university of notre dame essays

How to Write the University of Notre Dame Supplemental Essays: Examples + Guide 2024/2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What are the notre dame supplemental essay prompts.

• How to write each prompt for Notre Dame
• How to Write the Notre Dame Supplemental Essay Prompt #1
• How to Write the Notre Dame Supplemental Essay Prompt #2
• How to Write the Notre Dame Supplemental Essay Prompt #3

Notre Dame gives you a few options to choose from to help them see more of who you are and what you bring to the college campus. 

But before you dive right into the prompts, get an extensive, by-the-numbers look at Notre Dame’s offerings in its Common Data Set , and for deeper insights into how the university wants to grow and evolve, read its strategic plan . 

*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. *

Notre Dame University Supplemental Essay Prompt #1

(In “Academics” tab): Briefly share what draws you to the area(s) of study you listed. (100 words)

The University of Notre Dame Writing Section consists of one (1) required short essay question and three (3) short-answer responses to questions you select from the options provided.

Notre Dame University Supplemental Essay Prompt #2

Please provide a response to the following question. The word count is a maximum of 150 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.*

Notre Dame University Supplemental Essay Prompt #3

Please choose three questions from the options below. Your response to each short-answer question should be between 50-100 words. How does faith influence the decisions you make? What is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (eg, family support, culture, disability, personal background, community)? Why are these experiences important to you and how will you enrich the Notre Dame community? Notre Dame’s undergraduate experience is characterized by a collective sense of care for every person. How do you foster service to others in your community? What compliment are you most proud of receiving, and why does it mean so much to you? What would you fight for?

How to Write Each Supplemental Essay Prompt for University of Notre Dame

How to write notre dame supplemental essay prompt #1.

Think of this as a super short “Why Major” prompt (with an option for a “ Why Us? ” detail at the end). Because it’s so short, you’ll want to be judicious with your word budget to clearly articulate both the what (the field of study you’re interested in) and the why (where your interests come from).

To get you started, here’s a complete guide to the “Why Major'' essay . Below is a condensed version.

One possible approach:

Think of this as a quick origin story.

Step #1: Imagine a mini-movie of the moments that led you to your interest and create a simple, bullet-point outline.

Step #2: Put your moments (aka the “scenes” of your mini-movie) in chronological order, as it’ll help you see how your interests developed. It also makes it easier to write transitions.

Step #3: You’ll likely want to include a specific thesis that explicitly states your central argument—in this case, what you want to study and why. This thesis can come at the beginning, middle, or end of your essay.

Once you have those pieces, you have a few structural options:

A. A quick hook that thematically sets up where you’ll take us, and, ideally, shows an aspect of your intellect/personality (If you do this, it can be stylistically effective to bookend—to end the essay by linking back to what you opened with.)

B. An initial moment that sparked your interest

C. Your thesis

Body (but to clarify, this essay can be a single paragraph if you choose)

The moments of your mini-movie, illustrating both the development of your interest and some of your core values

One option: Go narrower—perhaps link to specific aspects of Yale that will help you continue on your path toward a future goal.

Another option: Go wider—name the road you hope to follow (for example, career path, organizations you’d like to work with, the greater value/implications of studying what you want to).

Because Notre Dame’s word count is so short, you’ll likely only have space for 2-3 sentences here, covering the areas above.

And last, a quick tip: Be sure this essay is consistent with your personal statement if you’ve mentioned aspects of your major/career there.

Here’s a nice example essay written for Yale’s “Why Major” prompt that can give you a nice sense of the direction to head with your content:

Storytelling has shaped me. At four, I read The Lion King until I’d memorized it. I’d snuggle in bed as my dad read Wilderness Champion or Tom Sawyer. Later, I found audio and visual storytelling, mesmerized by This American Life and Whiplash. Now, I create my own stories through newspaper satire, podcasting, and locally-broadcasted radio.  My major at Yale would be the next chapter in my life of storytelling. I’d explore past narratives and how they can be digitally innovated. Whether exploring media’s disfiguration of truth, developing screenplays, or analyzing mise-en-scene, I hope to pioneer new networks of connection. (99 words)

Tips + Analysis 

(Quickly) hook the reader. The first line performs a few functions here. First, it pulls us in and makes us curious about what exactly she means by claiming that storytelling has shaped her. Second, it gives us a sense of a core aspect of her identity and values. 

Show the development of your interest through moments that connect to core values. She packs a nice amount of detail into 99 words. The details she includes point toward her values and identity, as do her interests in newspaper satire, podcasting, and local radio. The details in the second paragraph show some nice depth and development. 

