ND REA vs. RD

I have 3.72 unweighted GPA (4.18 weighted GPA) and a 1470 super scored SAT (710 English and reading/760 Math). I take very challenging classes and I have strong extra curricular activities. I am trying to figure out if I should apply REA or RD. I do not have any alumni connections, but I am actively involved with my church which seems to send a few students to ND every year. Any advice would be much appreciated!

Did you take the ACT?

I did not

Would recommend that you make contact with the admissions counselor at ND assigned to your geography and ask for their input as well. They are normally very happy to give input on this question. Based on the information you provided, I would think RD, not REA.

Thank you! I am just wondering because the acceptance rate for REA is around 30% (I realize the applicant pool is more qualified) and for RD it is around 14%. If an applicant applied EA and got rejected, I feel like they would probably get rejected in RD as well, because they are still looking for the same qualities in their students, otherwise they would be deferred to RD or accepted.

MY daughter got deferred last year during REA. She had a 34ACT, 4.0 , great essay and very good reference and EC. She had not hooks. She was accepted during RD. The risk you take is not being deferred during EA and getting out right rejected. Ask your regional AC. They are honest and upfront.

During the EA admission process last year approximately 5000 Early Action applicants applied. 2000 were accepted, 800 deferred to regular admission and 2200 declined.

During regular admission approximately 14,000 applied (includes 800 deferrals from EA), approximately 1,700 were accepted.

“If an applicant applied EA and got rejected, I feel like they would probably get rejected in RD as well, because they are still looking for the same qualities in their students, otherwise they would be deferred to RD or accepted.”

You are right that in most cases, the ultimate outcome is going to be the same regardless of whether you apply EA or RD.

Most of the kids who are on the EA defer/EA reject cut line eventually will wind up getting rejected. And most of the kids who are on the EA accept/EA defer cut line will wind up getting accepted. But there’s always going to be a few cases on the margin…

You should absolutely talk to your regional rep. They will probably tell you to apply RD since your stats look to be average to slightly below average. ND says they really only want to see above average applicants EA. So you should follow their RD advice if you want to max your chances of being accepted.

But if your application is as good as it is going to get and you really really want the ND feedback sooner in order to move your college search along, you probably aren’t changing the outcome by applying EA.

Just a quick comment to address some approximate data about REA that was posted earlier. In last year’s cycle for the Class of 2021, Notre Dame received 6,020 applications in the REA cycle. Of those, they admitted 1,470, deferred 893, and denied 3,657. It is very rigorous getting into ND through the REA cycle. If you are a strong applicant but not stellar, RD is the way to go according to the admissions reps with whom I’ve spoken.

This is all good advice. But I think the best advice is to talk to your regional admissions counselor from ND. They can guide you the best, and it’s a form of “demonstrated interest” in the school to reach out to that person. It shows you’re taking an extra step

Thank you for all of the advice! It looks like RD is the way to go, but counselor is advising REA. I have contacted the admissions officer for my region and she said probably RD as well, but that was with my old SAT score. I think I will email her again with my updated score of 1470 and see if she has anymore feedback.

In that same email she also said “If he is denied, he cannot re-apply RD. We are fairly conservative with our REA deferral offers, so he should keep that in mind, and we are also fairly conservative with our REA admits (as we make those before the RD application deadline).” I am so conflicted!

Why is your counselor advising REA? And are they doing so knowing the regional officer’s reply?

Yes, I am not sure, but I just spoke with my physics teacher who has a former student who went to ND and is now a rep. My physics teacher said apply REA as well because this former student knows the intensity of my school. My counselor emailed this admissions officer (the former student of my physics teacher who has a very good relationship with him and my counselor) with my profile and he said there were no drawbacks and I seem confident in my application. This was also without my update SAT score.

Talk to your ND rep again. For my kid, they said RD when the ACT was 33 (which was the 25% stat line); then REA when the ACT went up to 35 (75% stat line). REA accepted.

Like FarmerMom’s kid cited above, your SAT is right around the 50%/average for enrolled students. FM’s kid got deferred then admitted RD. I would guess that you would get deferred if you apply REA.

End of the day, in your case it “probably” doesn’t change the eventual outcome. And if you do get rejected REA, you “probably” would have gotten rejected RD anyway. But you will never be able to know that for sure.

If you want the best chance of getting accepted to ND, apply RD. If you want to get feedback earlier to move your process along, apply REA.

Thank you!