Is Notre Dame generally more selective than the University of Georgia?

The biggest practical difference is that Notre Dame is a private university with a nationally self-selecting applicant pool, while Georgia is a public flagship whose admissions context is strongly shaped by Georgia residency. Both attract excellent students, but Notre Dame is typically viewed as the more selective institution overall.

Notre Dame’s applicant pool is national and international, and admission is highly competitive across both academic preparation and the broader application. Georgia is also quite selective, but it enrolls a substantial in-state population as part of its public mission. That can make Georgia’s admissions landscape meaningfully different depending on whether you are a Georgia resident.

For building a balanced list, it is reasonable to treat Notre Dame as the higher-reach option for most applicants. Georgia should not automatically be considered a safety, however: strong grades in a rigorous curriculum remain especially important. Your residency, academic record, intended major, and application strength can change how realistic each school is for you.