Any parents of admitted students interested in discussing your child’s decision to or not to attend Notre Dame? Anyone attending Admitted Student Days? This has been such a stressful year for us and our child, I thought this would be a great place to celebrate our child’s accomplishments.
Congrats to those admitted! My daughter is a junior at ND, and I remember how stressful the decision process was! If any parents have questions for a current ND parent, I will do my best to help!
Attended an event for EA students in February. Impressed that so many profs attended to speak with the students. Student host was very nice and welcoming.
Just when I thought I was done with CC. 
Yes, I’d love to see where everyone is sitting on this. My husband and i feel like the worse parents ever because my D decision hangs on the FA package. With so many other great scholarships sitting on the table at smaller, private schools, it may be in her best interest to go with one of them rather than building up so much debt on student and parent loans. She worked so hard to get where she is, it’s hard not to make this an emotional decision and move forward with enrollment right now. I do see some posts that their awards have come in better than expected but that is a huge stretch for us. How to we tell our D “no” when her father is ND grad? That would be harder than a rejection for us.
Also received a better than expected package, making ND on par with our in-state.
My main concern about ND is that there are many professors (and a few priests) who are only too happy to cause students who are Catholic to lose their faith over their 4 years at the school. I am wondering if, on balance, the school has enough aspects that are enriching to the faith of Catholic students to balance out those professors and priests.
@delawaredad93 could you clarify your comment on the professors being happy the cause students to lose faith?
@delawaredad93 I’d like a source on that. Regardless, there are a myriad of people and discussions that can “threaten” faith. Notre Dame employees are laughably unmalicious relative to the wide world of views on religion, and any Christian worth their salt should be able to add to that discussion without being swept into conformity or a spontaneous turn to atheism. I highly doubt that there’s a conspiracy to convert ND’s Catholics, and if there are so many who want to make them lose faith, then why should that problem not be present at every other Catholic university?
We are currently awaiting FA decision and weighing Wash U, & U of I urbana/champaign. Have discussed student behavior, profs and priests with daughter. Daughter attended Catholic HS… She knows all to well pros and cons of other’s behavior and knows if her faith is being challenged she has a network to reach out to. we are believing hat whatever the influence is present, she will navigate the situation . Catholic kids have been leaving the church in our area for many reasons. I am sure if the Professors and Priests behavior is questionabl, they won’t be around long. Our decision will come down to finances. Daughter now realizes first choice may cost well over the amount that was pre-set. But she also knows where ever she lands she has the ability to be successful.
@delawaredad93 if you have that mindset, I don’t think ANY national university will fit your desire. I think maybe you should be considering sending your daughter to Ave Maria, Franciscan University of Steubenville, etc. with that attitude.
College is a time to expand one’s mind, not live inside a protected bubble for another four years. Notre Dame has people of all levels of faith, from atheist to hardcore Catholic, from Muslim to Jewish. If you’re seriously that afraid of exposing your child to people of different views than your own, then I feel sorry for her.
We are still waiting for the FA decision. We are planning on attending an open house on April 9. Hoping the FA decision comes before then. I would hate to tell D SORRY after she falls more in love with the school.
We will also be in attendance on April 9! Our son is so excited! We are leaving from Notre Dame to travel to admitted student days at William and Mary. He loves both schools, but I’m pretty sure his heart is at Notre Dame. We also have not received financial information from William and Mary yet to compare. As to the Catholic argument earlier in the thread - we are protestant, Baptist to be exact, so he will probably not notice the differences in Catholic teachings and beliefs alluded to as it will all be new to him.
We are also waiting for financial aid. I agree with others that it is hard to turn down full rides or large scholarships to other, excellent schools while taking on debt to attend ND. I think it also depends on the major, return on investment, grad school plans (if any) and all that. It will be a tough decision for our family. Having had older children attend college, many kids question their beliefs at that age. Personally, we have encouraged our kids to explore all aspects of their faith life (and other faiths/religions) to make informed, adult decisions moving forward. I appreciate the fact that college exposes them to diversity - maybe less so at ND, but still more than at their small high school. That’s just me though.
So I assume we’re not the only ones waiting for financial aid? Good to know.
But boy, ND sure does know how to charm their recently admitted!?!? They have reached out so much (calls, emails, personal invites, alumni welcomings) and my daughter is feeling part of the ND family already. I give them high kudos on their marketing. Far better than her other prospects in that regards.
Delawaredad93, As for losing one’s faith at college, for many students, college may be the first time they are truly exposed to other faiths and philosophies, and even the possibility of not going to church. Also, within the Catholic Church, there is a very broad spectrum of views on what the faith demands. ND is Catholic. It wants to educate Catholic leaders. The opportunity to develop and grow as a Catholic is is always present. It also has people of many other faiths and no faith. If you hold that there is only one true and proper view of the Catholic faith, then you may be disappointed. If you see the Catholic faith as forming a “big tent”, with room for Opus Dei, the Jesuits, the Congregation of the Holy Cross, for you and your truly held beliefs, and for your child during his / her faith journey, then you should be happy with ND.
I am a parent of a son accepted to the class of 2019 and my wife and I are both grads.
My objectivity is obviously not the greatest, as it is.
The decision to attend Notre Dame is not a 4 year decision, it is a 40 year decision.
There truly is a Notre Dame family that some of you have already experienced by your comments above.
That only deepens and is more enriched as your child makes his/her way through the school and after.
With regards to Catholicism: every dorm has its own Mass every Sunday. Ours was at 10:30PM. It served as the cornerstone of the week for the dorm–nearly everyone attended.
Within the classroom, I am sure there are some more liberal minded professors; but much less so than at other universities. Faith is learned in and out of the classroom; in the dorms, with friends, through service. It is all pervasive but not required or “in your face” for those who choose not to participate.
Notre Dame is more expensive than many schools–but over a lifetime the financial cost pales to the intangible and tangible benefits of having been there for 4 years.
As far as I am concerned, having our son be able to attend ND is one of the best things now we can do for him as he takes that major step forward.
God Bless you all in your decision.
We’re also waiting on our FA packet. We are in Florida. My son has received a full-ride at Stetson U, about half of what we’ll need for him to attend Indiana U as an out-of-state student, and full-tuition at FSU. He’s leaning towards Indiana, but I don’t think he has fully grasped what ND is all about yet. There is a reception here in FL this coming weekend. I hope the alumni can help him see how special ND really is.
I would be thrilled if he attends ND.
Paying for it is another thing, altogether.
Any advice on scholarships / aid would be greatly appreciated.
My son is a pipe organist and that’s what his major will be. He’s played in churches since he was 10.
Thank you and congratulations!
We will also be attending Admitted Student days April 9-10. My daughter was accepted EA and we received her FA package a little over a week ago. For those who are going to be at ND this weekend and still don’t have your FA package, you may want to call the FA office and see if there is any way to get it before this weekend. I waited to get D’s package first before scheduling this visit, because it really would be hard to take her back there and in the end not be able to allow her to attend because of finances.
Have any of your kids decided if they are attending ND or not? This is such a stressful time of year!
Yes, @skipper26 my D will be attending!
My son went to an EA engineering open house back in February. I didn’t sign him for an open house since I figure that was good enough. Are they different?