Olá! Welcome to my Dartmouth experience. My name is Adrian and I'm a '25 originally from Harare, Zimbabwe. I have an unquenchable thirst for tech, sustainability, economics, and nature, so I'm really looking forward to majoring in something that amalgamates the four—maybe a modified engineering major. Who knows? NOT ME. When I'm not attempting problem sets or reading Things Fall Apart, you can find me all over campus, exploring hidden gems and flooding my phone with random pictures.
How is Dartmouth's Financial Aid different from other colleges?
A:
I know a lot of you have heard that Dartmouth offers very generous financial aid packages, and quite a number of you have asked me how Dartmouth's financial aid packages differ from those of other colleges. To be honest, I'm not familiar with financial aid packages from other schools or colleges because I only fell in love with one college from the get-go of my college application process, and that was Dartmouth. So, I never got the chance to see what other colleges had to offer. However, that doesn't mean that I can't tell you what Dartmouth has in store for you.
As someone who is on financial aid and who has benefited immensely from it, I have a lot to share with you. Where do I start? As the topic suggests, Dartmouth's financial aid extends further than just paying for your tuition. Depending on your need, Dartmouth also covers room and board, that is, the food you eat and the accommodation they give you. To think of it, how could have I had such an amazing First-Year Trips experience without Dartmouth's financial aid? Yes, Dartmouth's financial aid covers that too!
As an international student who came from hotter regions of the world, Dartmouth made sure that I wouldn't suffer the unbearable cold conditions of Hanover. They assisted me and other international students with money to acquire winter clothing and winter boots. Awesome, right? But Dartmouth doesn't stop there. If you plan to do a Study Abroad Program during your four years here at Dartmouth, Dartmouth makes sure that your financial aid travels with you wherever you go, meaning it will cover all your additional costs. Even when things get tough and you feel like going back home to see your family, Dartmouth is always there to help. They can facilitate your trip to and from your home country.
One thing that most prospective international students worry about is what happens during winter breaks, fall breaks, spring breaks, and summer breaks, when most people won't be on campus, and it all comes backs to the same four-word phrase: "Leave everything to Dartmouth". Dartmouth focuses on the welfare of all its students and therefore will always find ways to make you feel at home as well as included in Dartmouth's community. During breaks, they make sure you have food to eat as well as housing on campus. So, no matter who you are, where you are from, what your race is, or what kind of background you come from, Dartmouth is always there to assist you with all your financial needs.
Honestly, I cannot wait to be home. Although Dartmouth has been a home for me for the past nine months, the college experience is made of many ups and downs. Come check my first year wrap-up!
Some of you planning to attend Dartmouth as international students may be thinking, "How will I celebrate the family weekend at Dartmouth?" Isn't it something I need a family for? How will my family get to Dartmouth from the far ends of the earth?
Honestly, it was hard for me to picture myself in an Ivy League. As I start to meet the incredible people who constitute the class of 2026, the idea that, in three weeks, my last term as a freshman will to an end, shocks me.
