While everyone is different and unique, we recommend everyone take time to relax and have some down time from school. If you are looking for an enrichment experience, the great news is that there are countless opportunities. When talking to college reps, we often hear that they are really just looking for students to do something productive or meaningful with their time. This can include volunteering, getting a job, etc. If you are looking for a particular program or class, we have compiled a list of summer enrichment opportunities that students have attended in the past. We are not endorsing any specific program. Also note that they vary widely in cost, location and duration. Please reach out to your student's individual counselor if you have any questions.

Since AP classes are college-level courses, the majority of them are offered in junior and senior year. This ensures students are academically ready for the class. However, there are a few exceptions. For freshmen, AP Computer Principles is the only AP class available. While it is an AP, the workload is less than the workload of a typical AP. Sophomore students can take AP Computer Principles and also have the opportunity to take AP World History. For some sophomores, depending on prerequisites, they could be eligible for an AP modern language class or AP Computer Science.

Students are encouraged to enroll in AP courses at Notre Dame and also test at Notre Dame. If a student is interested in taking an AP test for a class they are not currently enrolled in at Notre Dame, they should first reach out to their counselor for discussion. We want to ensure the student workload is balanced and that they have the time for additional AP work. If a student wants to prepare for an AP test not offered at Notre Dame, they can ask their counselor if the school is able to administer the AP test. Please reach out to your student’s counselor regarding logistics if you are considering these options.

We strongly encourage students to engage in many kinds of educational and recreational activities to ensure a balanced workload. It is important that they take this into consideration when choosing courses, which is why they meet with their counselor in semester 2 to finalize course selections. Everyone is different and unique, so while we don't have a cap on how many APs students can take, we generally recommend no more than three per year.

The minimum is once per semester. However, counselors meet with students as needed throughout the semester, and students are encouraged to reach out to their counselor with questions and to set up additional meetings. Counselors also interact with students through the mentoring programming throughout the year.

Each semester, the final semester grade is assigned a number value, added up, and divided by the number of classes a student takes that semester. For college preparatory classes, an A=4, a B=3, a C=2, and so on. For any Honors or AP courses, an A=5, a B=4, a C=3, and so on.

Students are expected to take Notre Dame classes at Notre Dame but may choose to take classes that are not offered for enrichment purposes. If a student wishes to take additional outside courses, we strongly recommend they happen during the summer. We suggest students meet with their counselor to discuss their plans to ensure they don't interfere with ND classes and to make sure it's a good fit for them. Any course taken outside of Notre Dame will not be factored into the Notre Dame GPA or credits.

Notre Dame provides many opportunities for parents to be on campus as guests or chaperones for many events and activities. If you have a specific question or request, please reach out to your student's counselor.

We have a great list of book and article recommendations on the resource page of the Notre Dame website. If you don’t find a resource to meet your needs, feel free to reach out to your student's counselor.