university of notre dame supplemental essay

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3 University of Notre Dame Essay Examples by Accepted Students

The University of Notre Dame is a highly selective school, so it’s important to write strong essays to help your application stand out. In this post, we’ll share essays real students have submitted to the University of Notre Dame. (Names and identifying information have been changed, but all other details are preserved).

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our University of Notre Dame es say breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Prompt: 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)

I was ten years old when I first heard the word Alzheimer’s. While my Mom explained that Grammy would progressively lose several of her mental functions, my head spun as I tried to process my new reality. I grew up 2,000 miles apart from Grammy, and after her diagnosis, our lengthy phone calls turned into meaningless exchanges as she forgot who I was. I was fifteen when Grammy passed away, but my heart mourned the person I lost five years earlier, the side of my grandmother that disease had stripped away.

I aspire to honor Grammy’s legacy by serving elderly patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. At Notre Dame, I would like to work under Dr. Suhail Alam to develop therapies for treating neurodegenerative disease using epigenetic pathways. In this role, I will tie my personal connection with neurodegenerative disease to my research skills from the USC Biomechanics Research Lab, working towards a cure to serve both current and future Alzheimer’s patients. Once I graduate, I hope to build on this foundation as a physician. By working directly to treat Alzheimer’s patients and continuing with medical research, I will serve all those who have been personally affected by neurodegenerative disease.

What the Essay Did Well

This is a great response that answers the prompt, has a strong emotional connection, and even ties in why this student wants to attend Notre Dame. The essay goes above and beyond what the prompt asks for without losing any of the important details and explanation needed to answer the prompt.

We learn that this student wants to serve people who have been affected by neurodegenerative diseases and their families by becoming a physician for Alzheimer’s patients. It’s very clear who they intend to serve after graduation. We also get emotional reflection in the anecdote at the beginning the student used to explain their motivation for focusing on neurodegenerative diseases. This essay does a really good job of establishing emotion and pathos in a story that fits with the rest of the essay. It wasn’t super detailed, but we learned how hopeless this student felt and how that translated into a need to dedicate their life to serving Alzheimer’s patients.

Another great aspect of this essay is how it mentioned specific resources at Notre Dame that will help them accomplish their goal of becoming a physician post-grad. The prompt didn’t specifically ask for the student to discuss offerings they want to take advantage of, but including it shows that this student feels Notre Dame will play an integral part in their future success. Mentioning Dr. Alam and the specific research this student wants to participate in is a clear sign that this student has done their research and knows exactly what they want out of Notre Dame.

In general, this was a great response to the prompt because it walked the reader through this student’s life. Starting with this student’s reasoning for pursuing this path when they were a child, the essay then discusses how they will develop their interest and skills in college to ultimately be able to practice as a physician as an adult. This roadmap the essay follows makes the essay very easy to follow so they reader walks away knowing exactly who this student wants to serve and how they intend to get there. 

What Could Be Improved

One way this essay could be strengthened would be to employ more showing and less telling in the anecdote at the beginning. Right now, the student tells us what happened retrospectively: “I was ten years old when I first heard the word Alzheimer’s.” Rather than explaining what happened as the current senior writing the essay, the student should have put themselves back in the moment as a ten year old kid to make the story more engaging.

If the essay showed the anecdote instead of telling it, it could look something like this: “‘Alzheimer’s?’ I could barely figure out how to spell the word, let alone comprehend what it meant for Grammy. ‘So Grammy isn’t going to remember me anymore?’ There must be a mistake.” Putting the student into the moment when they first heard about their grandma’s Alzheimer’s allows them to use dialogue and real-time emotions to deliver an even bigger emotional connection in the hook.

I could sense my student—Aanya’s—interest evaporate as I stumbled. My virtual whiteboard was filled with abstract art, trying to pass off as math notations. Although I was initially reluctant to let her use Khan Academy, its quality and technical sophistication blew me away. Moreover, after Aanya mastered the basics online, we explored exciting higher-order problems and she developed enduring insights.

The economist in me spotted the opportunity to divide labor. Imagine the power of a great teacher reaching millions of students across the world through a single video. This allows physical teachers to support students who need more help individually. Especially in underfunded schools with teacher shortages, pre-recorded lessons would be a cost-effective solution.

However, implementing blended pedagogy is impossible through one discipline. The pandemic exposed an alarming digital divide, and there’s a desperate need to procure laptops and provide internet access. To raise capital and gain expertise to execute these projects, I’d use resources at Mendoza for nonprofit management. I want to take political science classes because without understanding political hurdles, these grand dreams would be stillborn. 

After I graduate, my most far-flung-dream is to start a school, innovative in pedagogy and audacious in striving to improve social mobility.

This essay did a good job of presenting the student’s knowledge about education and the nuances in providing a good education. Through their discussion of tutoring a student, pre-recorded lessons, and disparities in Internet access, this student establishes that they have hands-on experience and theoretical knowledge about how to best provide education. Providing these details helps display the student’s passion for teaching. By making the student’s passion clear, the admissions officers reading this essay know that this student will be an engaged student who will one day accomplish something great.

The essay also did a nice job of connecting the student’s future dream to what they discussed during the essay. In the last sentence we learn that this student wants to open a school that combines innovative teaching methods, they mentioned in the second paragraph, with the possibility for social mobility, that they recognized was an issue in the current education system in the third paragraph. Having this overarching idea was helpful to understand how everything they mentioned would fit together in their future.

This essay really struggled with clarity. It wasn’t clear until the last sentence what this student actually wanted to do after graduating. The initial story of tutoring Aanya didn’t really connect to the rest of the essay and left the reader trying to find a connection in the first few paragraphs. The student’s ambition to open up a school with innovative teaching methods to overcome social mobility should have been upfront so the reader would understand how each paragraph fit into answering the prompt.

The transitions from ideas were also disjointed which added to some of the confusion. The student goes from talking about tutoring a student, to Khan Academy, to economics, to unequal Internet access without providing a clear roadmap of where they are heading next. These transitions could have been made clearer with the inclusion of transition words to segway from one topic to the next. 

It was also unclear what this student’s connection to this issue was besides tutoring Aanya. They seemed to be informed about providing education, but there was a lack of personal reflection on what inspired them to start teaching in the first place or when they realized disparities in Internet access was an issue they wanted to address. By the end of the essay, the reader knows what the student wants to do (open a school that addresses the online learning and social mobility problems addressed in the essay), but we don’t know why . The why is the most important part, so this essay needs to address that. 

Prompt: Notre Dame has a rich history deeply rooted in tradition. Share how a favorite tradition from your life has impacted who you are today.

Although I despised them at the time, technology restrictions in Boarding school gave birth to a tradition close to my heart. With nothing else to do, our suitemates would gather together after “lights-out” and just talk. Sometimes it’d be consoling a friend over a bad break-up or a serious debate on the merits of Latin honors. Whatever the topic, these conversations were always compassionate, spirited, and a source of familial support.

This camaraderie also made studying profoundly different, as learning and fun stopped being antithetical ideas. Nights reserved for calculus were always punctuated by ping-pong sessions, but we never sabotaged each other in a futile race to the top. We were a collaborative family, where instead of selfish opportunity costs, we were driven by brotherly love. No accolade could beat this feeling of finding home, away from home. 

At Notre Dame, to build that sense of family, I want to create a discussion group—Night Owls—to gather at night and ponder both the grandiose and whimsical philosophical questions over hot chocolate. Think of these events as modern versions of the infamous Greek Symposia, just without the booze. This combination of conversation, family, and intellectual inquiry is what I want from college. It doesn’t sound very prudential, but it’s surely poetic.

The student who wrote this essay did a good job of tying their previous experience with a tradition to a tradition they want to bring to the Notre Dame community. This student pinpointed exactly what they loved so much about living in a community with their peers and how they planned to recreate that experience in college. The descriptions about the types of debates or ping-pong tournaments the student engaged in create an image of an intellectual and supportive environment admissions officers want to see at their college.

Additionally, by coming up with a name and a plan for the discussion group, the student’s interest is evident and it shows that they took time to consider genuinely starting this group at college. In general, the student’s writing created a warm sense of family and bonding that displayed some of the student’s key values. This leaves the reader with a positive impression of the type of person this student is outside of the classroom, which was exactly what the prompt was looking to achieve.

One way this essay could be improved would be to include concrete examples of the types of discussions the student had at boarding school or want to have at Notre Dame. Although the essay mentions discussing bad break-ups and Latin honors, adding more detail like a quote said by one of the student’s friends or an idea they discussed that made them reflect on the world would help put the reader in the room with the student. The admissions officers should have a full grasp on the impact these late-night discussions had on the student. The more details and reflections to show what memorable things were said, the better the readers will understand why this is such an important tradition to this student. 

Where to Get Your Notre Dame  Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Notre Dame essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2024-25 — Prompts and Tips

August 23, 2024

The University of Notre Dame is a famed Catholic institution located outside the city of South Bend, Indiana. It is a dream college for many brilliant high school students around the globe, across all faiths. For the Class of 2028, the acceptance rate fell to 11%, roughly one-third the figure seen back in the late 1980s. This begs the question—if most of the 30,000 applicants to Notre Dame are academically qualified, how does the school decide which 3,400 to accept? While the answer to that question is, of course, multifaceted, one of the answers is that you need to take advantage of the Notre Dame supplemental essays.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into the University of Notre Dame? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Notre Dame: Admissions Data and Strategies   for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Your mission is to write compelling, standout compositions that showcase your exceptional writing ability and reveal more about who you are as an individual. There are several parts to Notre Dame’s writing supplement and you must answer a total of five prompts—two short answer (150 words or fewer) and three very short answer (100 words or fewer). Below are Notre Dame’s supplemental prompts for the 2024-25 admissions cycle along with tips about how to address each one.

Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2024-25

Briefly share what draws you to the area(s) of study you listed. (100 words).

Note: you can choose up to three areas.

First, consider your academic area of choice, and then, identify interests and experiences that relate to it. What fascinates you about your chosen area(s) of study? Are there certain topics (encountered in or outside of school) that pique your curiosity? What confuses, surprises, or makes you want to learn more? The reader should finish this essay with a clear sense of your current academic motivations and passions.

Everyone has different priorities when considering their higher education options and building their college or university list. Tell us about your “non-negotiable” factor(s) when searching for your future college home. (150 words)

If you choose to answer this question, know that you’ll need to think very deeply about your answer. Admissions officers are going to receive scores of responses about aesthetically pleasing campuses and top-ranked sports teams. As such, dig deep into what your non-negotiable factors are, and think about which ones will be genuinely satisfied by attending Notre Dame. The strongest responses here will likely speak to some aspect of Notre Dame’s academic structure, social community, or general ethos . Ideally, the answer will communicate something important about how your academic and extracurricular priorities are a great fit for what Notre Dame has to offer.

Essays #3-5

Please choose three questions from the options below. your response to each short-answer question should be between 50-100 words.  .

1) How does faith influence the decisions you make?

Notre Dame is a Catholic university, and religion will be part of your education and experience. If you do consider yourself to be a religious, spiritual, and/or faithful person, how does that inform the way you move through life and make decisions?

If you’re not a religious or spiritual person and do not feel that faith has any impact on your decisions, you’ll likely want to avoid answering this one.

2) What is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (eg, family support, culture, disability, personal background, community, etc)? Why are these experiences important to you and how will you enrich the Notre Dame community?

Some students may have a powerful and deeply personal story to tell about their racial/ethnic identity, sexual/gender identity, family background, cultural background, or religious identity, among others; others may feel that there isn’t anything particularly compelling about their own identity in any one of those categories. Alternatively, you could also talk about your place in an affinity group, such as Dungeons & Dragons, anime, volleyball, chess, painting, film, or any other interest one can fathom that is a core, essential, can’t-imagine-life-without-it component of your identity. If so, this essay will likely be a perfect fit for you.

Notre Dame Supplemental Essays (Continued)

Although this prompt’s open floor plan may feel daunting, a good tactic is to first consider what has already been communicated within your Common App personal statement and activities list. What important aspect(s) of yourself have not been shared (or sufficiently discussed)? The admissions officer reading your essay is hoping to connect with you through your written words, so—within your essay’s reflection—be open, humble, thoughtful, inquisitive, emotionally honest, mature, and/or insightful about what you learned, how you grew, and how you hope to impact the Notre Dame community as a result.

3) Notre Dame’s undergraduate experience is characterized by a collective sense of care for every person.  How do you foster service to others in your community?

To truly understand where Notre Dame is coming from with this question, one needs to look no further than the school’s own mission statement: “Notre Dame wants to educate and inspire its students to be moral citizens within their communities and the larger world, to use their talents to the best of their ability, and to develop the generous sensibilities needed to relieve injustice, oppression, and poverty in all of their manifestations.”

If you have been involved in some type of charitable/community service endeavor throughout your high school years, this is a great opportunity to speak about that venture in more detail. Looking forward, how might you continue the work you’ve been doing? You can also connect your aspirations in this realm to specific service opportunities that are available at Notre Dame.

4) What compliment are you most proud of receiving, and why does it mean so much to you?

If you choose to write this essay, strive to be as humble as possible. The compliment you received should simply be a conduit for you to discuss the significance of one of your values, a quality you’ve developed, or a lesson learned.

For example, perhaps the compliment you’ll be writing about is when your principal pulled you aside to tell you that the Diversity Night you organized was one of the most seamless events he had ever seen. Avoid reiterating how great the event was and how everyone had a wonderful time. Instead, reflect on why this compliment was so meaningful. Is it because you were worried about how other students would react to the event? Or because it took you & your leadership team major blood, sweat, and tears to pull it off? Alternatively, are you hopeful that the success of the event will improve inclusivity at your school?

5) What would you fight for?

Out of everything on this Earth, what makes you tick? What keeps you up at night? What issue could you talk about or debate for hours? If you could address one problem in the world, large or small, what would it be? What values do you hold most dear? If you are answering at least one of these questions, you are on the right track with this essay. All the better if you have a truly dynamic and personal story to tell in this realm.

At its core, this essay is a chance to illustrate that you are a mature leader who follows their conscience. After all, this kind of young person would be a welcome addition to the Notre Dame community.

How important are the essays at the University of Notre Dame?

There are only two factors that Notre Dame considers to be “very important” to their evaluation process. They are: rigor of secondary school record and character/personal qualities. The next tier of “important” admissions factors includes class rank, GPA, recommendations, extracurricular activities, and the essays. Without question, the essays play a sizable role in the admissions process at Notre Dame. They can help the committee decide who to admit when choosing between similarly credentialed (GPA, test scores, etc.) applicants.

Want personalized assistance with your Notre Dame supplemental essays?

If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Notre Dame supplemental essays, we encourage you to  get a quote  today.

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4 Tips for Writing Amazing Notre Dame Essays

College Essays

The University of Notre Dame is one of the most prestigious universities in the United States. It attracts the best and brightest students from around the country, and its acceptance rate shows that. For the 2021-2022 school year, they admitted only 15% of applicants . Because most applicants have amazing grades and transcripts, your Notre Dame application essays will be one of the most important ways for you to stand out from the crowd!

