Dartmouth Attracts Record Number Of Applicants For Class Of 2028

Dartmouth drew in a record number of applicants for the class of 2028, bringing the acceptance rate to an all-time low. 

While applicants for this incoming class did not need to submit standardized test results, those aspiring to join the class of 2029 will need to as Dartmouth’s pandemic-era testing hiatus comes to an end. 

Dartmouth is one of the more expensive Ivy league schools, costing nearly $90,000 for the 2024-2025 academic year, however, it implemented a new financial aid policy for the class of 2028 that benefits middle-income families. 

Admissions Stats

Dartmouth accepted 1,685 out of 31,657 applicants to the class of 2028, amounting to a 5.3% acceptance rate. That compares to 1,798 accepted students out of 28,841 applicants for the class of 2027, a 6.2% acceptance rate, and 1,767 out of 28,336 for the class of 2026, also a 6.2% acceptance rate, according to figures released by the college. 

The applicant pool for the incoming freshman class was the largest in Dartmouth’s 254-year history, up 10% from last year. The 5.3% acceptance rate was also a record low. 

606 of the 1,685 students were accepted to the class of 2028 through the early decision process, while 74 matched through QuestBridge, a national access program for high-achieving, low-income students, according to The Dartmouth. 

Demographics

17% of the incoming class are the first generation in their families to attend a college or university. 57% attend a public high school, and a record 15% are from a rural environment, according to the college. 

The accepted class comes from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as 68 other nations. California leads all states with 12% of acceptances. The United Kingdom, Canada, India, South Korea, and Turkey comprise the five largest international cohorts, the college said. 

Due to the Supreme Court decision last year repealing affirmative action in college admissions, race and ethnic data for the incoming class was not released. Dartmouth’s president Sian Beilock said following the ruling that university officials have been discussing how to adapt their “holistic admissions processes to this new legal landscape.” 

Testing Policy

Dartmouth said in February that it will reactive its standardized testing requirement beginning with applicants to the class of 2029 following a hiatus that began in June 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Applicants for next year’s class will be required to take either the SAT or the ACT. The college sadi that it had conducted a new research study that confirms that high school grades paired with standardized testing are the most reliable indicators for success in Dartmouth’s course of study. 

Tuition and Financial Aid

Dartmouth’s full cost of tuition, housing, meals and fees in the 2024-2025 academic year is $87,768. The average scholarship award for the year is $69,152, which covers 79% of that cost, the college said. 

The class of 2028 will be the first eligible for a new middle-income affordability initiative that will nearly double the annual income threshold for a “zero parent contribution” from $65,000 to $125,000 for families with typical assets.