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How to Write the University of Notre Dame Essays 2023-2024

The University of Notre Dame has two sets of supplemental essay prompts, with each set having multiple options to choose from. The prompts themselves are short, but you’re required to answer two out of three options for Prompt 1, and three out of five options for Prompt 2. As such, it’s important to carefully consider which prompts you choose to respond to, and to be wary of answering prompts that may have too much overlap.

Read these University of Notre Dame essay examples to inspire your writing.

University of Notre Dame Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt 1 : Please choose two questions from the options below. Your brief essay response to each question should be no more than 150 words.

• Option A : 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?
• Option B : 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?
• Option C : 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.

Prompt 2 : Please choose three questions from the options below. Your response to each short-answer question should be no more than 50 words.

• Option A : 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.
• Option B : What brings you joy?
• Option C : What is worth fighting for?
• Option D : What is something that genuinely interests you, and how does this tie to the academic area you hope to study at Notre Dame?
• Option E : How does faith influence the decisions you make?

Prompt 1, Option A

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 is a pretty straightforward community service essay . You’re being asked to showcase the ways in which you’ll contribute to the overall campus community at Notre Dame. It’s important to note that this isn’t an essay about what communities you’ve been a part of in the past—instead, you should discuss how you’ve been an active service member in your community in the past or present.

Brainstorming your topic:

The best route to follow when answering this prompt is to reflect on past experiences you’ve had with community service, and relate them to what the prompt says about Notre Dame as a whole. The answer for the prompt is practically laid out in the phrasing—right off the bat, the prompt tells us that Notre Dame is a school where the individual is characterized by the community. 

The school is portrayed as a place where no one is left behind, and everyone looks out for one another. So in order to respond successfully to this prompt, try to dissect how your past experiences may prove to be an example of this philosophy.

As with other similar community service essay prompts, it’s always better to write about a long-term commitment than something you’ve only done once or twice. While volunteering at a soup kitchen with classmates for a night is undoubtedly a good act of service to the community, it doesn’t reveal anything extraordinary about you or your passion for community service.

There’s a general rule of thumb for supplemental essays—the more specific you can be, the more unique you’ll sound. Really highlight the experiences you’ve had that say the most about who you are; the essay is less about what you did, and more about why you did it.

Your chosen experience should also be something that changed your perspectives or preconceived notions. Perhaps you realized the importance of rescuing animals from your time spent volunteering at the animal shelter, or maybe you developed more patience and empathy when working with children with special needs or disabilities. Whatever you choose to write about, it should highlight a passion or perspective of yours that you feel is important to your identity.

Tips for writing your essay:

With only 150 words to work with, it’s essential that you make your point strong so that it sticks with your reader. A great way to do this is to weave your actions, motivations, and perspectives into a vivid, relevant anecdote. This strategy gives you the chance to hook the reader right away and put them in your shoes. Write about what you saw, heard, or felt while volunteering or doing your act of community service. You might do this using the present tense for effect.

For example, writing “Last Christmas, I drove around town to collect gifts for underprivileged families who otherwise couldn’t afford to give presents.” doesn’t say anything about you, your perspective, or the impact the act had on you.

Instead, try “As the hours ticked by and snow began piling on the street, I pushed my foot harder on the gas. Today was the last day I had to pick up donations for kids who would otherwise not be receiving Christmas gifts, and I was going to get to as many as I could.” Not only does this paint a far more vivid picture of what the experience meant to you, but it shows your genuine passion and care for the act itself.

Once you’ve written about what you did, it’s time to connect your response to the ways in which you’ll take your experience and passion to Notre Dame. In the final few sentences of your response, write about what community service means to you overall, and why you’ll continue your efforts, both on and off campus at Notre Dame.

Community service can be as simple as lending a helping hand when needed, whether that be to a classmate, a friend, or someone in the broader community. You can write about forming or joining study groups, your desire to find community service opportunities at Notre Dame, or even how you hope to gain and listen to new perspectives both inside and outside of the classroom. Keep it short and sweet, and most importantly, keep it genuine!

Mistakes to avoid:

Besides keeping your response short, the biggest pitfall to avoid is having a pretentious or privileged tone. If your response makes it seem like you’re painting yourself as some kind of savior, embellishing your efforts, or looking down on those you helped, it will leave a sour taste.

It’s important to truly reflect on what community service means, not only to you, but to others. Even if you did a truly good thing for someone who needed it, make sure you maintain a balanced tone in your essay that doesn’t sound like excessive self-praise.

Prompt 1, Option B

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.

This is a standard diversity essay in which you’re being asked to elaborate on some aspect of your identity. However, the main purpose of this prompt is not just for Notre Dame to understand the communities that have been essential in shaping your identity, but also to get some idea of how your experiences in your chosen community will translate to your future as a Notre Dame student.

Remember that diversity encompasses several disparate aspects. It can include an ethnicity/race, country of origin, language, gender or sexual identity, geographical location, income class, disability or illness, personality trait, extracurricular interest, or something else entirely!

An aspect of diversity might also be something that taught you or inspired your passions, something that you were born into, or something you’re just now learning that you’re a part of. Basically, the chosen aspect of your diversity just needs to represent a part of yourself that is infallibly true.


We recommend focusing on just one aspect of identity to write about. While there may be several communities or groups you feel are a core part of your identity, 150 words will not be enough space to write about them all equally. However, if you do feel that one community is not enough to represent who you are, see if there’s a common thread between the communities you want to mention before diving in.

A quick note if you intend to write about your racial background: In June 2023, the United States Supreme Court struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions. The ruling, however, still allows colleges to consider race on an individual basis, which is one reason many schools are now including diversity prompts as one of their supplemental essay prompts. If you feel that your racial background has impacted you significantly, this is the place to discuss that.

Tips for writing your essay :

Once you’ve chosen the aspect of your identity you want to write about, reflect on the impact that it’s had on your life and begin weaving that into your response. Think about the lessons you’ve learned along the way, the people you’ve met, and the experiences you’ve shared with them, or even perhaps the experiences they’ve shared with you. Also consider how being a part of this chosen community has impacted your goals and hopes for the future.