Describe how Yale can help with the next steps. She links her brief origin story to how Yale can help her on her path, and how it will help her develop both her understanding and her values.

how to write Notre Dame Supplemental Essay Prompt #2

You can essentially approach this as a “Why us” essay—show what you’re looking for in a college, and why Notre Dame just happens to be the perfect fit for you.

To help get a strong understanding of how to write to this prompt, check out our “Why us?” essay guide —and pay particular attention to the Cornell example, which is one of our favorites. While that example is longer, you’ll also find advice in that guide on tackling shorter “Why us?” essays, and the Tufts essay is a great example. 

Don’t have the time to read the full guide? Here’s the TL;DR version:

Spend 1 hr+ researching 5-7 reasons why Notre Dame might be a great fit for you (ideally one or two of those reasons will be unique to Notre Dame and connect back to you). Why this many reasons? You’ll likely only end up including only some of these, but it’s better to have more than you need. Plus, you’ll learn more about the school if you find this many.

Make a copy of this chart to map out your college research.

Create an outline for your essays based on either Approach 1, 2 (recommended for Notre Dame), or 3 in the full guide above.

Write a first draft!

As you write, try to avoid these common mistakes: 

Six Common Mistakes Students Make on “Why Us?” Essays

Mistake #1 : Writing about the school's size, location, reputation, weather, or ranking.

Mistake #2 : Simply using emotional language to demonstrate fit.

Mistake #3 : Screwing up the mascot, stadium, team colors or names of any important people or places on campus.

Mistake #4 : Parroting the brochures or website language.

Mistake #5 : Describing traditions the school is well-known for.

Mistake #6 : Thinking of this as only a "Why them" essay.

Here’s a great sample essay for this prompt. You may not be applying to the Mendoza College of Business like this student was, so don’t worry about that bit of detail. Instead, focus on the specifics and other details he uses, as we’ll discuss in the Tips + Analysis section below.

At the Mendoza College of Business, I am eager to develop my whole self, by incorporating liberal arts and theology into finance. Understanding finance and how it relates to societal functions fascinates me. Through following the NYSE after school, I’ve learned the ability to analyze markets is one of the most important skills in our ever-changing, diverse economic landscape. Professor Bergstrand’s article “Should TPP Be Formed? On the Potential Economic, Governance, and Conflict-Reducing Impacts of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement” captivated me. I agree there are limitations in computer business models, and in order to allow for greater diversity human analysts cannot be replaced.  A business major is one thing, but Notre Dame’s unique Poverty Studies minor will expand my understanding of the life billions of people live everyday, allowing me to make financial decisions with a higher purpose in mind. I would be thrilled to couple this learning with working alongside the Center for the Study of Religion and Society, while also advancing my knowledge of the Catholic faith. I aim to study the magnitude of the statistical mark I make as an economist, while concurrently viewing the outcome as a humanitarian. — — — 

Tips + Analysis:

Be specific. We’re talking about courses, professors, research studies, clubs: Use their formal names, and make sure to spell them right. Note how this student doesn’t just name a professor he’d want to learn from; he also researched his publications and spoke to why one in particular resonated with him (“I agree there are limitations in computer business models, and in order to allow for greater diversity human analysts cannot be replaced.”). That depth of detail is a great way to show you’ve done your research and aren’t just listing what you saw in the course catalog. 

Demonstrate a range of interests. The broad scope of this prompt is intentional. It’s not just asking about your chosen major or your academic interests; it’s probing for details about the breadth of your interests. This student doesn’t do a whole lot of that, and it’s not a do-or-die must, but we definitely recommend it. So, after talking about, say, courses and professors and programs that interest you, talk about campus life—clubs, activities, sports or other extracurriculars. But note that the prompt asks you to share about more than how Notre Dame will transform your “mind”—school officials  also want to know about your heart. Given this ...

Speak to your desire to give back. As a proudly Catholic institution (with over 80% Catholic enrollment), Notre Dame values a culture of service. In fact, the first goal in its strategic plan revolves around character : “We strive to build a community that inspires the pursuit of truth and teaches respect, love, and service so that our learning serves the Church and the world, particularly for those who are most in need.” Your budget limit is tight, so keep it brief. This student makes some nice “heart” connections in the final paragraph.

Short Answer option 3: "Advocacy" essay

How does faith influence the decisions you make?

• Why are these experiences important to you and how will you enrich the Notre Dame community?

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

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

What would you fight for?

These are your classic short answer questions that several colleges require.

  Here’s a larger guide to questions like these .

And here are some general tips to get you started on the short-answer portion of the Notre Dame application:

#1: Think of your short answers as an advent calendar. Consider that each of your short answers, no matter how short, is a tiny window into your soul. Make sure the reader finds something inside that's awesome and different from the window before.

