Dartmouth Admissions Uncommonly Asked Questions

I am an admitted student interested in deferring my admission for a year – how do I request a deferral?

2010-04-30T09:26:00.005-04:00

Admitted students who would like to defer their enrollment at Dartmouth for a year can do so by doing the following:

1) Accept our offer of admission by May 1st, 2010.

2) E-mail Assistant to the Dean of Admissions Peg Chase at Peg.Chase@dartmouth.edu by July 1, 2010. Your e-mail should outline your reasons for deferring for a year, and your plans for your Gap Year.

Your request will be processed and you will receive a response via email to let you know if we need any additional information. You will then receive an official response from Maria Laskaris, Dean of Admissions by email and paper mailing granting your request. Please allow approximately 2 weeks for the processing of deferral requests.

3) We require that you write to our office as soon as possible after January 1, 2011, to reaffirm your commitment to join the Class of 2015. This e-mail should also describe your experiences and undertakings during the 2010 – 2011 academic year.

Please note the following policies regarding deferred enrollment:

1) Admitted students who defer their enrollment must withdraw all applications to other institutions, and they may not apply to any other colleges or universities during their gap year.

2) Students who defer enrollment do not need to reapply to Dartmouth in 2011 or complete any new admissions forms, but students who qualify for Financial Aid must reapply for Financial Aid for the 2011-2012 academic year. You must file the CSS PROFILE Application and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The CSS Profile will be available in October 2010 and the FAFSA will be available January 1, 2011 for the 2011 - 2012 academic year.

Please be advised that, beginning with the Class of 2015, students applying for Financial Aid with family incomes above $75,000 will receive financial aid awards that include loans. Students who defer for a year and enroll with the Class of 2015 will be packaged using the same financial aid guidelines as the rest of their classmates. Visit the Financial Aid website for application instructions and requirements.

3) The Admissions Committee reserves the right to review the status of any admitted student and to rescind the offer of admission if a student's academic or personal record does not remain satisfactory in all respects.

I am a Transfer applicant. Do I need to submit a mid-term report?

2010-02-27T14:10:00.002-05:00

No. Transfer applicants must submit official transcripts for all college level work completed to date along with their secondary school transcripts, but we do not require a mid-term update. Some applicants do submit them, but this is not necessary.

I have materials I want to add to my application. Will you accept them?

2010-01-27T13:51:00.006-05:00

Some students will mail, email, or fax additional materials to the admissions office after their application has become complete. We will happily accept these materials, providing they supplement your application with NEW information.

If you have an updated transcript, a change in your application, a new award or honor, or a change in curriculum, please feel free to send that new information directly to the admissions office.

Please do not send newspaper clippings, emails, recommendations, resumes, or certificates which are repetitive. (For example, please don't send us newspaper clippings regarding your Eagle Scout project if you have already written about your Eagle Scout project in your short answer.)

Also, please refrain from sending "announcements" regarding the status of your additional material. You do not need to email us to let us know that your updated transcript is on the way.

We want to make sure we have as complete a candidacy for each applicant as possible, but we do not want to weigh down your application file with information that isn't necessary.

Is it too late to send in a Peer Reference?

2010-01-27T09:14:00.004-05:00

No, it's not too late. You can still submit the peer reference to us. My suggestion at this point is that you fax it to 603-646-1216.

Please note: It will be helpful to us if you only send it once. We're finding that some peers fax the reference (or email it) and then follow up with a second submission via regular mail. This slows down our processing of the application material.

What last-minute financial aid advice do you have?

2010-01-26T19:23:00.003-05:00

Please note the sound may have issues for the first few minutes of the video. I apologize for the technical problems.

Useful links:

Key Pieces of Advice:

CSS & FAFSA are due February 1 for regular decision applicants. Please get these forms in as close to the deadline as possible.
We are NEED-BLIND for all applicants, which means the decision to admit you to Dartmouth is not based on the ability to afford Dartmouth. Don't confuse this with Dartmouth's NEED-BASED Financial Aid policy, which means we only offer need-based financial aid and NO merit-based aid.
We do guarantee to meet 100% of a family's demonstrated financial need.
If you do not have full financial information available for 2009, please estimate for the most recent year and submit final documents when requested.
For International financial aid applicants we prefer official income statements over tax-returns.

I was admitted Early Decision. Is it okay if I change my academic schedule this spring?

2010-01-07T16:18:00.003-05:00

Yes, but we expect you will continue to challenge yourself and be successful. We do have a post-acceptance review at the end of the year to check on this. We want future Dartmouth students to continue to grow intellectually, academically, and personally during the senior year. We also want you to enjoy your final year of high school.

If changing your course load is going to allow you to really engage your academic and extracurricular interests more significantly over the remainder of your senior year, we see no harm in doing so. Your schedule should not be determined by what we want, it should be determined by what you find challenging and meaningful. We follow the advice of your secondary school counselor for determining a reasonable schedule for you to proceed with for the remainder of your senior year.

How many times is each application reviewed? How much time is devoted to reviewing an application?

2010-01-04T09:58:00.022-05:00

Most applications are reviewed two or three times, with each review completed by a different member of the Admissions Committee (some applications will be reviewed more than three times - see below).

The total time spent reviewing each candidacy varies from one application to the next:

The "first read" of an application typically takes between 10 and 20 minutes to complete, while the length of a "second read" will vary from case to case.
Often, the second read of the application will take less time than the first read because the second reviewer does not have to record as many notes as the first reader.
In other circumstances, a second read may take as much or more time than the first read due to the complexity of the case or due to the fact that the second reader may want to point out new issues for the Admissions Committee to consider.
The first two reviews of a candidacy are usually comprehensive reviews of the entire application, and each reviewer takes notes summarizing the case for admission. The second reader does not look at the first reader's notes until after completing their own review of the application.
Additional reviews may be by an individual reader or may involve a group (or "committee") review of the candidacy. Some candidacies will be reviewed multiple times as the selection process moves forward.
One of my earlier blog posts explains who reads applications files.

