University of Notre Dame

notre_dame.md

University of Notre Dame

Admissions (Class of 2029 / Fall 2025)

  • Total applicants: 28,400
  • Overall acceptance rate: 9.0%
  • Early round: REA (Restrictive Early Action) (non-binding but restrictive) — 13.5% vs 6.5% RD
  • Class size: 2,100
  • Yield: 62%

Academics

  • SAT middle 50%: 1470–1540
  • ACT middle 50%: 33–35
  • Avg unweighted GPA: 3.9
  • Top 10% of HS class: 92%
  • Testing policy: Test-optional

Demographics

  • Women: 45.5%, Asian: 4.7%, Black: 3.1%, Hispanic: 9.4%, White: 64.0%, International: 9.8%

Financial Aid / Net Cost

Income Bracket Net Price
$0–$30,000 $10,584
$30,001–$48,000 $12,189
$48,001–$75,000 $15,510
$75,001–$110,000 $22,754
Over $110,000 $40,852

Athletics

344 varsity athletes (~4.5% of undergrads). NCAA Division I, ACC Conference (football independent).

Notable

Catholic university with strong legacy preference and athletic tradition. REA program historically ~12.9% rate. Faith tradition is explicit institutional value.

Community Insights (Reddit/Forums)

Admissions Strategy

  • REA (Restrictive Early Action) provides meaningful advantage: ~13.5% REA vs ~7% RD. Non-binding but restrictive — cannot ED elsewhere simultaneously.
  • Legacy is an enormous factor: ~22% of students are legacies, and legacy applicants see ~35% acceptance rate vs 8% for non-legacies (widely reported, confirmed by multiple sources).
  • Recruited athletes benefit from 15–25% acceptance rates with coach advocacy. Football program's independent status makes athletic recruiting a major institutional priority.
  • Catholic faith emphasis in essays is strongly recommended on forums. Students who address faith tradition and attraction to faith-based education reportedly have stronger outcomes.
  • No demonstrated interest tracking, but REA signals commitment effectively.

Campus Culture & Fit

  • 80% Catholic student body; crosses in every classroom; theology requirements for all students. Single-sex dorms with parietals (opposite-sex visitor curfews at midnight/2am weekends) — widely discussed and controversial on forums.
  • No Greek life — replaced by residence hall community system where students stay 4 years. Described as creating "fraternity-like bonds without exclusivity."
  • Strongest school spirit and alumni network among peer institutions, per forum consensus. Football weekends are the center of social life.
  • Politically conservative/centrist compared to most elite schools — seen as a pro by some, con by others. Limited racial diversity (60% white, 80% Catholic) is a common criticism.
  • South Bend, Indiana location is isolated — Chicago is 90 minutes away. Harsh winters frequently mentioned.

Financial Aid Reputation

  • Need-based only, meets 100% of demonstrated need. No merit scholarships outside honors programs (Glynn Honors: 100 freshmen/year; Business Honors: 60/year).
  • Aid is adequate but not as generous as HYPSM or Rice for middle-income families, per forum reports. Net cost at $110K+ income is $40K+.
  • Forum users note legacy families tend to be wealthier, creating a perceived socioeconomic skew.

Simulation-Relevant Takeaways

  • Legacy multiplier should be very high in model (~4.4x based on 35% vs 8% rates). Catholic identity creates strong self-selection.
  • Athletic hook is significant — model recruited athletes at 2–3x overall acceptance rate.
  • High yield (62%) reflects deep commitment from admitted students. Very low yield protection risk.

Sources

  • University of Notre Dame Common Data Set 2024–2025
  • research_colleges.json simulation data
  • Big Green College Prep: Notre Dame pros/cons and admissions guide (biggreencollegeprep.com)
  • Koppelman Group: Notre Dame REA Strategy 2025-2026 and Legacy Policies
  • Notre Dame Admissions: REA Class of 2029 announcement (admissions.nd.edu)
  • Ivy Coach: Notre Dame EA Admission Statistics
  • College Confidential: Notre Dame REA for Fall 2025 (talk.collegeconfidential.com)