Dartmouth College announced on March 30 that it has admitted 1,687 students to the Class of 2030 from its second-largest undergraduate applicant pool in history. The college received a total of 28,863 applications for first-year admission, marking a 2.2% increase over last year and a sustained growth of 35% across the past six years.
The continued high volume of applications reflects Dartmouth’s ongoing appeal among prospective students. This year marks the sixth consecutive year that more than 28,000 candidates have applied for admission. The acceptance rate for this cycle was reported at 5.8%, maintaining Dartmouth’s selectivity at or below six percent for six years in a row.
Candidates who applied through regular decision were notified about their admissions outcome on Thursday, March 26. The college also offered a record-setting $53.2 million in need-based scholarships to accepted students, with an average scholarship projected to exceed $74,000 when the class matriculates 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 ten years ago due to greater financial aid support.”
One in five admitted students comes from a low-income background; twenty-seven percent qualify for free tuition based on family income below $175,000 and typical assets; and twenty-one percent are expected to receive Pell Grants. The incoming class includes students from all fifty U.S. states as well as Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and fifty-nine other countries.
Membership in organizations such as the STARS College Network and QuestBridge has expanded opportunities for rural and low-income applicants: ninety-three accepted students were introduced via QuestBridge this year.
In application essays responding to “Why Dartmouth?”, one-third cited interest in dialogue and free expression as key factors drawing them to campus life; others mentioned community strength and rural setting as important qualities.
“Beyond the undeniable excellence of the pool,” said Kathryn Bezella, assistant vice president and dean of undergraduate admissions, “I was impressed by the remarkable breadth of perspectives. Dartmouth is continuing to experience growing enthusiasm from students drawn to the opportunity to engage with ideas and individuals who challenge their own assumptions. 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 for an open house event called Dimensions on April 20 before making enrollment decisions by May 1—the national reply date—as Dartmouth expects an entering class size around 1,175.