The part of your identity you’ve chosen to write about will have hopefully left all these impressions on you and more—and it will hopefully just be a matter of condensing your response to 150 words. It’s important to showcase your passion for and genuine investment in the part of your identity you write about, but make sure to keep it short and sweet.

Don’t feel like you have to embellish your diversity either. Remember that diversity can be defined as practically anything that makes up your identity—it doesn’t necessarily have to be something that has changed the course of your life. Take this example:

“Ever since I was a little kid, stories have run rampant in my mind. I would make up stories in the car, in the shower, when I would close my eyes to go to sleep. They’d play out like movies in my head, and I got overwhelmed by not knowing what to do with them, so I turned against myself and wished that I would stop. That’s when I found the Creative Writing Club at my school.

Finding other people who shared the same inherent reflex I did not only made me feel normal again but made me feel accepted. I found that my habits were not unhealthy, but inspired. I suddenly found an outlet for 16 years’ worth of pent-up ideas and creativity. I had people to share my stories with, but more importantly, I was a person with whom they could share theirs. Swapping stories became a way for us to learn about different perspectives, cultures, and identities, and in doing so, it has made us all more worldly and empathetic.”

Prompt 1, Option C

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 is a more unconventional prompt (similar to the political/global issues prompt ) that will require you to reflect on the issues and topics you truly believe in and on the things you’ve done to advocate for them.

This can be a particularly challenging response, made no easier by the small word count you’re allotted to elaborate on your chosen cause. However, there are many routes you can take to condense your response and deliver it in a neat and engaging way.

It’s natural for your first instinct to be to think of a hot-button political issue, and while this can be a great framing device for a response, it’s important to note a distinction in this prompt—it’s not asking for what you believe in, but rather what you did to advocate for what you believe in. As such, it’s imperative that you avoid spending too many of your 150 words trying to convince the admissions officer to back your chosen cause.

As with any kind of political discussion, you may need to dial it back a little and understand that you won’t know who is reading your application—the admissions officer may very well not agree with your political beliefs or standpoints. While the admissions officer will most likely have been trained to approach all applications with minimized bias, he or she is still only human.

If you choose to respond to this prompt and discuss a political topic, you must demonstrate that you advocated for your belief respectfully, including the ways in which you engaged with someone who disagreed with you.

Of course, political or social activism is a great starting point to answer this prompt. If you’ve engaged in a protest, debate, or some other event surrounding a cause you believe in, reflect on why you chose to engage with it in your free time. What about the cause is important to you? How did it make you feel to engage civically with your cause? How do you hope to change perspectives and minds in the future?

Asking yourself these questions is a great exercise in an activity that Notre Dame (and any other college you might attend) will challenge you to do anyway—exposing yourself to new perspectives and ideas and using them to develop your own. Showcasing your understanding of that practice in this response can be a great way to distinguish yourself.

Your chosen cause can extend beyond just politics or social justice as well. Perhaps your school canceled its men’s volleyball program, and you and your teammates lost an extracurricular. You could write about how you petitioned the school to bring it back and promised to rally fans for the games. Or maybe you had to fundraise for the theater program in order to put on the best show possible, even showing up at a school board meeting to ask for more funding.

Once you’ve chosen a topic, you can move on to framing your essay. Remember that this prompt wants you to talk about your thought process, the discourse you shared with others surrounding your chosen issue, and the ways in which that discourse promoted deeper understanding on both sides. The primary thread throughout this prompt is diplomacy, and understanding how diplomacy can lead to success and progress is a great start to writing your essay.

Rather than sounding like you’re regurgitating talking points, reflect on why your advocacy was either successful or unsuccessful. Let’s look at this scenario—perhaps you rallied classmates to walk out in support of gun control, and the school administration responded harshly. Here are two different approaches you could take in writing about the issue:

“I feel that guns do not belong in schools. In my junior year, I unfortunately found that the school administration clearly felt otherwise. As part of a committee to organize a class walkout in support of gun control, we were met with animosity and a lack of empathy from our principal and school board. We were called in for a discourse but soon found ourselves in a full-on trial. While I wasn’t personally deterred by what we faced, it was a reminder that there is much work to be done in support of this cause.”

In this response, the student writes about facing an insurmountable challenge and being forced to accept the circumstances and hardships that come with supporting a cause. While there is nothing fundamentally wrong with what the student is trying to say, they are approaching it from the wrong angle. Let’s try another response, written about the same situation:

“There is no question that the issue of gun control, specifically in schools, is one of the most contentious debates in our country right now. As a student, I, along with a few of my classmates, felt that it was necessary to let the school board hear our thoughts. While we hoped to stage a walkout in support of gun control, our principal and other faculty members shut the idea down.

We scheduled a meeting and debated our points, advocating for awareness and a media presence to further our cause so we could make a change. While we were not successful in our endeavors, we left feeling more united than ever, and even more committed to making change than we had been before. Learning that we can’t change everyone’s mind is part of the process, as is accepting that and focusing on what we can control.”

This response takes a much more methodical and contained approach. Its effectiveness lies in its levelheadedness. Ending the response with a reminder, both to yourself and the reader, that the power of discourse is not to be abandoned even in the face of unsuccessful endeavors, is an important way to show maturity and understanding.

This was stated above, but it’s worth repeating—admissions officers are only human. Though they are trained to minimize bias when reading applications, they still have personal beliefs and perspectives.

If you must write about a politicized issue, which is reasonable with a prompt like this since you don’t want to write a trivial response, tread carefully. Express your belief in a respectful way without coming off as condescending or trying to force that view on your reader.

A Quick Note About Prompt 2:

The main thing to note about Prompt 2 is its very small word limit. Rather than having 150 words like you do for Prompt 1, you’re only allotted 50 words for each of your responses to Prompt 2. However, these prompts are generally personality questions, so have fun with the few sentences you do have!

Prompt 2, Option A

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..

This is a sneaky “Why This College?” prompt —Notre Dame admissions officers want to see that your college priorities align with their offerings. Don’t worry too much about researching the exact resources you hope to engage with at Notre Dame though, as this is a hypothetical question and should be treated as such.

