I feel as though I’m in the same position as you, and this conversation was a great way to find real advice from real people. I, too, was raised Jewish. WashU is my #1 right now but on the very likely side that I won’t be accepted (nothing against myself, just looking at the stats), I’d like to go to ND as a backup. The Catholicism is genuinely the only prong that concerns me, as the cross is in their school’s logo (so, obviously, religion plays some sort of role in life at the school). I like the private, medium size, and suburban school area of ND. Honestly, it’s the religion that is inhibiting my application. Also, it concerns me how my religion will play into the admissions process. I’m aware that spots can’t be reserved for those of a specific race/ethnicity/gender, but it can play a role in increasing/decreasing a school’s diversity. While this post doesn’t give any real advice or feedback, I just wanted you to know how similar our circumstances are and how you are not alone in this process.