#2: Use all or most of the space allotted to explain your answer. You’re given space for 50-100 words for an answer that could easily be one or two words. So use it up! In other words, you can answer "why," even if the prompt doesn't ask you to. Do this because your core values may be hard to express in 1-2 words.

#3: Get specific . Don’t just give a generic answer followed by a generic reason for your generic answer. Be creative and use details that give you a distinctive/memorable voice.

#4: Feel free to take (calculated) risks on these. Get creative. Push boundaries (a little). To clarify, we don’t mean shock for the sake of shock value; make sure you’re still revealing core values (one of which might be humor, for instance). Speaking of which ...

#5: Don't check your humor at the door. If you're funny in life, feel free to be funny in your short answers. If you're not funny, no need to start now. ;)

#6: Offer a variety of things you're interested in. If you love science and wrote a supplemental essay about science, don't answer prompt #2 with 20 journals, websites, or publications you’ve read on ... science. Show how you find joy in astrophysics but also literature, philosophy, Star Trek, programming, and Godfather 1 and 2 (but not 3.)

#7: Note that there isn’t, like, some magical key/code with these where, if you answer the right thing for your favorite website, then the door to the college will be magically opened to you (sure, that would be nice, but no, not how this works). These are just a chance (well, three chances) for the school to get to know you better. So make the most of them by sharing values and insights, but don’t over-obsess as though your life depends on them. ‘Cuz it doesn’t. 

To illustrate how you can approach these, here are some examples for some of the prompts above:

Essay example:

For the past couple of months, I’ve chosen each day to perform a mitzvah (a good deed). Whether through planning for a Cookies for Cancer bake sale and donating the proceeds, or driving a friend home after school, I am constantly seeking to achieve the most selfless version of me, an idea that my religion consistently promotes. 

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

This is a pretty standard “How will you contribute…” prompt—for a full guide to those prompts (and other kinds of “diversity” prompts), head here . Here’s a shorter  version:

In this essay prompt, Notre Dame wants to understand how your life experiences have prepared you to contribute to their diverse student community. Let's break down the key components of the prompt to guide your approach.

Which of your life experiences have had the most impact on your personal development? This essay offers the opportunity to delve into specific experiences that have shaped your perspective on life, education, and more.

How will you contribute? Make sure your answer to this question is clear. How have these experiences positioned you to make an impact at Notre Dame? What do you bring to the school and community (in ways that maybe others don’t)? While it doesn’t have to be truly unique, it’s great to aim in that direction: the best response will highlight a contribution that only you (or maybe you plus a few other applicants) would think to make.

Again, one important aspect with this prompt is its focus on your contribution to the Notre Dame community.

Another detail to note is Notre Dame’s encouragement to show where you come from—the people, places, and things that have shaped who you are today. This is your chance to connect your unique upbringing, in a very broad sense of the word, with what has helped make you unstoppable. So take it.

While there are many things outside of “community” that might fit this prompt, if you’re looking for a way to brainstorm ideas, that’s a good place to start. (Especially since “community” and “identity” tend to overlap a lot. But keep in mind that you’ll want to include some “how will you contribute” details in your essay—this isn’t just a “tell us about a community” prompt.)

For a full guide to “community” essays , head there.

Here’s how to brainstorm possible essays:

Step 1: Brainstorm (all about you).

Do the “ If You Really, Really Knew Me ” Exercise.

Step 2: Research the college (learn all about them).

Make a copy of the “Why us” Essay Chart 2.0 , research the school you’re writing your essay for, and fill in the first two columns. 

Once you’ve done these exercises, you’ll have a better sense of: 

YOU: A bunch of different talents/skills/identities/qualities that you’ll bring to a college campus, and

THEM: A variety of programs/courses/clubs/affinity groups that your college offers.

Step 3: Connect you… to them (i.e., the college you’re applying to). 

Make connections between what the school offers and what you’re interested in.