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about writing Notre Dame's application essays. First, we'll give you an overview of the Notre Dame supplement. Then we'll walk you through each essay individually and answer the following questions:

• What is the essay asking you to do?
• What makes for a good answer?
• What are some potential essay topics?
• Are there pitfalls you should avoid?

And finally, we'll give you four top tips for taking your Notre Dame essays to the next level. So let's get started!

Why Are the Notre Dame Application Essays Important?

The hard truth is that getting into Notre Dame is tough. Only 15% of applicants in 2020/2021 were accepted, which makes Notre Dame even harder to get into than schools like Georgia Tech and Vassar !

And because Notre Dame attracts top talent, admitted students also boast excellent standardized test scores. In fact, the average Notre Dame student scored between a 1460–1540 on their SAT or a 33–35 on their ACT.

So what kind of applicants get admitted? According to the Notre Dame Office of Undergraduate Admissions , Notre Dame is looking for well-rounded, passionate students who excel in the classroom and are involved in the community. Here's how Notre Dame sums up the importance of the essay portion of your application:

"The writing supplement gives us an opportunity to get to know you in a more personal way outside of your stats. So, let your personality shine, take risks, and remember that there is no right answer."

In other words, admissions counselors want to know the  real  you. These essays are your chance to show admissions counselors that you're the whole package, especially since Notre Dame does not conduct admissions interviews.

That means your essay responses will be one of your only opportunities to show admissions counselors that you're an excellent fit for their university .

Let's take a closer look at the Notre Dame supplement, which you'll have to fill out as part of your overall application.

An Overview of the Notre Dame Supplement

The Notre Dame supplement is available through either the Common App or the Coalition App websites. The Common App and the Coalition App are online platforms that let you apply to multiple colleges at once. If you aren't sure what they are or how to use them, check out our guides to filling out the Common App and the Coalition App , which include tips for tackling the personal essays!

Here's where things get a little bit tricky: the Notre Dame supplement is submitted in addition to the application you have already filled out. That means you will be submitting additional essays specific to Notre Dame on top of the essays you've written for your universal application package. That's why it's called the Notre Dame supplement!

The 2 Parts of the Notre Dame Writing Supplement

The supplement itself asks you to write and submit two additional essays, which are split into two groups:

• First, there's the mandatory essay . This is the prompt that everyone who applies to Notre Dame must answer.
• For your other essay, you're given a choice between four prompts and must answer one.

The online portals give you a maximum of 200 words to respond to each prompt. That's not very much space! But remember: your admissions essays are about quality, not quantity.

Now that you have a general sense of the Notre Dame supplement, let's take a closer look at each essay topic.

Essay 1: "Why Notre Dame?"

Notre Dame is a Catholic university, founded by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, with a mission to educate the hearts and minds of students. What excites you about attending Notre Dame?

Remember: this essay topic is mandatory, which means you must answer it to complete the supplement. But don't worry...we're going to walk you through the process!

What Is the Essay Asking You to Do?

This prompt is essentially the "Why This College?" question. This is a common supplemental essay question designed to help admissions counselors understand why Notre Dame—and literally no other university!—is the perfect school for you. The "Why Notre Dame" prompt also serves another purpose: it helps them get a sense of how you, as both a student and as a person, will contribute to the Notre Dame community.

Y our job is to show admissions counselors that you're the perfect fit for Notre Dame, and vise versa.

What Makes for a Good Answer?

If you want to knock this essay out of the park, here's what you should do.

#1: Do your homework.

The key to writing an amazing "Why Notre Dame?" essay is showing admissions counselors that you've really dug into the resources and opportunities available at the school. Doing this proves you're more than interested—it shows you're passionate and motivated, too.

As you research, look at specific classes you might be interested in taking and/or professors you might want to research under. ( Here's a list of all the colleges and departments at Notre Dame to get you started !) For example, if you want to program the next Alexa, you'll want to mention taking classes like Artificial Intelligence and Software Development Practices. Or if curing cancer is more your thing, you can mention working with Dr. Jessica Brown , who is researching RNA to better understand how cancer works.

#2: Not sure what you want to major in yet? No problem.

This is a common question we get when it comes to the "Why This College?" essay. The simple answer is: it's okay to not know! Admissions counselors know that your major isn't set in stone, but they do want to see that you're thinking about the future. Even if you're not 100% certain about what you want to do in the future, pick a potential academic field for the sake of writing this prompt.

#3: Plan to address the "mind" and the "heart."

You probably already noticed that the application prompt very specifically mentions two concepts: the "mind" and the "heart." Notre Dame is a religiously affiliated institution, and while they don't require all students to be religious, part of their core mission is to foster "the development...of those disciplined habits of mind, body, and spirit."

So in your response, you need to make sure you're doing more than just talking about how Notre Dame will shape you academically. Admissions counselors also want to see how the school will shape you as a person. You'll have to address both of these things in order to accurately answer the prompt!

#4: Don't overlook the Notre Dame community, either.

The prompt specifically asks you about how the Notre Dame experience will impact you, which means admissions counselors want to know more about how you'll fit into the Notre Dame community.

For instance, if you were in theatre in high school, you might want to participate in Shakespeare at Notre Dame ! Also, many departments have their own student organizations (like the American Studies Club or Beta Gamma Sigma , a business honors society). Make sure you check departmental pages for this information.

One quick note about religion: Notre Dame is a Catholic university, so many of i ts community programs are religiously affiliated . Unless you're serious about becoming a member of one of these groups, don't mention it in your essay. Admissions counselors read thousands of applications every year, and they will know if you're being sincere!

#5: Start narrowing things down.

Now that you've done your research and have a list of classes, professors, programs, and extracurriculars, choose the two or three things that stand out most. You only have 200 words, so you need to give yourself space to talk about the items you've chosen!

#6: Relate your topics to your goals .

Remember, your job is to show admissions counselors that Notre Dame is the only school for you. Explain how the classes, programs, and activities you've mentioned will put you on the path to achieve your goals while growing as a person.

For example, if you want to study adolescent psychology, explain how your coursework and experience at Notre Dame will help you go on to research how social media affects adolescents' brain development. By making it personal, you'll be able to emphasize how Notre Dame is the only place that can set you on the path to success.

What Are Some Potential Essay Topics?

Along with the examples we mention earlier in this section, here are a few other topics you might consider for this essay:

• Talk about how you hope to contribute to a specific ongoing research project with professor in your department.
• Explain your future career goals and mention how joining specific campus organizations will help put you on the path to success.
• Discuss how you want to take classes in two departments in order to think about a problem in your future profession in new ways.

Are There Pitfalls You Should Avoid?

Avoid these mistakes so you don't leave the wrong impression with admissions counselors.

#1: Avoid generalities

Make sure you're being as specific as possible about what makes Notre Dame special. Don't just say you're excited to attend because of the school's study abroad programs—most, if not all, major colleges in the United States offer study abroad. What specific programs does Notre Dame offer that you can't find anywhere else?

The same goes for talking about your career interests. Don't say that you want to stop climate change. How do you want to do that? How will specific classes, professors, and research opportunities at Notre Dame help you save the world?

#2: Leave sports out of it

We know, we know: part of the appeal of Notre Dame is joining the legion of Fighting Irish. But unless you're joining one of the athletic teams, focus on academics, career, and service opportunities instead.

#3: Don't sound bored

The question asks about what makes you excited to attend Notre Dame, so let your passion show through in your writing.

Essay 2: Choose Your Prompt

For this section of the Notre Dame essay supplement, you're given three essay prompts, and you'll choose one to answer. Again, you'll have a 200 word limit. 

How to Choose Your Prompt

For some people, choosing the prompt is the hardest part! There are a few things you can do to make this easier.

#1: Choose the prompt that lets you share new information

Go through the list and rule out any prompts that you've already discussed as part of your Common App or Coalition App. Some of the Notre Dame supplement essays involve talking about similar topics to the Common App and Coalition App essay prompts. Make sure you choose a Notre Dame essay prompt that lets you talk about something fresh and new!

#2: Brainstorm every prompt

Take an afternoon and write down potential ideas for every prompt below. Don't worry about whether the ideas are good or not—just write them down! Once you're done, take a look at which prompts give you the opportunity to share something new that you haven't already mentioned in your application.

#3: Read ahead

Take a minute to read through the Notre Dame essay example topics below. See if any of the ideas or strategies jump out to you!

Now let's take a closer look at each prompt and how to answer them.

People in the Notre Dame community come from many different places, backgrounds, and walks of life. How is where you’re from a part of who you are?

What Is This Essay Asking You to Do?

The purpose of this essay prompt is to learn more about what makes you who you are. This is your change to (briefly!) show how your background, be it cultural or geographical or anything else, has shaped you into the person you are now. You don't have a lot of room, but try to be as specific as possible.

A major part of this essay is explaining how it relates to who you are as a person, so be sure to choose a topic that you feel will give readers a bit of a better insight into who you are.

What Makes a Good Answer?

#1: Be honest. Don't be tempted to choose a topic that you really don't care that much about but feel will "impress" Notre Dame. It'll result in a weak essay they'll see right through. 

#2: Explain why your background is important to you. This probably the most important part of your response since it shows readers what makes you tick.

#3: Give examples. Give specific examples of how your background has shaped you. Do you have certain family or cultural traditions? Places you visit? Holidays? Go into detail!

#1: Lying . As we mentioned above, don't make up an interest to try to impress the admissions team. Faking your background is a very bad idea, and won't help your application. Notre Dame wants to get to know the real you. Show them.

#2: Forgetting to tie it back to yourself. So your town has an annual rubber duckie festival? Great! But how does that relate back to you? Notre Dame didn't ask this question to learn more about your home; they want to know about you!.

Tell us about a time when you advocated for something you believe in.

In this essay, you get the chance to not only show what you believe in, but what you're willing to do in order to defend it. In short, it's a great way to show off your character, something Notre Dame cares a lot about. The causes closest to you offer great insight into who you are and what you value.

#1: Choosing an appropriate topic. You may care very, very much about which order the S tar Wars movies should be viewed in, but try to pick something that shows your character and beliefs.

#2: Reflecting on your actions. Remember to say why you felt compelled to advocate for what you believed in. What were the stakes? What did it mean to you? And how did you feel after?

#1: Spending too long setting the scene. You only have 200 words, so you'll need to establish the setting as quickly as possible.

#2: Being vague. Another major pitfall in answering this question is being too vague and general. For example, stating something like, "After I told the school board we needed to focus more on sustainability in our school and lunch supplies, it felt good" isn't quite enough. Why did you feel good? What else did you feel? And what happened afterward?

If you were given unlimited resources to help solve one problem in your community, what would it be and how would you accomplish it?

This essay prompt asks you to choose something in your community that you want to fix. This works in two parts: first, you get to show what you care about in your community. Are you focused on environmental justice? A specific neighborhood? A school? A group of people?

Second, you get to dream big and solve the problem yourself , which shows off your creativity and dedication.

#1: Explaining the problem. You'll need to begin by describing the problem, and stating clearly why it's so important to you to solve. Why this specific issue? Why does it matter, and what are potential consequences? How would it help your community?

#2: Describing the solution . In order to show how much thought you've given to this problem, you'll need to take care in providing the solution. You have unlimited funds to solve it, but this isn't the time to get goofy. Instead, think forward to the future: make sure your solution isn't a quick fix, but something more long term.

#1: Not taking the prompt seriously. Make sure you choose a real problem in your community. You may personally find it terrible that there's no frozen yogurt place in town, but try to dream a little bigger. Notre Dame takes their prompts fairly seriously, and they want to know what you value.

#2: Being too general. You only have 200 words, but try to get as specific as possible. If you're advocating for a community skate park, for example, say precisely how that will help the area, who will be positively impacted, and what your unlimited funds will go toward.

What is the greatest compliment you have ever been given? Why was it meaningful to you?

This essay prompt wants you to think about how you see yourself, and why . There are many types of compliments you can choose from, but try to choose one that reflects your values. Perhaps someone pointed out your helpfulness, which made you realize how much you value service. Or maybe you were praised for a talent or skill you've worked very hard on.

#1: Sincerity. This is a tricky prompt. It can be really hard to talk yourself up, and that's precisely what they're asking you to do. Be your truest self, and make sure you do a lot of inner reflection about which topic you choose.  

#2: The right topic . There are many different types of compliments, and they all feel great! But not all of them will reveal what Notre Dame wants from you. It feels wonderful when someone compliments your eyes, but that could be a little tricky to translate into a short essay.

#1: Humblebragging. It's hard! In a lot of ways, this essay is asking you to brag about how awesome other people think you are. But remember to focus this essay on how you accepted the compliment, and what happened to you internally. 

#2: Not reflecting enough. Remember the last part of the prompt: you need to say why this compliment was meaningful to you. Really think about this part. Did it give you confidence that you needed? Did it make you see yourself in a new light? Did it change the way you acted?

4 Tips for Writing a Killer Notre Dame Essay

Follow these four tips to write a great Notre Dame essay that'll show the school who you are and why they want to admit you.

#1: Be Authentic

You're unique, with your own passions, experiences, and beliefs. Admissions counselors want to try to learn more about the "you" behind the transcript, so don't be afraid to let your personality shine through in your essays. Even more importantly, don't try to fabricate stories about yourself that you think will impress the admissions board. We guarantee that there are plenty of compelling things about you! Besides, admissions counselors have a finely tuned lie detector; they'll know if you're making things up.

Admissions counselors look to your essays to learn more about you. That's why it's important to be yourself! Here's what the Notre Dame Admissions website has to say about being authentic: "Your essays are the most enjoyable part of the application reading process. Why? Because we learn about important decisions you've made, adventures you've survived, lessons you've learned, family traditions you've experienced, challenges you've faced, embarrassing moments you've overcome."

#2: Deal With the Religion Question

Not everyone who gets into Notre Dame is religious, but it's important to know that some older demographic surveys show that the student body is up to 85% Catholic . Likewise, institutionally reported data indicates that a student's religious affiliation and/or commitment is considered in the admissions process . So if you are religious and haven't already mentioned that elsewhere, you might consider discussing it in your Notre Dame application essays.

But be careful! Make sure you review Notre Dame's mission and commitments to make sure your answers align with the university's beliefs. Additionally, don't beat a dead horse. Every response shouldn't revolve around religion—Notre Dame is looking for well-rounded students with a variety of interests and passions.

And if you're not religious, don't lie to try and make yourself a more appealing candidate. Like we mentioned earlier, admissions counselors read thousands of applications every year. They'll be able to tell if you're being honest or not.

#3: Jump Right In

Abandon the long-winded introduction! You only have 200 words, so make every one count. To do that, get right into your topic from the very first sentence. If that feels weird, don't worry: you can write a sentence or two of introduction to get you started, then delete it when you start revisions.

#4: Show, Don't Tell

Use descriptive words to paint a picture for your reader. Don't say "I was so nervous to sing in the talent show." Instead, say something like, "My palms were sweaty and I thought I might faint, but I walked on stage and sang anyway." One tells the reader what you did, and the other gives the reader a glimpse at your experience.

