Dartmouth Academic Calendar

Does Dartmouth Use Semesters Or Quarters?

Does Dartmouth use semesters or quarters? The Dartmouth academic calendar is divided into four ten-week quarters: fall, winter, spring, and summer. Between matriculation and graduation, there are 15 academic quarters, or terms; usually, students take classes for 12 terms to receive their degrees.

For the fall, winter, and spring quarters of their first year, for two of the three academic quarters of their final year, and for the summer quarter of their choice, students are required to attend classes on campus. Beyond that, it is essentially up to the students to decide where and when they want to finish their studies and take their leave terms in the Dartmouth academic calendar.

Summer Session 2022

Start of Summer Term classes	June 23, 2022
Special day of classes	June 25, 2022
Independence Day (Observed), College Holiday (no classes held)	July 4, 2022
End of Summer Term classes	August 24, 2022
Final Examination period begins	August 27, 2022
Scheduled Final Examinations end	August 29, 2022
Final Examination period ends	August 30, 2022

Fall Term 2022

Start of Fall Term classes	September 12, 2022
End of Fall Term classes	November 15, 2022
Final Examination period begins	November 18, 2022
Final examinations suspended	November 19, 2022
Scheduled Final Examinations end	November 22, 2022
Final Examination period ends	November 23, 2022

Winter Term 2023

Start of Winter Term classes	January 4, 2023
Martin Luther King Jr. Day	January 16, 2023
End of Winter Term classes	March 7, 2023
Final Examination period begins	March 10, 2023
Scheduled Final Examinations end	March 13, 2023
Final Examination period ends	March 14, 2023

Spring Term 2023

Start of Spring Term classes	March 27, 2023
Memorial Day, College Holiday (no classes held)	May 29, 2023
End of Spring Term classes	May 31, 2023
Final Examination period begins	June 2, 2023
Scheduled Final Examinations end	June 5, 2023
Final Examination period ends	June 6, 2023
Commencement	June 11, 2023

How Many Classes Can You Take In A Semester At Dartmouth?

Applicants might ask “How many classes can you take in a semester at Dartmouth?” Students typically take three classes per term at Dartmouth, which requires them to finish 35 classes over 12 terms. In the fall, winter, spring, and summer terms in the Dartmouth academic calendar, Dartmouth provides a complete course selection.

In their first year, students are registered for the autumn, winter, and spring terms. However, starting in the summer after their first year, Dartmouth students are free to enroll in and withdraw from any term as long as they have earned the required number of credits during their four years.

Freshmen and seniors must spend fall, winter, spring, as well as sophomore summer on campus as part of the D-Plan. For Dartmouth students, spending their sophomore summer on campus and earning credits frees up a quarter so they can take a Leave term during the academic year.

• Look for internships at any time of the year. This gives you a significant competitive advantage over students at schools that only offer internships during the summer.
• Spend your “R” terms as an in-residence student taking classes on campus, making use of the labs, leadership opportunities, and local arts and recreation.
• For language study abroad or international studies programs, use “O” terminology from outside of school. You always have access to your financial aid.
• Arrange the leave “L” terms for fieldwork, internships, vacation, work, or simply to relax.
• Access Dartmouth resources including the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy, the Dickey Center for International Understanding, the Financial Aid Office, and the Dartmouth Career Network to receive funding and networking assistance for “L” terms.

What Is the Application Deadline For Dartmouth?

In applying to this institution, you must first consider what is the application deadline for Dartmouth. Early Decision (ED) is a round of early admission in which applicants must submit their materials by November 1 in order to hear about admissions by mid-December. Students who apply through this route agree to attend Dartmouth if accepted; ED acceptance is binding (barring extenuating circumstances such as unforeseen financial hardship). Aside from the Dartmouth academic calendar, you should take note of these application deadlines.

August 1st

The Common App is required for all applicants seeking admission to Dartmouth’s first-year program. You can start by adding Dartmouth to the “My Colleges” section. To determine the type of applicant you are, review our Eligibility Guidelines.

November 1st

Early Decision application is due. The financial aid application materials should also be completed. The application fee or fee waiver is due as well.

Early November

The deadline for testing is in early November. Tests are not required for the Class of 2027 at Dartmouth College.

Mid-November

By mid-November, a response to the (optional) request for an alumni interview is needed.

Late November

Quarter grades and progress reports, which also include senior year grades, are due.

Mid-December

Early Decision admission notification. Notification of a tentative financial aid grant for accepted financial aid applicants.

Late December

Intent to enroll deadline in late December.

