At a Glance
Hanover, New Hampshire
Undergraduate Students: 4,169
Student to Faculty Ratio: 7:1
Acceptance Rate: 6%
Six Year Graduation Rate: 95%
Freshman Retention Rate: 96%
Popular Majors: Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, English, Government, History
The Feel
Dartmouth College is nestled in the beautiful mountain town of Hanover, New Hampshire. The Appalachian Trail goes right through town, carrying dedicated hikers in the warmer months. The nearby Connecticut river runs near the campus for students who enjoy kayaking. A sprawling residential campus encircles a large quad; nothing is more than a 10 minute walk from the green.
Freshmen go on a trip at the start of the first semester to meet classmates.
Freshmen are placed in 1 of 6 housing communities, which are clusters of dorms designed to foster community. Housing communities put on events and do trips, all paid for by the college. Campus housing is guaranteed for the first 2 years. Other housing options: Greek housing, LLCs (Living Learning Communities), and apartment style dorms.
Sixty percent of students study abroad.
To foster student wellbeing, nap pods and sun lights for winter are located around the campus.
Greek life is a big part of campus as well as a variety of non-Greek clubs
Standout Points
Students may not declare a major until the end of sophomore year. This encourages students to try different subjects before committing to a major.
Dartmouth is famous for their "D Plan'' academic schedule structured in 4 10-week quarters, including summer. Students must attend 3 of the 4 quarters in their freshman and senior years, but sophomores and juniors have more flexibility: they are free to take off more than 1 quarter as long as they are on pace to graduate, allowing for internships, travel, etc.
Foreign language is a requirement, though students can test out; language ‘drills’ are conducted twice a week, a method used to train US diplomats.
Dartmouth touts an average class size is 21, though general seminars may be larger; our tour guide (class of 2024) said she’s had two classes with 100 students.
Fun Fact
Major politicians come regularly in election years as New Hampshire is a swing state, providing up-close opportunities to observe civil political discourse. For those interested in political science, Dartmouth partners with the UK’s prestigious University of Oxford; the exchange program runs through Oxford’s Keble College.
Bottom Line Fit: For the high-achieving student who appreciates life outside the city, strong campus traditions, rigorous coursework and language learning.
Learn more about Dartmouth College!
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