University of Notre Dame: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Notre Dame, Indiana · Private nonprofit · Highly selective
University of Notre Dame is a private institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Notre Dame admits roughly one in four applicants, with an overall admission rate of 12%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1510 and an ACT composite around 34. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $27,823 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Notre Dame is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What parents should know about University of Notre Dame right now
The University of Notre Dame admitted 3,320 students out of 35,401 applicants for the Class of 2029, an overall acceptance rate of 9.38%, with a record-low 13% Restrictive Early Action rate from a record 12,917 REA applications. Regular Decision admitted 1,651 of 22,484 applicants at 7.34%. About 92% of admitted students rank in the top 10% of their high school class. The biggest news for parents is the September 2024 launch of Pathways to Notre Dame, a historic financial aid expansion under which Notre Dame became the first selective faith-based university in the U.S. to be need-blind for all students, domestic and international, and eliminated loans from financial aid packages. Beginning in 2026 to 2027, Notre Dame will cover full tuition for undergraduates from families earning under $150,000, and the university already meets 100% of demonstrated need with an average aid package of $67,855 for first-year students with need. Distinctive features include seven undergraduate schools, with the incoming class spread across liberal arts and social sciences (26%), business at Mendoza (26%), science (24%), engineering (21%), and architecture (3%), the only Ivy-caliber Catholic institution in this group, and a residence life system based on lifelong dorm communities rather than Greek life. Robert A. Dowd became president on June 1, 2024. The Campus Crossroads project added 750,000 square feet of student services and academic space, and Notre Dame eliminated coal use in 2019, well ahead of its 2030 carbon target.
What GPA does my child need for University of Notre Dame?
Most admitted students at University of Notre Dame present unweighted GPAs in the 3.85–4.0 range with five or more AP or honors courses across high school. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
SAT and ACT scores University of Notre Dame typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 730–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 730. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 33–35. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.
How much does University of Notre Dame actually cost?
Published tuition is $62,693 for in-state students and $62,693 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,378 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $27,823 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 12% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
Other colleges in Indiana parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Notre Dame
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Notre Dame recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of Notre Dame
What GPA do I need for University of Notre Dame?
Most admitted students at University of Notre Dame present unweighted GPAs in the 3.85–4.0 range with five or more AP or honors courses across high school.
What SAT or ACT score does University of Notre Dame typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 730–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 730. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 33–35.
How much does University of Notre Dame actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Notre Dame after grants and scholarships is $27,823 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of Notre Dame realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of Notre Dame is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.