Dartmouth Regular Decision
The majority of Ivy League institutions are sizable research universities situated in Eastern seaboard cities, but one of the most esteemed is tucked away in the wilderness of New Hampshire. Dartmouth College might be the best fit for your child if they are an Ivy-competitive college applicant hoping for a small student body and a large forested campus. It’s also important that you know more about Dartmouth regular decision.
It takes more than just the usual drive to attend an Ivy to get into Dartmouth. Learn about the school’s distinctive academic and social culture, including the Dartmouth Flexible Study Plan and countless customs like the locals’ love of the outdoors, if you want to know how to get into Dartmouth.
The Dartmouth Plan, or D-Plan for short, is a flexible study schedule that allows students to pursue internship and research opportunities at any time of the year, giving them an advantage over other college students who adhere to a traditional schedule. Each matriculating class at Dartmouth reassembles on campus for the sophomore summer program, which the university refers to as the “epicenter” of their educational model, regardless of where the D-Plan takes you.
Applicants should be aware of the prominence of Greek life on campus as well. Although a Dartmouth fraternity served as the inspiration for the comedy “Animal House,” students today claim that there are more alternatives to a Greek-dominated system. Indeed, one sign of Dartmouth’s awareness of diversity is the school’s focus on its small but vocal group of Native American students and its Native American Studies major.
Because New Hampshire is the first-in-the-nation primary state for presidential elections, Dartmouth regularly hosts a significant presidential nominee debate. Many of Dartmouth’s graduates who pursue careers in journalism and politics credit this tradition with inspiring them to do so. U.S. Supreme Court justices, senators, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, national news anchors, celebrity chefs, and comedians are just a few examples of notable Dartmouth graduates.
When Is Dartmouth’s Regular Decision Due?
You might ask “What is regular decision?” and “When is Dartmouth’s regular decision due?” Dartmouth Regular Decision is an admissions round in which applicants must submit their applications by January 3 and are notified of their admission status by the end of March or the start of April.
Dartmouth Regular Decision applicants have the chance to be admitted in the spring, and once admitted, they have until May 1 to accept or reject their offer.
How Selective Is Dartmouth?
It is very challenging to get into Dartmouth.
Dartmouth carefully considers each applicant’s qualifications based on a variety of factors before deciding who to admit and who to waitlist. Less than the prior year, 28,336 applications were submitted for a spot in the freshman class of 2022–2023.
For comparison, Dartmouth received over 16,500 applications to fill the Class of 2012 seats.
The lowest percentage of applicants admitted in the history of the school was 6.2% for the Class of 2026. The acceptance rate dropped into the single digits for the sixth time in the history of the school. Below shows the requirements needed for us to see how selective is Dartmouth:
What GPA Am I Required to Have to Enter Dartmouth?
Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a figure that represents how well you did academically in high school.
Colleges may take into account either a weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA. The average of your four-point grades in each class makes up your unweighted GPA.
Unweighted GPAs are between 4.0 and less than 1.0. A weighted GPA takes into account both your overall course grade average and your average grade. By awarding additional points for honors or Advanced Placement courses, a weighted GPA raises your average.
Forty-nine point six percent of the admitted students who submitted information included their class rank. At Dartmouth, 92.8 percent of high school graduates placed in the top 10 percent, 98.7 percent in the top 25 percent, and 99.8 percent in the top 50 percent of their class.
During the admissions process, Dartmouth takes into account students’ test results though Dartmouth does not require tests.
Students can decide whether or not to submit their ACT or SAT scores with their applications at test-optional schools. Fifty seven percent of first-year Dartmouth students in 2021 included their SAT scores in their application.
Of those who were accepted, 43% sent their ACT results.
What SAT Score Should I Get for Dartmouth?
You should aim for a SAT score between 1430 and 1550 (or higher!) to be competitive with other Dartmouth applicants.
At Dartmouth, 25% of admitted students received a score of 1550 or higher, and 25% received a score of 1430 or less, but the majority of students received a score in the middle of these two ranges. A student at Dartmouth receives an average composite SAT score of 1482.
Twenty-five percent of Dartmouth students received a score of 790 or higher on the SAT Math section, and 75% received a score of 710. Twenty-five percent of Dartmouth students achieved a score of 770 or higher on the SAT Critical Reading section (previously known as the Verbal section), and 75% achieved a score of 710 or higher.
What ACT Score Should I Get for Dartmouth?
You should aim to score between 32 and 35 on the ACT in order to be the most competitive applicant to Dartmouth.
