<p>Hey, everyone. I'm a rising Senior attending a new-ish school in Middle Tennessee, though I'm from Chicago originally. Upon visiting the Notre Dame campus a few years back, I was captivated by the sheer tradition and atmosphere of the place. Ever since, I have been planning on applying early action to Notre Dame, with hopes of earning a degree in political science and moving on to Law School. Additionally, I have a vested passion for the performing arts, and I have dreamed of being a part of the Notre Dame band and choir programs for a long time. </p>
<p>This post serves a few purposes for me... One is to get some input on my odds of admission, and the other is to get a few riddles regarding Notre Dame, the admissions process, and campus life solved for my benefit. This could end up rather lengthy, so I thank those of you who have the patience to read through it all. </p>
<p>As for my resume... Academically, I have been an all A student with few exceptions. I currently hold a 3.89 unweighted GPA headed into senior year. I have 4 years of math (Up through PreCal) and 4 years of science (including chem and biology). At the end of next year, I will have 8 AP credits under my belt. I rank in the top ten percent of my class. I received a 34 on my ACT my first time around, and I plan to take it again in August. I have not taken the SAT.</p>
<p>It is worth noting that my GPA took a dip in my sophomore year due in part to student-teacher conflict and in part to issues at home. I earned a C for an honors Spanish course for the first semester of my Sophomore year, which brought my GPA down to about a 3.4 for the year. </p>
<p>Regarding extracurriculars... I am the President of my school's band - during my tenure, the marching band has grown from a 50-person exhibition band to a competitor for the National Championship (Honestly, I doubt colleges care about that, but it's worth mentioning just in case). I am also an all-state choral performer, a member of the National Honor Society, as well as an active participant and officer in our state's annual Model United Nations and Youth in Government conferences. I've taken several out-of-school programming and web design courses at Vanderbilt University. I also play club rugby, which I hope to continue in college. </p>
<p>Now, then... A few questions that I hope some of you will be able to address.</p>
<p>A) Do I have a legitimate chance to get in, or should I explore other options?</p>
<p>B) Given my passion for the performing arts, would it be wise for me to include recordings of past performances or solos to give them an idea of my ability in that regard, even if my intended field of study is not in the arts? I've heard mixed opinions on this one, so any insight would be wonderful.</p>
<p>C) Should academic blemishes like the one mentioned above be addressed in some sort of supplement, or simply ignored?</p>
<p>D) My school's class ranking system penalizes students for taking standard classes - including fine arts. Thus, my class rank, while still in the top ten percent, is not particularly impressive. Is this a potential deal-breaker, and should I explain it in a supplement?</p>
<p>Thanks for reading this message, and thanks even more for those of you who offer any advice that you may have. College admissions are a stressful time, and I greatly appreciate any help that I can receive in the process.</p>