The Deadline is Today, and I've Got a Question That I Really Need an Answer To Before Submitting My Application. What Should I Do?

2010-01-01T12:12:00.004-05:00

Three things:

1) See our last minute tips blog post and video.

2) Check our website. Pages you may want to visit include:

Application Components
Download Forms
The Fine Print (for very uncommon questions)

3) Hang on until Monday.

If you get through items 1 and 2 and still aren't ready to submit your application, you can contact us on Monday when the office will be open again. It will be okay with us if you do not submit your application until then.

Last Minute Application Tips Video

2009-12-21T18:01:00.006-05:00

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?

2009-12-21T15:15:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-12-20T09:58:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-12-15T15:44:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-12-15T12:33:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-12-15T06:02:00.005-05:00

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?

2009-12-11T14:57:00.010-05:00

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?

2009-12-11T09:56:00.001-05:00

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?

2009-12-11T09:52:00.005-05:00

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?

2009-12-10T10:11:00.004-05:00

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?

2009-12-08T17:43:00.003-05:00

No. Students can only apply once per admissions cycle.

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

2009-12-08T16:44:00.005-05:00

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?

2009-12-07T10:17:00.005-05:00

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?

2009-12-03T09:14:00.004-05:00

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?

2009-12-01T15:18:00.003-05:00

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.

When is the best time to visit the Dartmouth campus?

2009-11-30T14:23:00.006-05:00

The best times to visit are generally the summer and early fall. April and July through October are our busiest months for visitors. Thus, these are also the months when we have the most available programming in the Admissions Office- we offer campus tours, information sessions conducted by Admissions Officers as well as student forums with our Admissions Interns.

* Please visit our RSVP calendar for details: http://www.dartmouth.edu/apply/visiting/calendar/display.html#

* If you are visiting during the summer, classes will be in session for the sophomore class starting from the end of June through the middle of August so you will get to see the campus in full swing.

* If you are visiting during the fall, you will be able to sit in on a class. This option is NOT available in the summer due to high visitor volume and small summer class sizes.

* If you'd like to come when it's less busy, February, May, June and November may be good times for you!

I'm applying for Transfer admission. Do I need to submit the Common Application's Secondary School Report?

2009-11-24T17:28:00.004-05:00

No, but...

Your school does not need to submit the Secondary School Report from the Common Application, but we will need your secondary school to submit your transcript. For most applicants, the Common Application's Secondary School Report is the most sensible vehicle for the transcript, but if using this form would pose a challenge for your secondary school, we can accept an official transcript from your school without this form. Similarly, if your secondary school guidance counselor is not able to complete all portions of the Secondary School Report, it is fine if he/she submits a partially completed report along with your transcript.

I am planning to apply for Transfer Admission. When should I send in my materials?

2009-11-20T08:48:00.002-05:00

Our Transfer application deadline is March 1.

Some students send in their application materials during the fall, but for the most part people submit their materials to us during the month of February.

For more info, have a look here.

I haven't been contacted for an interview. How do I request one?

2009-11-20T08:40:00.003-05:00

You cannot request an interview.

The Admissions Office forwards applicant contact information to volunteer alumni interviewers throughout the US and abroad. Our alumni then seek to contact as many applicants as possible to invite them to interview. With a wide alumnus/a to student ratio, however, we will be unable to offer interviews to many of our applicants.

For more info, see this page, or have a look at the related posts.

Do my Teacher Recommendations have to come from a junior or senior year teacher?

2009-11-16T16:29:00.005-05:00

No.

However, the two required teacher recommendations should come from teachers who know you well at the time you apply. A 9th or 10th grade teacher would be acceptable so long as that teacher knows you well currently and can write about you as a student today and not simply how you were several years ago in his or her class.

What does it mean when an application is "deferred" during Early Decision?

2009-11-16T12:51:00.004-05:00

Applications that are deferred at the end of Early Decision are reviewed again during Regular Decision. Early Decision applications will receive one of three replies - acceptance to the Class of 2014, deferral to Regular Decision Review or denial of the candidacy for admission for this year.

The Admission Committee defers the final review of a candidacy to Regular Decision when additional information (senior year grades, more recent test results, etc.) will help us better understand the applicant's potential or when reviewing the case in the context of the larger Regular Decision applicant pool will provide a more complete picture of where the applicant "fits" in Dartmouth's applicant pool.

While the Admissions Committee does not set a specific target for the number of deferrals in Early Decision, in recent years similar numbers of candidates have received deferral notices and deny notices at the end of Early Decision.

What should I do if I am a U.S. Military Veteran applying to Dartmouth?

2009-11-13T12:10:00.006-05:00

Common Application
United States Military Veterans applying to Dartmouth should use the Common Application to summarize their academic and work histories and to highlight activities and interests outside of employment and formal educational settings. Detailed explanations of unique circumstances can be included in the “Additional Information” section of the Common Application First-Year Application or Transfer Application.

Academic Record
We understand that an applicant’s military service can result in gaps in educational enrollment and that many veterans will pursue part-time or online enrollment in college course work during their service. While some military veterans find that their academic record prior to serving in the military is no longer an accurate reflection of their academic abilities, Dartmouth still requires the submission of all secondary school and college or university transcripts with an application for admission.

The Admissions Committee works hard to review each application on its own individual merits, accounting for the context of the applicant’s experiences and the time elapsed since earning the grades represented in one’s application.

Veterans who have been away from high school or college course work for more than two years are encouraged to enroll in college courses prior to applying to Dartmouth. Recent and successful completion of challenging academic course work will provide the Admissions Committee with relevant evidence of a candidate’s academic ability. The Admissions Committee assigns great value to the personal qualities and characteristics gained through military service, but application readers also look to recently completed academic course work as tangible evidence of a candidate’s potential for success at Dartmouth.

