Dartmouth's Admissions Dean on the Return to Testing
Admissions dean Lee Coffin spoke with Inside Higher Ed about the data behind Dartmouth's decision to reinstate standardized testing, and more. Read the full interview here.
Admissions dean Lee Coffin spoke with Inside Higher Ed about the data behind Dartmouth's decision to reinstate standardized testing, and more. Read the full interview here.
Students think of a "Dean" as a signature on a letter, someone like the Wizard of Oz: an idea more than a person. I'm emerging from behind my proverbial curtain to share insights informed by my actual experience: I was a first-generation college student, and need-based financial aid opened my door to opportunity. Not many students from my large high school went on to selective colleges, so advice was thin. I was largely on my own. My platform here helps me reach those of you in a similar place.
— Lee Coffin, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
5 FEBRUARY 2024
6 JULY 2023
12 JANUARY 2022
Ever wonder how admissions officers decide which applicants to invite to join the incoming class? Jacques Steinberg, who wrote a New York Times best-seller, "The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College," based on a year of reporting at Wesleyan two decades ago, spent a day behind the closed doors of Dartmouth's undergraduate admissions selection committee. In this encore episode from 2023, he and host Lee Coffin, Dartmouth's dean of admissions and financial aid, discuss what Steinberg saw and heard, as Coffin and colleagues considered, debated and voted on the applications of dozens of candidates for the Class of 2027. Among the factors the admissions officers weighed: the narratives, personal as well as academic, that emerged from the various components of the students' applications.
Inside the Admissions Selection Committee
A transcript is available for this episode.
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Vice Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Lee Coffin welcomes the 1,126 members of the Class of 2026 and gives a statistical breakdown about the class.
Vice Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Lee Coffin welcomes the 1,126 members of the Class of 2026 and gives a statistical breakdown about the class.
Lee Coffin, Vice Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, joins President Philip J. Hanlon ’77 and other campus leaders as they announce a historic new development in Dartmouth's mission to create a global educational experience enriched by geographic and socio-economic diversity.
Lee Coffin, Vice Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, joins President Philip J. Hanlon ’77 and other campus leaders as they announce a historic new development in Dartmouth's mission to create a global educational experience enriched by geographic and socio-economic diversity.
Ranvir R. Deshmukh '26 recreated the 8-year-old music video of Happy - By Pharrell Williams produced by Jake Gaba '16 and Yesuto Shaw '15 and directed by Jeremy Thibodeau '14 in 2014. The 2023 version includes videography by Dhanush Balaji '26, drone footage by Nikky Lewis '26, and was produced, directed, and edited by Ranvir R. Deshmukh '26
Ranvir R. Deshmukh '26 recreated the 8-year-old music video of Happy - By Pharrell Williams produced by Jake Gaba '16 and Yesuto Shaw '15 and directed by Jeremy Thibodeau '14 in 2014. The 2023 version includes videography by Dhanush Balaji '26, drone footage by Nikky Lewis '26, and was produced, directed, and edited by Ranvir R. Deshmukh '26
In each issue of 3D, Dartmouth's undergraduate admissions magazine that celebrates our vibrant community framed by nature, Dean Coffin shares advice and insights on the admissions process.
Read 3D Magazine"The academic program, the people, the place at a college or university must each align with your persona, aspirations, and values."
Read More“Dartmouth expanded its longstanding need-blind admissions policy to include all international citizens.”
Read MoreYou control the opportunity to introduce yourself, to tell your story in whatever way feels right to you.
Read More"Whether you are a junior or a senior, 3D can help you answer the question."
Read More"Give yourself permission to explore, even when some voices around you are less convinced."
Read More"Unmute yourself! Tell us your story. Your essay and recommendations and interviews offer opportunities to do just that."
Read More