Dartmouth College is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful campuses in America.
Nestled by the Connecticut River, which bisects New Hampshire and Vermont, a walk around the Dartmouth Green feels quintessentially collegiate.
One of the best parts about attending Dartmouth College is the abundance of outdoor recreation offerings.
Dartmouth’s outdoor orientation program for newly admitted students is a great way for new students to make friends in a beautiful environment.
While the college boasts myriad academic programs, it is best known for its contributions to the field of education, business, and science.
Dartmouth students, faculty, and alumni have created approaches such as the Rassias Method ® for foreign language instruction, discovered DNA, and published classic literature.
The Geisel School of Medicine, Thayer School of Engineering, and Tuck School of Business are among the first schools in their fields.
As an entire college, Dartmouth has sat within the top 10 positions of various rankings lists, such as the U.S. News and World Report.
Students who enroll at Dartmouth College will spend most of their classes with fewer than 20 peers.
The 7:1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is conducive to forming meaningful academic relationships and receiving enough one-on-one feedback.
Dartmouth College is unsurprisingly competitive, but early decision applicants have better odds of gaining acceptance.
Ahead, we will elaborate on Dartmouth College’s early decision acceptance rate, important deadlines, and admission decision dates.
We’ll conclude with instructions on how to apply to Dartmouth College and include some info about a rarely-seen optional supplement: the peer recommendation.
Dartmouth College Early Decision Acceptance Rate
Dartmouth College accepted just over 25% of early decision applicants in the recent admission cycle.
A total of 2,664 students submitted early decision applications, and 609 were admitted.
Acceptance rates at Dartmouth College are significantly more favorable to applicants in the early decision versus the regular decision pool.
For that same year, only 6.17% of overall applicants were accepted.
early decision applicants are asked to sign the early decision Agreement, a binding commitment ensuring that the student will enroll at Dartmouth College if admitted.
Students are allowed to apply for regular decision (and other non-binding) programs at other universities, but they are expected to withdraw their applications should they be admitted to Dartmouth.
In total, 46% of students who enrolled at Dartmouth College did so as early decision applicants.
All incoming first-year students boast strong academic records, including an ACT composite mean of 33, an SAT Math mean score of 750, and an SAT Evidence-based Reading & Writing mean score of 733.
Dartmouth College Early Decision Decision Date
Early decision applicants to Dartmouth College will receive an admission notification in mid-December.
Admitted candidates have until late December to confirm their enrollment.
Now is the time when financial aid applicants may learn about their package offers. Tuition at Dartmouth College costs $60,687 per year.
Add on nearly $2,000 in fees, $11,000 in housing, and $7,000 in food, and you have an $80,000+ price tag. Fortunately, Dartmouth College has a generous reputation regarding scholarship funding.
In April, financial aid and award recipients review their financial aid packages and make any appeals.
55% of the Dartmouth College class of 2025 received some form of financial aid, and the average need-based grant totaled $62,900.
Dartmouth College additionally offered more than $34 million in scholarships. May is the last deadline for recently admitted early decision applicants to enroll at Dartmouth College.
Admitted early decision candidates must remember to share their final Secondary School Report and transcript in June, once senior grades have been finalized. If a student wishes to take a “Gap Year,” they must approve this choice in June, as well.
Dartmouth College Early Decision Application Deadline
Dartmouth College early decision applicants have until November 1 to submit their application and financial aid materials.
The application fee or fee waiver is also due at this time.
Early November is the last window for standardized testing – Dartmouth College will not accept SAT or ACT scores from exams taken after the November window.
That being said, Dartmouth College has declared that the class of 2027 admission cycle will remain test-optional.
Some students may receive an invitation to interview an alumni member. Mid-November is usually the deadline for responding to this invitation.
In these cases, the school may be “on the fence” about the applicant and use the interview to make a determination.
Regardless of why some applicants receive interviews, we recommend you take them. Prepare for the interview by highlighting how you stand out from other applicants.
How will you contribute to the school’s community and accomplishments?
Any quarter grades from the senior year are due in late November. Other than that, early decision applicants must simply play the waiting game until they receive their admission notification.
Now is a great time to continue making financial plans for the college one might ultimately attend.
Early decision applicants will be pleased to hear that Dartmouth guarantees 100% coverage of demonstrated financial need to all admitted students.
Remember that financial need is typically determined by several items: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile, and the student’s and/or parents’ tax returns.
It is critical to complete these documents if you will need financial assistance to enroll at Dartmouth College.
Dartmouth College Early Decision Deferral Rate
The Dartmouth College Office of Admissions shares that 5-10% of candidates deferred in early decision are usually admitted. Candidates can only apply for one admission cycle: early decision or regular decision.
Dartmouth’s recent deferral statistics are not available. That being said, it is evident that the odds of being admitted to Dartmouth College after receiving a deferral are not completely in the deferred candidate’s favor.
In the most recent admission cycle, 2,669 were offered a spot on the waiting list. 2,120 accepted a place, but none were admitted from the waiting list.
While it is essential to be realistic and focus on other schools you’ve applied to, a deferral notification isn’t all that bad.
Getting deferred from Dartmouth College means that your application is strong enough not to receive a denial – that’s saying something!
Early decision deferred candidates should share a brief update regarding any recent academic, extracurricular, or personal accomplishments that may prove noteworthy to the admissions committee.
They can also submit more recent standardized test scores and additional letters of recommendation. The Mid-Year Report for deferred applicants is still due in January/February.
Deferred early decision applicants will receive a final admission decision on or before April 1. They will also receive financial aid award information at this time.
Those fortunate enough to gain admittance following an early decision deferral will have the privilege of attending the #13 National University, according to the U.S. News & World Report.
One of the Ivy League institutions, Dartmouth has produced some of the most important figures of American culture and history.
How to Apply to Dartmouth College for Early Decision
Just like regular decision applicants, early decision applicants to Dartmouth College will begin the application process by submitting the Common Application.
Within that, students will also find the early decision Agreement. They will need to sign this Agreement to ensure their binding commitment to attending Dartmouth College, pending acceptance.
After submitting the application fee, applicants must then provide a Dartmouth writing supplement.
There are three questions early decision applicants are required to answer. The first (in fewer than 100 words) asks applicants to explain, “Why Dartmouth?”
The second prompt is a 200-250 word introduction. The final question gives applicants a set of six random prompts – they must respond to one in 200-250 words.
The Secondary School Report is the next requirement for early decision applicants. This item includes the official transcript, school profile, and counselor evaluation.
Typically, a school guidance counselor is responsible for submitting these items on behalf of the applicant. The counselor evaluation speaks to the applicant’s character, academic dossier, and extracurricular commitments.
Up next, applicants should submit two teacher evaluations – written statements from core subject instructors that speak to the applicant’s passion, performance, and character.
Ideally, the classes are advanced-level and from the past two years of high school. As mentioned previously, SAT and ACT scores are optional for the class of 2027.
Here’s one thing that stands out in the Dartmouth College application process: early decision candidates are allowed to submit a peer recommendation.
We don’t often see peer recommendations accepted in college application requirements, but Dartmouth encourages them.
Examples of peers include classmates, teammates, family members, co-workers, or other friends who can attest to the applicant’s character.
