Ivy League · Hanover, New Hampshire
Dartmouth College
Most selective in the country. 5.3% acceptance rate.
Calculate your Dartmouth oddsHow hard is it to get into Dartmouth?
Dartmouth is most selective in the country, with a 5.3% acceptance rate. Admitted students typically score 1500–1580 on the SAT and 32–35 on the ACT. The application is read holistically, so essays, recommendations, activities, and demographic context all factor into the decision alongside test scores and GPA.
Quick Facts
| Acceptance rate | 5.3% |
| SAT (mid-50%) | 1500–1580 |
| ACT (mid-50%) | 32–35 |
| Cost of attendance | $89,346 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $29,519 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,458 |
| 6-year graduation rate | 95.5% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs after entry) | $97,434 |
| Type | Private · Ivy League |
| Setting | Remote town |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Last verified May 2026.
Getting In
Dartmouth's 5.3% acceptance rate reflects 1,685 admits from 31,657 applications. The mid-50% SAT range of 1500–1580 means a quarter of admitted students scored above 1580, and a quarter scored below 1500. Scores in that range don't guarantee admission. Scores outside it don't rule it out. The application is read holistically.
That number doesn't tell you your odds. A 1550 SAT and a 4.0 GPA put you in the academic conversation. They don't put you in the admit pile. Your actual probability depends on your full profile: coursework rigor, activities, recommendations, demographic context, and what your essays accomplish. The pool average is a starting point, not a forecast.
Personalized estimate
What are your actual odds at Dartmouth?
Enter your SAT/ACT, GPA, activities, and target schools. Get a probability calibrated to real admit data, not a headline acceptance rate.
Run the calculatorDartmouth Test Score Profile
Admitted students score in the following ranges across SAT sections:
SAT Reading
740–780
25th–75th percentile
SAT Math
760–790
25th–75th percentile
Strong applicants tend to score above the 75th percentile in their stronger section and at or above the 25th percentile in their weaker one. Both numbers are descriptive, not prescriptive. Plenty of admitted students score below the 25th percentile in one section, especially with strong context elsewhere.
Beyond the Numbers
Dartmouth is best known for the D-Plan quarter system, the rural setting, the first-year seminars, and outdoorsy culture. Admissions readers are looking for applicants whose specific interests and ways of working would actually thrive in that environment. Not generic “passion.” Concrete curiosity that already shows up in what you do.
Dartmouth admits roughly 6 percent. Dartmouth is the smallest and most undergraduate-focused Ivy, with a distinctive D-Plan (four-term academic year students customize) and a strong outdoor culture in rural New Hampshire.
Class Profile
The undergraduate population at Dartmouth breaks down as follows according to federal IPEDS data:
Race & ethnicity
These percentages reflect the enrolled student body, not the applicant pool. Admit rates by demographic differ from the headline rate, and the school's composition is the result of its full holistic review process.
Cost & Financial Aid
The published cost of attendance at Dartmouth is $89,346 per year before aid. After grants and scholarships, the average student pays $29,519per year. The sticker price isn't the number that matters for most families.
Net price by family income
What the average student actually pays per year, after grants:
| Family income $0–30K | $41 |
| Family income $30K–48K | $489 |
| Family income $48K–75K | $2,695 |
| Family income $75K–110K | $8,534 |
| Family income $110K+ | $52,036 |
Highly selective private universities tend to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need, often without loans, for families below specific income thresholds. The number that matters for your family is your net price, which can be estimated using the school's own net price calculator before applying.
Outcomes
Federal data on what happens after enrollment at Dartmouth:
Graduation rate
95.5%
6-year (federal IPEDS)
Median earnings
$97,434
10 yrs after entry
Median debt
$17,500
Among completers
14.3% of students receive a Pell Grant (federal need-based aid), and 12.0%take federal loans. These rates are useful proxies for the school's socioeconomic mix and how much most families end up borrowing.
Dartmouth Supplemental Essays
Dartmouth requires supplemental essays beyond the Common App personal statement. The most recent prompts include:
- “Required: Dartmouth celebrates the ways in which its profound sense of place informs its profound sense of purpose. As you seek admission to Dartmouth's Class of 2029, what aspects of the College's academic program, community, or campus environment attract your interest?”
- “Choice of prompts including: 'Celebrate your nerdy side.'”
- “Choice: 'Be the kind of ancestor you'd be proud of.'”