Besides directly answering the “Why this college?” question, the best way to respond to this prompt is to demonstrate what attending college (particularly Notre Dame) means to you. College is unlike any other learning environment you’ve encountered before. Whether you’ve taken summer classes at local colleges or are entering a college academic setting for the first time, college will be full of new experiences—both good and bad, but mostly challenging and extremely rewarding.

Reflect on what you hope to gain from attending college. Are you excited to embark on a new chapter of your life? Do you know what you want to study? Are you excited to dive headfirst into your passion? Do you want to expand your horizons and introduce yourself to new perspectives? Some of the above? Something else entirely? There are so many ways to answer this prompt, but the best one will be the one that is most truthful.

Perhaps you’re a first-generation college student and going to college means more than just another step in your education. You could write about the impact it’ll have on you and your family, the pressure that comes with it, and also the excitement and importance of pursuing higher education. Whatever angle you choose, tie that angle into what you hope college will offer you.

Continuing the first-generation college student example, something you might want to highlight is your hope of finding a community that values each and every student, regardless of family or economic background, and a community that has resources for first-generation students to transition into the college experience.

Again, you only have 50 words, so while specificity is important, it may be a tough rope to walk! Keep your response short and close to what matters to you most.

Prompt 2, Option B

What brings you joy.

If this feels like a broad question, that’s because it absolutely is. It’s also one of the best questions to show the admissions officer what matters to you most, display a new aspect of your personality, and write about something unconventional. Obviously, there’s a nearly endless number of answers to this question, but that doesn’t mean that all the possible answers are strong.

While most mistakes to avoid with this prompt may feel like common sense, don’t immediately rule out answers that feel arbitrary or even immaterial. Obviously, writing that video games are what gives you joy probably won’t give the admissions officer any valuable information about yourself; however, that fact is not because of your subject matter, but rather due to your execution.

For example, if you write “My favorite thing to do in my free time is play video games. I love playing online and feeling competitive, but I also find joy in just playing alone and getting lost in new and exciting worlds,” the admissions officer won’t have a whole lot to work with.

Instead, brainstorm for this prompt and reflect on the reasons for which the thing that brings you joy really makes you happy. Using the same example, consider this version:

“Working alongside attending school can be nightmarish, but coming home and hosting my video game server keeps me grounded. Being directly responsible for fostering a positive community of dozens of people who don’t know each other in real life is a special feeling that gives me a sense of purpose.”

This answer succeeds not only in telling an engaging story in just two sentences, but also in expanding on the answer to the prompt by showcasing a particular activity in which the student has a positive, meaningful role. By making the response about a greater sense of purpose or belonging—more than just a singular idea or thing—the student showcases something special about himself that makes him stand out.

Prompt 2, Option C

What is worth fighting for.

This is another relatively profound question that you’re tasked with answering within 50 words, but your answer can be very revealing and insightful—you can discuss your hopes, goals, beliefs, values, and more. This is a great opportunity to showcase your priorities and how the first 18 or so years of your life have shaped your current perspectives.

Profound questions often elicit profound answers, and while this would be the place to share if you have a powerful and moving insight about life, by no means does your answer need to be some extreme revelation. It just has to be you.

Writing something authentic and personal will have a far greater impact than trying to overextend yourself and claim something bold like “humanity is worth fighting for.” That’s not to say that you can’t go that route, but it will take a lot more elaboration than you have space for in this response.

The nature of this prompt and the limited word count you have to work with means you’re going to have to think outside the box. Most of the answers you might think of quickly are likely too clichéd to make for a strong response—this includes things like fighting for love, family, the truth, change, etc. These statements are all arguably true, but they’re somewhat played out and won’t contribute to an impressive response that resonates with your reader.

Instead of using one of those, try to explore more specific niche things you truly value and think about why they’re important to you personally. For instance, perhaps your family comes from a culture with a language that doesn’t have too many native speakers remaining. You might therefore argue that the preservation of linguistic history is worth fighting for. You could write a response like the following:

“My Spanish grandparents speak Basque, which they’ve been trying to teach me. I love how Basque looks, sounds, and feels so different from other languages. Sadly, Basque has fewer than a million speakers. Considering all the languages that have been lost to time, preserving linguistic history is worth fighting for.”

No matter what your actual answer is, it’s essential that you weave a personal voice and connection to the topic into your response. With only a few sentences to work with, you might consider leading with a personal anecdote, then transitioning to the ways in which the topic is meaningful to you, as in the example above.

Prompt 2, Option D

What is something that genuinely interests you, and how does this tie to the academic area you hope to study at notre dame.

This is a pretty straightforward prompt and should be an easier one to decide on an answer for, regardless of whether or not you know exactly what you want to major in. Notre Dame simply wants to get a better sense of an interest of yours, and how it ties to your interest in studying a topic at Notre Dame. Something important to note is that the interest you discuss doesn’t have to be directly related to your potential major, but more on that later.

Whether you feel like you have a unique interest or not, it’s easy to make your answer interesting if you’re able to make it personal. This is an especially good idea if your interest isn’t directly related to your desired major. If the connection between your interest and your area of study can’t be readily seen, you’ll want to explain how the two are connected.

For example, say you’re really interested in foraging and are planning to study math at whichever college you attend. While at first blush these two things may seem totally unrelated, you might explain the link between your interests like this:

“For years I have enjoyed foraging in the forest a few miles from my home. I love seeing beautiful geometric patterns in nature. Admiring the golden ratio in flowers and fractals in fern leaves is something I’ve long appreciated so much that I now want to major in math!”

This example response is vivid, passionate, and personal, and it’s about two seemingly completely unrelated topics. Try to think about ways you might link a niche interest you have to an academic subject you might want to pursue (even if you don’t know what you want to major in yet).

For instance, you might connect your songwriting interest to the Neuroscience and Behavior major because you’re interested in seeing how certain melodies can elicit such specific feelings. Or, maybe you paint as a hobby and you think that your intended biology major might help inform the ways in which you can depict human and animal bodies. Try to be creative when thinking about how a hobby/interest of yours might relate to the academic field you’re into!