Here’s an example essay written for Columbia but that illustrates how to approach this kind of prompt, though note that it’s over word count for Notre Dame:

Example essay:

At family dinners over gnocchi and arancini, my grandpa would always ask my two older brothers how their education and sports were going. I’d wait for my turn, but the question was never directed my way. In contrast, my grandma always tells me how thankful she is that I’m able to get an education of my own. She frequently mentions how she regrets never getting an education. I pursue my education with a fire within me to do what she wasn’t allowed to. During the summer of 2021, I realized that I could impact other girls in a similar way by writing a children’s book about influential women in STEM in order to inspire the next generation of female scientists.  At Columbia University, I hope to contribute to the empowerment of women by creating a Society of Women in Science, hosting Alumni Panels, Graduate Student Q&A’s, and creating a safe space for women in similar majors to discuss their successes and setbacks. In addition, joining the Student Wellness Project will provide another community that prioritizes mental health. This empowering environment is the ideal place to help me develop as both a feminist and a scientist. _ _ _

View the prompt broadly. While this prompt offers you the perfect opportunity to explore the impact race, socioeconomic status, and other societal factors have had on you, don’t feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the prompt. As in the example above, where the student recounts her experiences with a cultural and generational divide, there are many experiences we’ve had that have shaped who we are. Some are deep, like being the only person of color at your high school, while others are more light-hearted, like having to learn to make your own grilled cheese at age 8 as a latchkey kid. Both are admirable in their own ways. Both may be really important to you. And both can make really effective responses.

Make campus connections. The second part of the prompt is as important as the first. While Brown wants to hear about your past experiences, they’re just as curious about how they’ll shape your time on campus, leaving the school better than as you found it. But remember, they probably want at least some (if not all) focus on outside-the-classroom experiences here, so dive into their list of student organizations and find a few that truly resonate with you and that you feel you could make a meaningful contribution to. The student above does just that with their reference to the Student Wellness project and how they expect to contribute.

Be a changemaker. Can’t find an organization at Notre Dame you'd like to join? Create your own! The student in the example above plans to start their own organization and even outlines some of the specific events she plans to hold. It's clear she's done her research to see where the college might be lacking in female-centered organizations—and she's going to take the charge to correct that.

Tie the two together . Make sure your past connects with your future. That means tying the lessons from your childhood, preteen, and adolescent years with the contributions you're going to make on campus. The response above does a great job in doing that. As a young female who has, from a young age, been committed to empowering young women, it’s clear how this student is going to make a specific impact on the college’s campus community.

And here’s another example, written for Williams’ version of this prompt:

In the 1930s, 36 members of my family were lost to the Holocaust, and that fact has since led me to carry on the memory of my ancestors through tradition—preparing for my Bar Mitzvah, observing Jewish holidays, and going to synagogue for Rosh Hashana. Additionally, it has driven me to teach others about the Holocaust. At my first-year Entry, I would share my involvement within the Jewish community, and how it has led me to become a more engaged member of society. During this past school year, I became an educator on the Student Leadership Board of the Seattle-based Holocaust Center for Humanity. Meeting biweekly, we discussed historical anti-Semitism as well as modern-day discrimination toward oppressed groups of people. Before joining the board, I had felt disconnected from Jewish activism and lacked a community of fellow Jewish activists. My year on the board solved that. Each week, I added my ideas and learned from fellow students during group discussion. Additionally, I built an interactive website to share the story of a Holocaust survivor.  Even though we weren’t all Jewish, this group’s drive for educating others and spreading peace brought us closer. It was a community where we could talk about serious current events, but also where we could share a laugh. At Williams, I hope to discover that same kind of community. I’ll join the Williams College Jewish Association, where I can carry on what I loved about the Holocaust Center’s board, participating in discussions, leading service projects, and making impactful art to share stories. Even outside that group, I’ll bring to Williams my Jewish values and enthusiasm for meeting people from different backgrounds, spreading a greater message of peace and kindness. (282 words) _ _ _

Two questions to ask yourself as you brainstorm topics for this prompt: 

What sort of service and civic engagement projects have you been involved with? Your Activities List is a good place to start. 

Are there any essays you’re already writing for another school that you could double with this prompt? If so, it may be a candidate for a Super Essay . 

Do you have meaningful examples and anecdotes that show how you have been of service and how you’ve fostered service in others—like the club you started to teach chess to fifth-graders, or the recycling project you led in your neighborhood, or the comedy skits you put on for the local senior center? Your topic of choice should be something you genuinely care about. You’ll find it much easier to write with enthusiasm if you talk about something you actually find important and interesting.

Once you’ve picked a topic, you’ll notice you’re (probably) writing an extracurricular activity essay. Here’s a complete guide on how to write that. You’ll want to make sure your values are super clear by the end of the essay.

Finally, you have the option to weave in how you’ll continue this work (or continue to explore these values) at Notre Dame. If so, consider connecting your goals with unique resources at the university. Read this “Why us?” essay guide for tips and examples. This might make up just the end of your essay. 

Below is an example of a super essay approach—the student used this essay for many different school prompts, including Georgia Tech, but it could work well for Notre Dame with some small tweaks.

