED (where half the class is a 100% yield admit resulting in high overall yield rates after RD takes place). While it is interesting to compare ED vs. RD admit rates, in some ways it is more interesting to look at the comparative yield rates between ED and RD rather than overall yield rates. Many schools with high overall yield rates (and who use ED) have much lower RD yield rates. Students who are given a choice at these schools often choose to go elsewhere.
As a practical matter, students who desire to apply early must choose between ED or SCEA and forgo applications to anywhere else (except state schools) or follow the EA path. Notre Dame is among the highest ranked EA schools and I would guess that a number of students chose to apply to ND (and to Georgetown and BC) Early Action rather than confine themselves to a single ED application. If Notre Dame did not have REA, it might well lose kids who want to apply early but, without that option available at ND, choose to go ED at peer schools where, if admitted, they’re committed.
For my son last year it was a pretty clear choice of paths - EA to ND, Georgetown, BC, Michigan and UVA or ED to a single school. With a preference for ND anyway and no single ED school standing out to him, the choice was simple. But my experience is that ND does, in fact, lose kids who might really consider going there but get snapped up in an ED round elsewhere.
@CCSavant did your S get accepted to ND REA?
Yes…accepted EA at ND, BC, Michigan, deferred at Georgetown and rejected at UVA. Go figure?! He is a very happy Freshman at ND these days!
@CCSavant oh God Bless!! Those are all fantastic schools. We are in MI and as of now her heart is at ND. She just had a Host Day with a freshman and fell in love even more. I know it’s a personal question and the admission for all kids is different but do you mind sharing your S’s stats? If not, biggie!!! Congrats to him on beginning a great education!!
@HM0527 Stats only tell part of the story but, FWIW…34 ACT, 3.7 UW GPA at a very rigorous private high school (avg ACT = 32) with 8+ AP/Honors classes not reflected in GPA, solid extracurriculars (sports, clubs, community service), Eagle Scout. As far as I can tell, kids with lesser “stats” got in while some kids with better “stats” got rejected.
Your daughter sounds more than well qualified on most counts but another shot at the ACT won’t hurt. My son improved from a 32 to a 34 on his second try. I do think ND pays close attention to test scores in spite of its commitment to a holistic review process. It really is the only objective “stat” that they can put out about their accepted/enrolled class that is directly comparable to other colleges (given fewer high schools are ranking their students and GPA variation is rampant).
To me, the fact that the EA acceptance rate at ND is much higher than the RD acceptance rate means something. Sure, it can be explained by recruited athletes, legacies, higher qualified applicant pool etc. but my sense is that it is no harder than the RD round and might possibly offer a slightly better chance of admission. Of course, this assumes you are ready to apply without needing higher test scores, better senior grades or particular senior classes.
Best of luck!
@CCSavant so kind so kind! Honestly your response was so nice and positive. I thank you for that!!!
S2 applied REA because it was his overwhelming first choice and he also wanted to find out early. In our case he had to wait for FA $ offer in April before committing. Learning early also meant his later apps went to financial safeties only, no need for Vandy/Emory/Georgetown/WUStL and others on his list.
Good luck to your D @HM0527 . ND really looks for kids who will bring more than just academics to campus and your D seems like she would be a great addition.
@Magnetron thank you!! That is my hope. Did S2 (which btw I just figured out what that means lol) get accepted to ND?
Yes, he’s a sophomore there. He’ll be home for fall break this Saturday.
Good afternoon. I’m currently a sophomore in High School and I was quite interested in seeing whether or not if as of right now, I would be on the right track into getting into Notre Dame solely based on my stats and ECs up until this point in time. I would gladly appreciate if I could get some feedback or any potential advice on how to further enhance my application in the coming years of High School. As a side note, I’m planning on majoring in Biochemistry in which I’ll be taking AP Bio Junior year and AP Chem Senior year.
Freshmen Year: 4.43 GPA, 2 Honors classes (Math and English), AP Span Lang, Physics (Only AP, no honors offered yet it technically is at my school since it’s as difficult as AP)
Sophomore Year (As of right now): 4.6 GPA, 2 Honors classes (Math and English), AP World History and AP Spanish Literature (Not able to take a science this year which is agonizing due to my major yet my electives express my passion in certain areas in which they take up my schedule. However, I’ll be taking AP Bio next year and AP Chem Senior year which all works out 
As for ECs: Jazz Band, Symphonic Band (1st chair Alto Saxophone), Cross Country (JV), Tennis (Varsity), Chess Club (Vice President), Math Club, Science Olympiad (Gold Team), HYLC (Hispanic Youth Leaders Council), HOSA (Health Occupants of America), Key Club.
Once again, I would gladly appreciate if I could get some feedback. Also, I’m studying rigorously right now and preparing for the SAT for I know that the applicant pool is beyond competitive and I’m aiming (or dreaming I should say) for a 1540+. Thanks!
Side note: (Would the admissions officers be that concerned if I didn’t take a science sophomore year due to my electives yet still did the most rigorous course load possible at my school? And since my major is Biochemistry and as long as I took AP Bio and AP Chem? For Junior and Senior Year? Thanks once again!)
Any feedback would be gladly appreciated
@notredame21 I recommend you start your own thread
Will do!
@Mwfan1921 I can’t seem to find “New Thread” post…
Go to forum home and start a new discussion in the notre dame thread: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/university-notre-dame/