Notre Dame REA & Vanderbilt ED2 chances (rising senior, WI)

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Demographics

  • US citizen

  • Wisconsin

  • Public High School

Cost Constraints / Budget
(High school students: please get a budget from your parents and use the Net Price Calculators on the web sites of colleges of interest.)

Intended Major(s): Neuroscience, Biochemistry.

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.992

  • Weighted HS GPA: No weighted system, I don’t know

  • Class Rank: Top 10%
    ACT/SAT Scores: 32 with 34 Science (enhanced ACT, science not counted)

List your HS coursework

Freshmen: English, Biology, German, US history, Earth Science, Band, Math (Alg. 1)
Sophomore: AP Bio, AP Euro, English, two Math (geometry and Alg. 2), German
Junior: AP Stats, AP Macro, AP Lang, AP US Gov, AP Chem, AP Psych, Precalc
planned Senior: AP Calc AB, AP Physics C Mech, APUSH, AP Lit

All 4’s on AP exams except 5’s in Euro and Lang

Awards:
AP Honors w/ Distinction
Two other schoolwide honors

Extracurriculars
-Founder and President of our schools UNICEF Chapter, $2k raised
-Clinical Volunteering (50 Hours) transporting biohazards, patients, medicine etc
-Publication of a short story by our city’s local journal
-Nursing Home activities director (around 100 hrs) engaging memory care residents with social activities
-Community food assistance volunteer (70+ hrs) serving/cooking meals to people with housing insecurities
-Honorary Science Olympiad division B members, (reg. gold and silver; state two 5th’s place)
-Key Club president
-Nat’l Honors Society
-StuCo
-DECA (one year, out of interest, earned 4th reg.)

Essays/LORs/Other
Assume good essays
Assume good LOR’s by teachers
Assume generic counselor letter

Schools

  • Extremely Likely: UMN EA, UW Madison, Iowa State

  • Likely: Purdue

  • Toss-up: Emory?

  • Lower Probability: University of Notre Dame REA

  • Low Probability: Vanderbilt ED2

2

Congrats on a fine record.

You didn’t note your budget - as these schools are $90K plus.

You have a great background with lots of service which will help at Notre Dame.

Truth is, you can get into any school but obviously Emory, UND and Vandy are at the higher difficult level.

I would move Purdue to extremely likely - so those are four for sure. Have you visited? Given your majors, Pitt might be another fine school for you.

But you will have at least 5 admits with this list - and very good schools in the sciences, especially Wisc and Minnesota.

Best of luck.

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I would recommend applying test-optional to both University of Notre Dame & Vanderbilt University, if that option is still available. Notre Dame’s advertised mid-50% ACT composite range is 33-35, only covering enrolled students that submitted scores. One would expect that a composite score of 36 could provide a slight advantage but that a score of 32 could provide a slight disadvantage. Remember, applicants with ACT scores of 36 get rejected & ones with scores of 32 get admitted, but at a much higher percentage vice-versa. ACT scores of 33-35 should be viewed as neutral for ND & Vandy, scores that won’t help but also won’t potentially hurt. I’m assuming that you have no plans to retake the ACT. Submit all AP scores or reveal unofficial reported scores, if any colleges request them.

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You think Emory is a toss up with a 32, when you’re applying RD and has higher stats than Notre Dame?

5

This is a good list if all the schools are affordable and you like them all (even – especially – your safeties).

Just a couple things:

  • Only ED2 to Vandy if it is your clear #1 choice at that point in the admissions process
  • I would call Emory a reach and Purdue OOS a low match or even an admissions safety. So as TSBNA said, I think you have four very likely admits.
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Did you stop German after sophomore year? Was more available at your HS, in-house or through regular DE channels?

I’m asking because Notre Dame says that while only 2 years of a single language are required, they prefer 3-4 years, but Vanderbilt seems more open to just doing 2 if you are doing a lot of other advanced stuff.

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It’s just staggering to me how a 3.992 GPA is only top 10%. Notre Dame loves high test scores. It’s a stretch. But it’s a stretch for any non All American fb player. I wish you luck. It’s a special place

8

Notre Dame has a good neuroscience program. My kid was admitted there. We toured it, but he decided on engineering, fell in love with a different school’s engineering program and environment. If he would have gone premed/neuroscience, Notre Dame would have been in the Top 2. Your stats are competitive. Good luck.

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