How is ND's Prestige

FightingIrish01 · 04-04-2006, 01:42 AM

Well, 1st off, most likely, I am attending ND. Other than football, alumni network, Catholicism, the community, and USNEWS 18th ranking, I guess where I come from- New England preppy boarding school area--- most people either tune into the Ivies, sub-ivies as in Vandy, UVA, WakeForest, or go to those LACS- Middbury, bowdoin, amherst, williams, etc...

I mean no one here goes to ND. I mean I am not Catholic yet I applied to ND based on its research programs and its environment. Personally, do you think ND is a self-selcting university as in how people tend to self-select themselves for somewhere like MIT or Uchicago...or do you think its a common university everyone sends their app? Because, even though its 18th on USNEWS, none of my friends applied there and its rarely talked about. People assume ND is just another university and they are rather impressed when you say you got into Vanderbilt even they are ranked the same.

What are your thoughts regarding ND prestige... I know its worldwide, but why is it that to I suppose the preppy, rich environment, ND is not the choice that comes up?

jags86 · 04-04-2006, 02:30 AM

notre dame will get a lot of its applicants from catholic schools - and also many applicants from the midwest. I'm not surprised it doesn't get many applicants from new england boarding schools - as they are generally very waspy and nd isn't. It doesn't mean ND isn't a good school - it just seems that nd doesn't cater to your crowd.

irish68178 · 04-04-2006, 02:54 AM

that isn't to say what wasps or anyone else can't come to ND and can't be accepted, they can and they do/are. I do think ND is self-selecting because it is not your typical college experience. We have single-sex dorms, we have certain rules, and our name basically screams Catholic. Not everyone would want to apply because of this. If you want to party, though we are work hard play hard, you probably won't look at ND. If you don't want religion having anything to do with your education, you won't look here either. That being said, that doesn't mean it isn't a good school that is respected; I realize how much prestige it has from the reactions I get when I tell people I go to Notre Dame. It is nice to hear but I actually try to not say where I go to college unless asked because it is a bit much at times plus I kind of feel like I am bragging when I do...I guess that means it is prestigous, lol.

Anyways, long story short, I do think ND is self-selective for many reasons including its location in north central Indiana! Most Boston kids don't really want to go to north central Indiana, lol (but it isn't as bad as you think).

shellzie2006 · 04-04-2006, 03:01 AM

Well, my whole extended family was more impressed that I got into Notre Dame than the fact that I got into Amherst/Dartmouth, and, to an extent, Notre Dame is the "Catholic Harvard". Also, I think the applicant pool is porobably somewhat self-selecting (85% Catholic should give you a clue), and ND definitely has a great deal of prestige in the midwest (at least I know it does in Minnesota).

SouthJerseyChessMom · 04-04-2006, 09:03 AM

FightingIrish-Colgate is an outstanding LAC, very well known in the NE region, and within the academic community.

If "prestige" is worrying you, mention to people "outside" your immediate circle- the two schools, and most likely the oouhhhs and ahhhhhhhhs will be when you say ND.

Recent personal experience-had to take my uncle to a medical specialist at UPenn- colleges came up, and not only did this young dr graduate from ND,but his three siblings and father. All are doing graduate work in each of their fields. The family is from central PA.

Your school lacks the connection and this is why you have doubts. My son's small Prep school, invited a current ND freshman and graduate from their school to sit with the current applicants and some boys from the Junior Class.
After hearing, first hand information about the chem engineering program, and how much this student and others from this school LOVE ND, my S came home excited!!

Maybe your school will become a feeder and you are leading the way

irish68178 · 04-04-2006, 10:40 AM

This is true, ND does have a program where kids can go back and work as admissions counselors (well, kind of) and do a school visit to the high school they went to. I did it and it was a lot of fun and it is great for those schools that don't normally have people go to ND.

NC_HOO · 04-04-2006, 04:10 PM

Yeah it's not big over here in Western to Central North Carolina, either. I mean I'm Catholic, I went to a public school, but I applied knowing it is a good school. I'm trying to decide between UVa and ND and i guess the struggle to decide which has the most prestige is bothering me.

irish68178 · 04-04-2006, 04:24 PM

If you are looking solely at prestige look at where you are living. ND is going to have more of a national appeal than Virginia, and you kind of know that because you are debating which is more prestigious though you are much closer to Virginia than you are to ND. If you were living in Chicago, you would pretty much for sure think that ND was more prestigious due to proximity. I am not sure how big of a factor prestige is to you, I am a bit confused about if that is what is holding you up or if it is something else, but I do think it is safe to say that ND has more national prestige than Virginia.

NC_HOO · 04-04-2006, 04:32 PM

Thanks.. It's not the only thing that bothers me, but it could perhaps be the biggest. I'm looking into the Medical field and perhaps the business field if I pick up a last-minute interest, and I know that both are amazing in that area. ND's twice as far away with a lot different weather and is not able to be compared to the great college town of Charlottesville VA. I mean I am looking solely at prestige when asking that question, but prestige is not the only thing that would influence my final decision.

irish68178 · 04-04-2006, 04:35 PM

Fair enough. As you know I think you could do very well in both medicine or business from ND but you have got to do what is best for you. Also, with college towns, South Bend isn't awful but the weather does stink! Then again, for once, it is 50 and sunny today

. Let me know if you have any questions about ND or if I can help with you making your decision.

Radionicist · 04-04-2006, 05:05 PM

ND's twice as far away with a lot different weather and is not able to be compared to the great college town of Charlottesville VA. I mean I am looking solely at prestige when asking that question, but prestige is not the only thing that would influence my final decision.

NC_HOO, your post makes it sound as though you are trying to talk yourself out of UVa and into Notre Dame. Is that what your heart is telling you? If so, forget the prestige factor, and go where your heart leads you.

Prestige doesn't matter nearly as much in the real world as it does to high school seniors. Colleges graduate thousands of people every year, and only a tiny minority come from the top 25 ranked schools. Yet, most of that great mass of thousands find jobs, professions, or grad school slots that suit them. It's more about you than the school.

Having said that, I'm delighted that my son was accepted to Notre Dame, and I can't imagine anyone turning down a slot in the Class of 2010.

Good Luck!

jags86 · 04-04-2006, 05:14 PM

Maybe notre dame is more prestigious nationally than virginia when it comes to football or basketball - but when it comes to academics - I think you'll be extremely hard pressed to find anyone who thinks you'll get a better education at nd than at virginia.

don't get me wrong, I don't think you'll get a worse education at nd than virginia, but don't tell yourself that "oh nd is more presitigious so i'll go there." go visit both places - thats the only way you'll know./

irish68178 · 04-04-2006, 05:16 PM

I agree that you have to go where your heart says...I just got the feeling that NC was truly conflicted, but I could be wrong. If you are trying to talk yourself into ND, I think that is a mistake!

NC_HOO · 04-04-2006, 05:20 PM

Yeah. I guess you're right. Both my parents went to UVa and I just don't really know any other college atmosphere. But I think I'm going to visit South Bend over Spring Break to visit and get a first impression that will ultimately affect my decision. Thanks guys.

irish68178 · 04-04-2006, 05:34 PM

"I think you'll be extremely hard pressed to find anyone who thinks you'll get a better education at nd than at virginia." -Jags

I actually disagree with this. You can get a very good education at Virginia, no doubt, but with what I have heard about cutbacks and what not I would argue it...