How to Get into Dartmouth : Tips, Requirement, Essay samples

I know that your coming here is because you want to get into Dartmouth college but because of some news you heard about how difficult the admission is you are scared. Well, that is the truth, Dartmouth is complicated just like some other ivy league institutions.

In this post, we’ll share with you some tips on how to successfully get into Dartmouth this 2023, its Requirements, and Essay samples, which are the basic requirements for Dartmouth admission.

So, if you really want to get into this prestigious college, I will advise you to read on. You can also navigate the table of contents below to get an overview of all this post entails.

About Dartmouth University

Dartmouth College is a private Ivy League research university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States.

Despite being popular in the United States, it does not have the international prestige associated with some other Ivy League schools.

At Dartmouth, there are 5 constituent schools which include the original undergraduate college, the Geisel School of Medicine, the Thayer School of Engineering, the Tuck School of Business, and the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies.

Although Dartmouth is the smallest university in the Ivy League with about 6,000 student enrollment, it still provides undergraduate instruction in 40 academic departments and interdisciplinary programs.

And also, 57 majors in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering, and enables students to design specialized concentrations or engage in dual degree programs.

Note, the Undergraduate admissions are highly competitive and it has an acceptance rate of 8.8% for the Class of 2024.

Check out: Dartmouth College: Courses, Ranking, Admission, Scholarships, Alumni & Tuition

How hard is it to get to Dartmouth?

Like I said earlier, it’s challenging. Dartmouth College is one of the most prestigious universities in the country that must most international students make their studies destination. For the 2023 applicants class, only 8.7% of the 22,033 were successful.

Applications to Dartmouth have risen 10% over the last year, and its most recent admissions cycle was its largest applicant pool in five years.

Dartmouth has also recently increased its results, which means it has recently received a higher percentage of students admitted than in previous years.

For this reason, the Adoption Committee adopts fewer consents than in previous years. In 2023, the class performance was 61 percent, which was the best in 25 years.

Dartmouth admission requirements 

One thing that Dartmouth does for admission is that it looks at applicants comprehensively not as a sum of their test scores and grades. This type of admission is, “Holistic Admissions”.

The school also takes each applicant’s socioeconomic status into account, as well as their particular school’s course offerings, and grading and ranking practices to fully appreciate each applicant.

To save you the stress of going around the web looking for the school admission requirements below is a list of Dartmouth’s application requirements.

• Common App Essay
• Dartmouth Writing Supplement
• SAT or ACT
• $80 Application Fee or Fee Waiver Form
• 2 SAT Subject Tests (recommended by not required)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)School report, transcript, and a midyear school report
• Two Recommendations
• A written statement of support from someone who the applicant considers a ‘peer,’ like a classmate or teammate, sibling, co-worker, friend, lab, or debate partner.
• Art Supplement and Alumni Interview (optional)

Let’s talk about the scores.

What is Dartmouth SAT and ACT Scores?

SAT requirement is one thing every school must expect you to get before you can be admitted, Although most schools claim that they don’t have a cut-off mark.

For Dartmouth, the average SAT cut-off score is 1500 on the 1600 SAT scale which makes admission to be Extremely Competitive for SAT test scores. That means you must have a high SAT Test score before being admitted.

On the other hand, ACT cut-off is not high, but you will not be considered if your score is too low. So, I advise you to prepare yourself very well if you don’t want your application to be trash.

The average ACT score at Dartmouth is 34, which makes Dartmouth Extremely Competitive for ACT scores.

Dartmouth Average GPA

Like many colleges, Dartmouth College doesn’t officially report the GPAs of its admitted students. However, using data from over a thousand schools, it shows that the average GPA of a freshman at Dartmouth is 4.07.

While both colleges and high schools grade on a 4.0 scale, high school GPAs are tricky things; you can actually score higher than a 4.0.

This is because AP and IB classes add an extra grade point, so if you get an A in one of these courses, your 4.0 would be up to a 5.0. So to average a 4.07, you’ll need at least a few A’s in these kinds of upper-level courses–and in your regular courses too!

Dartmouth Acceptance Rate

Out of a total applicant pool of 23,110, Dartmouth College accepted 2,180 students for the Class of 2016 with a record-low acceptance rate of 9.4 percent. Accepted students hail from all 50 states and 49 countries.

During the 2018-19 Dartmouth College admissions process, 22,033 new applications were received from applicants, 61% enrolled and only 8 to7% were finally admitted. 

However, for the Class of 2023, Dartmouth College offered admission to 2,176 students out of an applicant pool of 20,675. This marks an overall admit rate of 10.5% for the college founded by Eleazar Wheelock to educate Native Americans.

See more about Dartmouth Acceptance Rate.

Tips on how to get into Dartmouth

There are hacks around getting or achieving anything in this life, including getting admission into any college or university of your choice as a student.

And the truth remains that if you don’t apply these hacks or tips, you may find it very difficult to get an admission.

For Dartmouth university, I will give you 10 tips on how to get into the university easily even though admission is extremely competitive.

Check this out!

#1. Meet the Basic Requirements

This is the first thing you must do. Ensure you have all the basic requirements. This includes getting your application in before the deadline and ensuring that it includes all the required elements.

#2. Prepare for an interview

As an applicant, once you submit your application, come for an interview, although the school will inform you before then.

So, this is the main reason you should provide accurate information about yourself when filling your application form.

Every academic year Dartmouth prepares 2 (two) graduate interviews with its candidates. One is Early-decision interviews and permanent-decision interviews.

Dartmouth interviews with early-decision candidates usually occur in November, and interviews with permanent-decision candidates occur in December through mid-February.

So, ensure you prepare for an interview, study the school very well to avoid been taken unawares.