Transfer vs. First Year Application
Veterans who have been enrolled in college or university course work may have the choice between applying to Dartmouth as a transfer applicant or a first-year applicant, depending on the number of courses they have pursued at the post-secondary level. If you have earned more than one year of college credit, you will likely want to apply to Dartmouth as a transfer applicant.

Course Credits
Because the Dartmouth faculty evaluates each individual course taken by an enrolling student before awarding credit, it can be difficult to predict how many courses taken at another college or university will count towards a Dartmouth degree.

While the Dartmouth faculty does not typically award credit for courses taken at two-year or community colleges, veterans may receive credit for these courses once the syllabi have been reviewed by department faculty. Dartmouth does not grant credit for online course work.

When will I be notified of my admissions decision if I've applied Early Decision?

2009-11-06T12:36:00.003-05:00

We will notify candidates of their decisions in the middle of December. The week before decisions are released, we will send you an e-mail to let you now that we are in the final stages of our decision making process.

If I have already submitted my application, can I add more information to my file later?

2009-11-02T14:50:00.004-05:00

Yes, but only if necessary.

Please understand that submitting more materials is not necessarily very helpful. We encourage you to submit substantive updates (for instance, major accomplishments that occur after you have submitted your application), but you should submit extra materials only if it contains new information that will add significantly to our understanding of your candidacy.

If one of my recommendations isn't sent until after the deadline, will you still review my application?

2009-10-31T13:51:00.001-04:00

Yes. If a letter or recommendation or other piece of your application arrives after the deadline we will still do our best to read your application.

Please do your best to get us all required materials as close to the deadline as possible. If we do not have everything we need to review your file, you will receive an email from the Admissions Office (after all materials we have are processed) notifying you of what we need.

Please do not call our office to check what materials we have received. Instead, please just use the online applicant system. Most importantly, please be patient as we process the thousands of materials we receive.

I missed the chat. Is it posted online somwhere?

2009-10-31T11:44:00.002-04:00

Yes.

You can find it on the ustream.tv web site here.

November 1 is a Sunday this year. Can I submit my material on November 2 instead?

2009-10-30T17:03:00.005-04:00

Yes.

Two quick points:

1) Our deadline is a postmark deadline. In other words, it is a date by which material must be submitted (see my earlier post for specifics of what must be submitted) not a date by which material must be received.

2) If you're planning to mail material to us and can't get to a post office on Saturday, or if you're in a pinch and need to see your guidance counselor (and, of course, won't be able to see him/her over the weekend) it is okay to wait to submit your material until November 2.

Can the CSS Profile be replaced by the Foreign Student Financial Aid Profile?

2009-10-30T14:43:00.003-04:00

If you are able to submit the CSS Profile then that is the form you are required to submit. We are well aware that in some circumstances and in some countries the CSS Profile is not possible.

We are using the College Scholarship Service PROFILE Form to collect accurate, consistent information and to minimize the possibility for data entry errors.

If the cost associated with the PROFILE Form is going to present a significant financial burden for your family, you may request permission to use an alternative form. Please send an email to Financial.Aid@Dartmouth.EDU that provides the following information:

Your country of residency
The number of family members who live in your parents' household
Your family's total 2009 income from all sources in US dollars
The equity (value minus debt) of your family's assets in US dollars
The exchange rate that you used to convert your currency to US dollars

We will review the information and respond to you by email.

Please visit the Financial Aid International Applicant web page for more information.

When will I be contacted for an interview?

2009-10-30T14:36:00.004-04:00

Depends when you get your application materials submitted and when our alumni can interview you.

For Early Decision, you will be contacted by mid-November if the local alumni are able to offer you an interview.

For Regular Decision, you will be contacted by mid-February if the local alumni are able to offer you an interview.

Please do not call the Admissions Office (or our alumni) about an interview. Dartmouth alumni in your area will contact you directly if they are able to offer you an interview. We do not offer on-campus interviews.

What if I don't get contacted for an interview?

2009-10-30T14:27:00.004-04:00

Don't worry about it.

Our wonderful volunteer alumni interviews do their very best to interview every candidate possible, but given the volume of applications, they are simply unable to interview every applicant. About half of our applicants get interviewed. If you are not contacted about an interview, all it means is that the alumni in your community could not get to you.

The interview is optional and provides for one more way for the admissions committee to get to know you. The interview is also a great time for you to learn more about the College from Dartmouth alumni. There is no reason to stress about the interview or worry that you weren't contacted for one.

There is no way to request an interview. All the applicant needs to do is submit her/his application materials to Dartmouth Admissions and we will pass along the contact information to alumni in the applicant's area.

Please do not call the Admissions Office to request an interview. Also, we do not offer on-campus interviews.

Can I and should I submit additional letters of recommendation, beyond the required 2 teacher recs, peer eval, and counselor rec?

2009-10-30T14:18:00.004-04:00

Can you? Yes. Should you? Depends.

You may submit additional recommendations and we will consider them as we review your file. However, additional recommendations should be submitted only if they will add new and relevant information to our understanding of you.

If you are considering submitting additional recommendations, they should only come from individuals who know you in different and meaningful ways from your other recommendation-writers. There is a difference between a helpful recommendation and a positive recommendation. Essentially every recommendation we receive is positive; however, often times extra recs may not be helpful because they only reiterate points we already know.

Is there any specific prompt for the Personal Statement?

2009-10-30T14:11:00.003-04:00

No, not exactly. The Common App proposes the following topics and any of them are fine (including a "Topic of your choice"):

Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
Topic of your choice.

My advice to you is to make sure that whatever your topic, your writing style and content is personal. Everything you say should help the readers of your file get to know you as real person, especially those intangible qualities that can't be easily understood elsewhere, including creativity, leadership, sense of humor, passion, compassion, intellectual curiosity, self-awareness, social-awareness, and more. Your personal statement is not just an essay or writing sample, it's our way of getting to know you and what you'll bring to Dartmouth.

