Dartmouth College

Admission at Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College admits about 6% of applicants, which makes it most selective. Admission is holistic: four years of transcript and course rigor first, then essays and activities, then recommendations and test scores. At this admit rate a strong profile is a reach for everyone; the essays and the activities list are where the decision is made.

GCC applicants: international curricula (IB, American Diploma with APs, A-levels) are read in their own terms. English proficiency tests are usually waived for English-medium schools; check the university's waiver rule. Saudi students on a Ministry scholarship should confirm the programme is on the approved list before applying Early Decision.

Dartmouth College supplemental essays, 2026-27

1. Why Dartmouth?100 words

   As you seek admission to Dartmouth's Class of 2031, what aspects of the college's academic program, community, and/or campus environment attract your interest? How is Dartmouth a good fit for you?

2. Essay 2 option A: Let your life speak250 words

   There is a Quaker saying: Let your life speak. Describe the environment in which you were raised and the impact it has had on the person you are today.

3. Essay 2 option B: Introduce yourself250 words

   "Be yourself," Oscar Wilde advised. "Everyone else is taken." Introduce yourself.

4. Essay 3 option A: What excites you250 words

   What excites you?

5. Essay 3 option B: Making an impact250 words

   Labor leader Dolores Huerta stated: "We must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things. That is what we are put on the earth for." In what ways do you hope to make—or are you already making—an impact? Why? How?

6. Essay 3 option C: Insight from reading250 words

   Matt Haig wrote: "A good novel is the best invention humans have ever created for imagining other lives." How have you experienced such insight from reading? What did you read and how did it alter your understanding of yourself and others?

7. Essay 3 option D: Difficult conversation250 words

   Dame Jane Goodall stated: "Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don't believe is right." Tell us about a moment when you engaged in a difficult conversation or encountered someone with a different perspective. How did you find common ground?

8. Essay 3 option E: Nerdy side250 words

   Celebrate your nerdy side.

9. Essay 3 option F: Embracing difference250 words

   "It's not easy being green…" was Kermit the Frog's frequent refrain. How has difference been a part of your life, and how have you embraced it as part of your identity, outlook, or sense of purpose?

Every US applicant also writes the Common App personal statement: 650 words, seven prompts. Admitify's coach reads drafts line by line and never writes for the student.

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Economics · Engineering · Politics / IR