If your child was recently waitlisted to the University of Notre Dame’s Class of 2029, you’re likely wondering if they have a genuine shot of earning admission out of limbo. Or is being waitlisted by Notre Dame akin to being rejected? You’ve got questions. We at Ivy Coach have answers.

Your Chances of Admission to Notre Dame After Being Waitlisted

Below is Notre Dame’s waitlist data over the last 28 years — yes, 28 years. Among America’s highly selective universities, few schools keep more of their waitlist data available through The Common Data Set than the Indiana-based institution.

During this time frame, Notre Dame released all the necessary waitlist data to glean the school’s waitlist acceptance rate for the year in all but five of those years.

Notre Dame Waitlist Acceptance Rates and Statistics

Over the remaining 23 years, the average waitlist acceptance rate stood at 14.05% — with a high of 48.01% for the Class of 2006 and lows of 0% for the Classes of 2005, 2010, 2017, and 2019. An average of 109 students earned admission to Notre Dame out of limbo during this span.

University of Notre Dame Class Year	Number of Students Waitlisted to Notre Dame	Number of Students Who Chose to Join Notre Dame Waitlist	Number of Students Accepted Off Notre Dame Waitlist	Notre Dame Waitlist Acceptance Rate
Class of 2029	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
Class of 2028	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published
Class of 2027	2,784	1,811	90	3.23%
Class of 2026	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published
Class of 2025	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published
Class of 2024	1,778	1,253	530	42.3%
Class of 2023	1,600	1,028	108	10.51%
Class of 2022	1,450	912	20	2.19%
Class of 2021	1,508	901	96	10.65%
Class of 2020	1,796	743	85	11.44%
Class of 2019	1,602	869	0	0%
Class of 2018	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published	Not Published
Class of 2017	1,521	806	0	0%
Class of 2016	2,461	1,153	86	7.46%
Class of 2015	1,893	951	7	0.74%
Class of 2014	1,933	1,021	136	13.32%
Class of 2013	2,016	1,060	257	24.25%
Class of 2012	1,155	694	190	27.38%
Class of 2011	1,029	619	181	29.24%
Class of 2010	928	605	0	0%
Class of 2009	787	521	98	18.81%
Class of 2008	840	574	129	22.47%
Class of 2007	840	572	142	24.83%
Class of 2006	715	477	229	48.01%
Class of 2005	398	330	0	0%
Class of 2004	484	284	38	13.38%
Class of 2003	600	431	Not Published	Not Published
Class of 2002	1,116	692	51	7.37%
Class of 2001	977	619	34	5.49%

How Ivy Coach Helps Students Get Off Notre Dame’s Waitlist

Over the last 10 years, around 42% of students who have first come to Ivy Coach after being placed on the Notre Dame waitlist have earned admission — compared to a 14.05% overall waitlist acceptance rate for the university over the most recent 23 years in which the institution has released the requisite data.

Ours is a two-step process that goes as follows:

1. Complete Ivy Coach’s PostMortem application review. Before creating a go-forward plan, we need to see what went right and wrong in the student’s Common Application and Notre Dame supplement because how a student makes their case after being waitlisted can’t be out of left field. The narrative presented after being waitlisted must be consistent with the narrative presented in the initial application. This time, it just needs to be much more compelling.
2.  Submit a compelling Letter of Continued Interest. Most parents know that waitlisted students should submit letters to improve their chances of being plucked off the waitlist. But how students approach letters typically does not serve their case for admission. You see, students tend to brag and update colleges on all that they’ve achieved over the few months since they first applied. That is an unlikely strategy for trying to inspire admissions officers to root for them. Ivy Coach’s Letters of Continued Interest are wonderfully weird and they show rather than tell how a student is going to contribute a singular hook to an institution.

Getting Started with Ivy Coach on Notre Dame’s Waitlist

If you’re interested in optimizing your child’s case for admission to Notre Dame off the waitlist to the Class of 2029, fill out our complimentary consultation form, indicate that your child’s been waitlisted, and we’ll be in touch to outline Ivy Coach’s waitlist services for seniors.