Do I need to take the SAT Subject Tests related to my academic interest or intended major?

2009-10-30T14:08:00.003-04:00

No.

Take the Subject Tests for the subjects you're most interested in. That may very well relate to your intended major, but not necessarily.

What test scores will you look at if I have taken the SAT, Subject Tests, or ACT multiple times?

2009-10-30T13:41:00.003-04:00

We look at your best scores. This said, please remember testing is just one of many things we look at and you should not get yourself worked up over testing.

SAT: We will consider your top Critical Reasoning, top Math, and top Writing score
ACT: We will consider your top composite score
SAT Subject Tests: We will consider your top 2 Subject Test scores from different subject tests

If you take the SAT and ACT, we will look at whichever total score is higher.

If you need to take the TOEFL or iELTS, we will consider your best score.

Please look at our testing page for more details.

How long should my Personal Essay be?

2009-10-30T10:43:00.001-04:00

As long as it needs to be and no longer.

There is no determined maximum length or word count, but 1 to 2 pages single spaced, or 2 to 3 pages double spaced seems about the typical length. This is probably about 500 to 750 words, but again, it should be as long as it needs to be and no longer.

As for a minimum, the Common Application suggests 250 words.

Do I need to rush my SAT or ACT scores from the October test date if I am applying to Dartmouth ED?

2009-10-29T19:11:00.006-04:00

No.

Please just be sure the College Board or ACT knows you're applying to Dartmouth so we receive your scores when they're ready.

Can I upload my Art Instructor's recommendation with my Art Supplement?

2009-10-28T10:56:00.003-04:00

Yes. If you are submitting an art supplement via CommonApp.org, you may follow the instructions on the Art Supplement submission page and upload an instructor's recommendation.

We do not require the Art Supplement nor do we require an Art instructor's recommendation, though if you would like to submit either or both, you are welcome to via the Common Application website or by email or fax to (603) 646-1216.

What SAT Subject Test scores should I submit?

2009-10-28T10:34:00.003-04:00

Ideally, all.

We only consider your highest two SAT Subject Test scores (so long as they are from 2 different Subject Tests). We do not value any particular SAT Subject Tests higher than others. So whatever your two highest scores are, that's what we consider.

Does Dartmouth require more than one admissions essay?

2009-10-28T10:26:00.004-04:00

No.

We ask for only the Personal Statement based on any of the topics (including, a topic of your choice) on the Common Application.

The only required supplements are the First-Year supplement and the Peer Evaluation.

Can I email the ED agreement to you?

2009-10-28T10:22:00.003-04:00

Yes.

You can email it, fax it to 603-646-1216, send it via regular mail, or hand deliver it (though I do not recommend traveling to Hanover just to drop off the form). There is no preferred method of submission, so whatever works for you will work for us.

Does my entire Early Decision application have to be submitted by November 1?

2009-10-28T09:29:00.005-04:00

No, but we will need the following:

your portion of the Common Application,
the Supplement to the Common Application,
the Early Decision Agreement,
your test scores.

Your school's portion of the application and your letters of recommendation do not need to be submitted by November 1. If these items are submitted after the deadline, we will simply add them to your application file as we receive them. Once we have all the material we need to begin evaluating your candidacy, we will get started with the review of your application.

If I am applying to Dartmouth, but do not require financial aid, do I need to submit the CSS Profile?

2009-10-23T14:07:00.003-04:00

No.

If you are not applying for financial aid, you do not need to complete the CSS Profile or FAFSA.

Every applicant applying for financial aid will need to complete the CSS Profile (complete the profile for the year you will be enrolled in college, so for the College Class of 2014, that would be the 2010-2011 Profile). US applicants will also need to submit the FAFSA. Visit the Dartmouth Financial Aid website for more information.

I am very interested in Dartmouth, but I am not 100% sure right now. I was wondering what "advantage" there is if I apply Early Decision?

2009-10-22T09:01:00.008-04:00

For an applicant, the "advantage" to applying under Dartmouth's binding Early Decision plan is that you will learn of the outcome of your application in December rather than April. If admitted, you will not have to file other applications. If denied admission or deferred to the Regular Decision round, you'll have an "early read" on your application to Dartmouth that can help as you apply to other Colleges.

Since Dartmouth's Early Decision program is binding, an applicant for Early Decision really needs to know that Dartmouth is their clear first choice. It would be a mistake to apply to Dartmouth under the Early Decision plan as a "strategy" for increasing your chances for admission.

For most applicants, the rate of admission during Early Decision as compared to Regular Decision will be similar. The rate of admission during Early Decision is in fact higher than the overall rate of admission to Dartmouth, but the higher rate of admission during Early Decision is a bit misleading.

Why is the higher rate of admission during Early Decision somewhat misleading? Most highly recruited Division 1 athletes who apply to Dartmouth do so under the Early Decision plan, and these recruited student athletes typically do not file an application to Dartmouth unless their credentials have been reviewed in advance by members of the Admission Committee. Many student athletes who communicate with Dartmouth's coaches are encouraged not to apply to the College or are informed that the coaching staff has not identified them as a "priority recruit" and as a result those who do end up applying to Dartmouth are admitted at a higher rate (having already been "pre-screened").

With highly recruited Division 1 athletes removed from the Early Decision applicant pool, the rate of admission during Early Decision falls back to a level that is more comparable, although slightly higher, than the overall rate of admission.

So, there is a small statistical advantage to applying to Dartmouth under the Early Decision plan, but the advantage is not so great that it should be the "driving force" behind an applicant's decision to apply early.

As a home-schooled student, who should write my recommendations?

2009-10-21T09:55:00.005-04:00

We encourage home-schooled applicants to request teacher recommendations from two instructor(s), academic tutor(s), or academic mentor(s) with whom they do not have a family-relationship. If you have not worked directly with individuals outside of your home, a brief statement from your "home-school supervisor" will be acceptable.

