Ahh how the cycle continues! Only last year I was shaking in my high school about the application process.
Anyway, I can answer any general questions about the campus and study here. Don’t ask me to chance you–I don’t know how the hell that works.
So tell me what made you choose Notre Dame? How has the transition been for you? Love to know now that you are almost done with your first semester! B-)
I chose Notre Dame because it was the best school I got into, to be brutally honest. I’ve been loving it here. Great surroundings, fun traditions; as an aethist nobody is pressuring you about your religion. It’s no BYU here. The dorms are great, though dorm parties can get old after a while; I haven’t been in a fraternity so can’t comment on that. The classes are really fun, and I think the most important part is all the professors are really caring. They take pride in their work.
I was going to ask about religion on campus, and I see you are an atheist. I’m not a religious person and was wondering how large of a presence Catholicism has on campus life/ classes. I am absolutely in love with the university and I don’t think there is much to turn me away, but I am curious about your experiences.
Religion is HUGE. It manifests in buildings, masses, chants in football games, and even in classes (two theology classes required)
If you are religious and catholic Christian, this is wonderland. If you aren’t, no big deal. Nobody will bug you about it.
It is a little stricter than other schools, but not by much. Parietals at 2:00 am. ND doesn’t mind alcohol that much but absolutely NO drugs.
As a fellow student, I would second what @Darude said. The Christian imagery and whatnot is everywhere, which may stick out a decent bit to someone who grew up in a non-Christian household. There are chapels in every dorm, and a lot of dorms try to make dorm mass a semi-central part of the dorm community.
There are some other weird nuances that go along with the Catholic nature of the university. No pro-choice groups are allowed on campus. No birth control of any kind is allowed to be sold at the Walgreens located in St. Liam’s Hall (where University Health Services is located).
None of these things are necessarily bad, they’re just different than most schools.
Also, they offer a special section of Foundations of Theology (which everyone has to take) for students who have little to no exposure to the Christian religion, so that’s probably if you are non-religious.
I was wondering what parietals are?
Ah, it’s when members of the opposite sex of the dorm needs to leave the dorm
All the dorms at ND are single gender – no split floors or alternating floors. Parietals are the dorm rules restricting visits from the other sex.
What do you/most students typically do on a Friday/Saturday night? How big are you classes? (I love ND but I’m not a fan of big class sizes). How was your transition from high school to college? Also, how painful was it for you to watch the last football season?
@acc2210 Aso a class of 2020 REA admit. Basically, parietals are the rule where people of the opposite gender have to be out of opposite gender dorms by midnight Sunday-Thursday and 2am Friday-Saturday. However, each dorm has a 24hr zone where those of the opposite gender can be at any time. 24s typically have couches, a TV, ping pong/pool, etc.
@hamgirl As far as class size, right now, I am in 2 12 person classes, a 37 person class, a 60 person class, and a 40 person class. That said, the 12 person classes are unusual for freshman. Overall, classes aren’t to big except for your gen eds (chem, bio, phys, intro to theo).
I was just wondering if ND still does the fitness tests for freshman or if they got rid of that? I heard it’s running a mile, sit-ups and push-ups, stuff like that. Just wondering if that is still a thing.
@kenz10813 ND did away with the fitness test a few years ago. All freshmen now take a year long Moreau First Year Experience, which addresses the transition to college life. There is a lengthly description on ND’s website. But yeah, no more swim test.
I know that it is relatively cold and often snowy during the winter at ND, but it is cloudy all the time? Does the weather and/or darkness create a more depressing mood during the winter, or do you enjoy it?
@ilhistorygeek Thank you for your response! Do you mind if I ask what classes you’re taking? I’m a prospective English major so I’m hoping the English class sizes are smaller than gen ed classes (like you mentioned). Also, out of curiosity, what made you choose ND?
@fisharefriends Are you asking is it cloudy all year round or all winter long? During the fall, it’s really beautiful and generally not cloudy. As for the winter, I haven’t seen enough to say for certain about clouds. Campus is really beautiful in the snow, plus the snow also enables the campus snowball fight each year. Don’t worry too much about the weather. A good coat and pair of boots solves the problem.
@hamgirl Since I came in with AP’s and am part of the honors program, I’m in honors program and Econ specific classes. As an English major, you’ll still have to take the gen eds for the college of Arts and Letters (unless you come in with APs). So like science, math, etc. With most Arts and Letters majors including English, once you get into your major specific classes, they are smaller and more discussion based. I wouldn’t worry at all about class size at ND. The large classes you have come with their perks, and generally the TA’s are great at helping make it more engaging and at helping you learn.
@hamgirl As far as why ND, I personally chose it because it was the perfect combination of amazing academics and Catholicism. If you’re looking for an academically top tier Catholic school that has a great campus Catholic culture, Notre Dame is the place to be. It really is the premier Catholic university in the US and can be considered the face of Catholic education nationally. You can write books about Catholicism at ND and it’s easier to discuss one to one, so if anybody wants to discuss it or wants more details about finding the great Catholic resources that ND has, just DM me. I always enjoy talking about it and would love to help out.
@kenz10813 They got rid of the PE + swim test a few years ago. Moreau is mostly not very useful, but it can be, and it takes hardly any time.
Current student as well here who can answer some questions. @hamgirl parties can usually be found on Fridays and Saturdays however this is far from the only thing to do. The majority of my friends and I go out most Friday and Saturday nights but I also have several friends who don’t drink and don’t go to parties and they aren’t left out or ridiculed at all. As far as class size goes that’s really dependent upon what major/college you are. As a Finance/Spanish double major this semester I took 2 classes with 15-20 students, one class with 35 students, and two lectures, one with 70 and one with 100 students. I understand that each student has different learning styles but I wouldn’t let that determine which university you attend. The vast majority of colleges will put you in larger courses for your introductory courses but as you progress further into your studies you’re usually in fewer lectures (For example one of my two Spanish courses next semester will have 8 students). Let me know (any of you) if you have anything else to ask
How conservative is ND? I grew up in a VERY liberal town and am concerned about how I would fit in on campus. For example: Is there strong support for the LGBT community? Are the majority of students republican/Trump supporters?
Thanks!
@cyang2021 I personally am fairly moderate so neither side of the political spectrum really bothers me (you know, unless you get way out there). I would say that it’s definitely more conservative than the average college campus but I don’t think its as much as a lot of people say/think. I would say that most students here are completely fine with the LGBT community, as there are many liberal students and others such as those who you would think of as more conservative here are either apathetic about LGBT rights or they are respectful to everyone even if they are anti-gay marriage etc. I grew up in a liberal college town surrounded by a conservative state so I know somewhat what it’s like to go from that liberal environment to a slightly more conservative one and neither place fazed me. Also, keep in mind that with around 8,000 undergrads, you’ll find your niche group. No one’s going to force you to interact with everyone. Oh and one more thing, the majority of your professors, (well again I guess this depends on what you major in but in just about everything except maybe theology), are going to be liberal, maybe even non Catholic. Notre Dame is one of the most respected universities in the world; you are not going to get a biology professor who tells you evolution is a myth.
We party pretty well on Friday nights. No crazy parties though, mostly controlled dorm parties. If it gets too loud it can and will be shut down.
Some halls (cough cough Zahm) have a tendency to party… harder than others.