If there were a “cry graph” for the number of times students at my school broke down from freshman to junior year, it would increase exponentially. We often found ourselves weeping together in philosophy class, one of the only safe spaces to open up emotionally about the stress we all experienced. The phrase “I’m going to kill myself” became so popular that it was difficult to walk from one end of a hallway to the other without hearing it, and my closest friend confessed that she considered quitting school to escape the asphyxiating stress. These red flags led me to decide that it was time to change the picture of the cry graph and create a space outside of philosophy class where we could support each other, so I founded the Psychology and Mental Health Club. Knowing how tough our second semester of junior year would be, I organized the first Psych Club meeting with a sense of urgency. We designed a survey to gauge the stress levels of students and to identify the most common sources. Then, I researched empirically proven de-stressing methods, and found that yoga, art therapy, and canine therapy can lower blood pressure and cortisol levels while increasing oxytocin levels. I organized stretching and doodle sessions, and collaborated with the library to host therapy dogs so that students could ‘paws’ and relax. After each event, we asked students to indicate their stress levels before and after; 96% of students responded that their stress decreased. I am elated to say that the Psych Club seems to have successfully reversed the ‘cry graph.’ We have received numerous requests to continue and expand our work, so we plan to hold our sessions every two weeks, and to introduce meditation, calming music, herbal teas, and other mindfulness activities that I continue to explore. (300) _ _ _

Tips + Analysis

Consider starting with an engaging hook. The author here does a great job of drawing readers in with her first line. She sets up a problem and explains it in an unconventional way. She does this by telling us that a great proportion of students at her high school face significant mental health challenges through the idea of a “cry graph.” Mental health is something that a lot of students might choose to write on for this prompt, so it could be hard to stand out, but the way this applicant approaches the topic feels fresh and unique. It’s odd to think about something like crying being graphed like a mathematical equation, but it’s also intriguing, and that makes us want to keep reading. Use your hook to show your mind working in unconventional ways, and perhaps introduce a dilemma that you can resolve as your piece progresses. This both raises the stakes for readers and piques their curiosity about you.

Make sure the purpose of each paragraph is clear and different from the previous one. This essay is divided into three paragraphs. They each build on one another and push the narrative forward. The first sets up the problem through the eyes of the writer and briefly alludes to her proposed solution: she noticed how severe a problem mental health was at her school, so she founded the Psych Club. The second paragraph expands upon the author’s self-created solution and we get great specific details about what she did to change the culture of the school. The last paragraph is a bit more introspective and reflects upon what the author hopes to accomplish in the future now that the club has proven itself to be a success. 

This structural division of these ideas and elements of the larger story helps us process what’s going on more effectively. If this was just one big dense block of text, we might find ourselves bored or tired of reading. We might also be a bit confused as to what the key takeaways are. Use the structure of your essay to amplify the content and maintain your reader’s attention.

Quantify or qualify impact. Impact can come in a lot of different forms. You can recount personal anecdotes or reflections. You can talk about statistics and numbers. You could even relive specific emotions or tap into visceral senses to convey the magnitude of a moment or event. In this case, the author uses numbers, telling us that an impressive 96% of her classmates reported feeling better after her club was formed. Why is it important that she included this number? Well, while all the activities the club planned sound incredible and the problem at hand seems like an important one, impact grounds ambiguity in reality. We don’t want to be left guessing about the effect of this narrative. Impact gives the piece a sense of purpose and helps us better understand how this applicant has concretely contributed to her community. The more you can do to convey impact and highlight the real life implications of your topic, the better.

How do you foster? Because the example above was written for a different school’s prompt, it doesn’t directly address the How do you foster service to others in your community? phrasing of the Notre Dame prompt as directly as it could, depending on your interpretation: “Foster service” could just refer to how you have served others, but it could also be interpreted to mean how you’ve influenced others to be in service to community. We’re not positive which interpretation Notre Dame intends here, but it may help your essay if you include specific details that clarify how you’ve encouraged others to be of service through your actions.

Essay examples:

Visiting relatives in India, I noticed the real inequity in world healthcare. The United States spends over $10,000 per person on healthcare annually, whereas India spends less than $100 per person. Access to proper healthcare should be a basic human right and not based upon a country’s development.  - - -  Society’s disproportionate focus on beauty often prevents girls from achieving their true potential. Until we begin measuring womens’ worth by their talents and innate values instead of their looks, I worry that girls who don’t fit conventional standards of weight and beauty will be held back from pursuing their dreams. - - - America’s prison system forces anyone with jail time, even nonviolent offenders, to be labeled as less than human by society—felons are denied many rights, including the right to vote. The prison system needs to be overhauled, starting with decriminalizing nonviolent offenses, such as marijuana possession. - - - At my school, there isn’t much emphasis on community enrichment and discussion. “I’m not affected, so why is mental health my problem?” “I can’t vote, so why should I discuss gun rights?” By prioritizing civic engagement, we can encourage genuine discourse, preventing the widespread complacency that exacerbates societal issues.

