Learn

In this section

• Partnering for Success
• The scope of opportunities on campus
• Confidentiality and student resources
• Tough conversations with students
• Alcohol and Abstainers
• The role of the dean
• The role of the faculty advisor
• Academics at Dartmouth
• Classes at Dartmouth and What to Expect
  • Types of classes
  • Other terms related to academics
• Special funding resources
• Advising on National and International Scholarships and Fellowships
• Getting involved in research at Dartmouth
  • What is research?
  • Why would I want to get involved in research?
  • How do I get started?
• Planning for life after graduation
• Campus traditions

Our main goal is the education of the whole student. Learn how you can help!

Jump to:

• Partnering for Success
• The scope of opportunities on campus
• Confidentiality and student resources
• Tough conversations with students
• Alcohol and Abstainers
• The role of the dean
• The role of the faculty advisor
• Academics at Dartmouth
• Special funding resources
• Getting involved in research at Dartmouth
• Planning for life after graduation
• Campus traditions

Partnering for Success: Parents & Families are the Backbone of the Student Body

Together, we all are dedicated to helping students succeed at Dartmouth. Throughout the College, every department, office, and program has the same goal: student success. From the cooks at the dining hall who make nutritious food, to the bright and caring professors, and the administrators who mentor students, we all dedicate our professional lives to students. They are our #1 priority. We realize parents and families have the same priority. Students come to Dartmouth with the love, care, and support of so many people who have already helped them to become successful in their families, schools, and communities. We at Dartmouth look forward to partnering with you to help students succeed here.

To help students succeed, we encourage you to read the materials here and join in Facebook discussions with other Dartmouth parents and family members. Or, watch videos of talks given during First Year Family Weekend on Partnering for Success at Youtube for Dartmouth Parents & Families

The Scope of Opportunities on Campus

The bulletin board at Collis Center is always full of exciting campus events. Photo by Joseph Mehlind '69

The breadth and depth of existing opportunities at Dartmouth is truly astounding. Even more incredible are the new programs, organizations and events that emerge daily. Students are encouraged to participate in anything that interests them and to gather with others to develop new ideas. Keeping up with the many choices and finding time to get involved can be a tough situation for students. We encourage students to stay informed about campus activities by being proactive.

The most useful resources for students are easy to access, but one has to take the time to do it – Here are some suggestions:

• Read The Dartmouth every day, including the advertisements.
• Monitor the Blitz Bulletins for the departments and programs of personal interest
• Check the flyers on the bulletin boards in the Collis atrium
• Read the mail that comes to your HB
• Open and digest the email from departments and the dean’s office

Above all, students should get out and meet the people who work at Dartmouth. Web sites are great for some initial information, but every office and program is staffed with friendly and informative people who are there to meet students and help them access resources. Remember that college in general, and Dartmouth in particular, is supposed to be a new experience for students so although they may have founded the XYZ organization at their high school or been president of ABC, now is their chance to try something different. Most students at Dartmouth move through a variety of affiliations during four years as their interests grow and change. Overall, students have experiences that are more rewarding if they dedicate more time to a few organizations rather than just a little time to many organizations. In other words, the depth of engagement counts.

Confidentiality and Student Records

Dartmouth College is required to follow the Federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This law is specific about the use of students’ educational records and who, and under what circumstances, should have access to the records. For a fuller understanding of FERPA read the extensive section of the Student Handbook.

Tough Conversations with Students

Students are busy people who tend to operate on a timetable foreign to most parents and families. It is common for students to stay up until 3 a.m. and make up for it by napping in the afternoon or early evening. When you need to talk about something important, it may work best to email or text a message asking for a good time to have a conversation. Then you can be sure your student is in a private place with enough time to concentrate on your conversation. Like everyone else, students prefer to hear about negative situations as they emerge and not to wait until problems are irreconcilable. Although they are away at school and you want them to concentrate on their studies, excluding them from family issues can make them feel left out. Regular conversations about common topics such as relatives, family activities, pets, and schoolwork will keep your dialogue open so that when you do need to talk about something important you have an existing phone or email relationship.

Alcohol and Abstainers

Recently a team of students from the Student Assembly set out to learn more about the 40+% of Dartmouth students who describe themselves as “light drinkers” or “abstainers.” The students’ research project yielded information that continues to be influential in terms of how student leaders plan the social offerings on campus. A synopsis of the study can be found here.