Parents or guardians who serve as the "home-school supervisor" may complete the Home-School supplement.

How do you read applications from Home-Schooled students?

2009-10-21T09:08:00.004-04:00

We read every application in the context of each applicant's community and opportunities. Just as every community, high school, and family is unique, we recognize that the opportunities for each home-schooled student is unique. Dartmouth receives a number of applications from home-schooled students each year, so there is no need to worry that we are not accustomed to home-schooled applicants.

As with every applicant, please just make sure your application represents the academic and extracurricular opportunities available to you and what you did with those opportunities. Home-schooled students need to submit the home-school supplement, which helps us understand the context of the academic and extracurricular opportunities available. If you are enrolled in a home-schooling consortium, online courses, or other academic programs, you should submit all course results from these programs to help us confirm your academic strengths.

Home-school applicants should complete the rest of the application just like other first-year applicants, including testing. Visit our FAQ for more insight.

How should I send in the Peer Evaluation?

2009-10-12T14:38:00.003-04:00

The best way to submit a Peer Evaluation is by emailing an attached PDF version of a completed evaluation to Admissions.Office@Dartmouth.edu with "Peer Eval" in the Subject line of the email. It's best if the Peer Eval is typed. You can simply type all the info required on the Peer Evaluation form into a new document and then save it as a PDF (just visit Acrobat.com and signup to create a free PDF online or print to PDF).

If you have trouble creating or emailing a PDF you or your peer may mail the completed evaluation (preferably typed by creating a new document with all the required information; or a hand completed first page and typed statement added) to:

Dartmouth College
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
6016 McNutt Hall
Hanover, NH 03755

The Peer Evaluation should be submitted as soon as possible and post-marked before the deadline--though we will read an application even if the Peer Evaluation has not yet arrived.

Do you grant credit for CLEP?

2009-10-07T09:32:00.005-04:00

No, we do not grant credit for CLEP.

How do you use the information we provide in the "Family" and "Demographics" parts of the Common Application?

2009-10-03T22:21:00.014-04:00

Bio-demographic information- your family background, what your parents do, information on your school and much more- helps the Admissions Committee form a picture of each applicant's context. Context refers to the unique opportunities, resources and challenges an applicant has had in his or her life. We look at a student's goals, interests and ambitions are and how a student has taken advantage of the resources available to him or her to achieve those goals or to explore those interests. Thus, context forms the framework by which we interpret the things we see in your application.

That said, the "Family" and "Demographics" sections of the Common Application are by no means the only place we gather contextual information; we look at school profiles which tell us what kind of curriculum a student’s school offers; we read the information students provide in the "Additional Information" section about any extenuating circumstances we should take into account; we take note of the listing of part-time jobs on an application. This kind of information helps us get an idea of your day-to-day life. Keeping what we know about your context in mind, we look at each student's interests and goals. We then ask whether, given the student's circumstances, he or she has gone above and beyond in pursuing academic, intellectual, personal, and/or extracurricular opportunities that have been available. We look for evidence that a student has pushed him or herself beyond his or her circumstances.

Following on this note, I would like to take this opportunity to debunk the myth that being from a particular background, socioeconomic class, racial group, etc. confers an advantage to an applicant - this is not true. Rather, it is how an applicant has met the unique opportunities and challenges in his or her life that make a student compelling in our applicant pool.

How will you notify applicants of decisions?

2009-10-02T15:00:00.000-04:00

All applicants can check decisions online. We send paper letters to admitted students only.

I'm a mostly A student, but I got a C in math in 10th grade. Am I doomed?

2009-09-30T11:04:00.002-04:00

No, you are not doomed. The errant C on a student's transcript, in and of itself, does not preclude admission (and even if it did, you would not be doomed; "doom" is a pretty strong word).

In any case, we read each student's transcript and school profile closely to determine to what extent the student has challenged him/herself given what is available and what his/her interests are. Then we look closely at how the student has performed in each subject. In the case you describe, we will seek to understand what contributed to the C grade and to see how your performance has progressed since you received this grade. These two latter points are critical to the role that this grade will play in your overall evaluation. Each year, we admit quite a few students who do not have straight A grades. As you will glean from other posts in our blogs, it is our holistic understanding of the candidacy and how it fits within the context of our applicant pool as a whole that determines the outcome. One grade in one class is but one piece that will contribute to this holistic understanding.

Can varsity athletes study abroad?

2009-09-23T13:49:00.002-04:00

Absolutely! Our Academic Skills Center addresses this issue on their website, and they even have a page that provides sample D-plans for student athletes depending on your season of competition.

Can I arrange for an ASL interpreter when I visit?

2009-09-23T11:11:00.000-04:00

Yes. We will provide an interpreter. You can learn more here.

If I submit my ACT scores, do I also need to submit SAT Subject Test scores?

2009-09-18T14:15:00.003-04:00

Yes.

We need either:

ACT with writing AND 2 different SAT Subject Test scores

OR

SAT with writing AND 2 different SAT Subject Test scores

Can I use Score Choice for the SAT I?

2009-09-18T09:39:00.011-04:00

Yes- Dartmouth permits the use of Score Choice. However, we encourage students to send us ALL of their scores.

Sending all scores is advantageous for many students because we will take the highest composite scores between exam sittings. For example, of a student's highest scores on the SAT math, critical reading and writing sections are spread out between multiple sittings, we will officially record the composite of those scores. However, if this particular student only sends in one sitting of the exam, we will not be able to composite score.

In some cases, we may also look at the SAT I exam in terms of a student's improvement over time. Don't worry if your score from your freshman or sophomore year is lower than your most recent score- this is to be expected! Seeing a higher score on a more recent sitting of the exam only tells us that you have grown since the last time you sat for the SAT. Keep in mind that if we only have one score on file, we will not have a basis for comparison.

