Did you get delayed in the Early Action round for Notre Dame‘s Class of 2028? Don’t lose hope. Remember, Notre Dame is where Rudy Ruettiger went to school; keep pushing forward to success (but avoid talking about him or Notre Dame football in your essays)! So, what does a Notre Dame deferral mean, and how can you increase your chances of getting accepted during the Regular Decision round? Let’s dive in!
Notre Dame Early Action Admission Statistics
Here are the stats for Notre Dame’s Early Admission over the last six years. It looks like more students are applying early, but fewer are getting in. For the Class of 2028, Notre Dame got a ton of early applications but accepted a small percentage. They expect around 70% of those accepted to actually enrol.
| Notre Dame Class Year | Number of Early Action Applications | Number of Early Action Acceptances | Early Action Acceptance Rate |
| Class of 2028 | 11,498 | 1,724 | 14.99% |
| Class of 2027 | 11,163 | 1,701 | 15.24% |
| Class of 2026 | 9,683 | 1,675 | 17% |
| Class of 2025 | 7,744 | 1,673 | 21.6% |
| Class of 2024 | 7,295 | 1,540 | 21% |
| Class of 2023 | 7,334 | 1,534 | 20.92% |
Notre Dame Deferral Rate
Normally, Notre Dame doesn’t tell us how many students get postponed during the Early cycle. But they did share that info for the Class of 2026.
Check out the numbers below to see how many got deferred or denied that year. It’s pretty cool how much you can learn from just one number!
| Notre Dame Class Year | Number of Early Action Applications | Number of Early Action Acceptances | Early Action Acceptance Rate | Number of Early Action Deferrals | Number of Early Action Denials | Deferral Rate | Denial Rate |
| Class of 2026 | 9,683 | 1,675 | 17% | 1,599 | 6,409 | 16.51% | 66.19% |
5 Steps to Take After Being Deferred by Notre Dame
1. Try some breathing exercises. Before you think about how to improve your chances of getting into Notre Dame in Regular Decision, take a deep breath and relax.
2. Arrange a private meeting with Ivy Coach to learn more about what to do next if you’ve been deferred.
3. Review your application with Ivy Coach. It’s tough to hear about mistakes, but it’s important to know what matters for your Letter of Continued Interest. You can also fix any errors in your Regular Decision applications that are still pending.
4. Write a compelling letter expressing your continued interest in Notre Dame. In short, Ivy Coach’s letters stand out. That’s why they’re effective in attracting deferred applicants to Notre Dame.
5. Ask your school counsellor to call on your behalf in the new year. Some counsellors might not do this, but good ones will call Notre Dame to support you. Share your Letter of Continued Interest with your counsellor so they can present you in the best light following your deferral.
Notre Dame Deferral FAQ
Is a deferral from Notre Dame meaningful?
Sure, Notre Dame has usually said no to most applicants. In the Early Action round for the Notre Dame Class of 2026, about 66.19% of applicants didn’t get in, while only 16.51% were put on hold. So, a delay in getting accepted to Notre Dame is important, unlike at some other top schools.
The admissions committee at Notre Dame says that being put on hold doesn’t mean you won’t get in. Since there are a lot of strong applicants, we think carefully before deciding to delay someone’s application. We only do it if we believe they could still compete later on.
Does Notre Dame accept, defer, or deny most Early Action candidates?
Most Early Action applicants don’t get accepted. In one specific Early Action round, the school accepts about the same number of candidates it postpones.
Does Notre Dame explicitly ask for a letter after a deferral?
You can also write a letter expressing why you think Notre Dame is the right school for you. Just send the letter to your application status page so we can include it in your admissions file. This letter is a great chance to share more about yourself with the admissions committee and clarify why you’re interested in attending Notre Dame.
Ivy Coach’s Assistance with Your Notre Dame Deferral
If you want to boost your chances of getting into Notre Dame after being deferred, fill out Ivy Coach’s form for a free consultation. We’ll get in touch with you to talk about our services for deferred candidates.
