I thought it was, then I learned it has a reputation as a party school. Is the academic side of things any good or is it's reputation based solely on the football team?
I really want to go to a good academic school, preferably one without a lot of partying, should I be looking somewhere else?
@irish68178: I would be rather careful talking about Mendoza's rankings. Yes, the BW ranking says 1st place. But others also say Kellogg (Northwestern) and Wharton (Penn), which sounds more 'credible.'
Partying is quite the scene here. However, there are a lot of other things you can do with your friends instead of partying. But don't expect to go to the "city" and shop while expecting a lot of upcoming events around town. Theres a reason why South Bend is one of the worst college towns.
Just to be clear to those in South America, Notre Dame was ranked first in undergraduate business schools. Northwestern (Kellogg) does not even have an undergrad business program. Wharton has dropped from first to now fourth in the undergrad rankings in the past three years, so yes BusinessWeek has seen something change during that time span. MBA rankings are an entirely different subject, although Notre Dame is in the top 20.
However, we are talking about undergrad, correct, so those rankings are appropriate to use. Jamiecargo, yes there are other rankings, but that doesn't mean you just throw them out. There are people that disagree on just about everything. Global warming, God, tell me anything you believe in and I will find someone who disagrees.
IT IS NOT A GOOD SCHOOL, DO NOT APPLY...... My D desperately wants to attend ND... make room for her by not applying.. .. OF COURSE ITS a GOOD school.... One of the best if not THE best for an Undergraduate education.
I think partying is just part of any college. It’s up to the individual student whether to make the decision to partake or not. My son went to a local university, and sadly enough, let his class schedule slide because of partying. Many of his high school peers went to the same university which did not help, but ultimately, it was my son‘s choice to party and he had to brunt the responsibility for his actions. That first year away from family, PARENTS, is stressful and a time of exploring. My daughter is becoming a college student this fall, and I have no doubt ND would be the best environment for her. She has a different outlook on what she wants to do with HER life, compared to my son. Focus on what is best for you, and don’t give in to pressure to be someone your not. There are other students out there that are like you. No matter what choice, just be responsible.
We have been to South Bend every summer for seven years, and we love the city, and have always felt safe there. Love everything about South Bend except for the stoplights.. you’ll understand when you drive through there. :~)
Academically, Notre Dame is one of the top schools in the United States. When a person says Notre Dame, EVERYONE knows the quality it stands for.
I wouldn't worry too much about the exact rankings. Notre Dame's business program has an inflated ranking b/c of a Midwest reknowned MBA program that lacks the competetion faced by NE and Middle Atlantic programs(eg Wharton). The rankings are primarily based on reputation which is made by graduate programs. For this reason, Notre Dame's science rankings suffer(lack a medical school to bring in funding), but the business rankings are inflated.
As a recent ND grad that works at UPenn, I can speak from personal experience that science majors from ND are generally much more prepared than those from Penn. Penn undergrads however receive a status inflation due to the huge graduate programs.