Tom Campbell (he/him) is an eternally extra Gemini who has spent the past seven years helping students and families navigate the college admissions process—one alliterative/assonant aphorism at a time. Prior to joining College Essay Guy, he worked as a college counselor at Lakeside School and an admissions officer at Pomona College and College of the Holy Cross (his alma mater). He stans em dashes and semicolons, Kacey Musgraves (all eras, not just star crossed and Golden Hour), superior breakfast burritos, and complaining about space tourism.

Top Values: Authenticity | Fun | Vulnerability

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3 University of Notre Dame Essay Examples by Accepted Students

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

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

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

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

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

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

What the Essay Did Well

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

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

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

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

What Could Be Improved

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where to Get Your Notre Dame  Essays Edited

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

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

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Ready to Write Your App Essays? Advice from an Admissions Counselor on the Notre Dame Supplement

Published: August 01, 2024

Author: Maria Finan

Now that the applications have officially opened for the 2024-2025 application cycle, you may be eager to dive into working on your essays. Hopefully, you’ve been able to spend some time thinking about your personal statement, which will be shared with all of the colleges you apply to this year. Like many universities, Notre Dame also has its own supplemental writing section , which gives applicants an opportunity to share more about themselves and what they’re looking for in their college experience.

You will respond to one (1) required short essay question and three (3) short-answer responses from the five options listed below.

You will have up to 150 words to respond to the short essay question, and 50-100 words to respond to the short answer questions.

There is no magic combination of questions that you should respond to—pick the prompts that will best enable you to share more about yourself, your values, and what makes you unique! We value each student’s distinct lived experiences and can’t wait to learn more about you from your supplemental responses.

If you’re struggling with what to write about, here are some suggestions to get you started!

The Short Essay - Required

Prompt: 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 question is as much about you as it is about what you’re looking for from your college experience.

Think about what you’re looking for in your future university.

• Do you want to attend a faith-based Catholic university like Notre Dame?
• Are you drawn to a school that has a strong community and residential life experience?
• Does your future home need to be a place where serving others and working for the betterment of society are important values?
• Are you someone who wants to conduct undergraduate research?
• Do you want a spirited environment full of tradition and an engaged student body?
• Are you seeking a collaborative academic environment?
• What programs or activities or opportunities are you specifically hoping to participate in when you get to college?
• What values do you hold that you hope your future institution will also exemplify?

There’s no right answer to this prompt, but if you take some time to think about it, there are likely a few things that are driving you to apply to Notre Dame. Take this opportunity to reflect on them and share how you hope to engage with such “non-negotiable” factors during your time as an undergraduate student.

The Short Answer Questions - Choose 3

How does faith influence the decisions you make?

If faith is a guiding force in your life, this might be one of the questions you’re most excited to respond to this year. As a Catholic university, Notre Dame is guided by our Catholic faith, social teachings, mission, and the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Each student’s faith journey is unique and we invite you to share how faith influences the decisions you make. Whether you’re Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Protestant, another religion, or have your own distinctive version of faith and spirituality, we are excited to hear about how you are guided by your faith.

You may also want to reflect on how your faith has shaped your own sense of mission and values for your life, the role those have played in the decisions you have made, and the path you are hoping to take in the future.

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

There is only one you in the world and we want to hear about who you are and what has shaped you.

There are infinite life experiences that have helped make you who you are, so think about which people, places, communities, and life events have influenced your personal development. This is an opportunity to share your lived experiences with us and to reflect on how you hope to share who you are with the Notre Dame community. Don’t forget to tell us why this/these experiences have been so important in your life.

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

For students applying to Notre Dame through QuestBridge, this is the second question you will respond to on the Notre Dame supplement.

This question is asking you to reflect on how you care for your community. This may be through service work, advocacy efforts, research with a social justice dimension, allyship actions, policy or curricular change, or even by dedicating your time to your community.

Consider community in a broad sense—it could be your family, your neighborhood, your town or city, your peers, your school, a religious organization, a local service organization, or something else entirely. If you are dedicating your heart and time to others, you are likely fostering service in your community.

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

This is an opportunity to share something that someone else has recognized you for (it doesn’t need to be an accomplishment; it can be for an action you took or a trait that you possess).

Oftentimes, the compliments that are most meaningful and memorable are those that we receive for being ourselves. You may want to share who complimented you or what prompted the compliment. This is a moment to let others speak to something important about you and to tell us why that matters so much to you.

