<p>Thanks for all of the answers. sounds like there is ALOT of stuff to do on campus,which is great. Thanks again this is helping me to make my decision ;)</p>
<p>Hey shellzie... the tour was FANTASTIC! It was really cold, but I've completely fallen in love with Notre Dame. We didn't get to see inside any dorms (maybe the one disappointment of the whole tour), but we did see LaFortune, which was totally packed and very exciting.</p>
<p>I do have another question though, and I think maybe you can help since you're a science person. (kind of a long story) I've been thinking lately that I'd like to go into medicine, but I only made this decision recently. I keep seeing on all the information about applying that if you intend to major in the sciences, even the arts and letters preprofessional program, that you have to have had chemistry and physics in high school. I won't have taken either at school. I'm going for a full IB diploma, and I had to choose IB Bio in order to fulfill THOSE diploma requirements, based on my schedule from freshman and sophomore year. I'm currently taking chemistry with a tutor (same curriculum as they use in my school's chemistry class). Ok finally my question: would there be any way for me to get a science or preprofessional major at ND, even though I didn't have chem and physics in high school? Are you really that limited by your high school schedule?</p>
<p>I'm not sure what the exact requirements are for high school classes, but I'm sure if you explain your situation there are ways around it. It might be harder to keep up in a class if you haven't seen the material before, but as long as you think you can manage, I don't see why it wouldn't work out. It sounds like the only thing you'd really be missing is physics, which you probably won't take until at least sophomore year. Being a chem major might be hard (if I hadnt had AP chem in hs, i dont think i could have done well in the gen chem for chem majors that i took last semester), but bio or preprofessional should be doable from a difficulty standpoint. You should probably call the university and ask if there are ways around the policy, bc Im not really sure how that works.</p>
<p>P.S. I'm glad you liked ND!</p>
<p>Thanks so much that was really helpful! btw what year are you (just curious)?</p>
<p>I'm not that big of a school spirit person, at least when it comes to football, which is sort of strange considering I'm in marching band, pep band, ect. I just feel sort of silly sometimes, even though I do get caught up in the moment every now and then. Do you think this will be a problem or will I get carried away with everyone else's enthusiasm? And if I don't want to attend EVERY football game, will I be the only odd one out?</p>
<p>Well, student football tickets are sold in season ticket booklets. You get a group of people together at the beginning of the year to guarantee that you will be able to sit together and it's done by a lottery system to determine who sits where. There are alumni football ticket sales before most (maybe all) home football games where you can get single game tickets but they wouldn't be in the student section. So basically, you have to purchase the season football ticket booklet. You certainly don't have to go to every game, and can sell any tickets you don't think you'll use to others, but you will most likely have a ticket to every game (if you purchase a booklet at all, that is).</p>
<p>I was never really into my high school sports teams very much, even though I went to a large public high school that had some of the best athletics in the state. However, I LOVE ND football and many of my favorite memories of my soon-to-be-over freshman year occurred during football weekends. There's just something about this place, maybe it's the 100,000 extra people that come to campus during home football weekends to see YOUR school, maybe it's the banners that some dorms hang up on the outside of their dorms saying things like "Here Come the Irish" and "We are ND," maybe it's the pep rallies the Friday evenings before home games where everyone dresses in their dorm colors and gets goose bumps as soon as the football team parades into the JACC and the band is playing and everyone is sooo excited. Maybe it's the awe you'll feel every time you enter Notre Dame Stadium and realize "I'm really here," maybe it's the sheer exhilaration you feel after Brady Quinn connects with Jeff Samardzija for the winning touchdown pass with only seconds left and you're jumping and screaming and lifting people in the air to do touchdown push-ups and for just a second, you're not thinking about anything but the amazing pass. Maybe it's when you're watching the Michigan State away game earlier this year when it seemed almost certain that we were going to lose, but we staged one of our greatest comebacks in history, and maybe it's when you join hundreds or thousands of your classmates in running through the Stonehenge fountain fully clothed to celebrate, dancing and screaming in joy.</p>
<p>Are we hard core? Yes. But will you love it? Absolutely.</p>
<p>In light of the Virginia Tech tragedy, what can you say about security/safety on campus? Thoughts/impressions?</p>
<p>Hello.</p>
<p>I'm going to ND next year, and I'm very excited about it (of course). There are pros and cons to all schools, I know that. I've heard that there's gender tension at ND. Would you elaborate on any issues? How they have/haven't affected you? </p>
<p>Thanks,
Christine</p>
<p>Whew, I just got back from a campus visit and I absolutely fell in love with ND. That visit moved it from 2nd/3rd on my list to 1st with flying colors. However, I ended up with a few more questions based on things I saw there.
1. My tour guide implied that there is only one meal plan, for 14 meals a week plus $300 spending money per semester. Is this true? So far, I've only ever run across schools with multiple meal plans to accomodate the needs of different levels of eaters (lol).
2. Do people go to Chicago a lot? Is it hard to scrounge up a group to go with?
3. Is there any particular cell phone company that works best or that most students have?
4. I've heard that South Bend isn't very hoppin' and there seem to be tons of things to do on campus, so this might not be an issue, but does your ND student ID get you benefits in the town, ex. discounts at restaurants, stores, reduced admissions to any activities, ect.?
