University of Notre Dame (ND)

University of Notre Dame is a private Catholic university that was founded in 1842 by Rev. Edward F. Sorin, C.S.C., of the Congregation of Holy Cross.Its global reputation for excellence shows in its applicants: seventy-four percent of incoming freshmen were in the top five percent of their high school graduating classes.The university's undergraduate program was ranked 19th among national universities by U.S. News & World Report for 2010-2011.But a Notre Dame education goes far beyond academics. The university's mission is to use that education to better the community. About 80% of students perform community service while at Notre Dame, supported by the University's Center for Social Concerns.Its historic, beautiful 1,250 acre-campus is home to a close-knit community of the majority of its undergraduate students, as well as its world-famous Division I football team.