The Role of the Dean

The Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students, a department within the Dean of the College division, provides support for all enrolled undergraduates. A dean is assigned to each student and follows that student throughout his/her college career. Deans support and advise students on all issues that may impact academic success – balancing social activity, illness, inability to complete a course, relations with faculty, etc. They also help students navigate Dartmouth policies and procedures. Deans respect students as young adults. Their role in the academic and social development of students is to help them to function independently – to be able to locate resources, to access information and to act in their own interests. Although law limits the information that can be shared by deans about individual students, they do welcome concerns and inquiries from parents.

The Role of the Faculty Advisor

Students at Dartmouth have many resources for academic advising, including faculty, deans, departments, and administrators. When they arrive on campus in their first year, each student is assigned a member of the faculty as their first-year advisor. In the second year, when they declare a major, a student will get a major advisor in the department or program they elect to concentrate in. Later on, a student might be advised in an independent study, or senior thesis project by yet another member of the faculty. Throughout their college careers, students will engage in numerous conversations about curricular planning and academic advising, and many of their best advising relationships will be with members of Dartmouth's learning community who are not formally assigned as "advisor" but play a formative and important role in academic planning.

Academics at Dartmouth College

A language drill meeting on the lawn in front of Dartmouth Hall.

Through a student’s four years at Dartmouth College, there are many choices, options and requirements in constructing each person’s own academic path. The genius of Dartmouth is there is no one “right” way to go through Dartmouth and students are encouraged to explore the curriculum and stretch themselves into new areas. The Dean of the Faculty, Professor Carol Folt from Biological Sciences has a website that describes the richness of the Dartmouth academic experience and may answer some of your questions.

Classes at Dartmouth and What to Expect

For parents and families, a student’s entrance into the academic world at Dartmouth College can be confusing. One day you drop off a young adult you know well, and within a week, they are talking about their classes using a whole new vocabulary. Here are some of the terms we use at Dartmouth. For more extensive understanding of these terms – check with your student!

Classes Come in All Types

• Lectures are larger groups where the professor talks for most of the hour with time for students to ask questions.
• Discussion sections are smaller groups and usually associated with larger lecture classes. In a discussion section, it is important for every student to participate in the conversation.
• Labs are several hours long and a very important way of learning in the sciences. Each student in a lab is required to participate in the activities.
• Seminars are small groups of students with a professor exploring a topic through reading and discussion.
• Drills are language classes that meet five times per week in addition to the regular language class meetings. In a drill, the instructor calls frequently on each student and this lively exchange is essential to Dartmouth’s excellence in teaching languages.
• X-Hours are extra times for classes each week. Each class has its regular two or three meetings per week and one X hour that the professor may choose to use, or not depending on how quickly the students are moving through the course material.

Students in a chemistry lab. Photo by Joseph Mehling '69

Other Terms Related to Academics

• Syllabus is the term for the list of assignments and readings for each course. Each professor distributes a syllabus on the first day of class. The syllabus also contains important information about what is permitted in that particular course in terms of students working together on projects and homework. It also details expectations about deadlines and extensions. If your student is uncertain about whether something is permitted, your first question should always be, “Did you check the syllabus?” If the student still has a question, the next step is an email to the professor to ask for clarification.
• T.A. is the shorthand term for Teaching Assistant. At Dartmouth College, Teaching Assistants help professors by advising students on projects, and being available for questions about the course material in the evenings. They do not teach courses.
• Mid-terms are tests given during the middle section of each 9-10 week term. The mid-term period is about three weeks long and classes may have 0-3 midterms depending on the course material.
• Finals are the exams given at the end of the 9-10 week term. Students normally take three classes per term and may have a final exam in any or all of the classes. Early in each term, students can check their finals schedule at the Registrar’s website.
• Take Home Exams are tests where students complete their answers to the test at a location of their choosing. Take Home Exams always have specific due dates and times, and explicit rules about whether students can work together or look up answers in their books or other materials.
• Study Groups are coordinated by Academic Skills and they have paid student leaders who coordinate the meeting times and help student to learn the course material. The cost for joining a study group is $10 for students who receive financial aid and $30 for students who do not receive financial aid.
• Tutors are organized by Academic Skills and they provide individualized assistance with course material. Tutors are $9/hour and students on Dartmouth financial aid are eligible for up to three hours of tutoring, per week, per course, at no charge. The Dartmouth College Athletic Department apportions some of its annual NCAA Economic Enhancement Grant to cover the cost of tutoring for athletes who are not on financial aid. Students who have been successful in course are encouraged to be a tutor for that course in another term. Many students who have been tutored go on to become tutors themselves in a course.

