Evaluating First-Year Applications

Preparing your application for admission takes a lot of thought, time and hard work. We believe that the selection process should reflect this same level of careful thought and hard work on the part of the Admissions Committee.

Applications to Dartmouth are typically reviewed by at least two, and often three or more, members of the Admissions Committee before we arrive at a decision. We review each part of the application with the goal of understanding how the applicant will add to the life of the College in and out of the classroom. Each piece of the application contributes to our understanding of the intellectual qualities, academic achievements, personal accomplishments and individual perspectives that an applicant might contribute as a student at Dartmouth.

Through the Common Application, the Admissions Committee learns about a student's accomplishments directly from the student and from teachers and school officials. Dartmouth's supplemental Peer Evaluation provides us with a view of the student from the perspective of a friend, relative or classmate, while the optional Alumni Interview evaluation comes from an alumna or alumnus who may have only recently met the applicant. Over the course of reading an application, we'll add to our understanding of an applicant from a variety of viewpoints.

Questions & Answers

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.