University of Notre Dame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are double legacies. Two applied, one got in and didn't go after concluding it didn't make sense economically given other options. Would have liked it there, but no regrets.

South Bend is a dump but ND is on the outskirts of town and most students stick to or very close to a beautiful campus so it doesn't seem to matter. Dorm assignments take the place of greek life. The large majority of students were high school athletes and leaders. The large majority were raised Catholic and many attended Catholic schools, but they're not all super religious by a long shot. It's not accurate to say the school is conservative -- Obama, Clinton and Biden all won mock elections handily -- but there are more conservatives on campus than most top 25 schools. Many but not all students come from wealthy and UMC white families, but the school has an Ivy League sized endowment (nearly 10 times larger than Georgetown's) and is generous with financial aid. Students work hard and play hard. Football is king.

How generous are with merit aid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are double legacies. Two applied, one got in and didn't go after concluding it didn't make sense economically given other options. Would have liked it there, but no regrets.

South Bend is a dump but ND is on the outskirts of town and most students stick to or very close to a beautiful campus so it doesn't seem to matter. Dorm assignments take the place of greek life. The large majority of students were high school athletes and leaders. The large majority were raised Catholic and many attended Catholic schools, but they're not all super religious by a long shot. It's not accurate to say the school is conservative -- Obama, Clinton and Biden all won mock elections handily -- but there are more conservatives on campus than most top 25 schools. Many but not all students come from wealthy and UMC white families, but the school has an Ivy League sized endowment (nearly 10 times larger than Georgetown's) and is generous with financial aid. Students work hard and play hard. Football is king.

How generous are with merit aid?

ND offers some merit to a few, but keep in mind that admission alone is very competitive, and accordingly the few merit awards even moreso. I would work under the assumption that merit is unlikely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are double legacies. Two applied, one got in and didn't go after concluding it didn't make sense economically given other options. Would have liked it there, but no regrets.

South Bend is a dump but ND is on the outskirts of town and most students stick to or very close to a beautiful campus so it doesn't seem to matter. Dorm assignments take the place of greek life. The large majority of students were high school athletes and leaders. The large majority were raised Catholic and many attended Catholic schools, but they're not all super religious by a long shot. It's not accurate to say the school is conservative -- Obama, Clinton and Biden all won mock elections handily -- but there are more conservatives on campus than most top 25 schools. Many but not all students come from wealthy and UMC white families, but the school has an Ivy League sized endowment (nearly 10 times larger than Georgetown's) and is generous with financial aid. Students work hard and play hard. Football is king.

This is all accurate. I would just add that church attendance is relatively high and free thinking is encouraged.

Also, DCUM absolutely hates it.

[Anonymous]

Over the last 10 years at my kids' Catholic preps I've seen the #1 and #2 seniors head to Notre Dame nearly every year. These overachiever kids don't want to go to Ivies, Stanford, or Duke, they don't even apply to other top universities. It's basically Notre Dame or bust. The school is honestly underrated on US News. Love that kids live on campus all 4 years.

The flaws: Location does suck. Quite literally the worst location, by far, of any university in the top 50. They give too much boost to (rich) legacies. Football players (and other recruited athletes) are idiots, which really calls into question all the so-called campus integrity. They also accept transfers who don't deserve to be on campus. Also, stupid gals at neighboring St Mary's desperately throw themselves at ND boys and pretend they're ND students; it's like Northeastern students pretending they're Harvard Students. Super weird dynamic. And yes, I get St Mary's was a "sister school" back when ND was boys only, but that was over 50 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Over the last 10 years at my kids' Catholic preps I've seen the #1 and #2 seniors head to Notre Dame nearly every year. These overachiever kids don't want to go to Ivies, Stanford, or Duke, they don't even apply to other top universities. It's basically Notre Dame or bust. The school is honestly underrated on US News. Love that kids live on campus all 4 years.

The flaws: Location does suck. Quite literally the worst location, by far, of any university in the top 50. They give too much boost to (rich) legacies. Football players (and other recruited athletes) are idiots, which really calls into question all the so-called campus integrity. They also accept transfers who don't deserve to be on campus. Also, stupid gals at neighboring St Mary's desperately throw themselves at ND boys and pretend they're ND students; it's like Northeastern students pretending they're Harvard Students. Super weird dynamic. And yes, I get St Mary's was a "sister school" back when ND was boys only, but that was over 50 years ago.

You are a truly terrible person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Over the last 10 years at my kids' Catholic preps I've seen the #1 and #2 seniors head to Notre Dame nearly every year. These overachiever kids don't want to go to Ivies, Stanford, or Duke, they don't even apply to other top universities. It's basically Notre Dame or bust. The school is honestly underrated on US News. Love that kids live on campus all 4 years.

The flaws: Location does suck. Quite literally the worst location, by far, of any university in the top 50. They give too much boost to (rich) legacies. Football players (and other recruited athletes) are idiots, which really calls into question all the so-called campus integrity. They also accept transfers who don't deserve to be on campus. Also, stupid gals at neighboring St Mary's desperately throw themselves at ND boys and pretend they're ND students; it's like Northeastern students pretending they're Harvard Students. Super weird dynamic. And yes, I get St Mary's was a "sister school" back when ND was boys only, but that was over 50 years ago.