Only having to write 50 words for your response will give you the chance to experiment with different styles and formats, so don’t be afraid to write and examine some drafts to find the right balance.

Prompt 2, Option E

How does faith influence the decisions you make.

This question asks you to reflect on your faith and its impact on your behavior and decision-making. It’s important to recognize that Notre Dame is a Catholic university, and was founded on Catholic beliefs and principles. However, it’s by no means just a Catholic school—it is open to students of all spiritual and religious backgrounds. So while about 80% of students at Notre Dame practice some form of Catholicism, there is plenty of space for students of other faiths to feel comfortable at Notre Dame.

Therefore, don’t feel like you can’t answer this prompt if you’re applying to Notre Dame as a member of another faith. “Faith” simply just refers to your religious background—and can even be extended to a more secular trust in something—so if your background has shaped or influenced your decisions, this is still a great prompt to answer.

However, if you’re not religious and you are applying to Notre Dame, consider answering another prompt instead. Not choosing to answer this prompt has no impact on your admission decision, Notre Dame is just giving students who have a special relationship with their faith a space to elaborate on what it means to them.

With all that being said, if you’re a Catholic student choosing to answer this prompt, it’s important to reflect not only on what your faith means to you now, but also on what that faith might mean to you at Notre Dame.

At Notre Dame, faith is directly tied to service learning and helping others in need, with more than 80% of students participating in service or service learning before they graduate . Perhaps you were part of a Catholic youth group over the course of your life—consider writing about the volunteer opportunities that you embarked on and how those experiences shaped your perspectives.

The prompt is specifically asking you to elaborate on how faith has shaped the decisions you make, so be sure to tie those experiences and perspectives to how you approach each day and each new obstacle.

If you are a member of a different faith, this is a great opportunity to shed some light on how your background has shaped you. Are there any cultural traditions or principles that you follow? Were there any obstacles or challenges to your faith you’ve faced along the way? Ask yourself these questions and more, and treat your faith as another aspect of your identity that has shaped who you are. In doing so, you should be able to see how you may fit in at Notre Dame and contribute to the principles of community service, generosity, and kindness.

Where to Get Your Notre Dame Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Notre Dame essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it might become difficult to see where your writing can be improved. 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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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 .

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 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.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

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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Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2023-24 Prompts and Tips

September 8, 2023

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 2027, the acceptance rate fell just below 12%, roughly one-third the figure seen back in the late 1980s. This begs the question—if most of the 28,000 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 two parts to Notre Dame’s writing supplement and you must select a total of five prompts—two short answer (150 words or fewer) and three very short answer (50 words or fewer). Below are Notre Dame’s supplemental prompts for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with tips about how to address each one.

Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2023-24

Please choose two questions from the options below. Your brief essay response to each question should be no more than 150 words. 

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? 

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.

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. Perhaps your involvement in an affinity group centered on Dungeons & Dragons, anime, volleyball, chess, painting, being a fan of a sports team, 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.

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.

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. Your essay is likely going to be strongest if the task of standing up for something you believed in was difficult. There is likely to be an element of friction to this story, perhaps a sacrifice of some kind.

Advocating for something we believe in is easy when it jibes with the beliefs of the majority group or an institution to which we belong. The more revealing anecdotes will likely come from instances of disagreement with your family, a coach, a teacher, a religious leader, a group of your peers, etc. As you consider whether or not to select this essay, assess whether or not you have a truly dynamic and personal story to tell in this realm.

Please choose three questions from the options below. Your response to each short-answer question should be no more than 50 words. 

• 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.

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.

2) What brings you joy?

What brings you glee, exuberance, jubilation, delight, elation, bliss…joy? There are a multitude of universal and highly relatable experiences that bring joy to one’s soul. For example, it could involve family, pets, hobbies, habits, scenes of natural beauty, literature, travel, etc. However, you could also talk about dreams for the future, more bittersweet moments, abstract thoughts, moments of glorious introversion, or a time that you  unexpectedly felt joy.

3) What is worth fighting 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.

4) What is something that genuinely interests you, and how does this tie to the academic area you hope to study at Notre Dame?

What subject makes you read books and online content until the late hours of the night? Which topics have you encountered in or outside of school that pique your curiosity? What confuses, surprises, or makes you want to learn more? Whatever your answer is, remember that you’ll need to speak to how it ties into the academic area you’d like to pursue in college, so you’ll need to be able to make a clear connection between the two. For example, your obsession with creating the perfect soufflé may have natural tie-ins to a potential chemistry major but not so much to computer science. As such, you’ll likely want to brainstorm a variety of interests so that you can choose one that clearly relates to your major.

Alternatively, you might find it helpful to approach this essay in reverse—first, consider your academic area of choice, and then, identify interests that relate to it. Or, you can take on the challenge of finding how two seemingly disparate interests/areas overlap, of course (if you end up writing an essay about soufflés and computer science, please send it to us!).

5) 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.

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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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 30, 2023

2023-2024 University of Notre Dame Supplemental Essay Prompts

The University of Notre Dame has published its 2023-2024 supplemental admissions essays for applicants to the Class of 2028. 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.

2023-2024 Notre Dame Essay Topics and Short Answers

Applicants are asked to respond to two of the following three essay questions in 150 words or fewer:

1. 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?

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).

2. 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?

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. 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.

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.

Short Answers

Students are asked to respond to three of the following five 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.

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.

2. What brings you joy?

Too many applicants choose a topic that’s simply silly for this prompt, which is a common short-answer essay question among the elite universities. While the prompt need not relate to a student’s hook, it should always highlight how they think. It should always highlight a student’s intellectual curiosity. It can’t just be silly.

3. What is worth fighting for?

Here’s an opportunity for applicants to get deep but we encourage them not to pick too grandiose of a topic. They should instead choose something that they can genuinely change in the course of their lifetimes. Applicants should think locally, not globally.

4. What is something that genuinely interests you and how does this tie to the academic area you hope to study at Notre Dame?

