If you are considering Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, here is an overview of the key facts about Dartmouth’s academics, campus life, admissions, and financial aid processes. This guide provides a clear picture to help you evaluate if Dartmouth fits your educational goals.
Overview and Campus Setting
- Established in 1769, Dartmouth is located in Hanover, NH, in the Upper Valley region.
- The college serves about 4,500 undergraduate students and approximately 8,000 total students including graduate programs.
- Campus size allows a 15-20 minute walk from the central green to any part of campus.
- Dartmouth is known as a small liberal arts college as well as a research university, classified as an R1 institution.
- Student-to-faculty ratio is around 7:1, with 99% of classes taught by faculty members.
- We associate Dartmouth with the outdoors and love of nature- there are many options to participate in outdoor sports here.
Academic System: The D-Plan
- Dartmouth uses a quarter system with four terms: fall, winter, spring, and summer, each lasting 10 weeks.
- Students complete 15 academic terms: 12 on-campus, 3 off-campus.
- First-year students attend fall, winter, and spring on campus; summer is off.
- Sophomore summer is on-campus and known as “Camp Dartmouth.”
- Junior and senior years are more flexible with some on-campus requirements.
- Off-campus terms are often used for internships, research, travel, or time off.
Curriculum and Academic Requirements
- Requires 35 courses for graduation.
- Ten distributive requirements are broad categories rather than specific courses, allowing flexibility.
- Majors require 8-10 courses and students declare their major in the sophomore winter term.
- Students can pursue minors and “modified majors” (a combination of two fields).
- Language proficiency in one language is required by graduation (14 languages offered).
- Example of unique courses: “Video Games and the Meaning of Life,” which is the largest class with 200 students.
Study Abroad Opportunities
- About 50% of students study abroad at least once.
- Programs include:
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- Language Study Abroad (LSA): live with host families, focused on language immersion.
- LSA+: intensive two language terms in one quarter.
- Foreign Study Program (FSP): subject-based with no language requirement.
- Financial aid applies to study abroad, so there is typically no extra cost for eligible students.
Campus Life and Traditions
- First Year Trips are outdoor group experiences with near-universal participation.
- Seasonal traditions include:
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- Homecoming bonfire in fall.
- Winter Carnival with events like snowball fights and ice sculpting.
- Green Key music festival in spring.
- A bus system is available and free for students.
- Housing system is robust with roommate matching based on preferences.
- Various Living Learning Communities support language immersion and identities.
- Greek life starts sophomore year with several participation requirements. Note that even participants live in the dorms, so this system is less central to social life than at many other universities.
Athletics, Clubs, and Resources
- 75% of students participate in sports at different levels.
- As a D1 institution, there are many athletes- be careful evaluating the ED numbers as this may also include the high number of athletes.
- There are over 300 clubs, and students can create new clubs with faculty support.
- Important student organizations include WDCR radio, The Dartmouth newspaper, and DOC (Dartmouth Outing Club).
- Academic resources include a writing center, tutoring, wellness center, and special collections library with unique artifacts.
Admissions and Financial Aid
- Admissions are holistic and individualized.
- Application deadlines:
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- Early Decision: November 1 (binding)
- Regular Decision: January 1
- Required components:
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- Common App or QuestBridge application
- Dartmouth supplements with short essays
- High school transcript and recommendations (two teachers, one counselor, one peer)
- Standardized testing (ACT or SAT) is required
- Optional alumni interview and arts supplement
- Financial aid policy is need-blind and meets 100% demonstrated need with no loans required.
- Typical families earning under $125,000 may have no expected parent contribution.
- Tools are available online to estimate your costs.
- In the past, Admittance Education has had several full scholarship attendees who were mainly international students.