What would you fight for?

With the Fighting Irish as our mascot, the Notre Dame community is all about “fighting” for what matters. The University has shared over 100 stories about members of the Notre Dame family who are fighting to bring solutions to a world in need.

This is your opportunity to tell us what (or who) you would fight for at Notre Dame, in your career, in your community, through your research, or in whatever other space in which you hope to make an impact.

Give yourself time to think and write. The best responses usually aren’t the ones written the night before the deadline. Take some time to think about which questions you want to respond to and what you want to share about yourself and then give yourself time to write (and edit)!

It’s always easier to write too much than too little. We’re asking you to be brief in your responses, but it’s often easier to write a little too much and edit your responses down to focus on what’s most important. Make the most of the space you have to respond to these prompts.

Don’t be afraid to pick a different question. You have to respond to the short essay prompt, but if you’re stuck on writing a response to one of the short answer questions, try writing something for one of the other questions. Sometimes, the questions you think you want to respond to may not be the questions you have the best responses to (it’s okay to try different prompts and pick the ones that best reflect who you are and what you value).

Be your authentic self. We want to get to know the real you. The best questions for you to respond to are the ones that reveal your true self. We don’t have favorite questions, but you might just write one of our favorite responses!

Get started on the Notre Dame Writing Supplement.

Maria Finan is a senior assistant director of admissions and counselor for the Bay Area, California, Northern California, Hawaii, Alaska, Hong Kong, and South China. Learn more.

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Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2024-25 — Prompts and Tips

August 23, 2024

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

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

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

Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2024-25

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

Note: you can choose up to three areas.

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

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

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

Essays #3-5

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

1) How does faith influence the decisions you make?

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

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

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

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

Notre Dame Supplemental Essays (Continued)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5) What would you fight for?

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

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

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

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

Want personalized assistance with your Notre Dame supplemental essays?

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

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How to Write the Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2024–2025

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The University of Notre Dame , consistently ranked the #1 university in Indiana , is a private Catholic research institution open to applicants of all faiths. Their academics , commitment to service , and inclusive student community all attract nearly 30,000 applicants yearly, only 12% of whom are admitted. Notre Dame’s accomplished alumni include Condoleezza Rice, Nicholas Sparks, Regis Philbin, and Orson Scott Card, among others. Hoping to join their ranks? First, you’ll need to nail your Notre Dame supplemental essays. Let’s dive in.

Notre Dame’s 2024-2025 Prompts

All applicants must write four supplemental essays as part of their Notre Dame application. The first prompt is required for all applicants. The other three essay prompts must be selected from a list of five prompts.

Required Essay Question

This essay question is required for all applicants to Notre Dame.

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

Choose three: short essay questions.

All applicants must choose three of the following prompts to respond to.

How does faith influence the decisions you make? (50-100 words)

• What is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (eg, family support, culture, disability, personal background, community)?  Why are these experiences important to you and how will you enrich the Notre Dame community? (50-100 words)
• Notre Dame’s undergraduate experience is characterized by a collective sense of care for every person.  How do you foster service to others in your community? (50-100 words)

What compliment are you most proud of receiving, and why does it mean so much to you? (50-100 words)

What would you fight for (50-100 words), we’ll review your essay.

Receive edits in as little as 24 hours

General Tips

In different ways, each of the Notre Dame supplemental essays ask you to explore your values. As a result, you may find it beneficial to explore what your values are before you begin writing these essays. What is important to you, and why? How do your values differ from those of your family, community, or culture? And how have your values emerged from your family, community, or culture?

Answering these questions for yourself is not only a valuable philosophical exercise but may be helpful in getting you into the right mindset for answering these essay prompts. Notre Dame is evidently looking for thoughtful, introspective applicants who can compose considerate responses to complex questions. Cultivating self-awareness in yourself, as well as a personal set of values, will help you become the student the Notre Dame admissions team is seeking.

Of course, your personal set of values is likely evolving and will continue to evolve. Whatever values and personal philosophy you hold now won’t necessarily be the same after you graduate from Notre Dame. Thus, as you engage in this self-reflective activity and compose your Notre Dame supplemental essays, keep an open mind. Write about your own perspective, in this moment, versus about what values you believe everyone should hold or about the human experience in general.

This essay prompt is a roundabout way of confirming that Notre Dame is the right school for you. The admissions team will review your “non-negotiable” factor(s) and evaluate whether you could be satisfied at Notre Dame. Thus, it’s important that you research whether Notre Dame will fulfill your “non-negotiable” factor(s) before writing this essay.