This prompt presents applicants the chance to tie in a Notre Dame specific that doesn’t apply to any school but Notre Dame — so long as it relates to the student’s academic interest (which ideally relates to the hook they’ve demonstrated in the activities section and in other essays). Applicants should avoid name-dropping professors and listing classes when tying in their academic interest with Notre Dame.  

5. 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.

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 free consultation form , and we’ll be in touch to go through our college counseling services for seniors.

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University of Notre Dame 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 1

You Have: 

University of Notre Dame 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: Two 200-word essays; three 50-word short responses

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Oddball , Community , Short Answer

The University of Notre Dame Writing Section consists of responses to two (2) brief essay questions and three (3) short-answer responses to questions you select from the options provided.  

Please choose two questions from the options below. your brief essay response to each question should be no more than 150 words. , 1) 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.

Notre Dame wants to welcome motivated, socially aware students to campus next fall, so tell admissions about a time when you gave back to your community in a meaningful way. (Hint: your “community” can be as small as your neighborhood and as large as the entire world or even universe!) Maybe you’ve volunteered at your local soup kitchen every other weekend since you were in middle school or canvassed for political candidates that you believe will generate positive change for generations to come. Whatever your example(s) may be, don’t be afraid to touch on what those experiences meant to you. And bonus points if you can connect your past service to the work you hope to do in the future, hopefully at Notre Dame!

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? 

This prompt is asking you to cover a lot of ground in just 150 words, so the key to a dynamic response will be to make it succinct and authentic. Can you think of an experience or aspect of your background that has influenced who you are today? Maybe you grew up in a commune, which shaped you to consider the needs of the collective over those of the individual. Perhaps your younger sibling was born deaf, and so you have been an interpreter since you were a child, helping those around you to communicate effectively. Our advice is to freewrite everything that comes to mind, step away, then revisit with fresh eyes to piece your story together. Don’t forget to address what this experience has meant to you and why you would be a meaningful addition to the Notre Dame community at large.

3) 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.

If you choose this prompt, odds are you’re passionate about something impacting you, your community, or the world at large. You don’t have to be a protest organizer to impress admissions here; it can be just as bold to engage in a dialogue with family members from older generations on controversial topics or utilize your creativity to draw informative comics, breaking down complex issues for Instagram or TikTok. If you’re feeling stuck, maybe start by thinking about the topics that are most important to you. What keeps you up at night? Gun violence? Climate change? Food deserts? Next, think about what steps you’ve taken in your life to effect change and engage in difficult conversations in order to call others in and spread awareness. Ultimately, the key to writing an excellent response to this prompt is in the details. Don’t just tell Notre Dame about something you’ve advocated for recently; tell them why you did so, how you did so, and maybe even how you would like to continue engaging with or fighting for equity and justice in the future. 

Please choose three questions from the options below. Your response to each short-answer question should be no more than 50 words. 

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.

Do not overthink your responses to these questions. Instead, identify the three that call to you and trust your instincts. Perhaps you want to tell admissions about the look on your sister’s face every time you agree to play dress-up with her to answer #2. Maybe you’ve been hoping for the opportunity to speak about the role religion plays in your life. If you opt to respond to prompt #4, we recommend doing a little research to make sure you can point to one of Notre Dame’s offerings with a specificity that can only be accomplished by having spent a solid amount of time browsing the website (or taking a campus tour!). A little research will also do you a favor if you respond to prompt #1 (i.e. make sure Notre Dame meets the parameters of your so-called “non-negotiables”). Just because these short answers are brief doesn’t mean you can rush through them. Leave yourself enough time to think through your responses and don’t forget to proofread!

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Successful University Writing

• Before You Start Writing...

Structuring an essay

• Report writing
• Annotated bibliography
• Literature review
• Reflective writing
• Using Ideas from sources in your writing
• Writing concisely and editing your work
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Thesis statements

Most academic writing at university will require you to argue a position. This means including a thesis statement upfront in the first paragraph that concisely states the central argument and purpose of the essay. This video addresses the key features of a thesis statement.

• Parts of an essay
• Writing introductions and conclusions
• Writing paragraphs
• Making your writing flow

Academic writing structures may vary, but the main sections are the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Here is an overview of what these sections contain:

Introduction

• The introduction tells the reader what your writing is about.
• Start by defining the topic and any terms which will be crucial for your discussion.
• The introduction should also state what position you will argue and how you will do it. This is the thesis statement .
• Use words and phrases which are in the assignment question to help the reader see that you are directly addressing the main issues.
• It can help to write the introduction last. This is particularly helpful if you have not yet fully determined what your document is going to say and what your arguments will be.
• This is the most important part of your writing. Begin each sentence with a "topic sentence" which is then discussed and explained.
• Each paragraph must discuss a different point. Each paragraph should be a discussion on the point you have made in the first sentence.
• Paraphrase or summarise the sources you have read in your research. If using direct quotes, ensure they are relevant and impactful. Evaluate what is being said. Never assume the reader knows what you are talking about.
• Always reference any ideas you have used in your writing. 
• Paragraphs should flow in an organised and logical sequence. One way to do this is by introducing the next paragraph (topic) in the last sentence of the previous paragraph.
• Avoid repetition and rewriting another version of what you have already said.
• Transition or linking words ,   such as  however, therefore,  and  although tell the reader about the direction you are arguing or when there is a change of direction.
• Avoid using first person point of view.
• Avoid slang or jargon (use academic language).
• Avoid using long and complicated sentences. Make your point obvious and easy to read.
• The work should read as one organised discussion, not a mix of unrelated information. Make sure each sentence in the paragraphs has a role in the discussion and contributes to the overall argument and topic you are addressing.
• Restate what you planned to do in your introduction and discuss how you have done it. You should tell the reader that your discussion led to the conclusion that your thesis (argument/position) supported.
• No new information should be included in the conclusion.

An essay introduction usually:

• clearly states the topic that will be the focus of the essay;
• offers a preview of main aspects that will addressed, or the particular angle that will be taken in; and
• clearly articulates the position that will be argued. This is known as the thesis statement.

