Founded in 1842 by the Congregation of Holy Cross, Notre Dame is an independent, national Catholic research university located adjacent to South Bend, Indiana, approximately 90 miles east of Chicago. The University is ranked among the top 20 national research universities and the freshman academic class profile is in the top 15 in the nation. Notre Dame offers more than 70 majors within four undergraduate colleges and two schools: Arts and Letters, Science, Engineering, Mendoza College of Business, the School of Architecture, and the Keough School of Global Affairs. Enrollment: 12,467 students overall including 8,576 undergraduates. Notre Dame may be the nation's most geographically diverse university. In the past four first-year classes: 3,100 students were from the East and Southeast; 2,900 from the Midwest; 1,600 from the West; and over 600 from outside of the United States. Notre Dame's graduation rate of 95 percent is rated among the top. More than 75 percent of students take advantage of international study and/or international research and/or service projects. The University's mission is to be a major force for good in the world.