So I repeated my Junior Year in high school. I was a young junior at my old public school, and got bullied and was depressed and I was not able grow enough emotionally to be able to go to college the year after. So I transferred schools and repeated this year. My grades are great at my new school, as I have a 5.0 weighted gpa and 4.0 unweighted. In the three years at my old school, I averaged a 4.3 weighted. Freshman year I was in all honors and got straight As and the same my Sophmore year. My first Junior year I took AP Chem, AP English, and honors everything else. I got Bs in the Ap classes and Bs in Honors Pre-calc and Honors Anatomy. This year, my second junior year at my new school which is doing the IB program, I got all As in all my classes, which was full IB. For test scores, I am not sending in my SATs, but i have taken the math subject test and got a 660. I plan on taking two more. I am planning on taking the ACT and all my practice tests point to a 33. I play varsity soccer and tennis, was a lead in the musical, a volunteer for a state board that influences policy that is directed towards mental illness and youth, and I set up a program in my school that is spreading to other schools that educates kids about mental illness. So considering all of this, what are my chances of getting into Notre Dame? Oh and in addition I am getting a letter of reccomendation from the speaker of the house in my state who went to Notre Dame, another from a grad who donates a lot and is one of the best attorneys in the country, and my great uncle was a running back there a while back. Please help I am freaking out! and any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!
You should, explain your circumstance when they ask. Pretty sure they have a section for it, you have a higher GPA and extracurriculars than most candidates. You’ll certainly be able to get into college don’t fret. If you’re planning for a top-tier school you might need a bit more extracurriculars and the SAT should be much higher. If not, you should be fine.
Lots of kids who enter elite prep schools DELIBERATELY repeat a year as new students. In fact, they’re even referred to as “repeats”. There’s no stigma attached to it if it’s a deliberate repeat, as compared to failing a grade and being involuntary held back.
Thanks for the help. I forgot to mention I will be captain of my soccer and tennis team next year, I am part of the USTA and play competitively, I am president of SADD, newspaper club, chess club, and photography club. Also, I am a published writer on the Pennsylvania system of care website, i volunteer at a local homeless shelter, I am a volunteer for the national pancreas foundation, and I am a student ambassador at my school.
- What else specifically should I do?
- Would you consider Notre Dame top tier? and if so what are my chances?
- Do they look at subject tests that closely?
Thanks again @Hamlin
Thank you so much
First off, those seem like powerful people to write recommendation for you however make sure they actually know you otherwise the recommendation is nearly worthless so maybe have lunch with or at least a meeting with the recommenders.
What was your UW GPA? Most of the time colleges look at your UW rather than your W.
IF you do manage to get a 33 then that would put you right in the middle of their middle 50%, however what do you want to major in? If you want to major in a stem field then obviously your math and science sub scores should be the highest, or vice versa for a Liberal Arts degree.
I think if you show (which it looks like you have so far) that repeating the 11th grade was the best thing for you, both health wise and grade wise, that they won’t look to harshly upon it, especially since you didn’t repeat the year because you failed all of your classes, I think most colleges overlook certain things due to adverse conditions. I think they will see your first junior year as the anomaly among the other years of success. However on the other hand repeating a year is still i big no-no for major colleges. To have the best shot you need to shoot not just to be in the ranges in of Notre Dame, but past them, blow them out of the water. Also if you could get your guidance counselor to address why you repeated a year and the circumstances that would be a tremendous aid to you.
I nor anyone on here can make you any promises, but I think if you keep your grades up get a 33 or above on the ACT (preferably above), write amazing essays, and have those powerful rec’s (but make sure they know you), then you have a no worse shot than most other applicants. All this being said however Notre Dame is still a reach school for you, so make sure you apply to plenty of other match and safety schools.
Wish you the best of luck.
@fulofsteel You’re certainly eligible for an Ivy League. And as for subject tests they look at those with almost equal consideration of SAT Reasoning Test. The extracurriculars are impressive certainly, with that information I believe you’re fine when it comes to leadership. The only thing I can recommend is cram for Standardized Test Scores. The mean should be around 710-800. The higher the better. Notre Dame is a bit on the top tier level. I’m gonna say 85% chance for Notre Dame. Should be higher but If it’s a school you love, ED is the best option. Some schools have a high volume of applications and are limited to acceptances leading to the rejections of overly-qualified candidates like yourself. Notre Dame isn’t big of a name as Harvard or Yale is so I’d bet you will get accepted. Make sure you have more than one school choice in case the unlikely happens.
-Also to clarify, you don’t need SAT1 didn’t mean to hint that but I do recommend your SAT II’s to be in the 700-800 range.
-Your extracurriculars are perfect.
-Your essays can either harm you or help you, make sure not to procrastinate with the entire app, let your teacher(**s) revise it.
Good luck!
ok. Thanks a ton