What is the Dartmouth acceptance rate for the Class of 2030?
5.8%. Dartmouth says “Admissions last week issued 1,687 invitations to join the Class of 2030” from 28,863 applications, “up 2.2% over last year,” and that “The 5.8% acceptance rate is the sixth consecutive year in which Dartmouth’s selectivity has been 6% or less” (Dartmouth News, March 30, 2026). The Class of 2030 entered in fall 2026; students applying now are applying for fall 2027 entry.
| Measure | Class of 2030 (entered fall 2026) | Class of 2029 (entered fall 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Applications | 28,863 | 28,230 |
| Admitted | 1,687 (decision day) | 1,699 (1,702 on decision day) |
| Acceptance rate | 5.8% | 6.0% |
| Early Decision | Not published | 768 admitted of 3,552 applicants (21.6%) |
| First-year students enrolled | Not yet published | 1,205 |
Comparing one decision day with the next, Dartmouth admitted 1,702 for the Class of 2029 (Dartmouth Admissions, March 27, 2025) and 1,687 for the Class of 2030, 15 fewer, while applications rose by 633, so the rate edged down from 6.0% to 5.8%. The Class of 2029 count later settled at 1,699 in Dartmouth’s Common Data Set, so end-of-cycle counts can move in either direction. Dartmouth’s class profile page still showed the Class of 2029 at the time of writing. Our guide to Ivy League acceptance rates compares Dartmouth with the other seven Ivies.
How does Early Decision compare with Regular Decision at Dartmouth?
For the class that entered in fall 2025, Dartmouth admitted 768 of 3,552 Early Decision applicants, or 21.6%, by our calculation from its Common Data Set. The other 931 admits, set against the remaining 24,678 applications, give about 3.8% for everyone else; that figure is approximate, because deferred early applicants were reviewed again in regular decision and later admits can include students from the waitlist. Early Decision admits made up 45.2% of all fall 2025 admits. Dartmouth’s March 2026 announcement gave no Early Decision figures for the Class of 2030. What a deferral means at Dartmouth and what to do next are in our guide to being deferred from Dartmouth.
Early pools are self-selected, so the gap does not show that applying early causes admission. Dartmouth says “ED admission is binding: students who apply through this process are committing to attend Dartmouth if admitted (barring extenuating circumstances such as unforeseen financial hardship)” (Apply to Dartmouth). In our view, Early Decision fits a student for whom Dartmouth is a clear first choice and whose family has checked its likely aid. Our Early Decision acceptance rates guide compares other colleges.
What are the Dartmouth application deadlines for fall 2027?
Dartmouth says Early Decision applicants “submit their application by November 1 and receive an admission decision by mid-December,” and regular decision applicants “submit their application by January 1 and receive an admission decision by late March or early April” (Apply to Dartmouth). The QuestBridge section of the same page gives January 2 for Regular Decision, so in our view students should plan on January 1. For fall 2027 entry, the Early Decision deadline of November 1, 2026 has passed, Early Decision applicants receive decisions by mid-December 2026, and regular decision applications are due January 1, 2027.
Does Dartmouth require the SAT or ACT?
Yes. “Standardized testing is a required element of Dartmouth’s undergraduate application,” and students at U.S. high schools “must submit results of either the SAT or ACT.” Scores “will automatically be superscored.” Students at high schools outside the United States may instead submit scores from three AP exams, predicted or final IB Diploma or A-Level results, or results from an equivalent national exam (Dartmouth testing policy). The requirement began with applicants to the Class of 2029.
| Test (enrolled fall 2025) | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT total | 1440 | 1520 | 1550 |
| ACT composite | 32 | 34 | 35 |
Dartmouth says there is no minimum GPA: “Each application is reviewed holistically, regardless of GPA” (Dartmouth admissions FAQ). Our guide to Dartmouth GPA requirements covers the grade and course profile.
What is the Dartmouth transfer acceptance rate?