January to February

Deadline for the mid-year report.

Early Decision delayed candidates should give a succinct update on recent noteworthy academics, extracurricular, and/or personal accomplishments; certain candidates may desire to submit additional materials, such as updated test scores and/or a fresh letter of recommendation.

• Admission notification for Early Decision deferred applicants and notification of financial aid awards to accepted applicants for financial help on or before April 1.
• Admitted candidates for financial aid examine and contest financial aid packages (if necessary) by April.
• For freshly admitted Early Decision applicants, the intent to enroll deadline is May 2.
• Deadline for submitting the final secondary school report and transcript and apply for a Gap Year are both in June.

Students who apply by January 3 will hear about their admission status by late March or early April, and if accepted, they will have until May 1 to accept or reject their offer. This admission round is known as Regular Decision (RD).

August 1st

The Common App is required for all applicants seeking first-year admission to Dartmouth. You can start by adding Dartmouth to the “My Colleges” section. To determine the type of applicant you are, review our Eligibility Guidelines.

December

The last day for testing is December. Tests are not required for the Class of 2027 at Dartmouth College.

January 3

Application for Regular Decision is due. The application fee or fee waiver deadline is also on January 3.

January through February

The mid-year report should be completed. Applicants should also answer the (optional) call for an alumni interview.

February 1st

Financial aid materials are due.

Late March or Early April

Notification of admission by Regular Decision is released. Notification of financial aid awards to accepted applicants for financial help will be announced as well.

April

Admitted candidates for financial aid examine and appeal for financial aid packages (if necessary).

May 2

Deadline for intent to enroll.

June

The final secondary school report and transcript are due in June.

June 1st

Last day to apply for a Gap Year.

All QuestBridge Finalists may apply to Dartmouth College’s Early and Regular Decision programs using their QuestBridge application, regardless of whether they took part in the National College Match.

QuestBridge Finalists may apply to Dartmouth for consideration in our Binding Early Decision round using their QuestBridge application if they choose not to participate in the National College Match (i.e., do not rank any colleges). Please be aware that by November 1st, Early Decision applicants must finish both the Early Decision Agreement and the Dartmouth Writing Supplement.

By early December, you must use the QuestBridge Regular Decision Form to ask Dartmouth to forward your application if you choose to apply Regular Decision through QuestBridge. The Dartmouth Writing Supplement, which can be found on your Dartmouth Applicant Portal, must also be completed. Additionally, we urge you to submit the peer recommendation (which may be done so through your Dartmouth applicant portal) and take part in an alumni interview if you are contacted for one.

What Are the Big Social Events At Dartmouth?

It makes reasonable that after two and a half centuries; a school would have established many cherished traditions when it is endowed with such a strong feeling of community and place. If you wonder what is beyond the activities in the Dartmouth academic calendar, here are just a few examples of “What are the big social events at Dartmouth?”

Presidential Debates

Students can experience the first-in-the-nation presidential primary in New Hampshire at Dartmouth, which is a common stop on the campaign route. The College has conducted debates with prominent presidential contenders for more than 25 years. Many Dartmouth alumni have chosen to pursue distinguished careers in journalism and administration as a result of their up-close-and-personal exposure to the electoral process.

Dartmouth Night and Homecoming

Alumni reunite to join students in a historic celebration of the splendors of autumn at Dartmouth Night and Homecoming. Together, they participate in the vibrant annual procession and revel beneath the light of an impressive bonfire on the Green—a custom that has persisted since 1888.

Winter Carnival

More than a century ago, the annual Winter Carnival was started as a method to highlight Dartmouth’s renowned winter athletes. The most Ivy League athletes (147) with ties to Dartmouth have participated in the winter Olympics since 1924. The College won a tenth silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics to go along with its 13 gold and six bronze medals. In terms of total medals won, Dartmouth would rank 21st overall, just below Great Britain, if it were a nation.

First-Year Trips

Returning students plan and direct Dartmouth’s outdoor orientation program for new students. First-years discover Dartmouth, forge lifelong connections, and start coming together as a class while experiencing the wonderfully stunning natural surroundings of the area. The Appalachian Trail runs through Hanover’s downtown, so students can choose to stay close by or travel as far as Dartmouth’s Second College Grant, a 27,000-acre wilderness area that is 140 miles northeast of Hanover with a wealth of recreational and research options.

One of the best outdoor infrastructures in the country, including the recently refurbished Moosilauke Lodge with its student crew, the Dartmouth Skiway, and the Ledyard Canoe Club, supports this abundance of opportunities.