What's Next?

Notre Dame is one of the top 20 colleges in the US , so you know admission is competitive. Using an acceptance calculator can help you better understand your chances of getting in .

Notre Dame accepts both the Common App and the Coalition App. Not sure which one you should use? Don't worry: we've got a handy-dandy guide to make your decision a breeze .

Both the Common App and the Coalition App require additional essays beyond the ones we discussed in this post. (Yep, that means even more writing! Yay!) Thankfully, we have in-depth guides for both the Common App essays and the Coalition App essays .

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2023-24

Wondering how to approach the Notre Dame supplemental essays? We’ve got you covered. 

The University of Notre Dame , located in the vibrant state of Indiana , is renowned as one of the top private universities in the nation. With a rich history of academic excellence and athletic success, Notre Dame attracts a dynamic community of students. Consequently, the Notre Dame admissions process is competitive. So, given the school’s low acceptance rate of just 13%, students should do all they can to stand out.

Understanding the Notre Dame supplemental essays

If you’re wondering how to get into Notre Dame, we’re here to help. In addition to maintaining a solid academic record, the Notre Dame supplemental essays play a key role in the Notre Dame application process. In fact, your Notre Dame supplemental essays can be the thing that makes or breaks your application.

This guide will explore strategies for gaining admission to the University of Notre Dame. We will delve into the Notre Dame requirements and dissect the Notre Dame admissions criteria so you know how to approach the admissions process. We’ll also analyze the Notre Dame essay prompts and provide valuable insights to help you craft strong Notre Dame essays. By the end of this guide, you will be prepared to craft compelling Notre Dame supplemental essays that make a lasting impression on the Notre Dame admissions committee.

Ready to learn how to get into Notre Dame with strong Notre Dame supplemental essays? If so, let’s go!

Notre Dame Admissions: Quick Facts

University of notre dame quick facts.

• Notre Dame Ranking Overall: Ranked #20 among National Universities.
• Notre Dame Acceptance Rate: The acceptance rate is 13%. U.S. News considers Notre Dame highly selective.

Notre Dame Essay Requirements :

• Common Application Personal Statement: Choose from Common Application 2023-2024 Prompts (650 words)
• 2 Notre Dame Essays: Choose from 3 Notre Dame Essay Prompts (Community Service Essay, Diverse Background or Experience Essay, or Advocacy Essay) (150 words) 
• 3 Notre Dame Short Answer Questions: Choose from 5 Notre Dame Short Answer Prompts (50 words)

Notre Dame Application:

• Common Application
• Coalition Application on Scoir
• Questbridge Application (QuestBridge applicants are not required to submit the Common Application or Coalition Application.)

Application Types & Deadlines :

• Early Action: November 1st
• Regular Decision: January 1st

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website.

Does Notre Dame require supplemental essays?

Yes, the University of Notre Dame requires students to submit Notre Dame supplemental essays. As stated on their website, Notre Dame supplemental essays allow admissions to “get to know you!” 

In total, applicants must submit the Notre Dame Writing Supplement as well as the Common Application or Coalition Application. This supplement—which contains the Notre Dame supplemental essays—is accessible to registrants on either application platform. It should be submitted electronically.

The Notre Dame Writing Supplement is a valuable tool for the admissions team, offering applicants a chance to present themselves beyond the confines of their academic statistics. Applicants are encouraged to allow their individuality to shine through in their responses. The school also encourages students to take creative risks and remember that there is no definitive “correct” response to the prompts.

How many essays does Notre Dame require?

To meet Notre Dame requirements, applicants need to answer two brief Notre Dame essay questions that are less than 150 words and three short answer essays that are less than 50 words. This makes for a total of five Notre Dame supplemental essays and responses. However, keep in mind that three of these will be quite short. 

In the following sections, we will dive deeper into the Notre Dame supplemental essays by looking at the Notre Dame essay prompts. We’ll also provide advice on how to choose the right Notre Dame essay prompt to enhance your application.

What are the Notre Dame supplemental essays?

As discussed, the Notre Dame supplemental essays include two 150-word essays. For Notre Dame supplemental essays, applicants can choose between three Notre Dame essay prompts. Of these options, each student will select two Notre Dame essay prompts to complete. 

In the next sections, we will discuss the three Notre Dame essay prompts. Then, we’ll help you decide which to select for your Notre Dame supplemental essays.

Notre Dame Essay Prompts 

The three Notre Dame essay prompts for your application are as follows:

Notre Dame University Essay Prompts

Community service essay, notre dame fosters an undergraduate experience dedicated to the intellectual, moral, and spiritual development of each individual, characterized by a collective sense of care for every person. how do you foster service to others in your community, diverse background or experience essay, what is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (e.g., family support, culture, disability, personal background, community, etc.) why are these experiences important to you, and how will you enrich the notre dame community, advocacy essay, describe a time when you advocated for something you believed in and influenced others through thoughtful discourse to promote a deeper understanding of a difficult situation., choosing the right notre dame essay prompt for you.

As noted, the first requirement for Notre Dame supplemental essays is to respond to two Notre Dame essay prompts. However, there are three prompts that you can choose from. 

Overall, applicants should select the prompts that highlight their experiences and strengths. So, choose prompts that allow you to present a compelling and authentic narrative about yourself, your values, and how you can enrich the Notre Dame community. Each prompt also offers a unique chance to showcase different aspects of your character and experiences.

We will use this section to break down each Notre Dame essay prompt. Then, you can select the best Notre Dame essay prompt to enhance your application. 

Notre Dame University Essay Prompt #1

Notre Dame essay prompt #1 is ideal for applicants who have actively contributed to their communities. So, this community service essay is perfect for you if you can reflect on your experiences, values, and personal growth related to service. You should also demonstrate a genuine dedication to caring for others.

Notre Dame University Essay Prompt #2

Notre Dame essay prompt #2 best serves applicants with unique and meaningful personal experiences that have shaped their character and values. This can include factors like family, cultural background, personal challenges, or experiences within their community. So, you should select this prompt if you have a compelling narrative about how these experiences have influenced you. You should also discuss how you plan to contribute to the Notre Dame community based on these experiences.

Notre Dame University Essay Prompt #3

Notre Dame essay prompt #3 suits applicants who have advocated for a cause or belief and successfully influenced others through meaningful and thoughtful discourse. So, you should choose this prompt if you can provide a well-detailed account of the situation, your role, the challenges you faced, and the outcome. It’s also an opportunity to showcase your leadership and communication skills.

Notre Dame Essay – Short Answer Responses

In addition to the Notre Dame supplemental essays, Notre Dame requires applicants to craft three short answer responses that are 50 words or less. For the three short answer responses, you must select from five short answer prompts.

Notre Dame University Short Answer Essay Prompts

1. everyone has different priorities when considering their higher education options and building their college or university list. tell us about your “non-negotiable” factor(s) when searching for your future college home., 2. what brings you joy, 3. what is worth fighting for, 4. what is something that genuinely interests you, and how does this tie to the academic area you hope to study at notre dame, 5. how does faith influence the decisions you make, how to approach short answer essays.

To approach these short answer essays effectively, applicants should consider the following tips:

Select the Most Relevant Prompt

Start by carefully reading and considering all the prompts provided. Then, choose the one that resonates most with your experiences, values, and goals. This ensures that your response is authentic and directly addresses the question. Here are some ideas that connect with each prompt:

“Non-Negotiable” Factor(s)

Focus on key elements essential to your college choice, like academic programs, values, or campus culture.

Highlight a personal passion, hobby, or activity that genuinely brings you happiness.

Worth Fighting For

Discuss a cause, belief, or principle you are deeply committed to defending.

Interest Tied to Academic Area

Briefly mention a specific interest or hobby and connect it to your intended major or field of study.

Faith’s Influence

Explain briefly how your faith guides your decisions or values in life.

Be Direct and Clear

You should use clear and concise language to communicate your thoughts. So, avoid unnecessary words or complex sentences. Instead, get straight to the point to ensure your message is easily understood.

Highlight Impact

If applicable, emphasize the impact of your chosen factor, joy, cause, interest, or faith on your life or decisions. Explain why it’s important to you and how it has shaped your perspective.

Review and Revise

After composing your paragraph, take the time to review it. Additionally, consider sharing your response with others for feedback. They can provide valuable insights to make your writing more effective.

Is Notre Dame hard to get into?

The University of Notre Dame is highly competitive. As a prestigious university with lots to offer , the university receives thousands of applications yearly. Last year, Notre Dame received an impressive 28,000 applications, reflecting its popularity among prospective students. Overall, with a low acceptance rate of 13%, Notre Dame’s selectivity is evident.

The university also sets high standards academically, with mid-50% SAT scores ranging from 1450 to 1530 and mid-50% ACT scores ranging from 33 to 35. However, its commitment to a holistic admissions process is what truly sets Notre Dame apart. In fact, the university actively seeks students who go above and beyond in various areas.

Moreover, Notre Dame takes pride in looking beyond academics, valuing a well-rounded student body. The statistics from the Class of 2027 are telling: 43% of accepted students were captains of a varsity sport, 87% participated in community service, 44% were involved in music, drama, fine arts, or dance, and 26% were head of a major school organization. These figures also underscore Notre Dame’s emphasis on character, leadership, and diverse extracurricular commitments.

Does Notre Dame care about essays?

So, does the University of Notre Dame care about Notre Dame supplemental essays? Absolutely!

Notre Dame takes pride in its rigorous admissions process. While academic excellence is crucial, Notre Dame recognizes that true potential extends beyond grades. The Notre Dame supplemental essays also play a key role in the school’s holistic review process.

Additionally, for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, Notre Dame University has embraced a test-optional policy, reflecting its commitment to evaluating applicants beyond standardized test scores. Instead, Notre Dame places more emphasis on the Notre Dame supplemental essays, viewing them as a means to assess the links between students’ values and the university’s mission.

The emphasis on Notre Dame supplemental essays reflects the university’s goal of admitting students who resonate with its values of intellectual, moral, and spiritual development and a collective sense of care for every person. The Notre Dame essay prompts also offer applicants a platform to share their personal stories, experiences, and aspirations. This enables the admissions team to better understand each candidate’s unique qualities and perspectives.

As a result, crafting impactful Notre Dame supplemental essays is paramount for you. These Notre Dame supplemental essays, moreover, don’t just let you show off your writing skills. Rather, they serve as a window into your character, revealing your commitment to enriching Notre Dame’s community. 

How do I make my Notre Dame essays stand out?

Crafting strong Notre Dame University supplemental essays can enhance your application and make a lasting impression on the admissions committee. These Notre Dame essays allow you to reveal your true self and share your life experiences. They also let you articulate how you would contribute to and thrive within the vibrant community at Notre Dame University. 

Here are some valuable strategies to ensure that your Notre Dame supplemental essays stand out:

Immerse Yourself in Notre Dame’s Culture

Before delving into your Notre Dame University supplemental essays, take the time to immerse yourself in the university’s values, programs, and culture. Familiarize yourself with what makes Notre Dame unique.

If You’re Not Sure, Research

When crafting your Notre Dame supplemental essays, remember this key tip: if unsure, research! In addition to knowing about the university’s programs and values, if you are having trouble writing your Notre Dame essays, be sure to take advantage of the school’s many online resources. 

Showcase Genuine Interest

Demonstrate your genuine interest in Notre Dame by integrating your knowledge of the school into your Notre Dame essays. Highlight specific features that resonate with you, such as academic programs, faculty, or campus initiatives.

Embrace Authenticity

Approach your Notre Dame University supplemental essays authentically. Share personal stories and experiences that have shaped your identity and aspirations. Overall, avoid generic responses. Instead, emphasize what sets you apart as an individual.

Craft Engaging Narratives

Transform your Notre Dame supplemental essays into captivating narratives. Use vivid and descriptive language to engage your readers. Moreover, tell your stories in a way that captivates and resonates with the admissions committee.

Proofread and Polish

Before submitting your Notre Dame supplemental essays, meticulously proofread and edit them. Ensure impeccable grammar, punctuation, and clarity in your writing.

Your Notre Dame supplemental essays are a powerful platform to convey your passion, perspective, and potential as a future member of the Notre Dame community. By following these strategies for your Notre Dame University supplemental essays, you can create an application that showcases your unique qualities. This will help you highlight why you would be an invaluable addition to the Notre Dame University community.

More Notre Dame resources from CollegeAdvisor

CollegeAdvisor offers even more resources to help you feel confident as you complete your application to the University of Notre Dame. Here are some of our favorite resources to check out:

University of Notre Dame Webinar

This 60-minute webinar and Q&A session is with alumni and current students from Notre Dame. CollegeAdvisor’s Notre Dame advisors share insider perspectives about campus life, academic programs, and career opportunities.

Notre Dame Essay Examples

This resource contains successful essays that applicants have used to gain admission to Notre Dame. Reviewing these essays can also guide you in structuring and writing your application essays.

Notre Dame Acceptance Rate

Knowing the acceptance rate of the University of Notre Dame is essential for prospective applicants. This resource likely provides information on Notre Dame’s acceptance rate and statistics about the admitted class, which can help you assess your chances of being admitted. It can also help you make more informed decisions about your application strategy.

The Whitaker Family Client Success Story

Client success stories provide a firsthand account of someone’s journey through the application process. The Whitaker Family’s story details their experiences applying to the University of Notre Dame, including their strategies, challenges, and ultimate success. 

Notre Dame Mendoza College Resources

The Mendoza College of Business is significant to Notre Dame. This resource is explicitly tailored for applicants interested in pursuing business-related programs at the University of Notre Dame. This article provides information about Mendoza College’s unique offerings, faculty, and application requirements. This resource is especially useful if you want to pursue a business degree at Notre Dame! 

Notre Dame Supplemental Essays – Final Tips

Navigating the University of Notre Dame supplemental essays can seem overwhelming. However, think of these essays as your chance to shine. 

The Notre Dame supplemental essays provide a unique platform to convey your character, values, and alignment with the university’s mission, which places a significant emphasis on intellectual, moral, and spiritual development and a collective sense of care for every person.

In this guide, we delved into the world of Notre Dame supplemental essays and Notre Dame requirements. So, by now, we hope you feel well-equipped to submit Notre Dame University supplemental essays that complement your application and demonstrate what makes you unique.

To assist you in completing your Notre Dame supplemental essays, here are some final takeaways:

Understand the Importanc e

Recognize the significance of Notre Dame supplemental essays in the admissions process. These essays offer a unique opportunity to go beyond your academic achievements and reveal your personal qualities. Moreover, Notre Dame supplemental essays allow you to showcase your character, values, and alignment with the university’s mission. So, use them to show why you are an ideal fit for their community.

Know Your Prompts

Familiarize yourself with the specific Notre Dame essay prompts and their nuances. Each prompt is carefully crafted to elicit specific information about you. So, take the time to read and understand each prompt carefully. Then, consider which one resonates most with your experiences and values. 