Our full policy with regard to testing and details on when to request scores from the College Board can be found here.

Can I eat in a dining hall during my visit?

2009-09-16T09:53:00.003-04:00

Yes, please do! My suggestion is don't eat at just one. Dartmouth offers terrific dining options and I think it makes sense for visitors to get a sense of what's available while they're here. You can learn more about dining at Dartmouth here.

Is it ok if my peer evaluation is typed?

2009-09-12T21:15:00.007-04:00

Yes! Please do ask your peer to type her/his recommendation. It is far easier for us to read your peer evaluation when it is typed.

Do you accept iELTS (in lieu of TOEFL)?

2009-09-11T16:28:00.011-04:00

Yes. You may submit either iELTS or TOEFL scores. (We require students who attend schools where English is not the primary language of instruction to submit scores from either TOEFL or iELTS to help us assess their English language skills. If you are a non-native English speaker BUT you attend an English-language high school, you are not required to take either of these tests, however oftentimes it still is helpful to receive these scores.)

Do I need to send in AP Exam scores with my application for admission?

2009-09-11T16:23:00.003-04:00

If you are enrolled in AP classes, we encourage you take the AP exams for those classes.

If you have AP scores, we strongly encourage you to submit those scores to us by reporting them under the "Tests" section of the Common Application. Students who enroll can be granted course credit or placement based on AP scores.

If I apply under Dartmouth's Early Decision program, can I apply to other schools under non-binding Early Action?

2009-09-11T16:21:00.006-04:00

Depends on the fine print of the Early program at other schools.

If the OTHER school allows you to apply to a binding Early Decision program (Dartmouth uses binding Early Decision) in addition to applying Early at their institution, then yes. The most common example where this is NOT allowed is Single-Choice Early Action, where you can only apply to one school early (though you are not required to enroll at the school if admitted). Remember, under Dartmouth's binding Early Decision program, if you are admitted early you are required to attend (though if you are deferred in early and admitted during the regular process you are no longer bound by the early decision agreement).

Read the fine print of each Early program agreement carefully.

I am an international transfer applicant who currently attends a university in the US. My TOEFL score has expired. Do I need to take the exam again?

2009-09-11T11:38:00.007-04:00

No- if you are already attending a college or university in the US, you do not need to take the TOEFL again. We will be looking at your essay, grades and coursework to determine your proficiency in the English language.

Does the Admissions Office consider the French and French with Listening SAT Subject Tests as two different exams?

2009-09-10T15:53:00.002-04:00

While submitting scores for the French and French with Listening SAT Subject Tests would technically meet our SAT Subject Test requirement, I would strongly suggest that you not take only these two exams since they are so similar. (The same applies to the other languages for which there are two exams). It is totally fine to take both the Math I and Math II exams, or language exams in which you are a native speaker, but we generally discourage applicants from submitting two scores from the same language unless they're also submitting scores from other exams.

I go to an international school where my classes are taught in Spanish. Can you read recommendations written in Spanish?

2009-09-10T09:15:00.004-04:00

We recognize that many of our international students attend schools where English is not spoken in the classroom. If your teacher, guidance counselor, or peer writes your recommendation in a foreign language, we will ask that those recommendations be translated before they are submitted with your application.

Typically, if there is an English teacher at your school, we will ask that you have your English teacher or other English-proficient school official translate those application pieces. If you do not have access to English-speaking faculty, then you can ask a community member or relative to translate the documents. For ALL translated documents, however, we will ask that the translator sign and date the documents, so that we know they have been translated.

We also reserve the right to check for accuracy in these translations. We verify translations in various ways once the documents have been submitted.

I graduated from high school ten years ago. Can I still apply?

2009-09-09T14:05:00.002-04:00

Yes! While most Dartmouth students enroll directly after high school, a number of students at the College have spent anywhere from a year to several decades or more out of school before attending. The experiences they're able to share and the perspectives they bring add to the diversity of our community.

I'm a soccer player. Should I send you my athletic "highlights" video?

2009-09-03T10:33:00.009-04:00

We recognize that many student-athletes are interested in pursuing their sport in college. We also recognize that many student-athletes might be seeking different levels of athletic competition (varsity, club, intramural, leisure, etc.) Luckily for us, we offer many different athletic opportunities for ALL students.

Having that said, if you are a student-athlete with a keen interest in a particular sport, we encourage you to contact the coach at Dartmouth directly. The Dartmouth Admissions office does not accept "Athletic Supplements" from the Common Application, and we also do not review videos or athletic portfolios. Instead, we rely on our coaches to communicate with you about their specific teams and programs.
You can find out more about the Dartmouth athletic programs here:
http://www.dartmouthsports.com/

If you are a student-athlete but you are not interested in pursuing your sport in college, you can still tell us about your athletic involvement in the "Extracurriculars" section of the Common Application. We value all extracurriculars from Dance to Slam Poetry to Lacrosse, and we'll certainly be interested in seeing which activities bring out your passion.

Do I have to have an interview if I don't want to?

2009-09-02T11:42:00.000-04:00

No. Dartmouth encourages applicants to have an interview if they have the opportunity to do so, and you can find out more about this here. On the other hand, if you are invited to interview and you would prefer not to, that is perfectly fine.

Does the Dartmouth Admissions Office limit the number of students it takes from any school?

2009-08-31T11:02:00.005-04:00

No.

We do not read applications by school group and we do not evaluate any application by directly comparing it to others in the school group. We take the strongest candidates who have been successful in their communities, however many or few that may be. Some years we may take every applicant from a school and the next year we may take none. We work very hard to treat every applicant as an individual with his or her own qualities, successes, and opportunities. This is consistent for all applicants--domestic and international.

How Important Are My Grades When Being Considered for Admission?

2009-08-30T15:43:00.009-04:00

Your grade are important and are looked at in the application process in several main ways: 1) predictive ability of grades 2) grade trends 3) rigor of curriculum.