5. I know a lot of people participate in Mass and outreach activities, but are there opportunities for Bible study, or I guess more accurately, theology study? Anything more cerebrally-based?</p>
<p>Thanks! (and sorry for dumping them on you all at once)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>There are 2 main meals plans, one of which gives you 14 meals a week and 290 flex points - basically money to be used at food places on campus - per semester, or the 21 meal plan, which gives you 21 meals a week and no flex points. Most opt for the 14 meal plan.</p></li>
<li><p>A lot? Depends on your idea of a lot. I went twice last semester and twice this semester. Cubs games are fun. I'm sure you can wrangle people up. Just keep in mind it's about a 5 dollar cab ride to SB Airport, which is where the train station is, and then about 11-15 bucks to get to Chicago, depending on where you get off. It's not that hard. </p></li>
<li><p>I know a lot of people have Verizon, and so do I. I have very few complaints.</p></li>
<li><p>Not particularly, sorry. You do get a discount at the movie theater in town, I know that much, but not much else. They are working on that, though.</p></li>
<li><p>Tons and tons and tons. Seriously. Four:7, Iron Sharpens Iron, Emmaus, Freshman Peer Leaders. As long as you don't walk around blindfolded and earmuffed, you'll find plenty of opportunities.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>Irishgolfer1, ND's campus security is as good as it gets... i guess. I've never felt unsafe on campus and it's kinda cool to see the NDSP officers on SegWay things. They're not as strict as you might expect when it comes to partying. I would say don't be an idiot but seriously, there's a lot of idiotic stuff that happens is plain sight ony a Saturday night. In fact, there are a few officers who are cool with the sketchy kids and potheads. And yeah, I've never felt threatened on campus, off campus is entirely different.</p>
<p>trellily, if you have a fake ID, south bend ain't that bad. Club Fever and CJ's are popular. Off Campus housing at Lafayette and Turtle Creek are always having parties and are in walking distance. Well, at least TC is. Washington Street has some houses too.</p>
<p>also, make friends w. a cab driver. it's only $2 to basically anywhere in Indiana if you have a good relationship and of course they'll pick you up if the **** hits the fan on a bad night.</p>
<p>Couple questions:
1. I'm not white, and I'm not particularly "loaded." I'm only now getting reports that people like me have a very tough time fitting in, and there is tension between the whites and non-whites. Is it true? In addition is it true that for social purposes some caucasians prefer not having minorities around?
2. I don't wear A & E and Hollister, and all that stuff. I'm a liberal, and I love to talk politics, societal issues. Am I going to have a problem fitting in?
3. How judgmental are people?
4. Do people try to make friends with everyone, or do they select who they think they would like to be friends with based on looks ( ie race, clothing etc.)?
5. I came to Notre Dame to get a Bio major, how competitive is it?</p>
<p>dude, im not white, i dont wear abercrombie or hollister, im not judgmental, im friends with everyone, and im a SCPP (premed) major. ND kids aren't *******s, sound like you're being a little judgmental.</p>
<p>my advice: relax, ND is full of rational-minded people. everyone can fit in without having to "fit in".</p>
<p>soccerboy:
I am white, my roomate is African American, he isn't wealthy and he's from Seattle (very liberal). He is an engineer. We don't have any problems other than him being more quiet than the rest of the guys in the hallway. There is an African-Mexican-American guy across the hall who is poor (he gets some kind of round about schoalrship to attend the school) and he is loud and boisterous and an engineer. So the two guys are just about the same except that one is loud and the other isn't. But everyone loves both of these guys. There is an unsanctioned black student group that tries to make everything an issue but no one listens to them because normal people like my two hallmates fit in just like everyone else. As for all other minorities, I've never witnessed or heard of any problems except for the Koreans (students from Korea) who are cliquish but everyone else is usually cool. I have found myself in the DH discussing with a black female student who I had never met whether Obama or Hillary will be assasinated first, and it was fun (as bad as that might sound). Political Science is a huge major and campus dems and GOPers are fairly active, the libertarians are trying to build support. If you are interested in societal issues we have them all: living wage, right to life, right to choice, crazy feminists, shut down School of the Americas, immigration reform, anti-War, fair trade, development in Africa and Haiti (Notre Dame budgets about 2 millions dollars for a millenium village in Uganda), eliminate capital punishment, check out the CSC website (<a href="http://centerforsocialconcerns.nd.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://centerforsocialconcerns.nd.edu/</a>) because it has a ton of programs and it is getting a new building because it is so popular.
I can say that my friends are a result of proximity (living in the same hall way) and mutual interest activities. As for Bio, if you want to be a doctor you have to bust your hump of course but if you just want to chill then you can easily pickup a minor in public service or science technology and values or something. I also have a friend who is a premed bio major and she is pretty cute.</p>
<p>"There is an unsanctioned black student group that tries to make everything an issue but no one listens to them because normal people like my two hallmates fit in just like everyone else."</p>
<p>You might want to be careful with your tone when talking about touchy subjects a la campus diversity and a civil rights organization. You are clearly biased by living in Morrissey. You clearly have no understanding of what being a minority is. I'm not calling you a racist, but all things considered, the line between wrong and right comes down to your tone. Try not to be so apathetic.</p>
<p>(In my opinion, the Morrissey thing was taken too far, but I'm on the outside looking in.)</p>
<p>Happygirl, I'd like to ask you about transportation between Atlanta and South Bend. What has worked well for you? Do you fly drive, or rideshare? How has the distance affected your ability to visit at home, or your parents to visit you? I guess overall I'm asking how much of a problem or challenge it's been going to school 12 hours away. I enjoy your thoughtful posts. Thanks!</p>