Dartmouth College announced on Mar. 30 that it has admitted 1,687 students to the Class of 2030 from a pool of 28,863 applicants, marking the second-largest number of undergraduate applications in the college’s history. The acceptance rate for this cycle was reported at 5.8 percent, maintaining a trend of selectivity below six percent for six consecutive years.
The sustained increase in applications highlights ongoing interest in Dartmouth’s academic offerings and campus culture. College officials say that both affordability and diversity remain central to their admissions approach.
Lee Coffin, vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid, said: “It is a remarkable and unprecedented run of sustained, extremely high-quality application volume.” At the time decisions were released on March 26, Dartmouth had offered a record $53.2 million in need-based scholarships to accepted students, with an average award projected at over $74,000 when matriculation begins in September.
“The socioeconomic profile of the accepted class represents Dartmouth’s ongoing commitment to affordability and socioeconomic diversity,” said Dino Koff, assistant vice president and executive director of financial aid. “For undergraduate students supported by financial aid, a Dartmouth education is more affordable today versus 10 years ago due to greater financial aid support.” One-fifth of those admitted come from low-income backgrounds; about one-quarter qualify for free tuition based on family income below $175,000; and twenty-one percent are expected Pell Grant recipients.
The incoming class represents all U.S. states as well as Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and students from fifty-nine other countries. Membership in national initiatives such as QuestBridge and the STARS College Network contributed to outreach among rural students and those from under-resourced schools.
Kathryn Bezella, assistant vice president and dean of undergraduate admissions said: “Beyond the undeniable excellence of the pool…I was impressed by the remarkable breadth of perspectives…This spirit—paired with a willingness to listen, question, and consider counterarguments—is essential to the kind of intellectual community we are cultivating at Dartmouth.”
Accepted students have been invited to visit campus for Dimensions open house on April 20 ahead of enrollment decisions due May 1.