1) Many studies have been done by both Dartmouth, the College Board and our peer institutions that show that high school GPA taken into account with standardized test scores are highly correlated with how a student performs GPA-wise in his or her FIRST year in college. This means that a top GPA in high school may be an indicator that you will continue to do well in college. However, this is only part of the way we look at a student's GPA in the application process.

2) We view ALL grades as important. You should think about it this way - when we review an applicant's transcript, we look at grade trends that will help us understand a student's academic trajectory in his or her secondary school. We see transcripts that show steady grades throughout a student's high school career or a positive/upward trend from 9th-12th grade. We see transcripts where a student has bounced back from a transition or dip in grades. We also see downward trends in grades. We use the rest of the application to try to fill in WHY the trend looks the way it does. If you have a particular reason for, say, a dip in grades in your junior year, please let us know about it in the "Additional Information" section of the Common Application. Keep in mind that we will be looking to see how you have done in your most recent coursework since this will be a good indicator of how ready you are to move into a rigorous academic environment at Dartmouth.

3) The Admissions Committee will look at your curriculum and note whether the courses you have been/are taking are the most demanding offered in your school. If your school weights the GPA by counting advanced/AP/honors/IB/etc courses more heavily, we will note this (vs. an unweighted GPA where a school counts any and all courses equally when calculating the GPA). If a school does not weight your GPA, we will "weight" it ourselves when we read your file by looking on your transcript and checking with your school profile and guidance counselor recommendation to see if your coursework in fact shows that you have sought academic and intellectual challenge in your school context.

Please let me know if you have any questions about anything in this post!

Should I attend an information session in my city, if I already attended one on campus?

2009-08-27T08:44:00.006-04:00

This year, the Dartmouth Admissions Office will travel to over 40 cities in the U.S. to speak about the Dartmouth experience. These information sessions will be posted on our website as the fall travel season progresses, and they are open to the public.
Typically, the information session in your city will highlight reasons why Dartmouth is unique. We'll talk about the Dartmouth Plan, the research opportunities on campus, and our accessibility to our faculty. If you've already visited campus, the information session might be somewhat repetitive, but chances are you'll learn something new!
We would love to see you while we're on the road!

Who reads my application when I apply for admission?

2009-08-26T14:11:00.002-04:00

We do! The Admissions Committee includes 13 Admissions Officers and a small number of experienced additional application readers.

The additional application readers include people who serve in other roles at the College, former full-time Dartmouth Admissions Officers, former Admissions Officers from other colleges who now live near Dartmouth and know the selection process and the College well, and other educators who have worked as teachers, deans, high school counselors and who understand Dartmouth's values.

Dartmouth does not "assign" a specific Admissions Officer or application reader to read all of the applications from one high school, city, state or region. Particular admissions officers may be more familiar with certain areas of the world and as a result may serve as a resource for other application readers, answering questions and perhaps reviewing cases from a specific school or a given area. Most applications are reviewed several times, by multiple application reviewers.

Should I have two teachers from different subjects write my recommendations?

2009-08-26T09:40:00.000-04:00

Not necessarily. The most important ingredient for a credible and meaningful recommendation, in my experience, is a teacher who knows his/her student well. You may find that the two teachers who know you best teach in the same subject area, or you may find they teach in different subject areas. Either way, it is fine with us. We will trust you to be the best judge of which teachers will be best able to support your candidacy.

Do I have to take four years of a language to be admitted to Dartmouth?

2009-08-20T15:40:00.004-04:00

Dartmouth does not have any set academic requirements. While we do not require students to take four years of a language (or four years of science, or four years of English, etc.), we certainly look to see that a student IS taking a challenging and appropriate curriculum to succeed at Dartmouth.
When we receive your application, we review your high school profile very carefully to understand what curriculum is offered at your particular high school. We hope that you are choosing courses based on your academic interests. If you have a scheduling conflict and you cannot take Spanish 4 since it occurs at the same time as Honors European History, it is okay! Just make sure that you are challenging yourself to your potential...with courses that prepare you for a liberal arts college experience.

Does Dartmouth have a cap on Early Decision Admits?

2009-08-19T14:51:00.006-04:00

No. That said, the Admissions Office typically admits about 35% of the entering class through the Early process. We want to make sure that there are ample opportunities for both our Early Decision applicants and our Regular Decision applicants and we have found over the years that the ~35% range allows us to respond favorably to a strong cohort of our ED applicants without infringing on the opportunities of our Regular applicants.

Will I get "credit" for visiting Dartmouth?

2009-08-19T09:09:00.003-04:00

No. Dartmouth does not track visits or other contacts for selection purposes. We do, for example, like to know who has visited campus and participated in our programming so we can make sure we're scheduling events appropriately and so we can assess the usefulness of our programming for recruitment purposes. We do not, however, include this information in students' application files. I think visiting our campus is the best way to learn about Dartmouth and to see if it is a good fit for you, but it does not make sense for students to visit as a means of demonstrating interest in attending.

What qualities are you looking for in an application?

2009-08-19T08:59:00.002-04:00

Academic ability, intellectual curiosity, creativity, leadership, passion, compassion, talents (athletic, artistic, and any others), self-reflection, awareness of others, sense of humor, integrity, motivation, and any other positive qualities that suggest the applicant will add significantly to the Dartmouth community.

There's no formula for admission. The admissions committee takes great care to understand the full person behind the application, including the applicant's strengths and weaknesses and what she or he will add to Dartmouth.

How do you evaluate music/art supplements?

2009-08-16T23:21:00.004-04:00

It is not too often that the Admissions Officers who read your file will see your art supplement directly*. In our Office, we forward your CDs, portfolios, videos and photos to our arts faculty who assess your work and then send us back their evaluations. We take these evaluations into account when reading the rest of your application. An art/music/debate/etc. talent with top marks from our faculty members can be a compelling part of an applicant's candidacy, as is the case with any other form of outstanding extracurricular achievement.

