Five Questions with Dan Saracino

Daniel Saracino ’69, ’75MA, is the assistant provost, admissions at Notre Dame.

Prior to returning to Notre Dame in 1997, Saracino had been the top admissions professional at Santa Clara University for 20 years, serving as director of admissions, dean of undergraduate admissions, and dean of enrollment management.

Saracino has held leadership roles in several professional organizations including the College Board, the Catholic College Admission Association, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the Conference of Jesuit Admissions Directors, the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, the National Merit Scholarship and the Lilly Foundation Scholarship Committees. He also travels overseas visiting international schools and military bases on behalf of the U.S. State Department and the Department of Defense.

Here Saracino takes a moment to answer five questions posed by ND Today:

NDT: This year, Notre Dame received approximately 14,000 undergraduate applications--a number that marks the second largest pool in the University’s history. Why do you think the University continues to be such a big draw for the nation’s top scholars?

Dan Saracino: While Notre Dame certainly isn’t for everybody, those of us who spent four years as undergraduates on this campus know how very special it is. Now, thanks to technology and the Internet, outstanding young men and women are learning what distinguishes Notre Dame from so many other great universities and they want to become part of this community.

NDT: How important is it for Notre Dame to increase ethnic diversity in our undergraduate student body?

DS: I believe the reasons for our decision to introduce coeducation in 1972 are similar to our need to increase the ethnic diversity among our undergraduates. To provide a quality, life-changing education for our students requires a student body composed of men and women as well as individuals from a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The world our graduates inherit is neither all male nor all white. Notre Dame must continue to be a place where outstanding young men and women can come and learn within a microcosm of the world.

NDT: The average SAT score for this year’s applicants was 16 points higher than last year, suggesting that the overall academic quality of Notre Dame prospects is on the rise. Would you say the University’s prestige is also on the rise?

DS: The SAT scores merely reflect the quality of the education our students receive in their high schools. They are taking more advanced placement and honors courses and are doing well in them. The “story” of this incredible place called “Notre Dame” is reaching more and more high school students, who are blessed with many talents. They want to become part of the Notre Dame community and develop these abilities even more. 

NDT: What is the one quality of an applicant that is the most important factor in the decision making process?

DS: The academic rigor of a high school student’s curriculum is the key factor in the application file; yet too many individuals think the grades or test scores are more significant. A student who has not sought out the more demanding academic courses while in high school will not be considered a competitive candidate for admission.

NDT: With construction occurring at numerous sites on campus and plans for further growth in the coming years, do you think the University will also seek to augment the size of its incoming classes? Why or why not?