General Frequently Asked Questions
Answers
Will you really read my personal statement?
Yes! We enjoy hearing directly from you about your interests.
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If a student takes the required standardized tests more than once, which results does Dartmouth consider?
If standardized testing is repeated, the Admissions Committee considers the highest components from the SAT Reasoning Test, even if these results are from different test administration dates. For the ACT, the Committee considers the highest composite score and does not combine sub-scores from multiple test administrations. If an applicant submits more than two SAT Subject examinations, the Committee will use the two highest scores submitted.
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Can I apply to enter Dartmouth at the beginning of the Winter or Spring term?
No. New students enter Dartmouth during the fall term. Occasionally, transfer applicants may enter during the summer after applying. All first-year students begin in September.
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How will I know my application is complete?
The Admissions Office will not acknowledge the receipt of every individual form, but we will give all applicants access to an online system that tracks receipt of the required components of the application. We will also inform candidates when their applications are complete. Any student who has initiated an application to Dartmouth will be notified in February if essential materials are missing from our files.
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Does Dartmouth show preference in the admissions process for students who have demonstrated interest by visiting, calling and emailing?
No, the Admissions Committee does not consider demonstrated interest in our review of an application.
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Does Dartmouth place students on a waiting list?
Yes, Dartmouth does use a waiting list. The number of students on the waiting list changes from year to year. If you are informed that you have been placed on the waiting list, you should commit to another college or university. Dartmouth will notify you in late May or early June if we are able to admit you off of the waiting list.
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Is it OK if I submit supplementary recommendations with my application?
We will review recommendations beyond those that are required as part of the application. Most applicants do not need to submit additional recommendations, and candidates should be careful when considering adding any additional information to their application. A supplemental recommendation that is submitted by someone who knows that applicant very well and has seen the applicant in a setting that is significantly different from environments described in the required recommendations may be a valuable addition to an application.
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If I'm admitted and intend to enroll at Dartmouth, do I need to pay a deposit?
No. We do not request a deposit from any student we admit. Simply submit your intent to enroll form and you will hear from Dartmouth about getting ready for your first year.
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Should I submit my IB Extended Essay or another research paper with my application?
Generally speaking, it would not do a lot of good for you to submit an entire IB extended essay or an additional research paper with your application. The demands of reviewing over 18,000 applications in just 10-12 weeks do not allow us the time to review lengthy supplemental materials.
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I am taking or have taken courses at my local community college. Will those credits be transferable?
No. Dartmouth does not grant course credits for classes taken at 2 year vocational or community colleges except in rare cases.
It is possible that your courses may be used for placement purposes i.e. if you have taken College level math, you may take a placement test to move into a more advanced class. You will not receive credit for the level you skipped.
The granting of credits is done on a case to case basis by individual departments. We have a rather strict policy on accepting transfer credits because our faculty will grant credits only if coursework taken at another college or university matches up directly with Dartmouth's curriculum.
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As a first year applicant, can I receive credit for college or university courses taken before enrolling at Dartmouth?
Yes. Credit may be transferable for up to four courses. There are some things to keep in mind though. For the most part, online course credit and community college course credit are generally not transferable. Also, the specific department will determine the extent to which credit could be granted.
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Can I and should I submit additional letters of recommendation, beyond the required 2 teacher recs, peer eval, and counselor rec?
Can you? Yes. Should you? Depends.
You may submit additional recommendations and we will consider them as we review your file. However, additional recommendations should be submitted only if they will add new and relevant information to our understanding of you.
If you are considering submitting additional recommendations, they should only come from individuals who know you in different and meaningful ways from your other recommendation-writers. There is a difference between a helpful recommendation and a positive recommendation. Essentially every recommendation we receive is positive; however, often times extra recs may not be helpful because they only reiterate points we already know.
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January/November 1 is a Sunday this year. Can I submit my material the next day instead?
Yes.
Two quick points:
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Our deadline is a postmark deadline. In other words, it is a date by which material must be submitted not a date by which material must be received.
- If you're planning to mail material to us and can't get to a post office on Saturday, or if you're in a pinch and need to see your guidance counselor (and, of course, won't be able to see him/her over the weekend) it is okay to wait to submit your material until November 2.
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Do you limit the number of students admitted from a single high school?
No. The Admissions Committee does not typically review applications in "school groups" and therefore we do not directly compare students from a single school to one another. Instead, we try to review applications with the level of competition across the applicant pool in mind.
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I changed high schools; do I need to submit anything from my former school?
We will need transcripts from every school you have attended during your high school years (9th - 12th grades, post-graduate years and grade 13 where relevant). You may ask your current high school if they will send materials from all previous schools.
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