Dartmouth College Acceptance Rate: Class of 2029 and Historical Trends

Dartmouth College admitted 6.0% of applicants to the Class of 2029. The college enrolled 1,956 students from a total pool of 32,536 applicants, according to its official class profile. That level of selectivity firmly places Dartmouth among the most competitive Ivy League colleges.

Dartmouth uses a binding Early Decision round and a Regular Decision round. It currently follows a test optional policy through at least the 2024 to 2025 admissions cycle, and it evaluates applicants through holistic review that emphasizes academic rigor, essays, recommendations, extracurriculars, and personal qualities.

Quick answer: Dartmouth College had an overall acceptance rate of 6.0% for the Class of 2029. Out of 32,536 applicants, 1,956 students were admitted.

Dartmouth typically releases summary statistics for each incoming class through its online class profile before fuller data appears in the Common Data Set. That timing difference is normal and reflects the additional time required to assemble detailed institutional reporting for each admissions cycle.

Dartmouth offers a binding Early Decision plan and a Regular Decision round. There is no non binding Early Action option. All first year applicants compete in the same pool for each round, and the admissions committee uses a holistic review that considers academic achievement, personal qualities, extracurricular involvement, and fit with Dartmouth’s residential liberal arts environment.

International and domestic applicants are reviewed together. Dartmouth notes that legacy status and athletic recruitment are considered within its holistic process. The Common Data Set indicates that rigor of coursework, GPA, essays, recommendations, extracurricular activities, and character are among the most heavily weighted factors, while standardized test scores are considered but not at the very highest level of importance.

Dartmouth is test optional through at least the 2024 to 2025 application cycle. Applicants decide whether to submit SAT or ACT scores, and those who do not submit are evaluated on the rest of their application materials, including grades, course rigor, essays, recommendations, and activities.

Over the past five entering classes, Dartmouth’s acceptance rate has stayed in a narrow band between 5.6% and 6.2%. Application volume has risen from about 28,000 for the Class of 2026 to 34,000 for the Class of 2030, while the number of admitted students has remained relatively stable, which contributes to sustained selectivity.

Dartmouth does not publish a full GPA histogram for its entering class, but it reports that more than 90% of enrolled students had a high school GPA of at least 3.75 on a 4.0 scale. The class profile also notes that most students were near the very top of their graduating classes.

Because Dartmouth’s enrolled students mostly have GPAs at or above 3.75, applicants should aim for top grades within a challenging curriculum. Even so, Dartmouth practices holistic review, so students with slightly lower GPAs but exceptional rigor, achievements, or context can still be competitive.

For applicants who submitted scores, Dartmouth reports that the middle 50% range for the SAT was approximately 1490 to 1550, and for the ACT it was 33 to 35, for recent entering classes. These ranges describe enrolled students who chose to submit test scores, not cutoffs.

Because Dartmouth is test optional through at least 2024 to 2025, applicants without scores can still be competitive if they show strong performance in a rigorous high school curriculum, compelling essays, and outstanding recommendations. Strong scores in or above the listed ranges can still help some students strengthen an already solid application.

This weighting means Dartmouth cares most about sustained academic excellence in demanding courses, powerful essays, enthusiastic recommendations, and meaningful extracurricular commitments. Factors such as class rank, testing, and background characteristics matter too, but they generally play a supporting role compared with core academic and personal strengths.

These figures represent Dartmouth’s estimated cost of attendance for one academic year before financial aid. Actual costs can vary depending on housing choices, travel distance, course materials, and personal spending, so families should view this budget as a planning baseline rather than a fixed bill.

• Dartmouth meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted undergraduate students, including international students.

• Dartmouth is need blind for U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented students, and need aware for most international applicants.

• For families with total income below a stated threshold, Dartmouth financial aid packages do not include loans and instead replace them with scholarship grants.

• Approximately half of Dartmouth undergraduates receive need based financial aid from the college.

• Families can estimate their individualized cost by using Dartmouth’s official net price calculator.

For the Class of 2029, Dartmouth College admitted 1,956 students out of 32,536 applicants, for an overall acceptance rate of 6.0%, according to the official class profile.

Dartmouth offers a binding Early Decision plan and a Regular Decision round, and it does not offer a non binding Early Action option. Early Decision applicants make a commitment to enroll if admitted and if the financial aid offer is workable for their family.

Dartmouth is test optional through at least the 2024 to 2025 cycle. Among enrolled students who submitted scores, the SAT middle 50% is about 1490 to 1550 and the ACT middle 50% is 33 to 35 for recent entering classes.

Dartmouth does not publish a minimum GPA, but its class profile notes that over 90% of enrolled students have a high school GPA of 3.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Most successful applicants therefore present excellent grades in demanding courses, though the admissions committee still evaluates each student in context.

Given a 6.0% acceptance rate and rising application volume, Dartmouth is a reach school for nearly every applicant. With a thoughtful strategy that highlights your academic strengths, distinctive interests, and personal story, you can still put forward a compelling application.

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