Last Minute Application Tips Video

Thank you for all your great questions from the Application Tips video chat. We do our best below to categorize the breadth of questions you asked. Visit the following links for more information about each topic. A number of specific questions are addressed under each "blog posts" link.

• Peer Eval (and other application components) webpage and blog posts
  
• How we Read Applications webpage and blog posts
  
• Interview webpage and blog posts
  
• Testing webpage and blog posts
  
• Financial Aid website and blog posts
  
• Majors
• Study Abroad (article) and Dartmouth Study Abroad Programs
  
• International Applicants webpage and blog posts
  
• Personal Statement blog posts
  

We will do our best to add more of your questions to this blog. You may also submit your own question.

When is the last time I can take the SAT or ACT and still be considered for Admission?

Applying Early Decision (application deadline: November 1st):
Last test date for SAT/Subject Test: November
Last test date for ACT: October

Applying Regular Decision (application deadline: January 1st):
Last test date for SAT/Subject Test: January
Last test date for ACT: December

Visit CollegeBoard for more info about SAT and Subject Tests preparation, registration or the exam itself. Visit ACT for more info about ACT preparation, registration or the exam itself.

• Speak with your counselor about obtaining a testing fee-waiver if appropriate.
• If you are taking an exam after the application deadline (ED: November 1; RD: January 1) please make a quick note in your application under additional information to let us know to anticipate new scores.
  
• If you wish to REtake the ACT or SAT after the final test date, you may in February. However, please understand that we cannot guarantee that scores will arrive in time for consideration with your file. We must have scores from the final test date or before if you are taking any exams in February.
  

Is it okay if a relative writes my Peer Reference?

Yes. For example, I recently read an application that contained a peer reference from a close sibling. Remember, it is a peer reference; if you're thinking about a relative make sure it is someone close to you who knows you well.

I received a packet with fee waivers in it from "Expanding College Opportunities". Is this legitimate and can I use a waiver for Dartmouth?

Yes it is and yes you can. We welcome fee waivers from students participating in the Expanding College Opportunities project.

Should I submit my IB Extended Essay or another research paper with my application?

Generally speaking, it would not do a lot of good for you to submit an entire IB extended essay or an additional research paper with your application. The demands of reviewing over 18,000 applications in just 10-12 weeks do not allow us the time to review lengthy supplemental materials. It is understandable that you are very proud of your work on these projects, and if you are convinced that you would not be putting your best foot forward on the application without submitting them, then you should limit yourself to submitting a one-page abstract summarizing the paper or project. A multi-page research paper or presentation will not be reviewed by the Admissions Committee or forwarded to the faculty for evaluation.

My peer recommender does not speak English as her first language. Will you judge my application based on her writing?

No. We'll evaluate your candidacy based on many factors, including what we learn from your references.

Choosing a peer who does not speak English as a first language or who may not be a highly accomplished writer won't reflect poorly on your candidacy. However, you do want to be sure that the person who writes your peer evaluation can write at a level that will allow her to clearly express the strengths and qualities that you have to share with others. If she can do that, then having her write the peer recommendation will be fine.

I was not offered an alumni interview at Early Decision and my application was deferred. Will I be able to have an interview during Regular Decision?

Maybe.

As explained in other posts, the alumni interviewing program is an optional part of the application, and the Admissions Committee recognizes that both applicant volume and geography will prevent us from offering alumni interviews to every candidate. It is probably that one of these two factors - not enough (or any) alumni volunteers in your area or a high volume of candidates from your area - prevented us from offering you an interview at Early Decision.

The short answer is that applicants who were deferred at Early Decision do remain "eligible" for interviews, in that your name is already on the list of candidates we have provided to local alumni volunteers in your area. If you are contacted, it should be between January 1 and mid-February. As described elsewhere, there is nothing you need to do to initiate the alumni interview process, and you should not contact the Admissions Office about scheduling an interview. You also should not worry if no interview offer comes. All deferred candidates should follow the advice offered here about keeping their application up to date.

If you were interviewed during Early Decision and were deferred, you will not be offered a second alumni interview.

Will it hurt my chances for admission, if I switch from not applying for aid to applying for aid?

No, it will not hurt your chances for admission.

Dartmouth is need-blind in its admissions process, which means that whether or not you apply for aid will have no bearing on your admission decision.

When I first submitted my application, I did not plan to apply for financial aid. Now, it looks like I will need to apply. Can I still apply?

Yes. You can still apply for financial aid. You can find their deadline information here.

I want my best friend to write my Peer Recommendation, but she is also applying to Dartmouth. Is it okay for her to write it?

The "Dartmouth Peer Recommendation" is a letter written from someone who knows you well. Peer recommendations can be written by siblings, best friends, boyfriends, co-workers, teammates, pen-pals, etc. If your friend is applying to Dartmouth and he/she is the person who can write the best peer recommendation, then you should let him/her write the letter. In a similar way, some current Dartmouth students will write recommendations for students from their hometown or siblings who are applying.

The bottom line is that we don't care who writes the recommendation, as long as this person is able to provide us with context about who you are, and what you could bring to a college community.

May I re-apply under Regular Decision if I was denied at Early Decision?

No. Students can only apply once per admissions cycle.

What percentage of students deferred in Early Decision are eventually admitted in Regular Decision?

In the past few years, we have admitted between 5 to 10 percent of candidates deferred in Early Decision in our Regular Decision process.

I am taking or have taken courses at my local community college- will those credits be transferable?

No. Dartmouth does not grant course credits for classes taken at 2 year vocational or community colleges except in rare cases.

It is possible that your courses may be used for placement purposes i.e. if you have taken College level math, you may take a placement test to move into a more advanced class. You will not receive credit for the level you skipped.

The granting of credits is done on a case to case basis by individual departments. (Check out the government department's policy here.) We have a rather strict policy on accepting transfer credits because our faculty will grant credits only if coursework taken at another college or university matches up directly with Dartmouth curriculum.

Do Admissions Officers Check A Student's Facebook/MySpace profile?

These days, we receive many questions from students regarding their online social profiles. Since anything published online is public information, technically we reserve the right to use any public internet information regarding your candidacy to make admissions decisions.
Truthfully, however, the Dartmouth Admissions Office does not actively "research" candidates online, unless there are circumstances which would validate or confirm a student's candidacy. (For example, we might confirm awards granted in a particular science fair, in order to get a sense of a student's accomplishments at the local, regional, state, or national level.) Sometimes the web can be a helpful tool in understanding the context or community of a particular applicant.

The bottom line is that it is smart to represent yourself professionally on the web. We're not trying to use the web as a "spy" tool. However, social media sites ARE a representation of yourself, and hopefully you would want to put your best foot forward.

Should I fill out the International Supplement?

If you are...

* Not a US citizen but have attended a US high school since 9th grade, you do NOT have to fill out the International Supplement.

* Not a US citizen and transferred from a high school abroad into a US high school during 10th, 11th or 12th grade, you DO have to fill out the International Supplement.

* A US citizen and attend an international school abroad, you DO have to fill out the International Supplement.

As a rule of thumb, if you have attended a secondary school (high school) that is not in the US, you should send in the supplement with your other application materials.