A few Novembers ago, in a nearly sold-out Notre Dame Stadium, buffeted by a blizzard the likes of which this California native had never seen, I was having the time of my life freezing through ND’s snowiest home football game in 30 years.
By the first quarter, I was unable to feel my toes; by the third, unable to see the field as it disappeared behind a wall of driving snow. And by the end of the fourth, the scoreboard illuminating a gritty 44-0 victory above tens of thousands of brave/cold souls swaying side-by-side, joyfully singing the alma mater, it was clear that nothing can dampen the spirit of the Fighting Irish.
I remember a part of head coach Marcus Freeman’s post-game interview clearly: “This university attracts resilient people.”
And it does! Both on the field and in the classroom. The intersection of intellectual curiosity, collaboration, compassion, and courage is what fuels scholarship here at ND. We want you to be both challenged during your time here and to thrive in your intended area of study. As admissions counselors, my colleagues' and my role involves ensuring you are set up for success and well prepared for academic life here at Notre Dame (see our Application Considerations).
Taking the right classes and challenging yourself in the classroom while in high school is a great way to strengthen the muscle of academic resilience. As classes start up for the fall, we wanted to offer you guidance to common questions we receive about course selection and academic preparedness.
Should I take advanced classes in all subjects, even if it’s not what I want to major in?
Yes. We strongly encourage you to challenge yourself by taking the most rigorous level your high school offers in all the core subject areas: English, math, science, history/social studies, and world language.
At Notre Dame, our Core Curriculum, which is a liberal arts curriculum required for all students regardless of major, is the heart of our undergraduate education. The core reflects our belief that when students develop diverse ways of approaching, analyzing, and understanding our world, they are better equipped to be a force for good in the world.
When selecting courses, keep in mind both breadth and depth. Challenge yourself across the disciplines as best you can, based on what is offered to you at your high school.
What if my school doesn’t offer AP or IB courses?
We evaluate applications within the context of your high school and do not expect you to take classes that your school doesn’t offer. Instead, we look toward what is offered at your school and how you performed there.
We hope to see that you are taking advantage of the opportunities available to you, and we understand that these opportunities look different at every high school. Admissions counselors always use context to evaluate your application. Our students come from varied academic backgrounds where the most advanced courses could be APs, IBs, dual enrollment or are labeled with another school-specific indicator of advanced rigor.
What classes should I take to prepare for my intended major?
We recommend that all students, regardless of major, take the most rigorous curriculum available (i.e. four years of each subject and the most advanced course in each of the core academic areas: English, math, science, foreign language, and social studies).
Additionally, while intended major selection is non-binding, you should keep in mind that some intended majors have specific high school academic requirements:
-
STEM
-
Math: 4 units of math, which should include Calculus. If Calculus is not offered at your high school, IB: Analysis and Approaches (SL or HL) or Pre-Calculus are good alternatives. We do not recommend substituting statistics for calculus.
-
Science: 3-4 units of science (with 4 being recommended), which should include biology, chemistry, and physics.
-
Architecture
-
Math: 4 units of math, which should include calculus. If calculus is not offered at your high school, IB: Analysis and Approaches (SL or HL) or pre-calculus are good alternatives.
-
Science: 3-4 units of science, which should include biology, chemistry, and physics.
-
Mendoza College of Business
-
Math: 4 units of math, which should include calculus. If calculus is not offered at your high school, IB: Analysis and Approaches (SL or HL) or pre-calculus are good alternatives. We do not recommend substituting statistics for calculus.
-
Economics
-
Math: progressing in math and taking calculus. The University does not recommend substituting statistics for calculus for those interested in an economics major.
Emphasizing your rigor in these key areas will help you prepare for and demonstrate your readiness to do work at the collegiate level.
What if I have a schedule conflict?
If you need to decide between two classes to fit in your schedule, we recommend prioritizing the course which best prepares you for your intended major, or rounds out your curriculum.
For example, if you were intending to major in economics, and were choosing between calculus and statistics, calculus would be the math course better suited for your intended area of study.
We typically recommend four full years and the most advanced course in each of the core academic areas: English, math, science, foreign language, social studies. However, the decision on your coursework is really up to you. For example, you may be deciding between two courses of equal rigor. You may choose the course which more closely aligns with your academic interests or the course which will round out your curriculum.
If there is a recommended or required course you can’t fit into your schedule for reasons beyond your control, you can share that context with us by asking your guidance counselor to explain the conflict in their letter of evaluation, or you can utilize the Additional Information section of your application.
What electives should I take?
This decision is really up to you. Electives can be a great way to dive deeper or try something new. For example, if you are intending to major in business, taking your school’s accounting elective could be a great way to build a foundation in something you enjoy and explore a potential career path.
Conversely, don’t feel obligated to align all your activities and electives with your intended major if there are other areas of interest to you. If you are intending to major in business, but your school’s creative writing elective speaks more to you—go for it! You might end up sparking an interest that leads you to a second major or minor.
Is it better to take a regular level class and get an A? Or take a more challenging class and get a B?
While we hope you are both taking challenging coursework and earning strong grades, we are not expecting perfection. Striking the right balance between challenging yourself and not taking on more rigor than you can handle is an important part of balancing your course load.
Earning straight A's, but not challenging yourself academically does not demonstrate to the admissions committee that you are prepared to tackle challenging college-level work. Earning a B in an advanced course that really challenged you, where you learned not just the material, but how to bounce back from setbacks, alter study habits, or ask for help, can be a very beneficial learning experience.
We read applications holistically and contextually, meaning we look beyond just your GPA. A transcript doesn’t have to be “perfect” to indicate to our admissions committee that a student has the potential to thrive at Notre Dame: having an upward grade trend, overcoming personal challenges, receiving positive teacher feedback, improving grades in the second semester, scoring a 5 on an AP exam, earning a better grade in a higher level of the subject the following year, etc. can all demonstrate strong academic potential and preparation.
It is important to take care of yourself, so we do like to remind students that just because your high school offers 40 AP courses does not mean you should try to take 40 AP courses. Balance is important (and so is sleep). Your course load should not impact your ability to excel in class, nor should it limit your involvement outside of the classroom. At Notre Dame, you are more than just a student; academic and non-academic components are both important in our review process.
What if I get a “bad” grade? And how can I show “academic resilience”?
Coach Freeman’s thoughts on resilience weren’t a commentary on a standalone victory, but rather a reflection on “the bumpy road” on which the 9-4 Fighting Irish had journeyed that season. In our admissions review, we are interested in your potential to continue growing as a student and person at Notre Dame, not just your achievements.
Research shows that students who seek academic help grow in their ability to handle challenges, positively impacting their academic success. Start practicing that skill now, even if you are doing well in your classes!
Learning how to bounce back from setbacks, how to reach out and ask for help, how to embrace mistakes, and how to strive for growth over perfection—these are the key characteristics that will help you not just survive, but thrive at Notre Dame.
Montanna Kirven is an assistant director with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.