Craft Authentic Narratives

One of the most powerful aspects of your Notre Dame University supplemental essays is the opportunity to share authentic stories and experiences that have shaped your identity and aspirations. Reflect on your life journey, the challenges you’ve faced, your moments of growth, and the experiences that have profoundly impacted you.

Integrate your knowledge of Notre Dame University into your Notre Dame essays to demonstrate your genuine interest and understanding of the institution. Admissions committees appreciate applicants who have taken the time to research the university beyond surface-level information. 

Conciseness is Key

Given the word limits for Notre Dame University supplemental essays, being concise is of utmost importance. Every word you use should serve a clear and distinct purpose in advancing your narrative. Concise writing respects the reader’s time and showcases your ability to communicate ideas clearly and precisely.

Meticulously proofread and edit your essays. Carefully review them for errors in grammar, punctuation, and clarity. Typos and grammatical mistakes can detract from the impact of your essay and give the impression of carelessness. Additionally, seek feedback from teachers, mentors, or peers to gain fresh perspectives on your writing.

By incorporating these strategies into your Notre Dame University supplemental essays, you can create essays that meet the requirements, stand out, and make a lasting impression on the admissions committee. Best of luck with your application and writing your Notre Dame supplemental essays!

This article was written by senior advisor, Ashley Hollins . Are you looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. Our team will discuss your profile during your meeting and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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August 8, 2024

The University of Notre Dame Supplemental Essay Prompts: 2024-2025

The University of Notre Dame has published its 2024-2025 supplemental admissions essays for applicants to the Class of 2029. This year, in addition to the Personal Statement on The Common Application , Notre Dame applicants are asked to respond to two of three essay questions in a maximum of 150 words and three of five short-answer prompts in 50 words or fewer.

2024-2025 Notre Dame Essay Topic and Short Answers

Short essay prompt.

Applicants are asked to respond to the following essay question in 150 words or fewer:

Everyone has different priorities when considering their higher education options and building their college or university list. Tell us about your “non-negotiable” factor(s) when searching for your future college home.

Students will ideally pick something that sings Notre Dame! Because the admissions committee isn’t asking, “ Why Notre Dame ,” students do not need to include a specific reference to a Notre Dame program, institute, activity, or tradition. But they should choose something that Notre Dame either does extraordinarily well or one can’t find at most other top universities.

Short Answer Questions

Students are asked to respond to three of the following five short-answer essay prompts in 50-100 words.

1. How does faith influence the decisions you make?

As a Catholic university, Notre Dame wants to understand how an applicant’s faith drives how they live their life. Students need not be religious to earn admission to Notre Dame. In fact, students need not even be Catholic. But Notre Dame’s admissions committee wants to feel that you appreciate the role faith can play in the lives of your peers and that you’re open to believing in  something  bigger than yourself.

2. What is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (eg, family support, culture, disability, personal background, community)?  Why are these experiences important to you and how will you enrich the Notre Dame community?

In the wake of the  Supreme Court outlawing the practice of Affirmative Action , many highly selective universities like Notre Dame have included this sort of community question in their supplements. To answer this essay question powerfully, students need not be underrepresented minorities to write a powerful response. The question is intentionally open-ended. If a student wishes to write about their faith and how they’ll bring their spiritual beliefs to Notre Dame, that works! If a student wishes to write about their disability and how they’ll bring a sense of activism for people with disabilities to Notre Dame’s community, that works too!

3. Notre Dame’s undergraduate experience is characterized by a collective sense of care for every person.  How do you foster service to others in your community?

Notre Dame, as a Catholic university, wants to see how you serve humanity. Ideally, applicants will showcase how they serve their community through their singular hook.

If their hook is applied mathematics, it would behoove an applicant to highlight how they’re addressing a community issue — like recycling or the school budget. If their hook is political science, they should write about how they’re agitating for change from a political standpoint with their town or city board (or its equivalent).

4. What compliment are you most proud of receiving, and why does it mean so much to you?

Applicants should avoid giving themselves a big pat on the back in their responses. The compliment should not relate to a significant accomplishment or be superficial. Instead, through brief storytelling, it should reflect their open-heartedness or depth of thought.

5. What would you fight for?

Notre Dame’s admissions committee wants to understand what matters to a student, what makes them tick, and how they’ll go about agitating for the change they wish to see in the world — starting on Notre Dame’s campus. In order to get a sense of the change they’ll fight for each day, the best predictor is the change they’ve fought for to date.

So Notre Dame applicants will ideally zero in on one specific story — one that hopefully ties into the singular hook they present to Notre Dame ( rather than well-roundedness ) — and, through that story, make it clear what matters to them and why.

Also, it’s important to note that students do not need to have successfully swayed others to take action. Maybe they failed to persuade their peers. That’s ok! The mere act of trying to agitate for change in a specific area, ideally related to the student’s hook, will present the applicant in a good light — even if they’re ultimately unsuccessful. In fact, their failure will only make them more human and more likable to the admissions committee.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with Notre Dame Essays

If you’re interested in giving yourself the best chance of earning admission to Notre Dame by submitting essays that wow Notre Dame admissions officers, fill out Ivy Coach ’s complimentary consultation form , and we’ll be in touch to go through our college counseling services for seniors.

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Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

By Eric Eng

The Notre Dame supplemental essays 2023-2024 provide a unique opportunity for students to showcase their fit for the esteemed institution. As the competition intensifies, understanding the nuances of these essays becomes paramount for a successful application.

How many supplemental essays does Notre Dame have?

The University of Notre Dame requires applicants to complete two supplemental essays as part of their application process. For the admissions cycle, Notre Dame provides three distinct essay prompts, and applicants are asked to select and respond to two of these.

Each response must be concise and impactful, with a maximum word count of 150. This structure allows applicants to showcase their experiences and values, aligning with Notre Dame’s holistic approach to understanding prospective students.

Specifics about the University of Notre Dame’s supplemental essays

Diving into the specifics, the Notre Dame supplemental essays 2023-2024 are crafted to reflect the university’s core values and traditions. Applicants are encouraged to draw from personal experiences, demonstrating their writing prowess and potential contributions to the Notre Dame community.

As these essays hold significant weight in the admissions decision, applicants must invest time understanding each prompt and articulating their responses with clarity and conviction.

What are the Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2023-2024?

For the 2023-2024 application cycle, Notre Dame has introduced thought-provoking questions that challenge applicants to reflect on their journeys, commitment to service, and ability to advocate for their beliefs.

• “Notre Dame fosters an undergraduate experience dedicated to the intellectual, moral, and spiritual development of each individual, characterized by a collective sense of care for every person. How do you foster service to others in your community?”
• “What is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (e.g., family support, culture, disability, personal background, community, etc.)? Why are these experiences important to you, and how will you enrich the Notre Dame community?”
• “Describe a time when you advocated for something you believed in and influenced others through thoughtful discourse to promote a deeper understanding of a difficult situation.”

As mentioned earlier, each applicant must respond to two of these prompts, with a maximum word count of 150 words per response, allowing them to convey their perspectives concisely yet effectively.

How to write the Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2023-2024?

Approaching the Notre Dame supplemental essays 2023-2024 requires a blend of introspection, authenticity, and clarity. Before diving into writing, applicants should reflect on each prompt, understand its underlying themes, and recall relevant personal experiences that align with the question.

It’s essential to remember that Notre Dame is not just looking for impressive stories but is keen on understanding the applicant’s character, values, and fit for the university. Therefore, each response should be deeply personal, highlighting the applicant’s journey, growth, and aspirations. Drafting multiple versions and seeking feedback can also be beneficial, ensuring the final response is genuine and compelling.

Notre Dame Essay Prompt 1

The first essay prompt for the University of Notre Dame’s 2023-2024 application cycle delves into the university’s core values. It reads: “Notre Dame fosters an undergraduate experience dedicated to the intellectual, moral, and spiritual development of each individual, characterized by a collective sense of care for every person. How do you foster service to others in your community?” This prompt invites applicants to reflect on and articulate their commitment to community service and the betterment of others, aligning with Notre Dame’s ethos of holistic development and collective care.

Understanding Prompt 1

To effectively respond to this prompt, it’s crucial to understand its two key components. Firstly, it emphasizes Notre Dame’s dedication to nurturing the intellect and its students’ moral and spiritual aspects.

Secondly, it focuses on service to others, particularly within one’s community. Applicants should interpret this prompt as an opportunity to demonstrate how their actions and initiatives contribute to the welfare of others. It’s not just about listing community service activities; it’s about showcasing the impact of these actions on the community and the individual.

Brainstorming Your Response: Prompt 1

When brainstorming responses, consider experiences where you’ve actively contributed to the well-being of others. Ideas could include:

• Volunteering Experiences: Detail specific instances where you volunteered and how it impacted the community and yourself.
• Leadership in Community Projects: Discuss any leadership roles in community service projects, focusing on how you inspired others and the outcomes of these projects.
• Personal Initiatives: Share any initiatives or projects you started addressing specific community needs.
• Overcoming Challenges: Reflect on challenges faced during your service and how you overcame them, emphasizing personal growth.
• Cultural or Religious Involvement: If applicable, discuss how your cultural or religious background has influenced your approach to community service.

Structuring Your Answer for Prompt 1

Your response should have a clear structure: an introduction, body, and conclusion. Start by setting the context of your involvement in community service. In the body, delve into specific experiences, focusing on your actions, motivations, and the impact of these actions. Use anecdotes and examples to bring your story to life. Reflect on what these experiences taught you about service, community, and personal growth.

Conclude by connecting these experiences to how you plan to continue this spirit of service at Notre Dame , aligning your values with the university’s mission. Remember, the key is to be authentic and reflective, providing a window into your character and commitment to service.

Notre Dame Essay Prompt 2

The second essay prompt for the University of Notre Dame’s 2023-2024 application cycle invites applicants to delve into the uniqueness of their journey. It asks, “What is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (e.g., family support, culture, disability, personal background, community, etc.)? Why are these experiences important to you, and how will you enrich the Notre Dame community?” This prompt is an opportunity for applicants to reflect on the aspects of their lives that have shaped their identity and how these elements contribute to the diversity and richness of the Notre Dame community.

Understanding Prompt 2

To effectively respond to this prompt, applicants must understand its focus on individuality and contribution to the community. The key is to identify aspects of your life that are unique to you – cultural backgrounds, family dynamics, personal challenges, or community involvements.

The prompt also asks why these experiences are essential, requiring a reflection on their impact on your personal growth. Lastly, it seeks to understand how these unique experiences will enable you to contribute to and enrich the Notre Dame community, aligning with the university’s diversity and holistic development values.

Brainstorming Your Response: Prompt 2

When brainstorming for this essay, consider experiences or aspects of your life that make you stand out. Ideas could include:

• Cultural Heritage: Discuss how your cultural background has shaped your worldview and values.
• Family Dynamics: Reflect on your family structure or experiences and how they have influenced your development.
• Overcoming Challenges: Share personal challenges, such as dealing with a disability or adversity, and the lessons learned.
• Community Involvement: Describe your role in community activities and how these have impacted you.
• Unique Experiences: Highlight any unique experiences that have significantly contributed to your growth.

Structuring Your Answer for Prompt 2

Begin your essay by introducing the distinctive aspect of your personal experiences or development. In the body, delve deeper into these experiences, explaining why they are important to you and how they have shaped your character, values, or goals. Use specific anecdotes or examples to illustrate your points and make your story engaging. Reflect on the lessons learned or the skills developed through these experiences.

Conclude by articulating how these unique aspects of your life will enable you to contribute to the Notre Dame community, aligning your journey with the university’s ethos. Remember, the goal is to provide a vivid and honest portrayal of who you are and how your unique experiences have prepared you to be an active and contributing member of the Notre Dame community.

Notre Dame Essay Prompt 3

The third essay prompt for the University of Notre Dame’s 2023-2024 application cycle focuses on advocacy and influence. It asks applicants to “Describe a time when you advocated for something you believed in and influenced others through thoughtful discourse to promote a deeper understanding of a difficult situation.” This prompt allows applicants to showcase their leadership, communication skills, and commitment to causes they are passionate about. It’s a chance to demonstrate how they can academically contribute to the Notre Dame community through active engagement and thoughtful discourse.

Understanding Prompt 3

To effectively respond to this prompt, it’s essential to understand its emphasis on advocacy, influence, and thoughtful discourse. The prompt explores the applicant’s ability to stand up for their beliefs and effectively communicate their ideas to others.

It’s not just about the cause or belief itself but about the approach taken to advocate for it and the impact of that advocacy. The key is highlighting your ability to engage others in meaningful conversation, promote understanding, and navigate challenging situations with empathy and insight.

Brainstorming Your Response: Prompt 3

Consider instances where you took a stand or led a cause when brainstorming for this essay. Ideas could include:

• School or Community Issues: Discuss when you address an issue at your school or community, such as advocating for policy changes or raising awareness about a social problem.
• Environmental Initiatives: Share your involvement in environmental advocacy, like organizing a local clean-up or leading a recycling campaign.
• Social Justice Causes: Reflect on your participation in social justice causes, such as equality, human rights, or access to education.
• Peer Leadership: Describe instances where you influenced your peers, perhaps by leading a group project or initiating a discussion on a controversial topic.
• Personal Beliefs: Discuss when you had to defend your beliefs or values, perhaps when they were challenged.

Structuring Your Answer for Prompt 3

Start your essay by setting the scene of the situation or issue you advocated for. Describe the belief or cause you supported and why it was necessary. In the essay’s body, detail the steps you took to advocate for this cause. Focus on how you engaged in thoughtful discourse, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them. Use specific examples to illustrate your influence on others and the impact of your efforts.

Conclude by reflecting on what this experience taught you and how it has prepared you to contribute to the Notre Dame community. Remember, the goal is to demonstrate your ability to lead, communicate, and influence positively, aligning with Notre Dame’s thoughtful engagement and community development values.

How can applicants polish their essays?

Polishing the Notre Dame supplemental essays 2023-2024 is a crucial step that can elevate an applicant’s response from good to exceptional. While the initial drafts capture the raw emotions and ideas, refining these drafts ensures clarity, coherence, and a compelling narrative.

Polishing involves revisiting each sentence, ensuring that every word serves a purpose and that the overall flow is logical and engaging. It’s not just about rectifying grammatical errors but also about enhancing the tone, eliminating redundancies, and strengthening the narrative.

A well-polished essay will resonate more deeply with the admissions committee, showcasing the applicant’s experiences, values, and commitment to presenting their best self.

Tips on revising and editing the essays

• Read Aloud: Sometimes, hearing the essay can highlight awkward phrasings or inconsistencies that might be missed when reading silently.
• Focus on the Opening and Conclusion: The beginning should captivate the reader, and the conclusion should leave a lasting impression. Ensure both sections are solid and impactful.
• Eliminate Redundancies: Be concise. If a sentence or phrase doesn’t add value or provide new information, consider removing it.
• Check for Consistency: Ensure the essay maintains a consistent tone and voice.
• Seek Outside Perspectives: A fresh pair of eyes can sometimes offer invaluable insights and catch overlooked errors or ambiguities.