Huh? How could you possibly know this?

And the living on campus thing is weird and paternalistic. Yes I know it’s common at private colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are double legacies. Two applied, one got in and didn't go after concluding it didn't make sense economically given other options. Would have liked it there, but no regrets.

South Bend is a dump but ND is on the outskirts of town and most students stick to or very close to a beautiful campus so it doesn't seem to matter. Dorm assignments take the place of greek life. The large majority of students were high school athletes and leaders. The large majority were raised Catholic and many attended Catholic schools, but they're not all super religious by a long shot. It's not accurate to say the school is conservative -- Obama, Clinton and Biden all won mock elections handily -- but there are more conservatives on campus than most top 25 schools. Many but not all students come from wealthy and UMC white families, but the school has an Ivy League sized endowment (nearly 10 times larger than Georgetown's) and is generous with financial aid. Students work hard and play hard. Football is king.

This is all accurate. I would just add that church attendance is relatively high and free thinking is encouraged.

Also, DCUM absolutely hates it.

This is an oxymoron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are double legacies. Two applied, one got in and didn't go after concluding it didn't make sense economically given other options. Would have liked it there, but no regrets.

South Bend is a dump but ND is on the outskirts of town and most students stick to or very close to a beautiful campus so it doesn't seem to matter. Dorm assignments take the place of greek life. The large majority of students were high school athletes and leaders. The large majority were raised Catholic and many attended Catholic schools, but they're not all super religious by a long shot. It's not accurate to say the school is conservative -- Obama, Clinton and Biden all won mock elections handily -- but there are more conservatives on campus than most top 25 schools. Many but not all students come from wealthy and UMC white families, but the school has an Ivy League sized endowment (nearly 10 times larger than Georgetown's) and is generous with financial aid. Students work hard and play hard. Football is king.

This is all accurate. I would just add that church attendance is relatively high and free thinking is encouraged.

Also, DCUM absolutely hates it.

This is an oxymoron.

^ This is a moron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Over the last 10 years at my kids' Catholic preps I've seen the #1 and #2 seniors head to Notre Dame nearly every year. These overachiever kids don't want to go to Ivies, Stanford, or Duke, they don't even apply to other top universities. It's basically Notre Dame or bust. The school is honestly underrated on US News. Love that kids live on campus all 4 years.

The flaws: Location does suck. Quite literally the worst location, by far, of any university in the top 50. They give too much boost to (rich) legacies. Football players (and other recruited athletes) are idiots, which really calls into question all the so-called campus integrity. They also accept transfers who don't deserve to be on campus. Also, stupid gals at neighboring St Mary's desperately throw themselves at ND boys and pretend they're ND students; it's like Northeastern students pretending they're Harvard Students. Super weird dynamic. And yes, I get St Mary's was a "sister school" back when ND was boys only, but that was over 50 years ago.

Huh? How could you possibly know this?

And the living on campus thing is weird and paternalistic. Yes I know it’s common at private colleges.

Just trust me. Frankly, truly elite private colleges really should not admit transfers; it's only allowed at some top colleges to backdoor students who weren't qualified to get in during high school. They're basically never up to par and they never actually fit in after missing out of first and even second year -- especially at ND, where the campus experience is forming tight bonds with housemates over 4 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are double legacies. Two applied, one got in and didn't go after concluding it didn't make sense economically given other options. Would have liked it there, but no regrets.

South Bend is a dump but ND is on the outskirts of town and most students stick to or very close to a beautiful campus so it doesn't seem to matter. Dorm assignments take the place of greek life. The large majority of students were high school athletes and leaders. The large majority were raised Catholic and many attended Catholic schools, but they're not all super religious by a long shot. It's not accurate to say the school is conservative -- Obama, Clinton and Biden all won mock elections handily -- but there are more conservatives on campus than most top 25 schools. Many but not all students come from wealthy and UMC white families, but the school has an Ivy League sized endowment (nearly 10 times larger than Georgetown's) and is generous with financial aid. Students work hard and play hard. Football is king.

This is all accurate. I would just add that church attendance is relatively high and free thinking is encouraged.

Also, DCUM absolutely hates it.

This forum is majority Jewish and Indian helicopter moms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Over the last 10 years at my kids' Catholic preps I've seen the #1 and #2 seniors head to Notre Dame nearly every year. These overachiever kids don't want to go to Ivies, Stanford, or Duke, they don't even apply to other top universities. It's basically Notre Dame or bust. The school is honestly underrated on US News. Love that kids live on campus all 4 years.

The flaws: Location does suck. Quite literally the worst location, by far, of any university in the top 50. They give too much boost to (rich) legacies. Football players (and other recruited athletes) are idiots, which really calls into question all the so-called campus integrity. They also accept transfers who don't deserve to be on campus. Also, stupid gals at neighboring St Mary's desperately throw themselves at ND boys and pretend they're ND students; it's like Northeastern students pretending they're Harvard Students. Super weird dynamic. And yes, I get St Mary's was a "sister school" back when ND was boys only, but that was over 50 years ago.

