Thursday, March 5, 2015

A Message From President Yam Regarding Sweet Briar College

Earlier this week it was announced that Sweet Briar College, a women’s college in Virginia, is closing this summer. We are saddened by the loss, and we stand ready to assist Sweet Briar and its students by guaranteeing admission to any Sweet Briar student who is in good standing and who meets our academic requirements, and by waiving admissions, scholarship and housing deadlines for their prospective students. We are prepared to warmly welcome all Sweet Briar current and accepted students to the Notre Dame community.

We are dismayed by the closing of any women’s college. At the same time, we are heartened that Notre Dame is a thriving institution, with a vibrant Women’s College of more than 500 young women, situated within an expanding co-educational University.

Transformation is the lifeblood of Notre Dame. Our ability to evolve—to nimbly address changing educational and marketplace needs—has enabled us to maintain and strengthen the strong core of our Women’s College while expanding into a University that includes adult undergraduate, as well as graduate and professional programs offering degrees from bachelor’s to doctorate.

Our Women’s College is thriving. This past fall, we welcomed our largest incoming Women’s College class in seven years. Over the past five years, the Women’s College has seen an 11% growth in enrollment and a 16% growth in retention. Our 85% retention rate—significantly higher than the national average of 68%—is testament to the fact that our students are immersed in their academic and co-curricular experiences and enjoy living and studying in a close-knit academic community situated in the midst of a thriving city offering countless social, cultural, recreational, and internship and job opportunities. This boost has not been achieved by lowering admission standards. Rather, the academic profile of the student body has strengthened, as demonstrated by an increase of approximately 60 points in SAT scores among incoming freshmen.

There are many reasons for our success, and they are as strong as our 120-year history—a history marked by our willingness to “trust and dare;” by our ability to be “fearless and faithful.” They embody the essence of who we are, and express our staunch commitment to the value of our Women’s College, and women’s colleges everywhere.

See Sweet Briar Sisters: Find your new home at NDMU! http://www.ndm.edu/admissions/womens-college/sweet-briar-students/

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Maryland FAFSA Deadline - March 1

image from https://www.facebook.com/FederalStudentAid?fref=ts

FAFSA Deadline

The deadline to file your FAFSA in Maryland is March 1, 2015. If you want to be considered for grants from the state and local governments then you MUST file your FAFSA by March 1. Students who file after this deadline will automatically be put on the waiting list for state and local grants.

If you are not a Maryland resident, find out when your state's deadline is on the FAFSA website.

Don't forget, the code for NDMU is 002065. Also, if you did not provide your social security number on your admissions application to Notre Dame, you need to call and speak to your admissions counselor. We use the social security number to locate your FAFSA, download it, and create your financial aid package.

Tips from the Office of Financial Aid

The office of financial aid at NDMU has some tips to help you complete your FAFSA:
    • It's okay to estimate the information on the FAFSA so that you can complete it on time. 
    • Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool after you have filed your taxes
    • Visit the site of the Maryland Higher Education Commision (MHEC) to learn about state aid programs
    • Explore outside scholarships, we have a list on our financial aid website
    • Check your email! This is the primary way the office of financial aid will communicate with you.

Friday, February 6, 2015

FAFSA Filing Deadline - February 15

Filing the FAFSA

The deadline to file the FAFSA for Notre Dame of Maryland University is February 15, the day after Valentine's Day.  We ask you to do this early so that we have ample to process it, help you correct any errors, and create a financial aid package for you. Every school you include on the FAFSA may give you a slightly different package. To include NDMU, use the code 002065.

Your financial aid package from Notre Dame of Maryland University might include grants, loans, and federal work-study.

What if it's not enough?

We work very closely with you to help you understand your financial aid package and determine the actual cost of attendance. The most important aspect of the financial aid process is open communication between you and your family and admissions and the office of financial aid. NDMU has an excellent financial aid website with an abundance of resources: www.ndm.edu/admissions/financial-aid/

Don't forget to keep applying to external scholarships, even if they are small. All of that money adds up and can make a difference. You can find a list here.

Another great resource for finding additional aid for in-state students is the Maryland Higher Education Commision, or MHEC. You can find a list of what they offer here.

If you haven't started your FAFSA yet, go to fafsa.ed.gov

Remember, you can always contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Priority Scholarship Consideration Deadline

February 1, 2015

The Priority Scholarship Consideration Deadline is right around the corner. In one week actually! Have you submitted your application yet? If you want to be considered for institutional merit-based scholarships (awards from Notre Dame), then you must submit your complete application by February 1. A complete application contains:
  • application(our Online App, Common App, or Universal App)
  • essay
  • letter of recommendation from a teacher or guidance counselor
  • transcript
  • SAT or ACT score report
  • resume (optional, but strongly recommended)
Your high school guidance counselor can send us your letter of recommendation, transcript, and test score report by either fax, email, or mail. The essay and resume can either be submitted within the application or by email to admiss@ndm.edu. If you don't think you can get your application items in before the deadline, but you still want to be considered for institutional scholarships, contact your admissions counselor and let her know.

The deadline is a week away! If you haven't yet started an application, start one now! If you haven't yet asked your guidance counselor to send us your items, ask them on Monday! (Or Tuesday if we have a Snow Day on Monday). The quickest way to send your items is by fax or email. Contact your admissions counselor if you need help.

"Did I submit all of my application items?"

What is a merit-based scholarship?

A merit-based scholarship is awarded based on your grade point average and SAT or ACT test scores. All accepted students are reviewed by the scholarship committee to determine eligibility, there is no separate application for Notre Dame's institutional scholarships.

P.S. The FAFSA Deadline for Notre Dame is February 15, 2015