Importance of getting feedback from teachers, counselors, or mentors

Soliciting input for the Notre Dame supplemental essays 2023-2024 from trusted individuals like teachers, counselors, or mentors can be a game-changer. These individuals often bring a wealth of experience guiding students through the college application process and can provide insights that applicants might have yet to consider.

They can point out areas of improvement, suggest enhancements, and validate the essay’s strengths. Moreover, they can ensure that the essay aligns with the applicant’s overall application narrative and effectively showcases their fit for Notre Dame. Feedback not only refines the essay but also bolsters the applicant’s confidence, ensuring they submit their responses knowing they’ve put forth their best effort.

What are the submission logistics?

The Notre Dame supplemental essays 2023-2024 are typically submitted alongside the main application through platforms like the Common Application or Coalition Application. Applicants should ensure they have an active account on the chosen platform and are familiar with its interface.

The essays should be uploaded in the specified section for supplemental materials, ensuring that they adhere to any formatting guidelines provided by the university. As for the timeline, while the exact deadline can vary from year to year, Notre Dame usually has an early action deadline in the fall and a regular decision deadline in early winter.

Applicants should submit their essays well before these deadlines, allowing for any unforeseen technical glitches or last-minute revisions. Keeping an eye on the university’s official admissions page can provide clarity on specific dates and any changes to the submission process.

Any final checklist or reminders for applicants

Before hitting the submit button, applicants should run through a final checklist to ensure their essays are in impeccable shape:

• Proofread: Ensure there are no grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.
• Adherence to Word Limit: Double-check that the essays comply with the specified word count.
• Alignment with Prompts: Ensure that each essay directly addresses its respective prompt and doesn’t deviate from the topic.
• Formatting: Ensure consistency in font, spacing, and paragraph alignment.
• Backup: Always keep a saved copy of the essays in a separate document for reference or unforeseen resubmissions.
• Feedback: Have one final review from a trusted individual to catch any overlooked nuances.
• Submission Confirmation: After submitting, look for confirmation emails or notifications on the application platform to ensure successful submission.

Lastly, once the essays are submitted, it’s beneficial for applicants to take a moment to reflect on their journey, acknowledging the effort and authenticity they’ve poured into their Notre Dame supplemental essays 2023-2024. This reflection can provide a sense of closure and confidence as they await the university’s decision.

Take Your College Application to the Next Level with AdmissionSight

Embarking on the college application journey can be overwhelming, especially when crafting compelling essays that reflect your personality, values, and aspirations. The University of Notre Dame’s supplemental essays for the 2023-2024 application cycle are critical to your application, providing a unique opportunity to showcase your fit for this prestigious institution.

At AdmissionSight , we understand the nuances and challenges of the college admissions process. Our team of experienced consultants is dedicated to helping you navigate this journey, ensuring that your application stands out in a competitive pool of candidates. We offer personalized guidance, essay review services, and strategic advice to enhance your application and increase your chances of admission to your dream school.

Don’t leave your college future to chance. Contact AdmissionSight today and take the first step towards securing your place at the University of Notre Dame. Our expert consultants are ready to help you craft compelling essays, prepare for interviews, and present the best version of yourself to the admissions committee. Let’s make your college dreams a reality!

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How to Write the Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2020-2021

Padya Paramita

August 28, 2020

The University of Notre Dame prides itself on its close-knit community and strong alumni network. It says a lot about a school when the biggest stereotype surrounding it is that the people are exceptionally friendly. But simply being a nice person will not help you stand out in your college application! If you want to get into this Indiana college , you must take advantage of the Notre Dame supplemental essays 2020-2021 to convey how you would fit in with this lively community. . 

At Notre Dame, students can major in one of the 75 programs available across the School of Architecture, School of Business, College of Arts and Letters, College of Engineering, School of Global Affairs, and School of Science. No matter the field, this Indiana university has a program to suit your academic interests. So let the college know who you are and what you can bring to your chosen program by presenting informative and well-written essays. To guide you through the Notre Dame supplemental essays 2020-2021 , I’ve outlined the prompts, the dos and don'ts of your response, and more tips to provide you with a smooth-sailing process.

Prompts for the Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2020-2021

The University of Notre Dame Writing Supplement consists of one (1) essay response to a required question and two (2) essay responses to questions you select from the options provided. In total, you will write three (3) essay responses. The word count is a maximum of 200 words per essay. 

Required Question

Please provide a response to the following question:

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?

The first and only required prompt among the Notre Dame supplemental essays 2020-2021 asks the classic “why this school” question. Admissions officers want to know which features of the college appeal to you the most and how the resources at Notre Dame can benefit you compared to those at other schools. The key to writing this essay lies in going beyond a listing of things that make Notre Dame an exceptional school. Since these essays are for your college application, your answer should be geared as specifically to you as possible, especially because the word limit is so restricted.

You need to spend a considerable amount of time digging into the university’s website, taking note of which opportunities support your aspirations the most, and letting your knowledge of Notre Dame shine through in your essay. Because your word limit is so tight, you don’t have space to wander all over the place.. Pick one or two criteria that are important to you. Look through academic programs, research opportunities, and extracurricular offerings. How does the particular college within Notre Dame that you’re applying to stand out over other similar undergraduate programs? Are there any particular courses that the university offers in your field that you can’t find elsewhere? Is there a student organization that perfectly aligns with a current club you enjoy? Highlight how you will grow. Make sure your essay can’t be applied to any other college on your list, and convince the admissions officers that Notre Dame is the school for you.

Download Every Supplemental Prompt Here!

Optional questions.

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

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?

On its website, Notre Dame states that it looks for students “who are involved—in the classroom, in the community, and in the relentless pursuit of truth.” Part of this means showcasing that you’re a driven individual who has goals that centre around making an impact, and helping others. 

You can tie your aspirations to your academic interests. If you’re a prospective biology major and wish to pursue medicine eventually, what kind of patients do you want to help out when you’ve become a full-fledged MD? If your goals revolve more around architecture, who do you hope will benefit from your designs. Don’t spend too much time describing what your aspirations are. Focus more on why you’ve chosen a particular group of people. Does it connect with the way you grew up? Is there something you’ve always wished to help people who come from the same ethnic background as you with? You should also talk about how those you wish to serve would benefit from what you may have to offer? Why is it crucial that you serve this particular group of people? Finally, if you have space, outline how a Notre Dame education can help you get there.

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 open letter 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?” 

Choosing to tackle this second optional prompt within the Notre Dame supplemental essays 2020-2021 is a good way to inform the university about your role as an impactful leader and change maker. Admissions officers don’t want a detailed description of the logistics of the action. Within the given 200 words you must focus on how you are taking efforts to make a difference in your community - so you should take a more reflective approach. Think about your most significant involvement, but stay wary of commonly cited activities such as service trips. Remember that “change the world” doesn’t have to signify a large-scale activity. You could have helped your entire neighborhood or school, or you might have helped one or two individuals who belong to it, and still made a difference. Because the prompt specifically mentions the George Floyd story, your story could revolve around social justice.

Use a short anecdote to highlight the role you played in the activity. What were some of your tangible achievements? How did you involve the rest of the community? How would the result have been different if you weren’t present? What have you learned in the process? While you definitely don’t want to undermine your role in the activity, remember that you shouldn’t sound arrogant either. Talk about your achievements in a way that still conveys humility and portrays you as both a team player and respected leader. And of course, make sure your account is truthful and not overly exaggerated. Don’t write about an initiative your brother has really spearheaded and try to pass it off as your own story.

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?

This is an essay option that can appeal to students with various interests — philosophy, religion, or applicants who are interested in media studies. First and foremost, you should visit the God and the Good life website and learn as much about the course as possible. It’s crucial that you have a baseline understanding of what the class offers before sitting down to write an essay about why you would be interested in exploring the topics within the class. Watch the course trailer, look at the upcoming topics, and skim through the readings for the next lesson. If you believe that you’d want to take this class and are keen on learning more about the lesson materials, this option is a good one for you.

Now we come to the two parts of the actual essay. First, consider the moral questions about what you believe in and how you want to live your life. Is there a unique outlook you have on morals and ethics that have always guided you? Second, what kind of role has God played in your journey and how would you define a good life? Notre Dame may be founded on a Catholic principle, but it welcomes students from all backgrounds. This essay has a lot of nuance and hidden layers, so be very careful about how you tread the waters. Allow admissions officers to learn more about you through this essay, and make sure you haven’t written anything that can offend or harm any individual or group of people. If your view on what God is or what a good life means is unpopular, you may need to be especially sensitive about how you are writing about it. You never know who could be on the other side reading your application.  

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

Pay attention to the words “impacted who you are today.” A good way to start your brainstorming process would be to think about your background and experiences. Is there a part of your identity that you feel adds a unique element to your story? Does your favorite club, neighborhood, or family background allow you to celebrate a particular tradition that has shaped you? Notre Dame prides itself on its diverse student body - how do you feel you can add to it? The word “diverse,” while a buzzword, can help you try and figure out the focus of your essay. While it may definitely evoke your cultural identity, sexual orientation or religious views, you can also think out of the box when it comes to tradition. You could talk about nearly anything, from what the preparation of food from your family’s culture has taught you about community to how your tradition of annual hikes with your friend group has changed your worldview.

Because this is part of your college application, you should also look to answer the question of how the perspective from your experiences would help you contribute to Notre Dame if you have space. Similar to the other essays, don’t talk about what you think admissions officers want to hear. What are you genuinely excited about participating in at Notre Dame? What kinds of activities have you led in high school that you believe have prepared you to continue to make an impact in while at Notre Dame? 

What brings you joy?

This is the most open-ended question among the Notre Dame supplemental essays 2020-2021 . The school values students who are particularly invested in activities and topics that are meaningful to them, no matter what the scale. If you have a meaningful hobby that isn’t a conventional extracurricular per se, or you have a favorite movie that you watch over and over again, Notre Dame is telling you to write about it. Just the introductory paragraph to most essays requires over 200 words - you might find it difficult to restrain yourself while talking about your favorite pastime. In order to get your point across, you need to put less emphasis on describing the activity or object - limit it to one or two sentences - and more on what about it brings you joy. Why is it your favorite? How does it recharge you in a way others may not? Has it shaped your perspective in a significant way?

Since admissions officers will see your activities list through the Common App, you should find ways to include anecdotes which will convey additional information about yourself. While you should not pick a purely academic activity or something that you think Notre Dame wants to hear, you also should think of something beyond sleeping, eating, or hanging out with friends. Your outlook on the activity or subject should be unique, and help you stand out among your peers.

Additional Tips for the Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2020-2021

• Choose Your Optional Prompts Wisely - Since the Notre Dame supplemental essays 2020-2021 have provided you the liberty of picking only two of the four optional essays, you must take advantage of this circumstance. Go through all of the prompts carefully and decide which ones can inspire the most powerful essays from your perspective. You could begin by eliminating prompts that might be too risky, for example, if you feel like your view on God might lead to red flags from admissions officers, it’s better not to write that essay.
• Don’t Repeat the Personal Statement - Choose a topic where you don’t have to repeat information that’s already included in the rest of your application. If your personal statement highlights the people you wish to help out later in your career, choose essay prompts from the four other options. Your Notre Dame supplemental essays 2020-2021 are designed to provide new information about you. Narrating the same story won’t work in your favor, as admissions officers might think it’s a waste of their time.
• Be as Specific to Yourself As Possible - Remember these are your supplemental essays. In all of the responses, it’s easy to be tempted to elaborate more generally on the topics - whether it’s Notre Dame’s resources or your most meaningful activity. But resist that urge! You’re under a very strict limit. Use it wisely - connect the majority of your points to yourself. Why does it matter to you if Notre Dame has particularly good resources? What is your personal connection to an unpopular opinion? Avoid generic responses at all costs. 

The Notre Dame supplemental essays 2020-2021 ask questions which provide admissions officers with the chance to get to know you in order to gauge how you would fit into the community. Don’t miss this chance to show your perspective and convey what makes you a unique and memorable candidate. You got this!

Tags : university of notre dame , applying to the university of notre dame , college supplemental essays , notre dame essays , notre dame supplemental essays 2020-2021

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How To Write The University of Notre Dame Supplemental Essays (2019-2020)

Pierre is a leading college and graduate admissions consultant with extensive experience in education and entrepreneurship. His advice has been featured on Forbes.com, U.S. News, CNN Business, the Washington Post, ABC News, Business Insider, and more.

***Interested in reading our Harvard supplemental essay guide for the 2020-2021 application cycle? Click here! https://www.hceducationconsulting.com/post/how-to-write-the-university-of-notre-dame-supplemental-essays ***

You’ve got three essays to write for Notre Dame. Everyone must answer the first question (“Why This College?”). Then you get to choose two prompts from a list of four. For each essay, Notre Dame recommends a 200-word limit.

Here’s how Notre Dame phrases the “Why Us?” prompt:

What excites you about the University of Notre Dame that makes it stand out from other institutions?

Pretty straightforward. Although I like the use of the verb “excite” here—it’s a nice reminder that choosing a college isn’t just about boring data like U.S. News rankings and average salaries six months after graduation. What excites you about Notre Dame?

What excites you, but also what excites you ? See the difference? Part of this question is about Notre Dame, but part of it is about you and your excitement. You need to show Notre Dame that you know a great deal about the school, and have good reasons for applying there (rather than just anywhere), but you also need to provide them with enough information about yourself and your achievements to show that you’re a good fit.

Your task here is to show Notre Dame that:

You know what you want to study (make a major up if you’re actually undecided—just choose what makes most sense based on your past experiences);

You can talk about some upper-level classes you’d like to take at Notre Dame (in line with your academic direction. Don’t mention anything that’s readily available at other universities—pick something interesting and unusual);

You can mention a few professors you’d be interested in working with (again, who teach in a subject related to your academic path. These should be tenured professors, or at least professors you suspect will be around for the next four years. Not sure how the vicious academic hierarchy works? Ask us );

You have a sense of which extracurricular clubs and organizations you’d like to be a part of (do your research—the clubs you choose to discuss should be a logical extension of your past academic and extracurricular achievements);

You have identified any other academic or extracurricular opportunities that Notre Dame and the area will provide you with.

Again, this essay isn’t just about Notre Dame. It’s also about you. Make sure you’re relating what you want to do at Notre Dame to your past experiences—that the professors and courses that interest you will help you build on your most impressive achievements.

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

The founder of the University of Notre Dame, Father Edward Sorin, C.S.C., was only 28 when he established the University with the vision that it would become a “powerful means of doing good.” We have always known that young people can be catalysts for change. What is one way that you have made an impact in your community?

As always, the danger inherent in such prompts is appearing to be making yourself out to be some kind of hero. Remember that sparking a national movement (or founding a university) isn’t a prerequisite for getting into Notre Dame or any other great school.

And in fact, this question asks explicitly what you have done in your community . You’re welcome to think small and close to home.