Huh? How could you possibly know this?

And the living on campus thing is weird and paternalistic. Yes I know it’s common at private colleges.

Just trust me. Frankly, truly elite private colleges really should not admit transfers; it's only allowed at some top colleges to backdoor students who weren't qualified to get in during high school. They're basically never up to par and they never actually fit in after missing out of first and even second year -- especially at ND, where the campus experience is forming tight bonds with housemates over 4 years.

Umm no. You have no data on this. Every elite college admits transfers. Transferring into elite schools is especially important for nontraditional students. Transfers have already shown that they can handle college-level work (not AP classes, actual college classes), and these elite colleges admit very few transfers anyway. You’re not getting into ND as a transfer with a low gpa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are double legacies. Two applied, one got in and didn't go after concluding it didn't make sense economically given other options. Would have liked it there, but no regrets.

South Bend is a dump but ND is on the outskirts of town and most students stick to or very close to a beautiful campus so it doesn't seem to matter. Dorm assignments take the place of greek life. The large majority of students were high school athletes and leaders. The large majority were raised Catholic and many attended Catholic schools, but they're not all super religious by a long shot. It's not accurate to say the school is conservative -- Obama, Clinton and Biden all won mock elections handily -- but there are more conservatives on campus than most top 25 schools. Many but not all students come from wealthy and UMC white families, but the school has an Ivy League sized endowment (nearly 10 times larger than Georgetown's) and is generous with financial aid. Students work hard and play hard. Football is king.

I'm an alum, and I would say this is the best description of ND I've ever seen on DCUM. It's definitely accurate. I'd also add that it has a focus on undergrad teaching that you often don't see in the top 25 schools, which is a huge benefit. Plenty of juniors and seniors doing serious research with professors, and the campus is small enough that you can get involved in multiple things. The students who end up at ND were the ones who were enthusiastic in high school - in addition to being great students, they went to the school play and cheered on the sports teams and ran for student council and won the "citizenship award". ND is not the place for the brilliant kid who say in the back of the pep rally sneering and making fun of it.

Also, you should basically ignore anything you read about ND on DCUM. Most posters simply can't grasp students being happy living in the midwest, and can't grasp that a Catholic school can also be a excellent academically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Over the last 10 years at my kids' Catholic preps I've seen the #1 and #2 seniors head to Notre Dame nearly every year. These overachiever kids don't want to go to Ivies, Stanford, or Duke, they don't even apply to other top universities. It's basically Notre Dame or bust. The school is honestly underrated on US News. Love that kids live on campus all 4 years.

The flaws: Location does suck. Quite literally the worst location, by far, of any university in the top 50. They give too much boost to (rich) legacies. Football players (and other recruited athletes) are idiots, which really calls into question all the so-called campus integrity. They also accept transfers who don't deserve to be on campus. Also, stupid gals at neighboring St Mary's desperately throw themselves at ND boys and pretend they're ND students; it's like Northeastern students pretending they're Harvard Students. Super weird dynamic. And yes, I get St Mary's was a "sister school" back when ND was boys only, but that was over 50 years ago.

Huh? How could you possibly know this?

And the living on campus thing is weird and paternalistic. Yes I know it’s common at private colleges.

Just trust me. Frankly, truly elite private colleges really should not admit transfers; it's only allowed at some top colleges to backdoor students who weren't qualified to get in during high school. They're basically never up to par and they never actually fit in after missing out of first and even second year -- especially at ND, where the campus experience is forming tight bonds with housemates over 4 years.

Nope. Totally wrong.
The two transfers I knew well at ND were absolutely brilliant and added so much to the campus.
Also, anyone that talks about "housemates" in respect to ND is clearly clueless. It's not Hogwarts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are double legacies. Two applied, one got in and didn't go after concluding it didn't make sense economically given other options. Would have liked it there, but no regrets.

South Bend is a dump but ND is on the outskirts of town and most students stick to or very close to a beautiful campus so it doesn't seem to matter. Dorm assignments take the place of greek life. The large majority of students were high school athletes and leaders. The large majority were raised Catholic and many attended Catholic schools, but they're not all super religious by a long shot. It's not accurate to say the school is conservative -- Obama, Clinton and Biden all won mock elections handily -- but there are more conservatives on campus than most top 25 schools. Many but not all students come from wealthy and UMC white families, but the school has an Ivy League sized endowment (nearly 10 times larger than Georgetown's) and is generous with financial aid. Students work hard and play hard. Football is king.

How generous are with merit aid?

Not very at all. For a long time they had no merit aid at all. Now they have a very small honors program and a very small amount of merit aid. For all practical purposes, assume that any aid from Notre Dame is need based.

[Anonymous]

My experience goes back 20 years to when I was in college but others have agreed with my description. Catholic families send their children to both ND and CUA. The preppy conservative oldest child goes to ND. The youngest child in the family that is more adventurous and more left leaning goes to CUA.