Special Funding Resources at Dartmouth

Public computers are available around campus, but it is essential that each student own a personal computer. For first-year students receiving financial aid, loans are available to help with the cost.

Sometimes students need assistance with funding for special opportunities, or emergencies. Dartmouth College’s Economic Equity Initiative attempts to smooth some of the unanticipated bumps by providing special funding. A listing of the types of situations and funding sources may be useful. The list covers topics from winter clothing to travel abroad.

Advising on National and International Scholarships and Fellowships.

The Rhodes Scholarship, the Truman scholarship, and the Fulbright – these are some of the extremely prestigious national and international scholarships and fellowships available for post-graduate study and research. There are also several programs for undergraduates. In all cases, students should connect with Dr. Kristin O’Rourke at the Scholarship Advising Office to learn about their many options, timelines, and ways to make one more competitive in the process.

Dr. O’Rourke offers these thoughts for undergraduates considering applying to one of the competitive scholarships:

• The Office of Scholarship Advising helps students in their applications for national fellowships and scholarships for postgraduate study abroad and research, and for graduate school. In addition, there are a few scholarships for undergraduate study and study abroad. Many of these scholarships require nomination or endorsement by the Dartmouth College Committee on Graduate Fellowships, which is administered through Scholarship Advising. Additionally there are several Dartmouth fellowships available for post-graduate projects and study. We encourage students to begin early in their search for scholarship opportunities through our website and to make an appointment with Scholarship Advising at any time.

• Things to keep in mind during the application process: The most competitive national scholarships are generally looking for well-rounded scholars who are actively involved in their studies, in the college and in their community as undergraduates. The following qualities are often used as selection criteria, but vary depending on the particular scholarship:
  • Academic excellence (for ex., GPA, honors thesis, summer projects, ideas about graduate school, supervised research)
  • Demonstration of leadership qualities
  • Connection to your college community
  • Community service and a desire to help others
  • Extracurricular activities (for ex., organized or independent involvement in sports, music, writing, theater)
  • Genuine interest in post-graduate study

• Also remember to:
  • GET TO KNOW YOUR PROFESSORS. The professors you take classes with in your first few years will be the ones writing you letters of recommendation. Try to visit office hours and discuss your ideas with them.
  • LEARN A LANGUAGE. For some study abroad grants and graduate programs, knowledge of a foreign language (ability to read/study in that language) is necessary. There are also grants that will fund language study in a particular country.
  • START EARLY. Many application deadlines are up to a year or longer in advance of the fellowship period.
  • BE PATIENT AND ENJOY THE PROCESS. Applying for fellowships is a long process and requires a lot of work in researching foundations, preparing personal statements and research proposals, and gathering letters of recommendation. You will benefit greatly from the process regardless of the outcome.

For Nick Taranto ’06 the Fulbright Scholarship gave him the opportunity to travel extensively and begin to formulate his ideas about his place in the world. Reflecting on the experience he said,” I traveled extensively during my time at Dartmouth. Between mountaineering trips to Peru, study abroad in Eastern Europe, and thesis research in Southeast Asia, I still hadn't satisfied my wanderlust by senior year. As my friends pursued corporate jobs and grad schools, I looked for a way to keep expanding my personal and professional horizons. My advisors and mentors pushed me towards the Fulbright grant to Indonesia, where I ultimately taught English and founded my own microfinance institution. I still can't imagine a more challenging, interesting, and all around beneficial way to spend a year fresh out of Dartmouth.”