The factor(s) you choose to write about can be academic, non-academic, or both. For instance, if you wish to study engineering, then whether or not the school you’re applying to has an engineering program would be a non-negotiable factor for you. Thankfully, Notre Dame does have engineering program! Alternatively, if your proximity to family is a non-negotiable factor for you, consider what the outer limits of your proximity to family are permissible to you, and whether Notre Dame would fit within those limits. If so, then it’s still a school worth applying to for you, and you should bring up that factor in your essay.

Remember to use specificity when writing about your non-negotiable factor(s), and elaborate upon why they are important to you. That way, the reader will understand exactly what is non-negotiable to you, and they will be able to empathize with your reasoning.

This prompt is appropriate for an applicant whose faith is a significant part of their life. If faith doesn’t serve a meaningful role in your life, then you may want to select a different prompt to answer. That way, you can ensure that all of your Notre Dame supplemental essays are imbued with meaning and show the reader who you really are.

Before embarking on writing your response to this question, your time would be well-spent researching faith at Notre Dame . Understanding Notre Dame’s history as a Catholic institution that welcomes all faiths will inform your response. After all, one of the decisions you’re making that could be discussed in this essay is your decision to apply to Notre Dame, even choosing to answer this prompt among the other Notre Dame supplemental essays.

What is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (eg, family support, culture, disability, personal background, community)?  Why are these experiences important to you and how will you enrich the Notre Dame community? (50-100 words)

This is a multi-part question in which each part deserves a full and thoughtful response. Because you only have 50-100 words in which to compose your response, you may want to outline your essay before you begin to ensure that you respond to each part of the prompt. Let’s break down what you need to bring up in this essay:

• family support
• personal background
• The significance to you of those distinctive qualities of your personal experiences and development
• and to be specific, how they will lead you to serve or contribute to the Notre Dame community

Consider limiting the scope of your response to just one or two distinctive and specific qualities of your personal experiences and development. This prompt can truly be answered by any applicant; everyone has unique stories to tell. Your story doesn’t look exactly like anyone else’s. Identify one or two things that make you unique, and provide the requisite nuance and details about them in this essay. Then, share their significance to you and your development. Lastly, express how these factors that have transformed and influenced you as a person will impact or inspire your contributions to the Notre Dame community.

Notre Dame’s undergraduate experience is characterized by a collective sense of care for every person.  How do you foster service to others in your community? (50-100 words)

Whether you have extensive community service experience or not, this essay is a great place for you to share the ways you have served others in your life. This could be through providing childcare in your own family, volunteering locally, mentoring younger students at your school, or any other activity you regularly engage in that involves serving others.

Remember, you can understand the word “community” expansively. Perhaps you are a member of the LGBTQ+ community and you have served other members of the community, even if they are not geographically near you. Or perhaps you are involved in a sport and have served others who play this sport, not just in your hometown or on your team. In other words, “community” is not bound by geography, but by one or more shared qualities.

What values drive you to serve others? How do you feel when you serve others? What have been the long-term or large-scale impacts of your service? Start by answering these questions for yourself and let your responses guide your essay.

There are a few explicit and implicit parts to this essay prompt. Let’s break it down:

• Who complimented you?
• What exactly was the compliment?
• When and where did you receive this compliment?
• Why was this person compelled to compliment you? Alternatively, what were the circumstances under which you received this compliment?
• How did receiving this compliment make you feel?
• Did your feelings around receiving this compliment change over time? If so, how and why?
• Why did this compliment make you feel proud?
• Why was this compliment especially important to you?
• Bonus question: How does this compliment continue to impact you to this day?

Before writing your essay, try answering each of the above questions. Then, do your best to frame your essay around those answers. Focus on providing the necessary contextual details. Be as specific as you can within the limited words you have, and emphasize the significance of the compliment without engaging in false modesty.

This prompt is broad and flexible: truly, you can write about anything that is important to you. You can go abstract with your response, writing about freedom or safety or love, for instance. Alternatively, you can write a more concrete response about how you’d fight for your family or something you’ve created, like an artwork or community.

The challenging part of this essay, for most applicants, will not be coming up with things you’d fight for, but rather narrowing your list down so that you can write a specific and nuanced response. Of course, you can also take the approach of writing as long a list of things you’d fight for as can fit in 50-100 words. If you write a diverse list without explaining any of the items, so as to create a multidimensional portrait of what is important to you, you’ll need to make sure each item is specific and doesn’t require a lot of context to understand. If you choose to focus on just one or two things you’d fight for, you’ll want to explain their significance to you, how you’d fight for them, and what fighting for them might look like

If you need help polishing up your Notre Dame supplemental essays, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.

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