- “Choice: 'What excites you?'”
The “Why Dartmouth” supplemental is capped at roughly 100 words. At that length, every sentence has to do real work. List-making and adjective-stacking get cut by readers in the first pass.
What tends to go wrong
- Writing a Why Dartmouth about the outdoor program (DOC, First-Year Trips) without any actual outdoor experience. Dartmouth readers see this at scale.
- Confusing the D-Plan with just a quarter system. It's the flexibility of off-terms that's distinctive, not the four-term year alone.
- Treating the 'nerdy side' prompt as an opportunity to brag. Vulnerability beats polish here.
Stronger ways to open
- For the Why Dartmouth, name a D-Plan configuration you'd actually use (e.g., a specific off-term you'd use for field research or an internship). The D-Plan is Dartmouth's signature, and readers want to see real engagement.
- For the 'nerdy side' prompt, pick something truly niche. This is a voice test, and Dartmouth readers see thousands of 'I love chess' answers.
- For the 'excites you' prompt, lead with the specific thing, not the emotion. 'The way starling flocks make shapes you can predict with math' beats 'I'm passionate about biology.'
Application Timeline
- ED deadline: November 1. Historically 17.1% acceptance rate.
- Regular Decision deadline: January 3
- Testing: SAT or ACT scores required.
Dartmouth essay tools
Score, brainstorm, or revise Dartmouth essays with tools tuned to Dartmouth's prompts.
Dartmouth vs. Peer Schools
Side-by-side comparison with similar Ivy League schools applicants typically consider.
| School | Accept | SAT mid-50 | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dartmouth This page | 5.3% | 1500–1580 | $29,519 |
| Harvard | 3.6% | 1500–1580 | $19,066 |
| Yale | 3.7% | 1500–1580 | $23,777 |
| Princeton | 4.5% | 1500–1580 | $6,128 |
| Columbia | 3.9% | 1490–1570 | $21,590 |
| Penn | 5.4% | 1500–1570 | $28,699 |
FAQ
How hard is it to get into Dartmouth?
Dartmouth is most selective in the country. The most recently published acceptance rate is 5.3%. Admitted students score in the 1500–1580 SAT range. Test scores are necessary but not sufficient. Holistic review weighs essays, activities, recommendations, and demographic context.
What SAT score do I need for Dartmouth?
Admitted students at Dartmouth typically score between 1500 and 1580 on the SAT. A quarter of admits scored above 1580, and a quarter scored below 1500. Scores in this range are competitive but do not guarantee admission.
How much does Dartmouth cost?
The published cost of attendance at Dartmouth is $89,346 per year before financial aid. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $29,519. Most highly selective schools meet 100% of demonstrated need for families below specific income thresholds.
What is the graduation rate at Dartmouth?
95.5% of students at Dartmouth graduate within 6 years (the standard federal graduation rate metric).
What is the Dartmouth D-Plan?
A flexible four-term academic year (summer is the D-Plan's sophomore term by default) that lets students take off-terms for research, internships, jobs, or travel. Most Dartmouth students don't follow a standard fall-winter-spring pattern.
How long is the Why Dartmouth essay?
About 100 words. Dartmouth's Why essay is one of the shortest in the Ivy League, so density matters.
Is Dartmouth really that outdoorsy?
Yes and no. The outdoor culture is strong and the DOC is one of the largest college outing clubs. But plenty of Dartmouth students don't hike. The culture is there if you want it, not required.
What is First-Year Trips at Dartmouth?
An optional pre-orientation program where ~90 percent of incoming students go on a 5-day outdoor trip led by upperclass students. It's culturally central but not required.
How selective is Dartmouth compared to other Ivies?
Dartmouth admits around 6 percent, comparable to Brown and Penn but less selective than Harvard, Yale, and Princeton by percentage.
Sources
All numerical data on this page is sourced from official, primary sources. Admissions stats reflect the most recent publicly published cycle. Verify current figures with Dartmouth's admissions office before applying.
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — federally maintained dataset on admissions, cost, demographics, and post-graduation outcomes (IPEDS-derived).
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) — the underlying federal data collection that all U.S. accredited institutions report into annually.
- Dartmouth College official admissions site — for the most current published figures and application requirements.
- Dartmouth Common Data Set — the standardized annual data document published by the school.
Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect Dartmouth's most recent publicly published admit cycle.