I would encourage you to spend some time thinking about what “community” means to you. When I suggest that you think small and close to home, I don’t mean you necessarily have to talk about your neighborhood, or school, although you can. You may have a strong connection to an online community, for example. The important thing here is making a strong case for a specific community that is meaningful to you, and what you’ve done to make an impact there.

If you were to bring a new friend to your hometown and give them a personal tour, what is a meaningful place you would show them?

This is a great opportunity for you to link a place to a value or quality that is very important to you. I’m a big fan of connecting objects and places to core values, mostly because values (freedom, curiosity, etc.) tend to sound like empty platitudes until they become personal. Places and objects are a great way to make values personal in an essay.

I would highly recommend responding to this question, and I’d begin by asking yourself: which of my core values don’t yet come across in my application materials? Maybe your Common App essay makes it really clear that you prize autonomy, empathy, and adaptability, and that you have a unique relationship to these values. But maybe you’re also a really competitive and funny person, and you haven’t yet had a chance to show that.

Now ask yourself: is there a place in my hometown that represents competition or humor? Your mind may immediately go to the baseball field at your high school where you play, or the movie theater where you enjoy watching funny films. Ideally, I’d love to see less predictable places. Ideally, your place should relate to the value you want to show in a highly personal way—the connection doesn’t need to be obvious to anyone other than you. The point of the essay is to explore that connection. Maybe there’s a bridge over a stream where you and your sister used to play Poohsticks, and this place represents competition for you. (Google “Poohsticks” if you’re not an A.A. Milne fan.) This example says far more about you and far more about your hometown than if you were to talk about your baseball field. (If you’ve ever flown in a plane you know these are all over the place. So are high school baseball players.) Instead of a movie theater, maybe there’s a cafe where you regularly attend comedy open mics. Or maybe there’s an even less common, more personal place that represents humor for you.

Defend an unpopular opinion you hold.

Let me first say that this is a very easy one to mess up. Sometimes there is a reason that our opinions are unpopular, for one. Whether we’re in the right or in the wrong, feeling like we’re in the minority can lead us to rant and rave about everyone who misunderstands us. That is not what this essay is for. Don’t disparage anyone else.

I generally recommend against writing about political and religious opinions. They’re divisive, for one. More importantly, however, they’re almost never original.

My recommendation for this one is to write about a quirky, unexpected opinion. Write about a truly unusual hill you’d die on. If you can demonstrate something really meaningful about yourself by writing a short piece on how the thing you like most about air travel is the food, about how the best Starbursts are the yellow ones, or about how Jar Jar Binks is the best character in any Star Wars film, go for it. Keep in mind that this unpopular opinion should say something meaningful about the core values you have not yet had a chance to share with your admissions officers.

Many high schools have books that are required reading. Thinking beyond the common examples, what book do you believe should be on your school’s reading list and why?

I love that first sentence. If you are not from one of these many high schools that require that you read specific books, that could be very interesting to talk about.

What’s a little tricky about this question is that, unless you’re a pretty serious reader, you risk falling into certain traps. Just because a book wasn’t required reading for you doesn’t mean it’s a highly original choice. (For example, no one ever made me read 1984 in high school—I read it on my own. But it’s still one of the most typical examples of high school reading.)

Keep in mind that this is still a 200-word response—you need to answer the “why” question here. So whatever you choose should be highly personal, but you should also be able to make a case for why your entire high school would benefit from reading the book. In other words, “it’s my favorite novel/collection of poems/self-help book” isn’t a good enough reason. Your choice should reveal one of your core values—something you think is worth sharing with others.

As always, Ivy League admission consultants are here to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out .

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, notre dame supplemental essays.

I'm planning on applying to Notre Dame and I heard that they have supplemental essays. So, does anyone know what type of questions they usually ask and how to best prepare for them?

Notre Dame does indeed require supplemental essays as part of their application process. While the prompts may change slightly from year to year, they generally revolve around three themes: community, academics, and personal growth. Here are some of the most common questions you might come across:

1. Community: Notre Dame seeks to create a tight-knit community that is diverse and inclusive. You might be asked to describe a time when you interacted with someone whose background differs from yours and how it impacted you. Alternatively, you could be asked about how you would contribute to the Notre Dame community.

2. Academics: Notre Dame values intellectual curiosity and a strong academic foundation. You might be asked to discuss a time when you engaged in a scholarly pursuit that went beyond your coursework requirements or how you plan to make use of your education after graduation.

3. Personal Growth: Personal development is an essential part of the Notre Dame experience. You might be asked to write about a time when you faced a challenge, how you overcame it, and what you learned from the experience. Or, you could be asked to describe a goal you have for your future and how Notre Dame can help you achieve it.

When preparing to write these essays, it's important to reflect on your experiences and consider what makes you a unique candidate. Think about how your interests, goals, and values align with Notre Dame's mission and values. Be genuine and authentic in your responses, and make sure to provide specific examples to support your claims.

To stay organized and focused, create an outline before you start writing. This will help you ensure your essay is well-structured and flows logically from one point to the next. Additionally, consider asking a teacher, school counselor, or trusted friend to read your essays and provide feedback. This can help you identify areas where you need to clarify your ideas or polish your writing.

Finally, keep the word count in mind as you write. Notre Dame has a word limit for supplemental essays, usually around 150-200 words, so it's essential to be concise and make every word count.

With thorough preparation and thoughtful reflection, you'll be well on your way to writing strong supplemental essays that will help you stand out in the Notre Dame application process.

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Notre Dame Supplemental Essay Examples

Taking a look at Notre Dame supplemental essay examples is a top-notch method for learning how to write your own responses to the essay prompts.

Supplemental college application essays are one of the best ways to stand out and show your top-choice school why you are a perfect applicant for their program. They allow you to showcase your personal self, and that is the best way to stay in the minds of the admissions committee and go from an applicant to a student.

How to write a college essay can be tricky; there is a lot to say within a word count that might seem big, but gets eaten up quickly. Studying sample college essays will illustrate writing methods and give you tremendous insight into how to go about creating your own essay.

This article will provide samples to the Notre Dame supplemental essays.

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Article Contents 11 min read

Please note that all Notre Dame supplemental essays have a maximum word count of 200 words.

Applicants are required to answer two prompts in total. All applicants must use the first prompt, but may choose from three additional prompts for their second essay.

Need more tips for writing?

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?

Sample Essay #1:

These days we see science and religion as enemies, fighting with one another.

Born Catholic I started my life unquestioning my religion. When I was in high school, I began walking two paths: one towards science, the other away from faith.

I was frustrated with the Church, avowed there was no God and picked fights with family and friends about it.

My studies gave me the opportunity to visit a particle accelerator. One of the scientists who gave us the tour was, as I found out, religious. I stayed behind, grilling him about how he reconciled faith and science, and he talked about the mystery of the universe. His pursuit for Truth in science was because he loved the profound expanse of nature. His love of God came from the same place.

Notre Dame prides itself on its religious origins and its Catholicism. I have come to a place where I want to explore the universe in an institution that advances science, but remains humbled by the profundity of Creation. I think that these qualities of Notre Dame’s will help me to reconcile the struggle my values and find my place in the universe.

During the spring semester, Notre Dame faculty gave 3-Minute Lightning Talks on exciting topics within their fields of expertise. While you don\u2019t have a Ph.D. yet, we bet you\u2019re developing an expertise in something. If you were giving a Lightning Talk, what topic (academic or not) would you choose? ","label":"1st prompt (of 3)","title":"1st prompt (of 3)"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

I spent a lot of my recent years trying to read as many important books as I can, tracking down lists of books everybody “should” read, mostly composed of classics, academically-sanctioned works of genius, and the most seminal benchmarks of literature throughout the ages. All of this has made reading a chore – a list that I check off. I’m not saying they aren’t great works, just that I put the canons of others ahead of my own enjoyment.

My Lightning Talk would be on literary enjoyment – reading for pleasure – and how this act opens up the mind and the imagination. When I was a boy, I read tirelessly, mostly seeking out the sort of science-fiction and fantasy novels that were likely to have a Frank Frazetta painting for a cover. They were pulpy explorations of pretend worlds that fueled my mind and let me push my imagination to its limits.

I would like to unpack the idea that literature can be fun and still beneficial. I would talk about those pulp-fantasy novels and how they have opened my mind to new worlds.

Sample Essay #2:

Jumping out of a plane is safe enough that they’ll let untrained members of the public go skydiving. But if it’s so safe, why do people get a thrill out of it? Shouldn’t we relax up there?

I’m a bit of a thrill-seeker, spending hours at skateparks, trying to learn parkour, and driving a little faster than I’m supposed to. Recently, I’ve started to wonder “Why?”

I’ve been reading a lot of articles and books about adrenaline and people who go looking for that rush. Freud posited the death wish. Psychologists call it “sensation seeking”. Some people claim it’s for fun, others for a challenge. Adrenaline junkies get worse and worse, needing more of a “hit” as though these heightened brain chemical reactions are the same as a drug.

My talk would be about the reasons why we go looking for thrills and about how it affects our minds and bodies. Knowing why people seek out adrenaline-inducing experiences would help us master our habits and pursue our passions.

Sample Essay #3:

I was listening to the Howard Stern Show, and two of the guys on the show were really yelling at each other. Howard’s program is filled with these moments and it’s one of the most popular shows of all time.

Contentious posts rate higher on social media. Youtube videos with titles like, “So-and-so DESTROYS Somebody” gain millions of views. Why do we fight? Is there a value?

I’ve begun to research why we argue and if there are benefits to it. There are! We work out ideas together as a group that way, we engage with each other, and we can either work out problems or discover who is problematic.

There is a strong movement for social media companies to take responsibility for their users’ speech and shut it down if it gets out of hand. Ironically, the discussions on this topic – free speech and censorship – are as divisive as the speech itself.

My Lightning Talk would be about our fascination with, and the uses for, argumentative behaviors, and about whether or not we should be allowed to say anything we want.

There is a story or meaning behind every name or nickname \u2013 both those we\u2019re given and those that we choose. What is meaningful to you about your name? ","label":"2nd prompt (of 3)","title":"2nd prompt (of 3)"}]" code="tab2" template="BlogArticle">

My name, Dipti, has been a source of relentless pain and teasing, bringing me down constantly, and I hated it.

When we moved to the US, nobody said anything mean to the three-year-old me, but as soon as I went to school, I was bullied. It was my clothes, so I stopped wearing “weird” clothes. It was my food, so I got mom to pack “normal” lunches. It was my name, and I couldn’t escape.

I tried to be called “Dee”, but I was “Dipti” in roll-call.

Dipti means “light”, but it felt heavy. It’s my grandmother’s name, but I didn’t remember her. I had to meet her again when we got enough money to bring her over to stay with us.

Grandma Dipti was Light. I barely understood her words, but I understood her love, and felt shame for trying to abandon her name, like I was abandoning her beautiful spirit.

Now I don’t care who dislikes my name. Embracing who I am found me friends who love me for me. I am working on a family tree, plunging into my personal history, and I love knowing where I come from.

Now my name is a joy and a light in my life.

I share my name with a month of the year and with a general; my name is Julian.

First, I learned of Caesar’s conquests and power. It set a high standard to strive for, and led me to run for student council – Julian the Senator. My connection to a famous historical figure also gave me a love of history; I study it, love it, and hope to become a history professor.

But, in my studies, I also discovered Gaius Julius Caesar’s abuses of his power, precipitating the fall of the Roman republic and the rise of the Roman empire. This is a cautionary tale: use power for good.

Some people nickname me Jules or Julie. “Girls’ names!” That used to annoy me a lot, but I have gained two perspectives in consequence of these labels: the first is that I need a thicker skin; little things shouldn’t bother me. The second is that teasing might sting a bit, but others have it worse with aggressive misgendering, or severe bullying.

I know that I have certain powers on student senate and if I ever cross the Rubicon, it will be for the rights of the bullied, not to become a tyrant.

My parents just liked the sound of the name “Alan”, so that’s my name. I have no relatives named Alan, they didn’t have any close friends named Alan, and Alan doesn’t even mean anything. Some people speculate that it means “deer”, but there are others who think it means, “little rock”, or “handsome”, so it could mean anything.

I gave this very little heed growing up, although I did get annoyed once when my siblings and I were all looking up our names and they had substantive meanings but mine just means nothing.

Some people have names they have to live up to. Their names are grand. Mine is plain. But I like that. I like that, with my name, I don’t have to live up to my name, but I can fill it.

I wasn’t captain of the debate team because I had something to prove, no; it was because I loved debating. My passion led me forward, not some silly high bar set by a name.

This lack of meaning in my main moniker taught me to strive for individuality.

While your essays will be personal, you should use the academic essay structure to make your story flow.

No. You have some choice, but you must complete two essays.

All applicants complete the first essay prompt (Prompt #1), and then choose one from the three other sub-prompts (three entries in Prompt #2).

Generally-speaking, any time you are given the option to submit an essay, test, or short answer, take advantage of the opportunity to showcase your application and make it more memorable.

Essentially, consider everything mandatory, because good quality submissions will all help your application.

Consider them strict, yes.

Keep to the directions you are given, find your creative voice within those boundaries.

Colleges look for people who think outside the box, not those who color outside the lines.

Notre Dame doesn’t use interviews in its admissions process, so the essays are the best way that the admissions committee has of seeing the “you” beyond pure numbers and data. While you can give a picture of yourself through extracurriculars, the essays allow you to speak directly to the committee and show your passion and your journey that is taking you to your top-choice school.

You will be talking about yourself, but specifically highlighting experiences you’ve had, knowledge you’ve gained, and traits and abilities you’ve acquired that will appeal to the school you’re applying to (in this case, Notre Dame).

Try to highlight courses, research, or values that the school has, even if only in oblique ways.

Valuable qualities to show are leadership, curiosity, perseverance, dedication, problem-solving, studiousness, and creative thinking.

If you can showcase that you learn from failure, that can also be beneficial.

Your goal is to say something meaningful about yourself, something memorable that will stick with the admissions committee, and something that will make you connect with the college you’re applying to. If you’ve done that with fifty words to spare, there’s nothing wrong with coming in under the word count.

On the other hand, if you’ve only written fifty words out of two-hundred, it’s likely that you haven’t said enough.

Avail yourself of college essay advisors so you know when you’ve said what you’re trying to say.

Notre Dame is open to all denominations, faiths, and persons from non-religious backgrounds. No matter who you are, you are welcomed into Notre Dame’s studies, and your application is not contingent on your spirituality or lack thereof.

Many universities and colleges in the US were founded by religious institutions or religious persons, but none of those schools will penalize a non-religious applicant or make them feel unwelcome on campus or in class.

When you’re applying to a variety of schools, and we do recommend you apply to 8-10, there may be some overlap in college essay topics . As always, do your research. Before writing all of your essays, take a look at the different topics, and if you find areas of overlap, you can certainly reuse writing.

With that said, colleges are looking for values in line with theirs, so you may need to make sure that your essays align with multiple colleges in every way, not just the specific prompts.