Dartmouth Powwow

The annual Dartmouth Powwow has been held at Dartmouth by the Native community for more than 40 years. The competition attracts hundreds of contestants and participants from all over the nation who congregate on the Green to greet the spring and celebrate Native cultures and history, in keeping with Dartmouth’s long-standing aim of teaching Native students.

What Is It Like Being At Dartmouth?

Since 1769, Dartmouth College, the smallest Ivy League institution, has educated some of the sharpest minds in America in rural Hanover, New Hampshire. The Dartmouth academic calendar might have shared a bit about what happens in an academic year but to give a clearer picture of what is it like being at Dartmouth, let’s take a look at the few factors in a Dartmouth student’s campus life.

Location

The Dartmouth campus, which is frequently named one of the most beautiful institutions in the country and is situated on the traditional, unceded Abenaki homelands, is recognized across the world for its mountain vistas, towering pines, and pastoral setting in the lush Upper Connecticut River Valley.

A short distance away, the affluent college town of Hanover offers a variety of services, restaurants, and stores. The renowned Hopkins Center for the Arts, which the National Endowment for the Arts designated one of the country’s top performing arts venues, connects the Dartmouth community to city life and is located on the border of campus.

Housing

All first-year students at Dartmouth are required to reside on campus, while there are certain exceptions for those who have children or long-term spouses. However, the majority of students opt to live on campus not just during their first year but throughout their stay at Dartmouth.

Hanover is a small town with few rental homes or flats, yet some students do opt to live off campus for a more cozy, adaptable living arrangement. Although there are nearby towns with greater housing possibilities, these places are less convenient for students and are hence less well-liked.

Academics

Dartmouth College is made up of four graduate programs, including the highly regarded Tuck School of Business, Thayer School of Engineering, and Geisel School of Medicine, as well as undergraduate arts, sciences, and engineering departments. Dartmouth has been designated as a university with “extremely high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation. The numerous off-campus programs that are available in more than 20 nations throughout the world draw in more than 50% of students.

The distinctive, year-round academic timetable at Dartmouth is well-known. Four 10-week terms make up Dartmouth’s quarter-system schedule, known as the “D Plan,” which gives students a lot of freedom.

Among the most popular majors at Dartmouth are engineering, political science and government, and economics. A major in the social sciences is pursued by about half of the student body, and majors in science are studied by a third of the student body.

Student Clubs and Activities

At Dartmouth, Greek life is legendary. It is well-known for being the source of the 1978 classic film Animal House, and it still has a significant impact on contemporary campus life, with about 70% of undergraduates participating in fraternities and sororities. Greek life serves as the college’s social center and exemplifies the “work hard, play hard” mentality that dominates campus life.

The Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC), which was founded in 1909, is the oldest and biggest outing club in the country. Its membership stands at nearly a quarter of the undergraduate student body. DOC members have access to the club’s rental equipment, trips, cabins, classes, and trips.

Not all outdoor activities are effective in getting “Big Green” pupils to leave the classroom. The university’s first a cappella group is called the Dartmouth Aires. The ensemble has been playing since 1946, showcasing a diverse range of musical genres and sketch humor on campus, around the East Coast, and abroad, including Italy, Hong Kong, and Aruba.

Athletics

The prestigious Ivy League, where athletes compete against a group of the country’s oldest colleges, is home to the 35 Division I varsity teams known as the Dartmouth Big Green. The alumni comprise a huge number of Olympic athletes and countless professional players in a variety of sports, making Dartmouth athletics the most competitive level. All students receive free entry to all regular-season games, so the stands are never empty of adoring spectators.

The 33 club sports teams at Dartmouth range from casual and recreational to nationally competitive. These student-run teams play against other colleges in the area in sports like Tae Kwon Do and Water Polo. Depending on how competitive the group is, some clubs arrange trials while others are open for sign-ups. Club teams frequently conduct sessions irregularly throughout the week and typically play games on weekends, requiring far less dedication than varsity sports but significantly more than intramurals.

Intramural sports, which make up the lowest level of Dartmouth’s athletic hierarchy and are best for beginners, are a great way to stay active without committing a lot of time. Numerous sports in which students form teams and play against one another using different skill-based brackets to maintain the competitiveness of the contests.

Now that you have examined the Dartmouth academic calendar and what life awaits you at Dartmouth, you should start your preparation for college admissions. AdmissionSight can assist you in crafting an impressive application to increase your chances of being admitted to Dartmouth. Schedule an appointment for an initial consultation with AdmissionSight now.