Getting Involved in Research at Dartmouth

There are many opportunities for undergraduate research and to get started, students should do some homework to learn about what is available and how to get involved. There is an Undergraduate Research website for students and this is an excerpt from a brochure available to students at the office:

Although the term “research” often conjures up images of lab benches and test tubes, academic research is actually much broader in scope. It can be in any academic discipline, from theater to government to chemistry. It can be research in a traditional sense (e.g. data collection, archival research, structured interviews) or it can involve work that might be better characterized as a creative project (e.g. a work of art, a collection of poetry, a screenplay). For the purpose of the programs offered through the Office of Undergraduate Advising and Research, the criteria are:

• the work must contribute in some way to your academic and/or intellectual development
• you must have a faculty mentor who is affiliated with Dartmouth College (including the medical, engineering, and business schools)
• the research can be part-time while taking classes or full-time during a leave term
• some programs involve working as a research assistant on a faculty project, and there is also funding for self-generate projects completed under the supervision of a faculty mentor

Why would I want to get involved in research?

Dartmouth offers a wide-ranging, challenging and stimulating curriculum. You can get a first-class education simply by picking and choosing among the 1600+ classes in the course catalog. However, the most exciting and engaging intellectual development often takes place outside of the traditional classroom. Faculty-mentored research allows you to explore a topic or area in more depth and to refine your academic and intellectual interests. Some students take on projects outside of their major field while others opt to challenge themselves with projects related to their major or career interests. For students planning to continue on to graduate school, undergraduate research is particularly important, as some graduate programs require students to have engaged in research during their college years. Even for those who do not plan to pursue graduate work, undergraduate research still develops essential skills, such as thinking critically, drawing evidence-based conclusions, and communicating findings and opinions. Perhaps the principal benefit of undergraduate research, however, is the opportunity to work one-on-one with a Dartmouth professor who can mentor and guide you as you make academic and career decisions. Students who have participated in undergraduate research consistently rate these experiences as among the most valuable of their college career.

How do I get started?

First, peruse our website: Undergraduate Research. You will find information on our research programs, lists of other sources of Dartmouth funding, useful tips and tools, and links to external funding sources. You will also find links to internship resources, both at Dartmouth and at other institutions. Next, talk to other students to find out about their research experiences. Then talk to faculty about potential research opportunities (see section entitled “how do I find a faculty mentor for research”). If you have questions about research and research funding and would like to meet with someone, blitz “undergraduate research” for an appointment.

Planning for Life After Graduation

Parents and families can help by encouraging students to think early and often about how they can accumulate the skills they will need to make themselves competitive after graduation. Career Services offers information for parents which is designed exclusively for parents and families of Dartmouth students.

Campus Traditions

Founded in 1769, Dartmouth has centuries of history and traditions. An important aspect of Dartmouth traditions is the way they change and adapt. Current students are encouraged to change, modify and add to traditions to make them timely and relevant to contemporary society.

As an example, traditional Dartmouth Bonfires, now a highlight of Homecoming Weekend, used to be constructed and burned the Friday before each home football game. In the 1970s, when students became more aware of environmental issues, the bonfires were scaled back to one per season, always on Homecoming. Clearly, the singular bonfire is a hit, because typically 10,000 people gather on the Green for speeches at the pep rally, a parade of alumni classes and local bands, and the bonfire. The entire evening is called Dartmouth Night.

Dartmouth Night Bonfire viewed from Baker Tower. Photo by Kawakahi K. Amina '09

Dan Schneider '08 and Victoria Solbert '07 on the Winter Carnival sculpture.

Winter Carnival is a Dartmouth tradition dating back to when Fred Harris, Class of 1911, encouraged his friends to make a carnival to celebrate winter and outdoor sports. Many Carnival activities became beloved traditions with the most famous being the center of campus ice sculpture. Students gather on the Green after classes and on weekends in late January and early February to construct the massive ice sculpture. Its subject matter is derived from each year’s theme, which is also depicted in a student-designed Winter Carnival poster.

Other traditions are part of the year ‘round life at Dartmouth and we encourage parents and families to ask students about the traditions they have enjoyed. When on campus, students and families are encouraged to visit Rauner Special Collections to learn more about any traditions or history of interest. Just go into Rauner and request “the file for Winter Carnival” or any other tradition. Then you can sink into a comfortable chair and spend some time holding history in your hands and musing about the students who planned that Winter Ball, learned skijoring, or built a massive ice sculpture.