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University of Notre Dame 2017-18 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

University of Notre Dame 2017-18 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 3 essays of 175 words each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why ; Oddball ; Community

Home to a fine athletic tradition, Notre Dame knows the importance of a good warm-up. Their supplement starts out nice and easy, with a garden variety why essay, before ramping up to some pretty probing questions about your morals, values, and very sense of self. The key to nailing this application is pacing yourself — and reading through all of the questions ahead of time so you know which ones are worth the effort!

The Writing Supplement for first year applicants seeking Fall 2018 enrollment includes the following directions: The University of Notre Dame Writing Supplement consists of one (1) essay response to a required question and two (2) essay responses to questions you select from the options provided. In total, you will write three (3) essay responses. In honor of our University’s 175th anniversary, the recommended word count is around 175 words per essay.

Please provide a response to the following question:, what excites you about the university of notre dame that makes it stand out from other institutions.

Why Notre Dame? You have 175 words to explain to Admissions Officers at University of Notre Dame why you are taking the time to apply and fill out these supplements! As with any other why essay, your goal here isn’t simply to regurgitate facts from the admissions highlights page. Take your research to the next level and dig for the kinds of classes and opportunities that spark your interest. By using carefully-selected details, you’ll show admissions not only that you care about the school, but also what kind of student you’d be when you get there.

Your answer can refer to academics: majors, classes, professors, or the community: clubs, events, student body, or anything that makes you want to be a Notre Dame student: campus culture, sports, your dad’s stories of his glory days. This is where you prove that you have done your homework on Notre Dame. Feel free to explore their website for little bits of information that excite you. Maybe you want to join their Culinary Appreciation and Outreach Society. Do they have a Race and Gender in Reality TV class that you would love to take? Let them know! Lastly, remember to connect your own experiences to the ones you hope to have at Notre Dame.   

Please provide a response to two (2) of the following questions:

The university of notre dame is a holy cross institution whose educational philosophy has been formed around five core principles inspired by blessed basil moreau, c.s.c., the founder of the congregation of holy cross. these principles, or pillars, of a holy cross education are mind, heart, zeal, family, and hope, and they continue to shape our students today. which pillar or pillars resonate most with you why.

Listen, cannibals are scary, but right now you should specifically be concerned about college essay cannibalism! This prompt could practically be a sub-question to the main why essay, and if these principles matter to you, you will need to be careful about where you address them. If Notre Dame’s religious affiliation floats your boat, it’s certainly worth mentioning in your why essay, but you might want to save the details for this separate essay! If you’re simply intrigued by the question but aren’t quite sure where to start, you should still keep in mind the connection between this essay and the why essay. Both are sizing up your fit for the Notre Dame community.

All in all, this is a wonderful question because it offers you five different paths to explore! Notably, it gives you the opportunity to talk about your family. So, if you haven’t yet shared much about your upbringing, this is the perfect opportunity for you to tell a story about how your family has shaped your values and turned you into the person you are today. That said, you can take this prompt in any direction you choose! Reflect on why the pillar you chose is so important to you. Or, simply tell a story that you want to include on your application and then draw a connection with one of the pillars. Whatever you do, make sure to project what it will continue to mean to you in the next four years. How will that principle affect your time on campus with professors, students, faith, and your studies?

For whom are you responsible?

This is an “Oddball” question. It’s not quite like the others you’re going to run into in the supplemental essay jungle this application season. It’s a loaded question, but also open-ended and applicable to a myriad of contexts. Maybe you’re the leader of a school club and you want to highlight that experience by describing your personal sense of responsibility to the other group members. You might also say that you are responsible for your family’s well-being as you work after school to contribute to rent or help take care of your live-in grandparents. Maybe you’re responsible for your neighbor’s dog, who you walk every evening. Perhaps you’ve even had to teach yourself to take a step back due to an injury or mental illness and realize that it’s ok to just be responsible for yourself. Whatever the case, your answer should showcase your maturity and awareness of how your actions affect others.

What is one thing that you know for a fact? Why are you certain?

This is an opportunity for Notre Dame to see how you reason, understand the world around you, and persuade others. Your response can be academic or personal, so have fun with it! What is the one thing you know for a fact? Is it that atoms make up a molecule? Are you certain because science has been your favorite subject since you were a wee little lad and you can always trust science? Is the one thing you know for a fact that good will always prevail? Are you certain because you see kindness win out in everyday life when you’re walking down the street? Or maybe the only thing of which you can truly be certain is your dog’s tail-wagging response to the smell of bacon. Think about what you really believe is a fact and then, in turn, why that might matter to an admissions officer. What might it reveal about your analytical abilities, personal values, or sense of humor?

Tell us about something significant that recently occurred in your community. Why does it matter to you?

If you thought you dodged a bullet by skipping “for whom are you responsible?” think again. Tricky Notre Dame has disguised another question about responsibility in a community essay. While the point of entry may be different, the basic qualities you should display in your response are the same: empathy and concern for others. That said, this essay should still be about you, so put yourself first. What news has rocked your world recently? Maybe it was a story of national or international scale, but it could also have been some niche development for vintage resellers on Etsy . To find your “something significant,” list a handful of recent events that you just can’t let go. Then, pick one that connects directly to a community you identify with.  

Remember that your community can be based on location, race, gender, sexuality, a love of hip hop, your High School, your church, so on and so forth. When you’re telling Notre Dame about what recently occurred, think less about explaining the scenario and more about explaining the impact that it had on you. Beyond your immediate reaction, can you tell a story about your long-term response? Do you take the lead in making things right? Can you boost morale with a few sentences uttered through a megaphone? Or, if you used to be a silent member of your community, how have recent events spurred you to action? Admissions wants to know how you will react to something significant when your community is (hopefully) Notre Dame.  

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This Notre Dame Student Wrote Hundreds of Letters to Convince His Family to Become Catholic. It Worked.

Four years after his own conversion to Catholicism, Colin Smith welcomed his whole family into the faith.

University of Notre Dame student Colin Smith didn’t expect the story of his family’s conversion to Catholicism, which he shared on X, to go viral. 

“I am at a loss for words!” he wrote in one post. “It has been surreal to watch our story blow up and to be shared by so many Catholic heroes of mine.”

Raised a devout evangelical Protestant, Smith converted to Catholicism before beginning his freshman year at Notre Dame. After his conversion, Smith wrote hundreds of letters to his parents and two younger siblings explaining the theological reasoning of his faith. 

Four years later, his parents, Beth and Byron, and siblings, Abby and Andrew, entered the Catholic Church on Aug. 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, at the St. Cecilia Motherhouse for the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Smith credited the “enemies of the Church” with convincing his family, explaining on the platform formerly known as Twitter how seeking the truth amid a secular, progressive culture drew his parents and siblings to the Church. “God trounced Satan at every turn,” he wrote online.

Smith spoke with the Register to share the inspiration behind the hundreds of letters he wrote to his family members throughout their gradual conversions. Responses have been edited for clarity and length. 

What’s your conversion story? 

In early high school, I began facing the questions that many Christians face around this age: Does God really exist? Is the Resurrection reasonable? Is the Bible reliable? 

I decided to give every major religious view a fair examination, and I began experiencing an intense spiritual deadening. I only began to feel God again when the Dominican priests and sisters entered my life — especially Father Dominic Legge. He would visit our house for dinners, or we would visit him in D.C., and I remember being perpetually taken aback at how reasonable he made Christianity seem. 

He introduced me to St. Thomas Aquinas and Thomism broadly — especially the Thomistic Institute, which he ran, and Pints with Aquinas , a now-famous podcast hosted by Matt Fradd. At the time, actually delving into Aquinas’ Summa Theologica would have been too much for me, but these less academic summaries helped introduce me to his thought. 

Eventually, I began to read Aquinas' own writings, especially the Summa , and these sources convinced me of the Christian faith. I was especially struck by the number of excellent questions that Aquinas would pose, which I had never considered before. The study of basic Thomism was profoundly therapeutic. It totally changed how I viewed the world, and it erased much of the garbage modern philosophy that I had imbibed through the culture. 

I decided that intellectual honesty demanded giving Catholicism a fair chance to persuade me. When I dove into the Catholic Tradition, I quickly realized that there were too many points of contention to cover, so I decided to focus on questions of authority. 

St. John Henry Newman's “Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine” finally convinced me of Catholicism's claims to authority by resolving my questions about why the Church Fathers disagreed about many theological issues. The other doctrines fell into place for me, and I became convinced of Catholicism in my senior year of high school. I became Catholic the following summer before Notre Dame at the Dominican House of Studies.

Online, you emphasized the role that “enemies of the Church” played in your family’s conversion, including this explanation, “Years before my own conversion, my family put my sister at a very secular progressive feminist girls’ school for middle school. That situation quickly became untenable. My sister was given demerits for drawing a Christmas tree on the white board one December, not because she wasn’t allowed to draw there, but because it could offend some students. Our parents decided that they had had enough. They decided to bite the bullet and send her to St. Cecilia Academy, the Catholic girls’ school down the road, run by the Dominican sisters! Through this school, the Eastern Province Dominican sisters and priests entered our lives!” Did they impact your conversion as well? 

They did, but much less so than for my other family members. The primary way that enemies of the Church aided in my own conversion was to bring the Dominicans into my life and the lives of my family members. It was because of the antics of a secular, progressive girls’ school that my family became acquainted with the Nashville Dominicans and Father Dominic Legge became a mentor of mine. 

How did your family view your conversion at the time? 

It was quite difficult, but I never faced any serious disincentive from my parents to discourage my conversion. My sister had been attending St. Cecilia Academy, so she was familiar with the faith more than the rest of my family. Still, they attended my confirmation in D.C., which I remember thinking was a shocking show of love and support.

What inspired you to write letters to your family? 

The most obvious reason that I wrote the letters was my love for my family and a genuine desire for them to find the fullness of the Christian life that I believed I had found.

However, I wrote letters specifically because I did not want to lecture them. Explaining the Catholic position in its disputes with Protestantism takes a long time, and giving extended lectures would be both awkward and undesirable. If I wanted to explain the faith in the appropriate detail, I knew that I had to write it down. 

Furthermore, letters add a personal touch that I knew would be appreciated. I had developed the reputation of being very intellectual in my faith, as I am sure comes across even in my answers to these questions. Some members of the family viewed this as a fault, believing that it might have come at the expense of the heart. Letters were a great way to show love for my family and the emotional appeal of the faith while still providing the intellectual arguments. 

What resources did you rely on in your apologetics? Were there any books or thinkers who you found to be helpful? 

By the time that I was writing these letters, I knew most of the Catholic arguments on these [theological] disputes quite well myself. However, The Fathers Know Best stands out as an excellent book that I consulted throughout the process to find the quick references to the Church Fathers that I wanted to cite in my letters. 

You mentioned online that Rome was an important place for your mother’s conversion. Were there any sites or experiences that especially impacted her?

The site that most impacted her was certainly the Circus of Nero. She and I had been discussing the Eucharist extensively at this point, but a tour of St. Peter's Basilica made all the difference. 

She told me that her secular tour guide was explaining the key events in Nero's rule. When my mom turned to my brother to remark that Nero was a very evil man, this guide defended Nero, arguing that he never hated Christians. Rather, he thought they were “weird” for eating their God. 

My mom was taken aback, and she asked for clarification. The tour guide confirmed that the reason for many early Christian martyrdoms was the martyrs’ refusal to recant the belief that the Eucharist is the true flesh and blood of Christ. Later, she told me that, because of this experience, she felt compelled to accept the Real Presence. 

From your perspective, what was it like to view your family members growing in their faith and becoming increasingly curious about the Catholic faith? 

It was truly remarkable. I think it is easy to mistakenly imagine the process as a gradual motion toward their becoming Catholic that I could observe. However, it was not always easy to discern movement in their relationship to Catholicism. At times, it felt like progress was being undone. I could not see what was happening before my eyes until near the end of the process. Once I realized what had happened, I was in awe of God’s providence. 

How did it feel to welcome your parents and younger siblings into the Catholic Church last month? 

It was a wonderful and beautiful experience. However, it was also a temptation to pride if I viewed it as my accomplishment, which it was decidedly not. 

Part of the reason that I wrote the thread about their conversion for Twitter was to write out the ways in which God brought about their conversion where I was failing. The letters alone did not bring about their conversion. The biggest factors were totally outside of my control. 

It was also a great honor and humbling duty to act as the sponsor for my father and brother. Beyond the indescribable experience of witnessing God shower my family with his graces in the sacraments, we also had many of our Catholic family friends in attendance for the private ceremony, which was a great joy.

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Mary Frances Myler Mary Frances Myler is a writer living in Washington, D.C. She is a former postgraduate fellow with the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government, and she graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2022.

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What I’m Reading: Mr. Churchill in the White House, Robert Schmuhl ’70

Author: George Spencer

Published: September 18, 2024

I keep a reminder on my desk. A gold-colored metal strip intended to be a bookmark, it reads “Never, Never, Never Quit. — Winston Churchill.” The lion of the British Empire said something like this in an address at Harrow, his high school alma mater, as the Second World War intensified in October 1941.

Whenever I feel like giving an essay such as this one less than the polish it demands, I glance at this ersatz motto. Say what you will about Churchill, he relished a challenge.

Many think this great man saved Western civilization by defying Hitler. A historian and journalist, Churchill was twice prime minister of the United Kingdom. He fought in close combat in India, rode in a cavalry charge in Sudan and escaped a Boer prisoner-of-war camp in South Africa. During World War I, he served as first lord of the admiralty, then resigned to resume active army service on the Western Front. His hobbies were incongruous: bricklaying and oil painting.

As an orator, Churchill had supernatural gifts. He “spoke words that marched like an army with banners, and were responsible for victories of the spirit without which our present victories of land and sea and in the air would not have been possible,” wrote a Washington Post columnist in 1944.

“Words are the only things that last forever,” said Churchill.

With more than a thousand books written in his memory, according to The Churchill Project at Hillsdale College, what’s the point of another? Mr. Churchill in the White House: The Untold Story of a Prime Minster and Two Presidents takes a deep, fascinating dive into the 100-plus days Churchill and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt spent together during four wartime visits in Washington, D.C., and at Hyde Park and Shangri-La (later renamed Camp David). The author, Robert Schmuhl ’70, also delves into the brief visits between a politically and physically diminished Churchill and President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s.

Never before had the leaders of two nations passed so much time together plotting victory in wars hot and Cold. “Both strong-willed and tough-minded, Churchill and Roosevelt fought their corners and at times couldn’t resolve disputes. Churchill’s “grand alliance” wasn’t always a harmonious one, despite the bonhomie on display whenever the pair appeared in public and in front of cameras,” writes Schmuhl, a Notre Dame professor emeritus of American studies and journalism.

No novelist could create larger protagonists. “The two shared certain characteristics: aristocratic upbringings, naval experience, undeniable ambition, political success, rare resilience, incomparable confidence, oratorical ability, and dramatic flair,” writes Schmuhl, who came to this project having written books on the presidency and having studied Churchill’s life at the University of Oxford and the British Library.

