<p>For those of you who have attended ND..</p>
<p>What was the BEST part of being at Notre Dame? </p>
<p>What is your reason for telling these kids, who are trying to decide between several top-notch schools, "YOU HAVE TO COME TO NOTRE DAME" ???</p>
<p>Why Notre Dame??</p>
<p>Lay it on the line now --- potential Domers are waiting to hear from you...</p>
<p>Ugh, that is a hard question because I am someone who always wanted to be at Notre Dame so it is hard for me to think of how to sell it. However, here is my shot at it.</p>
<p>What I have found that is really different than at other schools is the "Notre Dame family." It sounds hokie or strange but it is real and it is hard to understand unless you are here. At Notre Dame you will find a community of people who genuinely like each other and take care of each other. We are known for our alumni association that is so good at helping ND grads get jobs but it is so much more than that, it is about taking care of your fellow Domers as you would your family. I have taken a friend to the airport at 4 in the morning so she didn't have to get a cab and a friend has done the same for me. I have helped a friend study for hours for a final that I didn't need to study for so that she could do well and I have had people save me as well. We help each other whenever we can. It doesn't matter if the class has a curve or not, or if helping this person could lower your grade, you will find people that are genuinely willing to help you. When I switched dorms mid-semester (long story, it was an extraordinary circumstance) I had 10 of my friends offer to help me move my stuff. I didn't ask them, they sought me out and asked me if I needed help. When I go to the store, since I have a car, I send an email out to a list of friends who don't have a car so they can come with if they want. These are a lot of simple things, but they can make all the difference. At a lot of schools you have such competiton that it is everyone for themselves and people don't care. I don't think you will find that here. We also don't have anywhere near the competition other schools have because Domers just help other Domers. It is something that starts here but it goes on until the day you die, once you are a part of the family you are always a Domer.</p>
<p>Another thing I thought was cool is this Thanksgiving I was invited to (and attended) Thanksgiving dinner at my Philosophy professor's house. He actually invited THE WHOLE CLASS to his house saying that anyone who didn't have somewhere to go for Thanksgiving was more than welcome with him and his family. It was an AMAZING experience, and again, something I just don't think you would get at other schools.</p>
<p>You can get a great education lots of places, including Notre Dame. You can have a great college experience, or great sports, or a great number of other things at other schools, but it isn't the same. You have friends, and they may help you, but you don't have people who are willing to bend over backwards to help you; people who go the extra mile.</p>
<p>I know it probably sounds strange, or silly, or just unbelievable but that is my experience at Notre Dame and that is what I think separates us from other top universities.</p>