Frequently Asked Decision-Making Questions

We have compiled a few frequently asked questions that students have when they are making a final decision on which college they will attend.  What other questions do you have?  Contact us to ask!

Will I fit in?

Absolutely!  There is not one specific type of student at Notre Dame.  We have students from multiple states and foreign countries.  Our campus is very diverse--ethnically, religiously, and socio-economically.  Students are interested in Art, Pre-Med, and everything in-between!  Everyone is extremely friendly and you will always see many smiling faces on campus :).

Will it feel like home?

Hopefully you've already figured out which colleges feel right to you!  Visiting is such an important part of discovering that "perfect fit."  If you have yet to visit, or want to visit again, there is still time to do so!  Contact your Admissions Counselor ASAP at 410.532.5330.

How will I find a roommate?

We work as hard as we can to pair you with a good roommate!  You can either request a roommate or fill out a short questionnaire and we will pair you with a roommate with similar preferences and interests!  For more information on housing, check out our Residence Life page.

Can I handle the academics?

College academics are very different from high school academics.  However, there is so much support on campus that Notre Dame Women are able to handle the differences!  Your professors are all eager to see you succeed, so they will help in whatever way they can!  Your classes will be small so you will get the personal attention that you need to succeed in the classroom.  You will also be able to meet with your professors one-on-one at any time--all you have to do is ask!  Your first semester you will be in a seminar class.  This class is specifically designed to introduce you to all of the resources available on campus and help you make the transition between high school and college.  You will even get to meet your seminar group during the June Overnight Orientation!  We also have an Academic and Career Enrichment Center on campus that provides free tutoring to all students.

Will I receive a good education?

Absolutely!  Our students gain wonderful liberal arts knowledge as well as specific subject knowledge in their major(s)/minor(s).  They are all very successful once they graduate.  Almost 100% of our students are in a job or graduate school within 9 months of graduation--that is a fantastic statistic and much higher than the national average!

Will I make friends?

There are lots of opportunities for you to meet your fellow classmates and make friends!  You will know the people in your classes.  If you live on campus, you will know people on your floor.  You can attend social events to meet other first-year students and upperclass students.  You will also be able to meet many of your fellow students during the June Overnight Orientation.  If you want to start making friends now, be sure to join the Accepted Students Facebook group in order to meet some of your future classmates!

Are there clubs/organizations that I want to join?

We have over 40 different clubs and organizations and you can join as many as you would like!  Check out the short list here.  If there are no organizations that you are specifically interested in, you can start one of your own with the help of our friendly Office of Student Life!

Is it safe?

Our campus is very safe.  Being located in one of the residential neighborhoods of Baltimore we have a real sense of community at Notre Dame.  Public Safety patrols the campus constantly via foot, bicycle, and vehicle.  They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  The office of campus security even provides a student escort service round the clock for all students and faculty should they need assistance in getting around campus!

10 Reasons Why NDMU is Awesome

Two of our students--shout out to Joop and Jazmin--came up with 10 reasons why Notre Dame is great!  Check out their video.

1. Dr. Conneely.  His door is always open...he even participated in this video!

2. Beautiful campus.  Jazmin--"I like sitting out by the driveway where I can watch the coming and goings of campus and enjoy natural surroundings while still being only 10 minutes away from the Inner Harbor!"

3. Free printing.  Enough said.

4. The pool.  You can swim whenever you want, rain or shine, the pool is always open!  A lifeguard must always be present, but if no one is around, you can call one!

5. Small class sizes.  The student to teacher ratio is 12:1!

6. Open gym.  Get your fitness on for free!

7. Nun fountains.  The fountains make wonderfully quiet places to read, think, and de-stress.

8. We love Old Bay.  Participating in the local Maryland culture is lots of fun!

9. 40 clubs and organizations.  Get involved in one of them, all of them, or create your own!

10. Free laundry.  We are a quarter-free campus which means that you don't have to count on your parents!

Jazmin--"Not only does Notre Dame have all of these great assets, it is also a place where you can grow as an individual.  I love this school!"

Financial Concerns?

It isn’t a secret that May 1^st is known as the national college decision date, and if you take a look at your calendar, it isn’t a secret that May 1^st is just around the corner!

We know that you have a lot to consider in the next few weeks and that the decisions are exciting, important and complex.  The office of admissions at Notre Dame of Maryland University is committed to helping you make your final decision.  And while we hope that your decision includes us, we know that what is the most important is that you find the place that is the right fit for you.

One of the first topics to address in your final decision making is finances – students and families’ ability to pay for four years of higher education is likely the top concern faced.  Here at Notre Dame, we are always available to talk to you about your financial aid package and about your questions or concerns with the cost of attendance!

Some suggestions:

1. Have at least one phone conversation with your personal admissions counselor to go over your financial aid award letter.  Not only will this allow you to understand every line of the letter, but it also allows the admissions counselor to discuss your bottom-line cost and payment options.  Even if you think that the cost is too expensive, we can most likely provide suggestions of where to find available funding or see if Notre Dame can help in any way.

