Known for its iconic football team, the Fighting Irish, the University of Notre Dame is a Catholic research university located just outside of South Bend, Indiana. Four out of five of the university’s 8,700 undergrads live on campus. As a somewhat progressive school with a rich tradition, the website says, “It is dedicated to religious belief no less than to scientific knowledge.” The acceptance rate is 16 percent.

The First Prompt  

The founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, Blessed Basil Moreau, wrote, “We shall always place education side by side with instruction; the mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart.” How do you hope a Notre Dame education and experience will transform your mind and heart? (200 words)  

Prompt 1, Where to Begin  

The first thing we want you to do is to go back and read that paragraph again. Every student has an academic niche. It’s the one you’ve been cultivating for the last few years of high school and perhaps even before that. Before proceeding with your response, identify what yours is. A note: a lot of students we know are ready to pursue a different path in college. Perhaps they’ve focused on English literature throughout high school, taking AP English classes and starting a great British novel book club—but they’re now really thinking about becoming an Econ major in college. That’s fine. We want you to know that once you get in, you can do whatever you want. But for the purposes of this essay, you should write as though you intend to pursue a major that’s an extension of whatever your academic niche has been in high school. Another note: this is not a binding essay. It’s not even a declaration of your major to your academic advisor. This is just for the admissions committee.

Prompt 1, Step 2  

Now that you’ve identified your academic niche, learn everything there is to know about its relative field at Notre Dame. What are the classes (sophomore-level and above)? Who are the professors? What research are they conducting? What clubs would students in that field be signing up for? Are there internship opportunities that count as school credit? Now, talk about where you and the university’s program overlap; why the two of you are the perfect fit based on what you’ve been pursuing academically and what they have to offer. A good way into this is to briefly discuss in a few sentences the origin story of how you became interested in your niche. Be specific. Perhaps you did a project freshman year. Demonstrate your passion. (i.e.: speak to the “heart” portion of the prompt).  

The Second Prompt

Please provide responses to TWO (2) of the following questions: 

Before you dive in here, consider that every essay henceforth is an opportunity for you to show Notre Dame a part of your personality that’s not present elsewhere on your application. So, your resume might demonstrate that you’re a natural leader. Your essays should demonstrate, for example, that you’re a great listener with a sense of humor. Keep that in mind as you answer the below prompts.   

Prompt 2, Question 1

A Notre Dame education is not just for you, but also for those who will benefit from the impact you make. Who do you aspire to serve after you graduate? (200 words)

We like this question because it is kind. Start out by thinking about who you’re already serving. If you’re applying to Notre Dame, a school for whom altruism is a characteristic, you should be someone who promotes those ideals in your daily life. If you can’t answer this question authentically, don’t. Tell a story about something you’ve already been doing to make an impact. This should be a story that reflects something outside of your current resume. So, talk about a project you worked on in class, for example and how you learned about an area you’d like to impact in the world. Then, tie in the ways in which your education at Notre Dame can help you make that impact.  Be very specific. Don’t just climate change, but talk about a specific issue therein. A note of caution: do not talk about a community service trip you took to a developing country. It screams privilege.

In response to the rising momentum behind the Black Lives Matter movement during June 2020, G. Marcus Cole, the Joseph A. Matson Dean of the Notre Dame Law School, penned an  entitled, “I am George Floyd. Except I can breathe. And I can do something.” He issues a call to the Notre Dame community saying, “each of us must do what we can, wherever we are.” What is one action you are taking “to change this world for the better?” (200 words)

We like Notre Dame a lot. This is another really nice and introspective question. Follow the guidance from question one above, here. Talk about something that’s not elsewhere on your resume. It doesn’t need to be some grandiose thing and it certainly shouldn’t portray you as someone who thinks they’re a savior—particularly if you’re white. Be specific. It’s okay for this to be some simple and conscious action you’re taking every day. Tell a story here.

God and the Good Life is an interdisciplinary course created by the departments of Philosophy and Film, Television, and Theatre that asks students to consider moral questions about what they believe and how they want to live their lives. What do God and a good life mean to you? (200 words) 

Tell a story here that demonstrates what God and a good life look like to you. Pick one specific activity. Perhaps you go to a place in nature every week and journal about the things in your life you’re grateful for. Even though 200 words is not a lot, it’s enough space to tell a complete story with a beginning, middle and end. Always be specific and include rich detail. Don’t explain your answers. Show what they look like in your life.

Notre Dame has a rich history deeply rooted in tradition. Share how a favorite tradition from your life has impacted who you are today. (200 words)  

Same as the question above, show, don’t tell. Write a story about what the tradition looks like and then extrapolate upon the impact. This is an opportunity to be very rich with detail. Get specific. Talk about one specific day in your life where you practiced this tradition.

What brings you joy? (200 words)  

We like this one. It’s an opportunity to get really creative. We often encourage our students to break form in their essays and this is a ripe opportunity to do so. Again, talk about one specific instance, don’t just explain. Write it out as a play or a dialogue between you and someone else. Write out a recipe if you’d rather. One thing to keep in mind is that the purpose of the essay is for you to become relatable to the anonymous admissions committee reading your response. A great way to do that is through humor. If you can be funny, do it.

Need help with your Notre Dame essays? Reach out to us. We’re great at helping students stand out on paper.