Hi everyone! I’m a junior in the midwest and was wondering if anyone knew of any schools similar to Notre Dame but not quite as competitive? My GPA is going to be around a 3.87 UW and 5.0 W when applying with a 31 ACT. I think my recs and essays should be pretty good and I am involved in many activities. Looking for schools with a strong sense of community and school spirit and good academics. Thanks!
@kalane An answer to your question will depend on what decision criteria you would define “similar” in comparison to Notre Dame. You will need to be more specific on your search criteria, specifically the importance of Catholic identity.
In terms of admission chances for Notre Dame, you are a Junior, try to get ACT scores up, you still have time. Also, take the SAT as well, some students score differently in these two test designs.
What about your state flagship and other top universities, i.e. Michigan and Michigan State? Will more expensive schools be affordable?
Certainly Boston College, and also Villanova, both also competitive, although I think a notch less so. Other top Catholic schools you’d want to look at–Holy Cross, Creighton, and Santa Clara. Holy Cross is smaller certainly, tip-top academics, also competitive but less than ND; Creighton has a nice campus just outside of downtown Omaha, which seemed to me pretty attractive for college students, mid-size; Santa Clara is more suburban for sure; outside SF, although not that easy to get downtown; it is in Silicon Valley, which seems a huge plus, unless you are paying for housing.
Other mid-size, non-Catholic universities with outstanding academics: Rochester, William and Mary, Wake Forest. These are also very competitive, though a student’s profile would determine if they are less competitive than ND and to what extent.
Some more STEM oriented publics that are excellent and have big-time sports and lots of school spirit would include Clemson, Virginia Tech, Tennessee-Knoxville, Kansas (probably good aid for you). I suggest these because very good schools, students/alums love them, big-time sports, and great college towns, also generally good weather. Obviously not exactly like ND, but they have some of those things in common.
A lot of kids we know who are on the bubble for ND like Dayton and Xavier in Ohio. Though public and not Catholic, we also know some kids who did not get into ND but had amazing experiences at Miami of Ohio.
Thanks! The catholic identity is pretty important to me 
Then, Dayton, Xavier, Marquette.
There are a number of wonderful Jesuit universities throughout the country. Here is the complete list so you can seek out ones that fit your academic/geographic/social needs. http://www.ajcunet.edu/institutions FWIW my S graduated from Fordham and had a great expereince.
Some other excellent Catholic schools you might consider include Villanova, Providence, Catholic U
And if you want ND I agree with the suggestion to study for and retake the ACT. While it is a fine score, your 31 places you below the 25th percentile for ND. https://admissions.nd.edu/apply/admission-statistics/
Kalane - great specific question you ask and it’s refreshing to hear that you have a strong sense of what you would like. I wish you great success in your search.
And excellent advice already and from TTG.
To give you some numbers the most difficult admissions group for your “school type” preference, see below. This is for the class of 2023 to help guide you.
ND - admitted profile is
89% is top 10 of class
Middle 50 percent is 1410-1530 SAT and 33-35 ACT 20270 apps for 3600 admissions for 2027spots.
17 percent rate .
Most accept so they don’t take as many and legacy is important.
BC admitted profile
70% are top 10% of class
Avg SAT is 1460.
Avg ACT is 33.
EA was 1485 and 34. 35500 applications for 9300 acceptances (26.7 rate) for 2300 spots.
The implementing ed1 and ed2 next year so the number of applications should fall and admissions rate should be much lower too. They won’t have to admit as many to fill the class.
Georgetown is really really difficult. And all three are a seriously study first, play later vibe.
Villanova is very similar to these schools and perhaps a very modest difference but still an option for what I would consider only for the most statistically high and ec accomplished high school student.
Outside of these four schools there are other great Catholic options. These are terrific schools in all of the most important areas.
Too notch Academics. Nice campuses and school spirit/energy. Commitment to a service mission. Diverse and caring. Excellent student resources and facilities for you.
This list assumes that you are equally accomplished overall as a person, your ecs and sports etc
But take it with a grain of salt. These are only my impressions. And only for schools where I have pretty good awareness. There are so many more.
A few listed below would have students nearer the profile for the 4 schools mentioned above.
California
Santa Clara- most selective
Univ of San Diego - more selective
Loyola Marymount
University of San Francisco
Wisconsin
Marquette
Maryland/DC
Loyola Maryland
Catholic
PA-
Duquesne
St Joseph
Seton Hall
St Francis
Univ of Scranton
Ohio
Xavier
Illinois
DePaul
NY
St Johns
Fordham - most selective
Canisius
Niagara
Siena
Iona
Manhattan
St Bonaventure
CT
Fairfield - more selective group
RI
Providence College - more selective group
Salve Regina - (smaller)
MA
Holy Cross - most selective
Assumption - smaller
Stonehill- smaller
NH
St. Anselm- smaller
Good luck and Happy Easter!
Great recommendations and resources above. Besides being Catholic (Jesuit) Notre Dame is at least a mid-size national university with a beautiful campus and big-time sports/school spirit. With that in mine, some that strike me as perhaps being closest,
Boston College and Villanova (both top notch and very competitive, but based on ACT alone you are a very reasonable candidate)
Holy Cross (smaller but similar academics and culture and campus, same comment on admissions);
Creighton (see above and strong basketball program and hosts College World Series every year) and Gonzaga (Spokane is a great town, mid-size university, basketball a national powerhouse)
Santa Clara (see above) and some of the others above for sure if you want to do the CA thing
Fordham, Providence, Xavier, Dayton, and maybe Marquette, among the others, depending on your preferences.
Good luck!
Dayton has been mentioned a few times. Have a very close friend who was a Dayton Flier (dream school was ND - if we had those type of dreams in the 80s). It is very much ND lite. Kids there are really in to being there. Lot of school spirit, sports, etc. Fine academics.
@TTG Just so others know, ND is not Jesuit, it run by Congregation of the Holy Cross (CSC).
Was just about to post about the same about ND. Brothers of the Holy Cross, not Jesuit.
I work with a young grad from University of Dayton and she’s super loyal to the college. Says all her friends go back to get married at the chapel there. She’s very bright – went on to grad school in DC area and doing really well professionally.
I also was just reading nice things on another thread CC about college visits there and how happy and polite the students seem to be.
Sorry, I know that about Holy Cross. I didn’t mean to suggest it when I but Jesuit in there, but I definitely see that it comes across that way.
I know some female students who like Notre Dame, but are looking for a college with less competitive admissions choose St. Mary’s (an all women’s college), right across the street from Notre Dame. I recall someone posting to this effect a while back, but I can’t find the thread. I don’t know much about St. Mary’s myself, however.
Following your post because my D21 literally could have written it herself!
St. Louis University is Catholic, as is Duquesne in Pittsburgh. Seton Hall, mentioned above is in NJ. John Carroll, also Catholic, is in OH. My D toured Dayton last year. It was pouring down rain and cold–and it’s still her favorite college tour. Kids were energetic and friendly and the tour guide was exactly what every parent dreams their daughter will turn out to be. Heck, it’s who my daughter wants to be in college.
@ttg. Perhaps you misread the OPs profile. She has wonderful 31 act score. However BC avg act this year looks to be 33/34. Which includes all of the d1 athletes and other institutional priority students with lower act scores in the statistical pool. The unhooked female needs at least a 34 to be match level. Of course OP you can be admitted but it should be considered a solid reach. Villanova is half notch down in terms of academic profile - but not in terms quality. All are as good as Notre Dame for those attending… It’s just about candidate profiles. but Villanova is still a reach for you.