NDA Class of 2023 valedictorian Simon Wied now attends the University of Notre Dame, and becoming a part of the Fighting Irish was the perfect fit for many reasons.
Notre Dame University is a Catholic university and one of the premier colleges in the United States. The school is known for being a top national research institution that offers a world-class academic education with an acceptance rate of less than 15%.
Wied realized that he wanted to attend UND during the fall of his junior year after visiting the school. He was drawn to the beautiful campus, and he knew that it was an outstanding school academically. He had also heard of the college’s amazing reputation from previous NDA alumni who went on to attend the University of Notre Dame.
“I’d heard many great stories from past University of Notre Dame students that went to NDA as well, which also helped aid my decision,” said Wied. He also liked how the school, located in South Bend, Indiana, is within driving distance from Green Bay, which was another important factor in his decision to attend.
Wied started the semester planning on attending the college of science to eventually pursue medicine but recently made the switch to the Mendoza College of Business, one of the best undergraduate business degrees in the country. He is planning on studying finance or accounting to ultimately attend law school.
Wied’s favorite part about the college is the people there. He says that being surrounded by people with similar goals and enthusiasm for learning has been an incredible experience.
“Being with so many people with similar ambitions to me who are still extremely warm and inviting has been a blessing,” he said.
Wied has been adjusting well in the transition to college, but there are still large challenges he is getting used to, like the different workload and personal responsibilities that come with attending college.
“Staying productive, keeping my body and mind healthy, and making time on the weekends to have fun are ways that I’ve made the adjustment easier,” said Wied. The one thing he misses the most from home is his family and the comforts of home, along with all of the friends he made growing up in Green Bay.
Wied completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) Degree Programme, and he believes that this greatly prepared him for college and life after high school. It specifically helped him become a better writer and gave him better study skills that are necessary to succeed in college.
“The IB program has definitely prepared me for college academics, and I’d absolutely recommend it to anybody who’s thinking about doing it. I wouldn’t be the student I am now without it,” said Wied.
