<p>I'm planning on visiting Notre Dame with my family at the beginning of next summer and I'll be applying next fall for the class of 2012. Would it be beneficial to visit during the fall as well? My best friend was just accepted to the Chicago Art Institute, so I was planning on staying with him and then just coming down to Notre Dame.
So, I guess my real question is: Would it be good for me to visit when there are students on campus and if so, should I try to stay with someone at Notre Dame, or just come visit when I go to Chicago?</p>
<p>If I were you I would visit while there are students there and also would stay with a student if you could. The community life is very important part of ND and you may want to see if you like the single-sex dorms as well. If you can only do this summer then I would definitely do that, you still can get a good sense, but it is best if you can get in when students are around. If you can go to a football game...even better!</p>