msblaw89 wrote:also does anyone know how heavily ND factors your religion? I'm not Catholic, but I am Christian
For undergrad we are 83% (81 maybe, something really high anyways) Catholic. I would say that it is highly unlikely that such a high concentration of a relatively small minority (22%) is entirely due to self selection amongst the applicant pool. Unlike most Catholic schools, we don't hide our Catholic identity. We openly acknowledge that we prefer a majority of our faculty to identify with the Catholic faith and also openly embrace the moral stances of the Catholic church (for example, the University refuses to recognize and fund the Gay Straight Alliance on Campus and also holds Pro Life events quite regularly). So interpret that information how you will. I would say it is definitely not a deal breaker or deal maker, but is certainly a factor that they look at.
This is a bit of an aside, but I want to stress that the student body is not overly preachy nor moralistic. I'd say the primary religion at ND is football, then Catholicism. I for one, while technically Catholic, am entirely unreligious. I don't even go to Church on Easter or Christmas. As an unreligious person, the Catholicism on campus is not overwhelming or inhibitory. I think it is certainly more present on campus for those who want to pursue it, and for those who don't care about it doesn't affect life all too much. Definitely, as I inferred above, the administration is probably way more Catholic (in terms of strength of conviction, not percentages) than the student body.
I was a bit scatter brained here, but hopefully this is at least mildly helpful.
). No one is going to lump themselves into a less elite group unless absolutely necessary.
