Frequently Asked Questions Before You Apply
Answers
Does Dartmouth require applicants to complete specific courses while in high school?
No. Dartmouth has no specific subject requirements for prospective students. We do, however, encourage students to undertake the strongest course of study available at their secondary schools.
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Is there minimum test score on the SAT or ACT required for admission to Dartmouth?
No. We review each application carefully, regardless of the standardized testing results. Testing is one of a number of factors we include in our review of an application.
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What SAT Subject tests should I take? Does it matter?
Take the subjects you like the most. You'll probably do the best in these subjects and this can help us understand your academic strengths. Students interested in studying specific subject areas at Dartmouth do not need to take any specific subject tests. Some subject tests scores may help with placement at Dartmouth and give you a head start on your desired concentration, but you will also have the opportunity to take placement exams during orientation. Read more about how we use testing in our review of an application.
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Is there a minimum high school grade point average required for admission to Dartmouth?
No. Each application is reviewed carefully and holistically, regardless of the student's cumulative grade point average. That said, admission to Dartmouth is highly selective and most students who apply for admission have been very successful students.
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Does Dartmouth grant credit for AP, A-Level or IB Examinations?
Dartmouth offers course credits, exemptions and placement in some subject areas for outstanding results on Advanced Placement, A-Level and International Baccalaureate Examinations. SAT subject tests may be used to help determine placement in some subject areas, and a number of academic departments offer on-campus placement tests during orientation.
Please note: Beginning with the entering class of 2018, Dartmouth will no longer grant course credit for AP, A-Level or IB examinations. Dartmouth will continue to offer exemptions and placement in some subject areas.
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Should I continue with an activity or class throughout high school or try new things?
Depends. Engage in the activities that challenge you the most and that you enjoy the most. If you've taken 3 years of a foreign language in high school, but want to take a calculus course your senior year that is offered at the same time as the fourth year of the language, choose the class that will help you grow the most in ways meaningful to you. It's ultimately your choice. We encourage you to discuss with your counselor for the best advice in the context of your school. The same is true for extracurricular activities. Don't remain in the same activity for 4 years simply for your college application. Participate in the classes and activities that will allow you mature intellectually and socially, and that mean the most to you personally.
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Do Admissions Officers check a student's Facebook profile?
These days, we receive many questions from students regarding their online social profiles. Since anything published online is public information, technically we reserve the right to use any public internet information regarding your candidacy to make admissions decisions.
Truthfully, however, the Dartmouth Admissions Office does not actively "research" candidates online, unless there are circumstances which would validate or confirm a student's candidacy. (For example, we might confirm awards granted in a particular science fair, in order to get a sense of a student's accomplishments at the local, regional, state, or national level.) Sometimes the web can be a helpful tool in understanding the context or community of a particular applicant.
The bottom line is that it is smart to represent yourself professionally on the web. We're not trying to use the web as a "spy" tool. However, social media sites ARE a representation of yourself, and hopefully you would want to put your best foot forward.
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Should I attend an information session in my city, if I already attended one on campus?
This year, the Dartmouth Admissions Office will travel to over 40 cities in the U.S. to speak about the Dartmouth experience. These information sessions will be posted on our website as the fall travel season progresses, and they are open to the public. Typically, the information session in your city will highlight reasons why Dartmouth is unique. We'll talk about the Dartmouth Plan, the research opportunities on campus, and our accessibility to our faculty. If you've already visited campus, the information session might be somewhat repetitive, but chances are you'll learn something new! We would love to see you while we're on the road!
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How Important Are My Grades When Being Considered for Admission?
Your grades are important and are looked at in the application process in several main ways: 1) predictive ability of grades 2) grade trends 3) rigor of curriculum. A top GPA in high school may be an indicator that you will continue to do well in college. However, this is only part of the way we look at a student's GPA in the application process. We look at grade trends that will help us understand a student's academic trajectory in his or her secondary school. We use the rest of the application to try to fill in WHY the trend looks the way it does. If you have a particular reason for, say, a dip in grades in your junior year, please let us know about it in the "Additional Information" section of the Common Application. The Admissions Committee will look at your curriculum and note whether the courses you have been/are taking are the most demanding offered in your school.
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Do I have to take four years of a language to be admitted to Dartmouth?
Dartmouth does not have any set academic requirements. We certainly look to see that a student IS taking a challenging and appropriate curriculum to succeed at Dartmouth. When we receive your application, we review your high school profile very carefully to understand what curriculum is offered at your particular high school.
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How do you evaluate music/art supplements?
In our Office, we forward your CDs, portfolios, videos and photos to our arts faculty who assess your work and then send us back their evaluations. We take these evaluations into account when reading the rest of your application. An art/music/debate/etc. talent with top marks from our faculty members can be a compelling part of an applicant's candidacy, as is the case with any other form of outstanding extracurricular achievement.
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I'm a soccer player (or any other prospective athletic recruit). Should I send you my athletic "highlights" video?
If you are a student-athlete with a keen interest in a particular sport, we encourage you to contact the coach at Dartmouth directly. The Dartmouth Admissions office does not accept "Athletic Supplements" from the Common Application, and we also do not review videos or athletic portfolios. The coaches can be reached at:
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I graduated from high school ten years ago. Can I still apply?
Yes! While most Dartmouth students enroll directly after high school, a number of students at the College have spent anywhere from a year to several decades or more out of school before attending. The experiences they're able to share and the perspectives they bring add to the diversity of our community.
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I'm a mostly A student, but I got a C in math in 10th grade. Am I doomed?
No, you are not doomed. The errant C on a student's transcript, in and of itself, does not preclude admission. In any case, we read each student's transcript and school profile closely to determine to what extent the student has challenged him/herself given what is available and what his/her interests are. As you will glean from other posts in our blogs, it is our holistic understanding of the candidacy and how it fits within the context of our applicant pool as a whole that determines the outcome.
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Do you grant credit for CLEP?
No, we do not grant credit for CLEP.
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