Night after night their meetings ran past 2 a.m. — an accommodation for Churchill, who rose close to noon and napped in the afternoon. “We live here as a big family in the greatest intimacy and informality,” Churchill then boasted.

But those around FDR might in modern terms have called the family dysfunctional. “A trying guest — drinks like a fish and smokes like a chimney, [keeps an] irregular routine, works nights, sleeps days, turns the clock upside down,” wrote one of FDR’s aides.

With a historian’s hand, Schmuhl dissects the amusing (or simply bizarre) episode during Churchill’s stay in the Rose Room when he greeted FDR naked. On New Year’s morning or thereabouts, depending on who told the tale, Roosevelt was wheeled in to the prime minister’s bedchamber. He caught Churchill fresh from his bath — one of two he took daily — and drying himself with a towel. Letting it all hang out, the Englishman reportedly said, “I have nothing to conceal from the President of the United States.” Later, he supposedly told King George VI, “Sir, I believe I am the only man in the world who has received the head of a nation without any clothes on!”

No one kept minutes of Churchill’s meetings with FDR. The discussions were momentous — when the Allies would invade Europe and the progress of the Manhattan Project.

Both men were wily politicians. Schmuhl reports that their advisers feared one would get the better of the other. “The British are evidently taking advantage of the President’s well-known shortcomings in ordinary administrative methods and are striving to take advantage of his readiness to accept shortcuts and backdoor information,” fumed Secretary of War Henry Stimson in his diary.

Isaiah Berlin, first secretary of the British Embassy in Washington, made this brutal assessment of FDR: Despite the “gay and generous nature and all the manners and sweep of an old-established landowning squire, he is (a) absolutely cold, (b) completely ruthless, (c) has no friends, (d) becoming a megalomaniac, and is pulling our Mr. Churchill along rather than vice versa.”

The war wore both men down. “Have you noticed that the President is a very tired man?” Churchill’s doctor, Charles Wilson Moran, reported his asking in 1943. “His mind seems closed; he seems to have lost his wonderful elasticity.” Meanwhile, FDR grumbled that Churchill behaved like a “spoilt child” when policy decisions went against him.

Devoted students of Churchill’s life might be held rapt by all the little-known nuggets Schmuhl shares. One is horrifying: Churchill came “within one minute of assassination” at the end of his June 1942 visit, according to FDR’s chief bodyguard. It happened moments before the prime minister boarded a Boeing flying boat in Baltimore. A guard who worked for the British airline stood at the plane’s door and muttered, “I’m going to kill that bastard Churchill.” A Secret Service agent overheard him, and the man, later deemed insane, was arrested. The event was kept secret for years.

By 1944 America’s relationship with Russia had become more vital, and the “special relationship” between the U.S. and the U.K., as Churchill put it, grew less so. FDR even embarrassed Churchill in front of Stalin. “Squirm-producing ridicule” is how Schmuhl describes the moment. At the Quebec Conference in 1944, a frustrated Churchill asked FDR, “What do you want me to do? Get on my hind legs and beg like Fala?” Fala was the president’s ubiquitous Scottie.

In June 1954 Churchill visited Eisenhower. The two held meetings on Cold War strategy and hammered out a declaration to reaffirm mutual goals.

Churchill was 79. Age — and his lavish consumption of alcohol, cigars and rich food — had caught up with him. He refused to wear a hearing aid, and Eisenhower had to shout to make himself understood, according to Ike’s speechwriter James Hagerty.

Another White House staffer thought Churchill was “feeble,” adding the cringeworthy note that Ike treated Churchill “like a son would treat an aging father and was just darling with him.”

Schmuhl reports Eisenhower’s observation: “For myself I am determined that whatever the cause of my own retirement from public life, I will never stay around in active position so long that age itself will make me a deterrent to rather than an agent of reasonable action.”

Old lion Churchill would live another 11 years, dying in January 1965. For years U.S. public opinion polls ranked him among the “most admired” people in the world. Schmuhl gives Eisenhower the last word: “I think I would say that he comes nearest to fulfilling the requirements of greatness in any individual that I have met in my lifetime.”

Of course, Churchill’s actual quote on courage is better than the fake one on my desk. What he said was: “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never; in nothing, great or small, large or petty — never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.”

George Spencer is a freelance writer who lives in Hillsborough, North Carolina.

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Professor Kunal Parker publishes essay on what originalism can teach historians

By Miami Law Staff Report 09-18-2024

Professor Kunal Parker , Miami Law’s associate dean for intellectual life and dean’s distinguished scholar, recently published an essay, “ What Originalism Can Teach Historians: History as Analogy, Means-Ends Tests, and the Problem of History in Bruen ,” in the Notre Dame Law Review . He also co-organized a conference at Oxford University titled "Law as Historicized Critique: Celebrating Chris Tomlins," a conference dedicated to the exploration of themes in the work of Christopher Tomlins, a legal historian at Berkeley.

Parker’s teaching areas and interests include American Legal History, Estates and Trusts, Immigration and Nationality Law, and Property. In addition to his recent book, The Turn to Process , (Cambridge University Press), Parker has published two other books:  Making Foreigners: Immigration and Citizenship Law in America  (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2015), and  Common Law, History, and Democracy in America, 1790 - 1900: Legal Thought Before Modernism  (Cambridge University Press, 2011). 

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This Notre Dame Student Wrote Hundreds of Letters to Convince His Family to Become Catholic. It Worked.

Four years after his own conversion to Catholicism, Colin Smith welcomed his whole family into the faith.

Mary Frances Myler , September 16, 2024 – National Catholic Register

University of Notre Dame student Colin Smith didn’t expect the story of his family’s conversion to Catholicism, which he  shared  on X, to go viral.

“I am at a loss for words!” he  wrote  in one post. “It has been surreal to watch our story blow up and to be shared by so many Catholic heroes of mine.”

Raised a devout evangelical Protestant, Smith converted to Catholicism before beginning his freshman year at Notre Dame. After his conversion, Smith wrote hundreds of letters to his parents and two younger siblings explaining the theological reasoning of his faith.

Four years later, his parents, Beth and Byron, and siblings, Abby and Andrew, entered the Catholic Church on Aug. 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, at the St. Cecilia Motherhouse for the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, Tennessee.

Smith credited the “enemies of the Church” with convincing his family, explaining on the platform formerly known as Twitter how seeking the truth amid a secular, progressive culture drew his parents and siblings to the Church. “God trounced Satan at every turn,” he wrote  online.

Smith spoke with the Register   to share the inspiration behind the hundreds of letters he wrote to his family members throughout their gradual conversions. Responses have been edited for clarity and length.

What’s your conversion story? 

In early high school, I began facing the questions that many Christians face around this age: Does God really exist? Is the Resurrection reasonable? Is the Bible reliable?

I decided to give every major religious view a fair examination, and I began experiencing an intense spiritual deadening. I only began to feel God again when the Dominican priests and sisters entered my life — especially Father Dominic Legge. He would visit our house for dinners, or we would visit him in D.C., and I remember being perpetually taken aback at how reasonable he made Christianity seem.

He introduced me to St. Thomas Aquinas and Thomism broadly — especially the Thomistic Institute, which he ran, and  Pints with Aquinas , a now-famous podcast hosted by Matt Fradd. At the time, actually delving into Aquinas’  Summa Theologica would have been too much for me, but these less academic summaries helped introduce me to his thought.

Eventually, I began to read Aquinas’ own writings, especially the Summa , and these sources convinced me of the Christian faith. I was especially struck by the number of excellent questions that Aquinas would pose, which I had never considered before. The study of basic Thomism was profoundly therapeutic. It totally changed how I viewed the world, and it erased much of the garbage modern philosophy that I had imbibed through the culture.

I decided that intellectual honesty demanded giving Catholicism a fair chance to persuade me. When I dove into the Catholic Tradition, I quickly realized that there were too many points of contention to cover, so I decided to focus on questions of authority.

St. John Henry Newman’s “Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine” finally convinced me of Catholicism’s claims to authority by resolving my questions about why the Church Fathers disagreed about many theological issues. The other doctrines fell into place for me, and I became convinced of Catholicism in my senior year of high school. I became Catholic the following summer before Notre Dame at the Dominican House of Studies.

Online, you emphasized the role that “enemies of the Church” played in your family’s conversion, including this explanation, “Years before my own conversion, my family put my sister at a very secular progressive feminist girls’ school for middle school. That situation quickly became untenable. My sister was given demerits for drawing a Christmas tree on the white board one December, not because she wasn’t allowed to draw there, but because it could offend some students. Our parents decided that they had had enough. They decided to bite the bullet and send her to St. Cecilia Academy, the Catholic girls’ school down the road, run by the Dominican sisters! Through this school, the Eastern Province Dominican sisters and priests entered our lives!” Did they impact your conversion as well? 

They did, but much less so than for my other family members. The primary way that enemies of the Church aided in my own conversion was to bring the Dominicans into my life and the lives of my family members. It was because of the antics of a secular, progressive girls’ school that my family became acquainted with the Nashville Dominicans and Father Dominic Legge became a mentor of mine.

How did your family view your conversion at the time? 

It was quite difficult, but I never faced any serious disincentive from my parents to discourage my conversion. My sister had been attending St. Cecilia Academy, so she was familiar with the faith more than the rest of my family. Still, they attended my confirmation in D.C., which I remember thinking was a shocking show of love and support.

What inspired you to write letters to your family? 

The most obvious reason that I wrote the letters was my love for my family and a genuine desire for them to find the fullness of the Christian life that I believed I had found.

However, I wrote letters specifically because I did not want to lecture them. Explaining the Catholic position in its disputes with Protestantism takes a long time, and giving extended lectures would be both awkward and undesirable. If I wanted to explain the faith in the appropriate detail, I knew that I had to write it down.

Furthermore, letters add a personal touch that I knew would be appreciated. I had developed the reputation of being very intellectual in my faith, as I am sure comes across even in my answers to these questions. Some members of the family viewed this as a fault, believing that it might have come at the expense of the heart. Letters were a great way to show love for my family and the emotional appeal of the faith while still providing the intellectual arguments.

What resources did you rely on in your apologetics? Were there any books or thinkers who you found to be helpful? 

By the time that I was writing these letters, I knew most of the Catholic arguments on these [theological] disputes quite well myself. However,  The Fathers Know Best  stands out as an excellent book that I consulted throughout the process to find the quick references to the Church Fathers that I wanted to cite in my letters.

You mentioned online that Rome was an important place for your mother’s conversion. Were there any sites or experiences that especially impacted her?

The site that most impacted her was certainly the Circus of Nero. She and I had been discussing the Eucharist extensively at this point, but a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica made all the difference.

She told me that her secular tour guide was explaining the key events in Nero’s rule. When my mom turned to my brother to remark that Nero was a very evil man, this guide defended Nero, arguing that he never hated Christians. Rather, he thought they were “weird” for eating their God.

My mom was taken aback, and she asked for clarification. The tour guide confirmed that the reason for many early Christian martyrdoms was the martyrs’ refusal to recant the belief that the Eucharist is the true flesh and blood of Christ. Later, she told me that, because of this experience, she felt compelled to accept the Real Presence.

From your perspective, what was it like to view your family members growing in their faith and becoming increasingly curious about the Catholic faith? 

It was truly remarkable. I think it is easy to mistakenly imagine the process as a gradual motion toward their becoming Catholic that I could observe. However, it was not always easy to discern movement in their relationship to Catholicism. At times, it felt like progress was being undone. I could not see what was happening before my eyes until near the end of the process. Once I realized what had happened, I was in awe of God’s providence.

How did it feel to welcome your parents and younger siblings into the Catholic Church last month? 

It was a wonderful and beautiful experience. However, it was also a temptation to pride if I viewed it as my accomplishment, which it was decidedly not.

Part of the reason that I wrote the thread about their conversion for Twitter was to write out the ways in which God brought about their conversion where I was failing. The letters alone did not bring about their conversion. The biggest factors were totally outside of my control.

It was also a great honor and humbling duty to act as the sponsor for my father and brother. Beyond the indescribable experience of witnessing God shower my family with his graces in the sacraments, we also had many of our Catholic family friends in attendance for the private ceremony, which was a great joy.

Mary Frances Myler is a writer living in Washington, D.C. She is a former postgraduate fellow with the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government, and she graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2022.

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University of Notre Dame makes historic investment in affordability and access

Published: September 16, 2024

Author: Notre Dame News

The University of Notre Dame announced a historic expansion to its affordability and accessibility initiatives, becoming the first highly selective faith-based university in the United States to be need-blind for all students, both domestic and international. Notre Dame’s 18th President, Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C. , made this announcement during his address at his Inauguration Ceremony on Friday. In charting a course for Notre Dame, Father Dowd articulated the University’s unwavering commitment as the world’s leading Catholic research university to ensuring that a Notre Dame education should be affordable for all students.

Representing a historic financial aid commitment, Pathways to Notre Dame includes two significant initiatives: a new no-loan policy for undergraduate students, ensuring middle- and low-income families who are admitted will be able to afford attendance, and an expansion of its need-blind policy — an institutional commitment to not consider a student’s financial circumstances when deciding whether to admit them — to include both domestic and international students. Notre Dame is now one of only nine highly selective colleges and universities that have a need-blind admissions policy for all students.

“We want an undergraduate student body that reflects the rich diversity of the Catholic community in and beyond the United States, which requires a Notre Dame education be both accessible and affordable,” Father Dowd said. “We are profoundly grateful for the extraordinary generosity of those benefactors who have made it possible for us to take this important next step in ensuring that every student who is admitted will have the opportunity to attend the University, no matter their financial circumstances or where in the world they call home.”

“The University has throughout its history been committed to welcoming students from all walks of life and providing them with a distinctive Notre Dame education, one that seeks to educate the mind as well as the heart,” John B. Veihmeyer, chair of the Board of Trustees, said. “Today’s announcement will ensure that the University is able to carry forward this proud tradition in important new ways, welcoming students from across the U.S. and around the globe and creating an even more vibrant learning environment for all.”

Effective immediately, Notre Dame will not consider the financial situation of students or their families, domestic or international, in the application for admission. Student loans will not be a component of the financial aid offer for full-time first-year and transfer undergraduate students entering fall 2025; instead, that need will be met with gift aid. While Notre Dame will not include loans in financial aid packages, families may still elect to take out federal student or private loans.

“Pathways to Notre Dame reflects Notre Dame’s commitment to attracting students who seek academic excellence and have the desire, curiosity and zeal that is at the heart of a Notre Dame education,” Vice President for Undergraduate Enrollment  Micki Kidder said. “These initiatives will remove barriers for talented and faith-filled students to flourish here, regardless of their families’ financial circumstances.”

“At Notre Dame, we are called to be seekers of truth, sustainers of hope and builders of bridges,” Father Dowd said. “By extending and expanding the opportunities we are able to offer students, we seek to prepare the next generation of capable, compassionate, ethical leaders for our communities, our nation and the world.”

Contact: Sue Ryan, executive director of media relations, 574-631-7916, [email protected]

Originally published by Notre Dame News at news.nd.edu on September 13, 2024 .