#3. Be Passionate

Dartmouth loves people who have a special passion and rarely achieve that passion, but it also loves candidates who also have some common hobbies, like sports or outdoor activities.

In particular, Dartmouth admits passionate and complete students than its Ivy League counterparts.

#4. Spend time in preparing your Resume

In addition, prepare an exceptional resume. Mind you, don’t just praise yourself with words that you are not. Let there be something you have done that will marvel at the school management.

And when specifying it in your resume, organize it properly. Make out time to preview it over time to avoid submitting a resume full of errors. If possible, ask someone else to preview your resume.

Read Also: Dartmouth College Fellowships for International Students in the USA

#5. Spend time to work on super-curricular

There is more on how to get into Dartmouth than just having a solid SAT score, being complete and appealing essays. Although they are important they won’t make you stand out.

You must possess an exceptional quality in one or two fields or areas. Dartmouth Admissions Officers seek people who excel in one or two selected areas. This activity is “Supercurriculars”.

A Super Curriculum is a book you have published, linked to a charity project you have created. It can also mean that you have represented your country in a global event.

This is why you should try working on achieving something because, with that included in your resume, you can be 90% sure of your admission.

#6. Take the SAT / ACT tests

Although it was stated that having super-curricular gives you a head-start, it doesn’t mean you can do away with the test scores.

Good performance from these tests is a prerequisite for entry, and even the strongest Super-Curricular profile is inadequate due to poor performance.

Dartmouth requires everyone to have passed the SAT Reasoning Test (or ACT as an alternative). While the writing component is not necessary, you should definitely pass the exam with the writing element, as most of your competitors will have.

What do I mean? You need an SAT score of 1550 and an ACT score of 35 to qualify. So, preparing to take and pass the tests successfully is one sure tip to get into Dartmouth.

#7. Create a Common App profile

Almost all of Dartmouth’s applications are submitted through a portal known as CommonApp. You can find it here.

The portal requires detailed basic information, such as your name, age, and information about the school. You will also need to prepare some admission tests.

Also, questions for these essays will be submitted on August 1, when you submit your application. It is recommended to prepare them in August so that you are superior to all others and have more time to order the other parts of your application.

#8. Submit your application before deadline

Dartmouth has 2 application deadlines: an early decision (November 1) and a permanent decision (January 1).

You should submit your early decision application by November 1 to ensure that the Dartmouth Admissions Officers receive your application in the best possible way.

#9. Continue to provide updates

Upon request, be sure to follow up with the Admissions Office with regular substantial updates related to your candidate’s progress.

Given the many people applying to Dartmouth College, the decision to accept a candidate is not always easy.

Therefore, it is important to show that you are a candidate who continues to advance until the last day of the decision.

#10. Write an Excellent Application Essay

Application Essay is one of the basic prerequisites for applying for Dartmouth admission just like other Ivy League and Ivy+ schools.

So, it is expedient you dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essays and short answers required by Dartmouth.

Basically, Dartmouth requires two supplemental essays to ensure that applicants are the best fit for the particular culture of the school: the first is a very short essay every applicant must answer, and the second is chosen from six options provided.

These essays are not just what you will write anyhow that pleases, there are steps and formats of writing that will make it’s perfect.

Lets talk about Dartmouth Essay……

See Also: Simple Steps on how to write a College Essay | Best Samples

Dartmouth Essay Samples

Dartmouth’s writing supplement requires that applicants write brief responses to two supplemental essay prompts as follows:

Essay Sample 1

While arguing a Dartmouth-related case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1818, Daniel Webster, Class of 1801, delivered this memorable line: “It is, Sir…a small college. And yet, there are those who love it!” As you seek admission to the Class of 2024, what aspects of the College’s program, community, or campus environment attract your interest? (100 words or less).

Below are short essay written by two applicants

In my artistic practice, I’m preoccupied with space—how objects interact with their environment. When I visited Dartmouth’s campus last summer, all I could think about was how the school interacted with the nature that surrounds it. How the campus and the historic Appalachian Trail occupy the same physical space—the beauty of the trees so different than my homes in Portland and Kerala. I became so excited to see how my art installations interact with and reflect Dartmouth’s unique intersection of intellect and the natural world. I can’t wait to work in these spaces and be a part of them.

Essay Sample 2

The Hawaiian word mo’olelo is often translated as “story” but it can also refer to history, legend, genealogy, and tradition. Use one of these translations to introduce yourself.

Answer:

“In my family, translation itself is always unclear. The family stories imported from Kerala have sometimes been bruised or reshuffled in transit, so my siblings and I are always asking ourselves— is this our history? Our legend? Is it important that we know the difference, that we find our truth, or can we just take what serves us and move on?

In Portland, my family largely focuses on the present, the practical nature of life in the US, and the logistics of having another home in India. In Kerala, the same story sounds completely different.

I realized the environment can change the way people think and speak about themselves— a story told by my mother in the steady rain with Mount Hood peeking just over the clouds sounds different than the same story told by my grandmother in the dense humid tea plantations of the Malabar Coast.

When I was a child, I found this discrepancy frustrating— why couldn’t everyone just tell the same story? But as I grew older, I learned that history is written by humans and is subjective.

It changes based on language, new discoveries, personal accounts. A family history that spans two continents is really no different. Now I can look at both stories as equally true.“

In Conclusion

Dartmouth is a great choice for Ivy competition students who value the traditional college experience, love the outdoors, and a small group of students.

Each candidate should consider the importance of these traits when choosing a school and whether they thrive in the specific academic and social environment that Dartmouth is proud to create.

FAQs

Sources

• Aandjeducation.co.uk
• Toptieradmissions.com
• Blog.collegevine.com