Consider this introduction:

Leadership has been defined as “the process of influencing the activities of an organized group toward goal achievement” (Block & Tackle, 2019 , p. 46). This essay compares and contrasts two approaches to leadership from Western and Eastern traditions. The first is Fayol’s Administrative Principles approach, considered to be one of the foundations of the study of Management. The second approach is Confucianism, which is said to continue to guide leadership and management across China and much of South-East Asia (Shih, Wong, Han, Zheng, & Xin, 2004). It will be argued that these two approaches share certain core values, and a critical understanding of both approaches can support management decision-making.

The first sentence clearly states the topic. Leadership has been defined as “the process of influencing the activities of an organized group toward goal achievement” (Block & Tackle, 2019 , p. 46).

The middle sentences preview the aspects that will be addressed and hints at the approach (compare and contrast). This essay compares and contrasts two approaches to leadership from Western and Eastern traditions. The first is Fayol’s Administrative Principles approach, considered to be one of the foundations of the study of Management. The second approach is Confucianism, which is said to continue to guide leadership and management across China and much of South-East Asia (Shih, Wong, Han, Zheng, & Xin, 2004).

The final sentence clearly states the thesis, or position that will be argued. This is essentially a succinct version of the response to the essay question. It will be argued that these two approaches share certain core values, and a critical understanding of both approaches can support management decision-making.

In any academic essay, the paragraphs should follow the key points that have been outlined in the introduction. Each paragraph then contextualises and expands upon these points in relation the thesis statement of the essay. Having a paragraph plan is an effective way to map out your essay and ensure that you address the key points of the essay in detail – especially for longer forms of essays and academic writing that students engage with at university.

An basic paragraph plan would generally contain:

• The thesis statement (for an essay)
• A topic heading for each paragraph
• The claim of argument to be made in each paragraph (this will be, or will inform, your topic sentence)
• The evidence that will be presented to support the claim
• Summary of the conclusion paragraph

Consider this example of a paragraph plan:

Paragraph plans provide an overview of your essay and provide an effective starting point for structured writing. The next step is using this plan to expand on the points as you write your essay.

Getting your writing to flow.

In almost all cases, written assignments call for students to explore complex topics or aspects of an area of study. Any academic writing task  is an opportunity to show how well you understand a particular topic, theme or area. Usually this means demonstrating how various ideas, knowledge, information or ways of thinking are connected within the context of the task or area of focus. 

This means that successful academic writing presents ideas logically, and that there is high connectivity within the writing. In other words, the aim should be for writing to have high flow to help make the connections clear.

Three ways to achieve this include:

• ensuring that there is good connection from one paragraph to another;
• ensuring that there is good connection from one sentence to another; and
• using transition words effectively to make the logical connections between ideas clear.

Flow from one paragraph to another

Topic sentences, or the leading sentences of a paragraph, play a key role in connecting the ideas of an essay. High-flow topic sentences should look to include three key elements:

• An explicit reference to the topic of the essay.
• A reference to the main aspect of the previous paragraph
• An introduction to the topic of the new paragraph

Consider the following examples of topic sentences in response to an essay question about Virtue Ethics.

A low-flow topic sentence : Aristotle defined phronesis as practical wisdom.

This sentence does not reference the topic (virtue ethics), nor does it link to an idea from a previous paragraph. It does however, introduce the sub-topic of the paragraph (phronesis).

A high-flow topic sentence:  Another fundamental concept in Virtue Ethics is phronesis.

This sentence refers to the essay topic (virtue ethics), acknowledges that this is an additional concept that build on the previous paragraph, and introduces the topic of this paragraph (phronesis).

Flow from one sentence to another

Well-constructed paragraphs have high connections between sentences. In general sentences that promote flow should:

• reference the topic of the previous sentence;
• add new information in the second half; and
• use topic words.

The following paragraph example can be considered high-flow. It includes sentences that reference the previous sentence ( underlined ), add new information ( maroon ) and use topic words ( green ).

Another fundamental concept in Virtue Ethics is phronesis. According to Aristotle, phronesis is a form of practical wisdom through which individuals make principled decisions in line with virtues such as courage and honesty (reference). Its practical nature means that phronesis can only be developed over a lifetime of carefully considered actions and sober reflection . This practice builds a person’s moral character, allowing them to make morally-defensible choices even in unfamiliar and complex situations (reference). In other words, it is a kind of social and professional skill, which at first requires conscious effort and can still result in mistakes. However, through discipline and persistence, it becomes second nature. As a result, practitioners consistently act wisely and in accordance with the virtues they uphold . Their wise actions further strengthen their own character and contribute to human fulfilment at both individual and community levels (reference). 

Transition words that improve flow

Transition words help make the relationships and connections between ideas clear. Some examples of helpful transition words and phrases for various types of connections include:

Success Now! workshops and consultations

Success Now! workshops are available live online or on campus. Register here for workshops on research and writing . You can also organise an individual consultation here to talk to a learning advisor about planning your assignments.

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• Last Updated: Feb 1, 2024 10:25 AM
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Environmental Changes Are Fueling Human, Animal and Plant Diseases, Study Finds

Biodiversity loss, global warming, pollution and the spread of invasive species are making infectious diseases more dangerous to organisms around the world.

By Emily Anthes

Several large-scale, human-driven changes to the planet — including climate change, the loss of biodiversity and the spread of invasive species — are making infectious diseases more dangerous to people, animals and plants, according to a new study.

Scientists have documented these effects before in more targeted studies that have focused on specific diseases and ecosystems. For instance, they have found that a warming climate may be helping malaria expand in Africa and that a decline in wildlife diversity may be boosting Lyme disease cases in North America.

But the new research, a meta-analysis of nearly 1,000 previous studies, suggests that these patterns are relatively consistent around the globe and across the tree of life.

“It’s a big step forward in the science,” said Colin Carlson, a biologist at Georgetown University, who was not an author of the new analysis. “This paper is one of the strongest pieces of evidence that I think has been published that shows how important it is health systems start getting ready to exist in a world with climate change, with biodiversity loss.”

In what is likely to come as a more surprising finding, the researchers also found that urbanization decreased the risk of infectious disease.

