Native and Indigenous Students at Dartmouth

Need-blind is an admissions decision made without knowledge of an applicant's financial need.

Dartmouth's admissions policy is "need-blind" for all applicants, regardless of citizenship. This means that applications are reviewed and accepted based solely on a student's qualifications, and not on their ability to pay. Once the Admissions office has selected the students it intends to admit to Dartmouth, the Financial Aid Office determines each student's need, and awards financial aid accordingly. 

Holistic admissions is grounded in the concept that the whole is more than merely the sum of its parts. At Dartmouth, this idea is at the forefront of our application review process.

Dartmouth, like many institutions, uses a concept called holistic review in evaluating applications and making admissions decisions. Holistic review includes factors in addition to grades, testing, and extracurricular activities in the decision-making process. The College Board offers a comprehensive breakdown and explanation of the principles and processes behind holistic review.

We believe an application is more than just the numbers; each application is reviewed holistically, regardless of GPA, class rank, and test scores.

A simple way to explain the liberal arts would be to replace the words "liberal arts" in "liberal arts curriculum" with "multidisciplinary." A more thorough description of what our multidisciplinary curriculum involves, and the many benefits it offers, can be found in the work of Dartmouth professor Cecelia Gaposchkin, who has written extensively about the topic in the Huffington Post, the Chronicle of Higher Education, and in 3D, our own admissions magazine.

Context refers to the personal and educational circumstances from which an applicant applies to Dartmouth. The term includes an applicant's socio-economic status, the courses their school offers, their school's grading/ranking practices, and other data. There is no "right" or "wrong" context. Rather, it is situational information that allows the Admissions Committee to more fully appreciate the choices and successes of each of our applicants.

Sometimes family or personal circumstances can impact your academic credentials or alter your perspective. You may wish to relay information about family or personal circumstances either through your Personal Statement or in the Additional Information section of the Common App.

Examples of Special Circumstances

• Moving multiple times during high school
• Care-giving responsibilities
• Significant out-of-the-home work responsibilities
• Significant educational interruptions
• Course offering limitations
• Other circumstances that have caused you to have a different course schedule or different academic options than your classmates

It is up to you whether to share information about your special circumstances. If you decide to, we suggest you seek the advice of your counselor to find the best method to concisely convey information that will be helpful to your application.