So I know my grades and ACT are below the average mark, but I do have a lot of EC and in each one of those I have linear progression of leadership. I am an Eagle Scout, President of a 750 person class, swim team captain, church leadership teams, best buddies, Deca, and volunteering 200 hours of community service through Silver Cord. I also started a Key Club at my school. My ACT is 31 and my weighted GPA is 3.87. I know these are low so that is not what I want to hear. My last piece of the puzzle is I have a pretty incredible story. I broke my neck in 5th grade by hitting my head onto the bottom of the pool. I couldn’t move for the first few days and I was in the hospital for 2 months and over two years of therapy 3 times a week. I had to wear a halo for a few months as well. I am now swim captain which kind of brings the story together. I wrote my common app about this experience and overcoming this obstacle and it is definitely a tear jerker. I was just wondering if anyone knows if all of these leadership activities will help along with my story. My grades are definitely holding me back the most but any chance they look past this? If there is a 36 student there is also a 31 student in my opinion. Will the story and leadership be enough to look past my crappy gpa and act? Thanks
To be honest, I think you have an incredible story and if I were an admissions counselor I would certainly look past your grade. That said, you grades with hold you back, but I think you have the qualities an d leadership to get into Notre Dame.
Thanks that is very reassuring. I sure do hope so
I think you have a compelling story too. I would make sure that your essays “make sense”, that they support your story in a way that is unique, not telling. I would also contact your regional rep to bounce your stats/info off. They can support you in the process and may have some other ideas for you. You sound like a great fit. Best of luck!
I certainly wouldn’t call your test scores “crappy”. Even though they’re below the 50th percentile for ND, thousands of people with your grades and scores get in every year.
Your extracurriculars are pretty far above average, and I think that they compensate for your scores in a big way - especially if your essay is as good as you say it is.
I think that given your special circumstances, you stand a great chance - I would say 75 percent.
Go Irish - best of luck!
Would you mind chancing mine, as well?
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-notre-dame/1830620-notre-dame-chances-ill-chance-you-back-for-sure.html#latest
You have a great story. Your grades are far from “crappy” but they are a tick under the ND averages. It is impossible to predict what ND will decide.
If you get in to ND, and I hope you do, that is great.
But if you don’t get into ND, it is important that you not allow the decision of a group of admission officers to change the way you feel about yourself or change the goals you have in life. There are so many amazing colleges and universities out there which will provide a great experience and get you where you want to go in life and you are well qualified for many of them. One school will be lucky enough to have you as a student and in the end you need to embrace the school that wants you (be in ND or another school). You have overcome a ton and you have achieved a great deal already in your life so far. I have a feeling that wherever you end up, you will be successful.
Has anyone received any emails from ND about “You’ll receive further information on how to access your decision online in early December.” ??
No, have you? Are they planning on notifying online? I believe they sent it regular mail in the past.
Would be nice to see a Status page to know all is well etc… I’m assuming we’ll have something this week, just wasn’t sure if we missed it ie junk folder. I think you are right in that acceptance comes in the postal mail first.
They tweeted that they would be releasing decisions online this year before they mail letters. I have also been waiting for the email for “further information” but have not received anything.
I assume your Catholic? What were your subjects for the other Notre Dame questions? You can overcome the test scores if those essays were phenomenal.
Quote from an email I sent to my admissions officer a week ago:
“We will be sending a status page to each applicant via email in mid-December. And only students that are admitted will be receiving a paper mailing from ND.”
ny2020 When the admissions officer said “only students that are admitted will be receiving a paper mailing from ND”, did he/she mean “accepted” instead of “admitted”? In other words, the paper mailing would be received in December when the student is initially informed they have been accepted by ND, not in May after the housing deposit is due, confirming the student will attend ND, right?
@maddan9497 Yes, I believe she meant something along the lines of an acceptance packet after EA decisions in December.