The new analysis, which was published in Nature on Wednesday, focused on five “global change drivers” that are altering ecosystems across the planet: biodiversity change, climate change, chemical pollution, the introduction of nonnative species and habitat loss or change.

The researchers compiled data from scientific papers that examined how at least one of these factors affected various infectious-disease outcomes, such as severity or prevalence. The final data set included nearly 3,000 observations on disease risks for humans, animals and plants on every continent except for Antarctica.

The researchers found that, across the board, four of the five trends they studied — biodiversity change, the introduction of new species, climate change and chemical pollution — tended to increase disease risk.

“It means that we’re likely picking up general biological patterns,” said Jason Rohr, an infectious disease ecologist at the University of Notre Dame and senior author of the study. “It suggests that there are similar sorts of mechanisms and processes that are likely occurring in plants, animals and humans.”

The loss of biodiversity played an especially large role in driving up disease risk, the researchers found. Many scientists have posited that biodiversity can protect against disease through a phenomenon known as the dilution effect.

The theory holds that parasites and pathogens, which rely on having abundant hosts in order to survive, will evolve to favor species that are common, rather than those that are rare, Dr. Rohr said. And as biodiversity declines, rare species tend to disappear first. “That means that the species that remain are the competent ones, the ones that are really good at transmitting disease,” he said.

Lyme disease is one oft-cited example. White-footed mice, which are the primary reservoir for the disease, have become more dominant on the landscape, as other rarer mammals have disappeared, Dr. Rohr said. That shift may partly explain why Lyme disease rates have risen in the United States. (The extent to which the dilution effect contributes to Lyme disease risk has been the subject of debate, and other factors, including climate change, are likely to be at play as well.)

Other environmental changes could amplify disease risks in a wide variety of ways. For instance, introduced species can bring new pathogens with them, and chemical pollution can stress organisms’ immune systems. Climate change can alter animal movements and habitats, bringing new species into contact and allowing them to swap pathogens .

Notably, the fifth global environmental change that the researchers studied — habitat loss or change — appeared to reduce disease risk. At first glance, the findings might appear to be at odds with previous studies, which have shown that deforestation can increase the risk of diseases ranging from malaria to Ebola. But the overall trend toward reduced risk was driven by one specific type of habitat change: increasing urbanization.

The reason may be that urban areas often have better sanitation and public health infrastructure than rural ones — or simply because there are fewer plants and animals to serve as disease hosts in urban areas. The lack of plant and animal life is “not a good thing,” Dr. Carlson said. “And it also doesn’t mean that the animals that are in the cities are healthier.”

And the new study does not negate the idea that forest loss can fuel disease; instead, deforestation increases risk in some circumstances and reduces it in others, Dr. Rohr said.

Indeed, although this kind of meta-analysis is valuable for revealing broad patterns, it can obscure some of the nuances and exceptions that are important for managing specific diseases and ecosystems, Dr. Carlson noted.

Moreover, most of the studies included in the analysis examined just a single global change drive. But, in the real world, organisms are contending with many of these stressors simultaneously. “The next step is to better understand the connections among them,” Dr. Rohr said.

Emily Anthes is a science reporter, writing primarily about animal health and science. She also covered the coronavirus pandemic. More about Emily Anthes

Explore the Animal Kingdom

A selection of quirky, intriguing and surprising discoveries about animal life..

Indigenous rangers in Australia’s Western Desert got a rare close-up with the northern marsupial mole , which is tiny, light-colored and blind, and almost never comes to the surface.

For the first time, scientists observed an orangutan, a primate, in the wild treating a wound  with a plant that has medicinal properties.

A new study resets the timing for the emergence of bioluminescence back to millions  of years earlier than previously thought.

Scientists are making computer models to better understand how cicadas  emerge collectively after more than a decade underground .

New research questions the long-held theory that reintroduction of Yellowstone’s wolves caused a trophic cascade , spawning renewal of vegetation and spurring biodiversity.

To protect Australia’s iconic animals, scientists are experimenting with vaccine implants , probiotics, tree-planting drones and solar-powered tracking tags.

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The Halfway Point

Published: May 07, 2024

Author: Ellie Villaruz

As I looked at my Google Calendar and noticed that there were a few weeks left until the end of sophomore year, I have such mixed feelings. While I cannot wait to finish up with my current classes, enjoy the nice weather, and start my summer job… I feel somewhat scared by the fact that I am nearly halfway through my college career. But I guess I’m 20 (wow), and have to face the music that I’m almost in the real world. Here are my reflections at this point.

What I’ll Miss:

The Beginning

I will never forget my first month at Notre Dame. While it’s stressful trying to figure out where all of your classes are, how to get food at the dining hall, and how to use your student ID to access the gym to workout, nothing will compete with the novelty of experiencing Notre Dame as a student for the first time. I loved meeting all sorts of new people, both those who lived next to me and those who lived across campus. Everyone came from different places, had different majors, and were excited for different things– but everyone was ready to be a student at Notre Dame and take advantage of all the opportunities ND offers. Enjoy every “first” (SYR, football game, late night studying in the library, successful group project, snowball fight etc). I wish I could go back to that point in time and tell my past self to just make memories and chill, it will all work out.

On Campus Living

The dorm system is something extremely unique to Notre Dame. As most people stay in their randomly assigned dorm for all six semesters of their living requirement, you begin to identify with your dorm and all the people in it. I will miss the rush of Welcome Weekend where your defining characteristic is essentially your dorm. To all future ND students, soak in every moment of Welcome Weekend and get involved with all of the dorm opportunities provided to you. I was able to serve as the Wellness Commissioner for PE (my dorm) this past year, and loved planning events for all Pyros and attending events put on by other commissioners. I only have one semester left in the dorm and will miss the convenience of being steps away from the Library, Starbucks, and all of my classes. I’m excited to live off campus and go abroad, but will miss the community and support of Pasquerilla East Hall.