*I do watch many of the YouTube links that you include though! I've listened to your a capella leads and trumpet solos, I've seen you on the ice landing a triple axle, I've watched the video productions filmed in your school hallways and your creative animations. These were a nice breather for me last winter during days when the Admissions team would spend 8-10 hours a day reading files! You guys are great - keep up the good work.

How many times is too many for taking the SAT?

2009-08-16T23:20:00.006-04:00

Dartmouth has no cap on how many times a student can take the SAT I exam or any other standardized test (ACT, SAT Subject Tests, TOEFL, etc). However, it is important to keep in mind that how many times you take an exam does reflect in part, your overall allocation of time. How much time are you spending studying for the SAT vs. engaging in academic or intellectual endeavors, or extracurriculars? That said, I would advise most students not to take the exam more than 3-4 times.

I switched high schools halfway through my high school career. Which transcript do I need to submit?

2009-08-13T14:26:00.003-04:00

Many students in our applicant pool have attended more than one high school. If you moved at any point during your high school career, chances are that you have more than one high school transcript.
Considering that Dartmouth conducts a holistic review of every application, every semester of your secondary school report counts. Therefore, we require transcripts from every high school you attend. For example, if you grew up in Detroit, but moved to London halfway through your junior year, we will require transcripts from both schools. It is helpful to receive high school profiles from each school as well, just so we are able to make sense of the curriculum available to you.
The more information we have regarding your secondary schooling, the better informed we can be about your academic career.

How can a home schooled student demonstrate language proficiency?

2009-08-12T10:15:00.002-04:00

You can demonstrate language proficiency either via an SAT II subject test or via an AP exam. Either one is fine with the Admisssions Office. The AP exam may have the added benefit of gaining you academic credit once you get to college.

If I am applying for transfer admission, who should write my recommendations?

2009-08-11T19:24:00.005-04:00

For the transfer application, we require two letters of recommendations from professors that have taught you while at college and a letter of recommendation from your college dean.

Does Dartmouth award credit for Advanced Placement or International Baccalaurate Exam results?

2009-08-04T10:13:00.006-04:00

The short answer to this question is "yes." The longer answer is that you can find a lot of helpful information about placement and credit opportunities on Dartmouth's website for first-year students. There are even charts that outline what credit or placement will result from specific scores received on AP exams and IB exams.

As a first year applicant, can I receive credit for college or university courses taken before enrolling at Dartmouth?

2009-08-03T14:20:00.013-04:00

Yes, but there are a few things you should keep in mind:

First year students may transfer to Dartmouth a maximum of 4 courses taken elsewhere.
Transferred courses must be taken at an accredited four-year college or university in a department or program represented in the Dartmouth undergraduate curriculum.
Courses taken at a Community/Junior College or Online are not eligible to receive credit at Dartmouth.*
During the review of an application, the Admissions Committee will include the results of all courses taken (including from Community/Junior College or Online)
Faculty grant credit for courses on a case-by-case basis
Some departments may restrict the granting of transfer credit
Entering first-year students can file an Application for pre-matriculation Exemption and/or Credit described here.

*US military veterans may receive credit for appropriate course work pursued at a two-year community college or junior college.

If I am an American citizen who currently attends school abroad, should I apply to Dartmouth as an International Student?

2009-07-30T13:58:00.019-04:00

The Short Answer

Yes, you should apply as an International Student!

The Longer Answer

Curricula and grading systems in high schools around the world differ in many ways from that of US schools- and from each other! Because we have applicants from over 60 different countries, the Admissions Committee reads every application within the context of each student's current system of schooling. Thus, your application will be read in the context of your educational experience in Stuttgart, Tokyo, Cairo, Beijing or [Insert City Here!].

We will need information from your secondary school (high school) counselor about programs offered at your school (A-levels, Abitur, etc) and the primary langauge of instruction. Please ask your counselor to give us this information through the International Supplement* . He or she needs to fill in the International Supplement IN ADDITION to the Secondary School Report.

* The Exception: Please note that if you are at an international school with an AP curriculum, your counselor will NOT have to fill in the International Supplement.

When You Get To Dartmouth...

If you are admitted, you will attend International Student Orientation in the fall where you will be introduced to some useful resources for international students on campus (advisors who will help you with Visa logistics, the transition to Hanover, and lots more).

My school has switched from weighted grades to unweighted grades. Is this okay?

2009-07-22T12:39:00.004-04:00

Yes. Unweighted grades are fine. More than 5,000 secondary schools are represented in our applicant pool. Each one has its own approach to grades and/or ranking, and we studiously evaluate each individual applicant's transcript within the context of his/her own school setting. So, if your school weights your grades, we'll consider this as we review your transcript; if your school doesn't weight your grades, we'll be mindful of this as well. Neither approach is "better" or "worse" from our perspective. They are simply different. Even though your grades may appear to be lower within an unweighted grading system when compared to a weighted system, this is a moot point. Our focus is on your performance within your school context. I hope this helps.

Who should write my Peer Reference?

2009-07-19T13:25:00.006-04:00

It may be easier to tell you who should NOT write it: a teacher, a coach, an employer, a parent/uncle/aunt/grandparent. The author of your peer reference should be, literally, a peer. Beyond that, there are no rules. It might be a friend from school, a team on which you play, a club to which you belong, from your neighborhood, from camp, from your community of faith, from a summer program you attended or an internship or job you have or had; it could even be a cousin or sibling. The specific nature of your connection to the author isn't as important as his/her ability to provide insight into your interests and your character. I hope this helps.

Does Dartmouth interview transfer applicants?

2009-07-17T16:30:00.005-04:00

No, we do not offer interviews to transfer applicants. (For first year applicants, we only offer alumni interviews; we cannot offer on-campus interviews to any applicants)