I applied for Mendoza before the REA deadline, and I noted business as my sole interest on the common app.
I have a 4.0 unweighted GPA, but my school ranks on a 100-point scale, so I am ranked number 25 in my class (out of 317).
My ACT score is a 34 composite (35 math, 34 writing, 33 science, 32 reading)
No one at my school has taken as many APs as me, which is a big part of my low class rank.
Sophomore year I took World History
Junior year I took US History (5), Chem (4), and Enlgish Lang/Comp (4)
Senior year I take Calc AB, Physics 1, Stats, and English Literature.
My essays are solid, and my best is about my experiences living in Germany. I had them looked over several times before I submitted them.
I worked 20 hours a week with all honors/AP last year, and now work at a congressman’s office. I was also a part of a very selective chamber of commerce leadership program last year.
What do you think? Will my class rank hurt my chances or will the admissions committee overlook it because of my relative schedule?
I think that you have a fair shot REA if you have strong extra curriculars and leadership beyond the one you listed (the working at the congressman’s office). However, your rank does pose a bit of a problem seeing that you do not have at least a 35 on the ACT (REA is difficult). Furthermore, it doesn’t seem like your schedule is super distinct from others (most of my friends who have applied to Notre Dame have taken at least 10 + APs before they graduate and have been top 1% of their class). This is not to say you need to have taken that hard of a schedule, just know that you really need to shine other areas, such as extra curricular involvement.
Overall, you seem to have a fair chance and I wish you all the best!
@utgal15 thanks a lot! This is what I was kind of thinking as well… Oh well, I guess we’ll see in a few weeks!
You’ve got a great record. Congrats. Odds? Hard to say. Lots of kids get denied from ND with your stats. Lots get accepted too. What’s your school’s record of getting kids to ND and where do you stack up with those who were admitted in the recent past? 34 with straight As and a very rigorous schedule? You’re excellent academically. It’s going to come down – as it often does – to the softer details like recs, essays and ECs. Good luck.
@pdizzla As it relates to your class rank and the whole 100 point scale thing, you receive no benefit (i.e. a extra points added) for taking an AP class?
@GraceDad I receive 5 points for AP classes. About half the kids above me take multiple band or PE classes, which adds a few 100s to their GPA (this counts for class rank). There are several other factors that affect my class ranking, such as Dual Enrollment classes not counting for class rank, which essentially freezes people’s GPA with their Sophomore GPA. I really don’t want to make excuses, because there are people up there who really earned their spot over me.
My school does class ranking very strangely. I’ll be interested to see what happens!