What are my chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Notre Dame
1

<p>Notre Dame is my dream school, but it's also my reach school, and I'm afraid that I won't even have a shot at getting in since I'm not the best at math. What are my chances?</p>

<p>Demographics: white female from South Carolina</p>

<p>SAT
Verbal (800)
Math (670)
Writing (720)</p>

<p>SAT II
Literature (790)
U.S. History (760)</p>

<p>ACT (32)</p>

<p>Weighted GPA (4.4)
Unweighted GPA (3.5)</p>

<p>AP Scores
Government (5)
English Language and Composition (4)
European History (4)
Psychology (5)
U.S. History (5)
English Literature and Composition (5)</p>

<p>Senior Year Schedule
English 201
English 202
History 101 (Western Civ)
Math 120 (Probability and Statistics)
Math 130 (Elementary Calculus)
AP Biology
AP Human Geography
German 3 Honors
Law Education Honors</p>

<p>By the end of my Senior year, with the exception of Calculus, I will have taken every AP offered by my school. All of the college courses are because I had nothing else to take in that subject.</p>

<p>ECs
head of Academic Team (10, 11, 12)
member of National Honors Society (11, 12)
Beta Club (10, 11, 12)
Interact Club (9, 10)
German Club (founding member in 11, treasurer in 12)</p>

<p>250 + community service hours at a hospice facility.
60 + hours elsewhere.
I'm planning on doing at least 100 + hours of community service next year.</p>

<p>Two summer programs focusing on economics and business leadership.
Waitressing job beginning this summer.</p>

<p>What can I do to make myself a better candidate?</p>

2

<p>I would only send your SAT scores - they are much better than your ACT. The SAT scores are solidly in the 25/75 percentile range for ND.</p>

<p>Your UW GPA is low. Is there any way for you to minimize the impact of this? Perhaps you had a difficult adjustment freshman year, or maybe some significant emotioinal event (divorce, death, etc) that might have created unusual hardship and is reflected in the grades for that semester/year. If you can point to an upward trend over your high school year, that would be positive. However, if you simply get lower grades in math and science classes then you should try to avoid the topic as much as possible.</p>

<p>Your class rigor sounds great for your high school. Not only have you taken almost every AP class offered, but you have even gone outside the school system to continue to challenge yourself. Be sure thar you or your GC emphasize this positive.</p>

<p>Your strongest EC by far appears to be the volunteering. List this first and go into as much detail as possible about your actual accomplishments at each facility. The others show that you did something at school outside of class, but your time commitment seems minimal.</p>

<p>ND’s supplement will include a number of essays. This will work in your favor since your verbal skills are solid. You can look at last year’s application since many, if not all, the questions will be the same. Get started now so that you won’t be rushed. Make sure the essays are ND-specific and not generic essays that have clearly been adapted - this makes a big difference with adcoms who will be reading thousands of essays over the winter.</p>

<p>Finally, have confidence in yourself. Your posting here starts off with self-deprecation as you point to your biggest perceived weakness. You should instead emphasize your strenghts. Be honest about your shortcomings (everyone has some, after all), but don’t draw focus to them either.</p>

3

<p>I am assuming the math portion of the ACT is pulling your overall score down. I would prep very hard on the math sections of both the ACT and SAT and retake the exams this fall. You need to pull up your math score and it can be done! This would help your application. I realize you are at a top 100 high school but your UW GPA is weak.</p>

<p>Do not apply for EA; this is for the strongest applicants. You will have a better shot at regular admission.</p>

<p>Try to increase your leadership roles in your EC’s. And write some very strong essays.
Good luck and Go Irish!</p>

4

<p>I would just have to say that my stats were almost exactly the same as yours (32 ACT, and my SAT was just about the same, and I also had a 670 in Math) and I was accepted. I sent both SAT and ACT scores. It was also my dream school. Just remember that it isn’t all about scores. You have to show them that you really want it. Good luck and Go Irish!</p>

5

<p>One never knows, but I’d say you look pretty competitive. I wouldn’t stress about the math score if your preferred major is in the humanities.</p>