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

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?

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?

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?

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)