It's only fair that I give the disclaimer that my graduating class at NDB was especially awful, as was my personal experience at this school, though I have heard experiences and opinions similar to my own from other girls from a wide range of graduating classes (see Missy H's review...she hits the nail pretty squarely on the head).
For a typical teenage girl--curious, creative, and eagerly exploring the abundant possibilities of a burgeoning independent young-adult self-- this place was rife with drama and negative reinforcement, and held a strong preference for a limited archetype that many girls did not (and need not) fit. For a school that claims to foster well-rounded & outstanding women, Notre Dame didn't seem to have very many shapes to choose from in it's rather out-dated cookie cutter. On the other hand, the social environment at this school did an excellent job of suppressing the light of girls who were shining just a little bit too brightly, and steering those who were struggling even further off course. For the premium that my parents paid for this school, the overall quality of education and the environment created by the school's policies and practices were seriously lacking.
My experience at Notre Dame exposed me to degrees of cruel and manipulative behavior that I had never experienced before or since, both from peers and members of the faculty. Most of the adults seemed to be either clueless or apathetic towards this. The probability of being punished for wearing the wrong socks far surpassed the likelihood of suffering any consequences for socially abusing your peers. One religious studies teacher began her classes with 'Vent' sessions, where girls were encouraged to share their grudges and gripes towards other students with the class. This daily ritual was typically used to proliferate rumors and mar reputations, rather than to find solutions and consider more mature, compassionate, and effective solutions to conflicts.
Girls at this age are characteristically socially impressionable, as their social and moral values are still developing and the opinions of their peers and mentors carry significant weight. In my experience, this was not a place of tolerance, support, or well-balanced guidance through what can be a challenging and frequently overwhelming phase of life. The school was not adequately equipped with adults capable of gracefully dealing with and providing guidance to teenage girls and their parents in a kind, wise, or empowering way. The typical course of action for acting out, the usual teenage cry for help, was punishment, including suspensions and expulsions for comparatively petty infractions.
As for the academics at Notre Dame, with the exception of a few very excellent teachers, the school was not worth its inflated cost. An excellent student would leave public school AP classes just as competitively qualified for a prestigious University, and other private schools were far superior in this capacity. On the other end of the spectrum, students who were struggling seemed to be left by the wayside, or criticized rather than supported through their challenges.
Another token of food for thought for parents considering the Notre Dame way...sheltering your daughters from boys is not necessarily a good thing. Too many of my classmates more than made up for the lack of exposure at parties, and lacking the insight gained by having healthy friendships with boys, made bad decisions when it came to relationships and sexual conduct. Having compared stories with many girls from many classes, this seems to be sort of a legacy at Notre Dame.
If you do decide to brave the potentially treacherous waters of Notre Dame, be prepared--if your experience is anything like mine was, you'll need to have well-defined goals and values and rock-solid self esteem (or the camouflaging abilities of a chameleon), and your chances of surviving entirely intact are far greater if you're well-versed in the social nuances of cut-throat clickiness! read more