You are in the 75th percentile of admitted students to Dartmouth with an ACT score of 35. On the ACT, one out of every four students achieved a score above 35, and three out of four students achieved a score below 35.
For Dartmouth students, a 32 on the ACT places them in the 25th percentile. Only one student in four received a score below 32.
Dartmouth is looking for young people who are among the best in the world—or who have the potential to be—at something.
A person who is a master of none and a jack of all trades will not pique their interest. The college is looking for the next generation of politicians (Nelson Rockefeller, Kristen Gillebrand), award-winning writers (Dr. Seuss, Robert Frost), scientists (Samuel Katz, creator of the measles vaccine), intellectuals (uncountable), actors and actresses, and more, as evidenced by the list of notable Dartmouth alumni (Meryl Streep, Mindy Kaling).
How Dartmouth Judges Potential Students
Every student that Dartmouth admits “brings something unique to the community: a combination of qualities, experiences, and point of view that isn’t duplicated by any other student,” in the words of the admissions office.
The rigor of secondary school records, class rank, GPA, test scores, application essay, recommendations, extracurricular activities, and character/personal qualities are all ranked by Dartmouth as being “very important” to the admissions process.
Interviews, first-generation status, legacy status, location, racial/ethnic status, volunteer work, paid work, experience, and the degree of an applicant’s interest are all rated as “considered,” but only talent and ability are rated as “important.”
Dartmouth is looking for genuine excellence in one or more of your extracurricular activities, not just that you filled the ten spaces on the Common App Activity List. You might have published original scientific research, won a prestigious international math competition, been named one of the best cellists in the country, or started a significant charitable organization.
Of course, having a stellar athletic career can be beneficial. Twenty-five percent of the student body participates on the 35 Division I teams at Dartmouth. Athletes who are recruited will have an advantage in the admissions process.
Who Exactly Attends Dartmouth?
Let’s take a closer look at the makeup of the Class of 2025.
Students from the following places made up the Class of 2025:
- Mid-Atlantic States: 20%
- 16% of states in the South
- West Coast States: 24%
- 8% in the Midwestern States
- New England State percentage is 17%
Those who come from states with an endless supply of qualified applicants face the most intense competition (the entire Northeast & the West Coast). You are more likely to improve your chances of admission if you are from the Deep South or a sparsely populated state like Montana or Idaho. Additionally, 15% of the members of the Class of 2025 were foreign students.
On campus, the following nations have the greatest representation:
- Canada
- China
- India
- U.K.
- Brazil
The breakdown of current undergraduates by ethnicity is as follows (percentages do not add to 100% as applicants can list multiple races):
- Asians make up 15% of the population
- Whites make up the 49%
- Ten percent are Hispanic
- 6 percent are African Americans
- American Indians make up the 1%
- Those with two or more races: 6%
Secondary School Type:
- Public Schools: 54%
- Independent schools: 34%
- Religious institutions: 14%
There are 956 high schools overall.
Rate of Yield at Dartmouth
The yield rate at Dartmouth, or the proportion of accepted students who choose to enroll, as a percentage of all admitted students, is 64%. Even in comparison to other highly selective colleges and universities, this number is excessive. For comparison, top universities with yield rates under 50% include Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, Vanderbilt, Rice, Emory, and Georgetown.
What Is Dartmouth’s Acceptance Rate for Regular Admission?
A total of 1,767 students were admitted to Dartmouth College for the Class of 2026, for a 6.24 percent acceptance rate overall (combined early admission and Dartmouth regular decision applicants), up from 6.17 percent the previous year. For its Class of 2025, Dartmouth College last year made admission offers to 1,749 candidates. Following a record-breaking year with 28,357 applications, the Class of 2026 saw a stable pool of 28,336 applications. The 560 students who were admitted through the early decision process in December are included in the total number of accepted students for the Class of 2026.
Let’s take a look at the previous years’ data to determine what is Dartmouth’s acceptance rate for regular admission:
| Class | Dartmouth Regular Decision Applications Accepted | Dartmouth Regular Decision Applications Received | Dartmouth Regular Decision Admissions Acceptance Rate |
| 2026 | 1,207 | 25,703 | 4.70% |
| 2025 | 1,183 | 25,693 | 4.60% |
| 2026 | 1,207 | 25,703 | 4.70% |
| 2025 | 1,183 | 25,693 | 4.60% |
| 2024 | 1,334 | 19,325 | 6.90% |
| 2023 | 1,302 | 21,176 | 6.15% |
| 2022 | 1,360 | 19,763 | 6.88% |
| 2021 | 1,537 | 18,035 | 8.52% |
| 2020 | 1,682 | 18,748 | 8.97% |
What Are the Odds of Getting Off the Waitlist?