Exploration

Your first two years of college are quite literally designed for you to explore anything that might interest you, in every sense. Even as a business major, I took a class called Radioactivity & Society last fall because I watched Oppenheimer over the summer and thought radioactivity was super cool! Two weeks ago, I went to the Hawaiian Club’s annual Luau and watched my peers showcase their amazing culture that is different from mine, but extremely beautiful. I joined my dorm’s interhall flag football team freshman fall and played flag football for the first time in my life! Your first two years are for exploring, and though the exploring doesn’t have to stop, the freedom you have is inexplicable. Just say “Yes!”

What I’m Looking Forward To:

Going Abroad

Next Spring, I will be spending my semester studying in Rome, Italy. I am extremely excited by this opportunity and cannot wait to continue my Notre Dame education in a completely different country. I have already started planning all of my trips both within Italy and across Europe, especially visiting my friends who are abroad in other countries! I’ve been taking Italian language classes for the past two semesters (Ciao!) and am anxious to immerse myself in Italian culture. I cannot wait for this transformative experience and figure out if All Roads Truly do Lead to Rome!

Academic Opportunities

As you advance in your Notre Dame academic career, you take more and more specific classes for your major. While I may not have loved Principles of Microeconomics my first semester at ND or Foundations of Coding last spring, I am glad I have some sort of knowledge on these subjects. However, I have enjoyed my upper level business classes much more such as Human Centered Design Entrepreneurship and Business, Climate, and Econ Ethics. These classes have been challenging in a different way, and are more specific to my major and what I want to do in the future. I cannot wait to get even more niche and specific in the classes I can take such as my plan to take Audit & Assurance Services next fall which is perfectly applicable to my internship in the Summer of 2025. Notre Dame is such an academically diverse school, and I’m looking forward to continuing to take advantage of these academic opportunities while I still have the chance.

I cannot believe I only have two football seasons left in the student section for Notre Dame football games. There’s something about getting up extremely early on a Saturday morning to get ready with all of your friends, dress in your best ND gear, and spend the whole day participating in festivities to cheer on the Irish. Nothing compares to the feeling of listening to the woman sing “Here Come The Irish… of Notre Dame” and seeing the football players run through the tunnel. We are one team, we are the Fighting Irish. I want time to slow down, I want to spend the rest of my life in that student section. But I can’t, and I think it’d be weird to see a 50 year old Ellie in the student section, so I guess I’ll settle for the two seasons I have left and make the most of them.

Overall, it is just crazy to me that I am halfway through my college career. I feel like somehow I was a first year student just yesterday, but have also been a Notre Dame student for five years. College is a weird kind of time warp, but writing this blog has just reminded me that I need to live every moment to the fullest.

Explore 231 College Essay Examples

Join the Essays That Worked community and get access to our entire database of 231 essay examples from admitted students.

Here is the full database of college essay examples with expert analysis.

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Trinity Christian downs Notre Dame with strong all-around win to kick off sectional play

MORGANTOWN — The rain subsided at just the right time for a perfect night for baseball on Monday night. The Class A Region II, Section 1 baseball tournament got underway with the No. 4 Trinity Christian Warriors hosting the No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Dale Miller Field.

The Warriors (9-10) defeated the visitors 8-2 with their final four runs coming in the top of the sixth inning and will travel to face No. 1 South Harrison this evening.

TCS scored its eight runs on nine hits, led by senior Trenton Timperio who went 3 for 4 at the plate coming a home run shy of the cycle.

Freshman pitcher Sam Fulk tossed a complete game for the Warriors giving up two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts. He also earned two of his team’s hits and scored two runs.

“We didn’t do one thing outstanding tonight, but we did everything well,” TCS head coach Wes Hopkins said. “Hitting, pitching, defense and on the bases, we were solid all around. Sam came up huge for us and has been great all year. Proud of these guys tonight.”

Fulk didn’t allow a hit until the third inning and the Warriors got started right away on the offensive side. 

Sophomore Thomas Dinkel hit a rocket to center field to lead off the bottom of the first and reached third on an error before scoring on a wild pitch moments later to open the scoring 1-0.

After a scoreless second inning, the Fighting Irish went on a two-out rally in the third with three straight singles, their first game hits. The latter by Preston Heslip scored two runs and gave ND a 2-1 advantage but the visitors wouldn’t find another run.

“It’s tough to win games when you only score two runs,” ND head coach Trent Lahasky said. “It’s been our problem most of the year giving up a big inning but we competed and have some positives to take from the game into Wednesday.”

Timperio tied the game at two in the bottom half of the third with a two-out double that scored Dinkel. Fulk worked a quick inning in the top of the fourth which made way for Noah Toler to give his team the lead 3-2 on a fielder’s choice with runners on second and third.

ND threatened with runners on and with some hard-hit balls, but the Warriors’ defense made some impressive plays in the outfield to keep the opposing hitters at bay and preserve the lead.

After adding a fourth run in the bottom of the fifth on a wild pitch that allowed Timperio to score from third, Fulk worked another strong inning in the top of the sixth and his offense rewarded him with four more runs in the bottom half for an 8-2 lead.

Fulk earned the final three outs to secure the victory for his team.

“I told them all year that we haven’t peaked yet,” Hopkins said. “Sectional playoffs is an ideal time to peak and I think we started that process tonight. It was one of the cleanest games defensively we have played all year. I don’t think Sam could’ve done much more. Our outfield tracked down some fly balls to save some baserunners. We have to be ready to hit tomorrow against South Harrison who is a very good team.”

BOX SCORE Trinity Christian 8, Notre Dame 2 ND 002 000 0 – 2 4 1 TCS 101 114 X – 8 9 1 Notre Dame – Marra 4110 Bombardiere 2110 Heslep 3011 Goldizen 3000 J Minnocci 3010 Hill 2000 Kennedy 2000 Fitch 1000 Urso 2000 D Minnocci 1000 Trinity Christian – Dinkel 4321 Hopkins 3001 Timperio 4132 Parker 4010 Shuba 2000 Fulk 3220 Sanders 1000 Toler 2101 Shuba 3111 2B: Fulk, Timperio 3B: Timperio WP: Fulk 7.0ip 4h 2r 4bb 8k LP: Heslep 5.0ip 6h 6r 4bb 5k

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