2. Use that conversation to talk to your counselor about any financial problems or concerns.  We are your family's advocate and will do all that we can to make Notre Dame of Maryland affordable and attainable for you.  Your personal admissions counselor can talk you through different financial aid appeal options that could result in additional financial aid monies.  We are here to help!

3. Keep in mind the connection between cost of attendance and aid given for all of your schools.  Just because college B gave you $5,000 more than college C, doesn't mean College B is necessarily less expensive.  Make sure to look at the cost of each school and what is covered and then look at scholarships, grants, etc. from each institution.

4. Be aware of the difference between the private and public schools to which you have been accepte.  Private schools do not have "In state" vs. "Out of State" tuition.  If you are from another state and could receive state aid at a local school, this would be an example of when you should talk to us about possibly closing that gap.

5. Lastly, make sure to understand what your money will be paying for and what will still be left to cover.  Some schools have room and board, which covers living and eating on campus, while others require you to purchase a meal plan on top of housing cost.  Another common bill is parking.  Parking on some campuses can be a large expense, so make sure to look into that (Notre Dame is free and guaranteed).  Try to also think of little things like laundry or transportation.  NDMU has free laundry on campus and free transportation around Baltimore if students utilize the Collegetown Shuttle.   Finally, make sure you check with schools to make sure that your willingness to pay for living on campus or parking on campus (depending on the college) isn't in vain, since some schools don't allow or don't have room for each student all four years.


Please know that we are committed to your daughter and your family - we will truly do all that we can to make your goals regarding Notre Dame of Maryland University a reality. As a smaller school, we possess the ability and commitment to work with each family one-on-one to understand your story and to address your concerns.


As always, we welcome your calls and emails.  By calling 410-532-5330, you will reach our admissions office front desk and then be connected with your counselor.

The National Decision Day is May 1st...Have you made your decision yet?

Hello to All!

The last few weeks on campus have been very busy for us!  The inauguration of our 12th president, Dr. James F. Conneely, provided a great deal of activity on campus, including a student surprise party, a special Mass, the inauguration ceremony, and the inaugural ball!  Check out Anna's blog for her perspective on all of the inauguration events.

We also hosted the Accepted Student Overnight event.  It was a great night of exploring the Inner Harbor, forging new friendships, and identifying the best karaoke performers. 

Baseball season has begun which means that everyone has been sporting their Orioles' gear in Baltimore!  Our very own Sister Paulette, the Baseball Nun, was interviewed about the upcoming season.  Check out her thoughts here.

And on top of all those Notre Dame and Baltimore updates, we don’t want to overlook that May 1^st will be here soon!  As the National Decision Day, May 1^st is the day that students are to decide what college/university is the right fit and submit their final decisions and deposit.  Are you ready to make your decision?  Don’t forget that the Notre Dame of Maryland admissions team is here to help you in the next week as you work toward that exciting choice!  As you might imagine, we certainly hope that you have found your home at Notre Dame, but we also know that won’t be the case for everyone.  No matter your choice, please let us know as soon as you have come to that decision.  We are always happy to hear from you and are happy to share in your excitement.

If you haven’t visited campus yet, we would love to welcome you and it is a great way to move forward in your decision making.  Sign up for a personalized visit where you will meet with your admissions counselor, sit in on classes, take a tour of campus, and even eat in our dining hall – we can make your tour what you need it to be!

Guest Blog: Accepted Student Overnight

One of our student ambassadors wrote about Accepted Student Overnight--I hope you enjoy!

"I am so excited for this weekend!  There are so many things happening on campus, including our new president's official inauguration.  In the Admissions world, it's time for our Accepted Student Overnight event!  This is such a fun event--I went two years ago when I was an accepted student.  I remember meeting so many new people and starting a lot of new friendships over the two days.  I found some of the pictures from when I was an accepted student two years ago--I hope you enjoy!

"Right after we all arrived on campus on Sunday, we got onto buses and went down to the Inner Harbor for a scavenger hunt and dinner.  It was really cool to explore the harbor with other accepted students, some who were familiar with the landmarks and others who had never seen them before!  We ended up at the Rusty Scupper where we had a buffet dinner.  After all of the walking, talking, and picture taking, I thought the food was amazing!

"After dinner we got back on the buses and headed to campus.  We watched a movie, played lots of board games, sang karaoke (my favorite part), and got to hang out with some of the current students.  We even had a second dinner of pizza....yum.

"Then it was time for the ghost tour.  There are so many current students involved in this and yes, it can actually be scary!  It was so different to walk around campus in the dark.  We toured quite a few of the buildings and even got to walk up to the iconic NDM tower!

"After all of that I met my host for the night.  I was tired, but we didn't end up going to sleep for awhile--we were too busy talking about everything and how much she loved the school.

"The next morning I was able to sit in on a class.  I also got to meet with some of the nursing faculty--they were really informative.

"After lunch it was time to head home.  Even though I was tired, I didn't want to leave campus!  I had so much fun and made so many new friends that it was bittersweet.  But I was also even more excited for the school year to end and to finally enter college in the fall!

"I can't wait for all of the accepted students to come to campus this weekend.  It'll be a lot of fun yet still informative.  I and all of the other current students can't wait to meet you!"

-Anna