Each year, a different number of applicants accept Dartmouth’s offer of admission.
In light of this, the College keeps a wait list of candidates who may be given another chance to be admitted; this list is typically updated between mid-May and July 1 for first-year applicants and early-June to July 1 for transfer candidates.
Now, what are the odds of getting off the waitlist? According to Dartmouth, the number of candidates offered admission from the wait list varies from zero in some years to dozens in others, and typically less than 10% of applicants are offered a place on it.
In 2021, the school added 2,669 students to its waitlist. A total of 2,120 students accepted the spot on the waitlist. However, none were admitted to Dartmouth. To add, the waitlist acceptance rate at Dartmouth College has fluctuated between a low of 0% (in 2007, 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2019) and a high of 13.4%. (2015). Therefore, it is true that Dartmouth did not admit even one student from its waitlist for a three-year period.
How Do You Increase Your Chances of Getting into Dartmouth?
There are a few things that can give applicants an advantage in the competition if they hope to attend Dartmouth. We’ll go over seven different strategies to answer the query “How do you increase your chances of getting into Dartmouth?”:
Demonstrated Interest
During the admissions process, Dartmouth takes into account “demonstrated interest.” Students who visit the campus, get in touch with an admissions officer, connect with the school on social media, attend any local presentations by admissions officials, like those at college fairs, will probably stand out from those who don’t. It is crucial that you demonstrate your interest in being admitted, whether you intend to apply early or for the Dartmouth regular decision admission.
Being Well-rounded and Centered
Dartmouth wants to enroll students who are either among the best in the world or who have the potential to be. Despite this, Dartmouth does appear to value “well-rounded” students more than its Ivy League rivals.
Therefore, having a few common interests may help a student’s application even though having a particular passion and uncommon achievements in that passion will enhance it.
Dartmouth may favor common interests that are a little bit more athletic and outdoor-oriented. But it’s also possible that students with these interests already favor Dartmouth and not the other way around.
Make a Good Impression on the Admissions Officer
Several former Dartmouth admissions readers claim that the school’s admissions officers are prone to being enticed by applicants’ “cool factor.” Students will therefore be more competitive applicants if they can include something distinctive on their application that will grab the attention of admissions readers.
Starting a nonprofit to host a Model United Nations conference for students in a developing country is more original and interesting than becoming a Model United Nations champion.
Submissions for the Humanities
As stated above, Dartmouth has a history of emphasizing the humanities and social sciences. They are aware that they have excellent programs in those areas as a result.
They will therefore view applicants who are enthusiastic about those programs as more likely to enroll at Dartmouth if they are selected.
Nevertheless, given that fewer applicants will likely be applying for STEM programs, students who are interested in those programs may face less competition from others in their own field. This will only be advantageous for students who can articulate why Dartmouth is their top choice over a different university with a stronger STEM focus.
Recruited Athletes
About 25% of undergraduates at Dartmouth are on one of the 35 Division I sports teams, so athletes who can get recruited will probably have an advantage in the admissions process.
Geographic Benefits
Students from sparsely populated states will not face an endless competition from highly qualified candidates (as is the case for students who hail from the Northeast and the West Coast).
Therefore, it is likely that qualified applicants from the Deep South or the Mid-West will have slightly better admissions chances.
Demographic Benefits
Minority students, particularly Native American students, may discover that they have a marginally higher chance of admission.
The foundation of Dartmouth’s original charter was its commitment to a diverse student body, and in recent years, they have reiterated that commitment.
In light of this, keep in mind that Dartmouth University has a strong commitment to diversity that is fundamental to its founding if you have decided that you want to enroll there. In recent years, they have paid particular attention to their commitment to Native American communities.
The following are also considered “very important” by Dartmouth for the admissions process:
- Difficulty of secondary school work (rigor)
- Class rank
- GPA
- Results of standardized tests
- Application essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurricular pursuits
- Character traits and personal qualities
The students who are considering attending Dartmouth should first and foremost make sure they have challenging coursework, excellent grades, and test results. Students are strongly encouraged to include the optional peer recommendation with their application.
If you are dreaming of attending Dartmouth because of The Dartmouth Powwow and Winter Carnival, two of the school’s proudest traditions, AdmissionSight would be happy to help you get into your dream school. AdmissionSight offers a variety of services to help students get into college. We edit essays, plan extracurricular and academic activities, prepare for interviews, and select summer programs. Our services are personalized to meet each student’s academic goals.
Book a consultation to start your Dartmouth journey with us.