9.9% for fall 2025, by our calculation. Dartmouth’s Common Data Set 2025-26 reports 689 transfer applicants, 68 admitted and 40 enrolled (item D2, Dartmouth Common Data Set 2025-2026). The transfer pool is small, so the rate can move a lot from one year to the next.
Dartmouth’s Common Data Set 2025-26 says Dartmouth uses a waiting list, but item C2 shows a single unlabeled total of 2,497 rather than separate counts for students offered a place, accepting a place and admitted; why a waitlist admit rate cannot be calculated from that figure and the next steps are in our Dartmouth waitlist guide.
How does the Dartmouth acceptance rate compare with peer colleges?
| College | Class of 2030 figures | Class of 2030 (fall 2026) rate | Class of 2029 (fall 2025) rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard | 2,037 of 55,104 | 3.7% | 4.2% |
| Princeton | 1,892 of 46,618 | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| Columbia | 2,585 of 61,031 | 4.2% | 4.9% |
| Yale | Rate stated by Yale (54,956 applicants) | 4.4% | 4.7% |
| Brown | 2,687 of 47,944 | 5.6% | 6.3% |
| Dartmouth | 1,687 of 28,863 | 5.8% | 6.0% |
| Penn | 3,575 reported admits of 61,264 applications | About 5.8% (reported admits) | 4.9% |
| Cornell | 6,040 of 65,514 | 9.2% | 8.4% |
| MIT | Not yet posted | Not yet posted | 4.6% |
| Stanford | Not published | Not published | 3.8% |
On the latest figures, Dartmouth admitted a larger share of applicants than Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Yale and Brown, about the same share as Penn, and a smaller share than Cornell. Dartmouth receives about half as many applications as Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Penn and Cornell, so a small change in its admitted class moves its rate more.
How does Dartmouth financial aid work, and is it need-blind?
Dartmouth awards need-based aid only, and the Ivy League says “There are no academic or athletic scholarships in the Ivy League” (Ivy League). Dartmouth says its “admissions policy is ‘need-blind’ for all applicants, regardless of citizenship” (Dartmouth need-blind), and that it “offers Free Tuition to families making under $175,000 total annual income, who possess typical assets” (Dartmouth financial aid). Its March 2026 announcement said 450 families in the admitted class qualified for free tuition on that basis, 27% of all acceptances.
How should families read the Dartmouth acceptance rate?
The view of Oriel Admissions is that 5.8% describes the whole pool, not the chances of any one student, and that Dartmouth should be a reach school for virtually all applicants. In our view, the early round matters most: Early Decision admits were 45.2% of the fall 2025 admitted class, so a student who is sure about Dartmouth should weigh that round seriously. Fit matters too. Dartmouth says its D-Plan gives students flexibility “in choosing when they take classes” and when they take time off (Dartmouth D-Plan), and in our experience the strongest applications show why a student wants Dartmouth’s size, setting and calendar in particular. Our guide to how to get into Dartmouth covers the application.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Dartmouth Acceptance Rate
Dartmouth admitted 1,687 of 28,863 applicants to the Class of 2030, a 5.8% acceptance rate, according to its March 30, 2026 announcement.
Dartmouth admitted 1,699 of 28,230 applicants for the class that entered in fall 2025, or 6.0%, according to its Common Data Set 2025-26.
For fall 2025, Dartmouth admitted 768 of 3,552 Early Decision applicants, or 21.6%, by our calculation. It has not published Early Decision figures for the Class of 2030.
The Early Decision deadline was November 1, 2026, with decisions by mid-December. Regular decision applications are due January 1, 2027, with decisions by late March or early April.
Yes. Applicants at U.S. high schools must submit the SAT or ACT, and Dartmouth superscores both. Students at schools outside the United States may instead submit three AP exam scores, IB Diploma or A-Level results, or an equivalent national exam.
For fall 2025, Dartmouth admitted 68 of 689 transfer applicants, or 9.9%, by our calculation from its Common Data Set 2025-26.
Yes. Dartmouth says its admissions policy is need-blind for all applicants, regardless of citizenship. Separately, Dartmouth offers free tuition to families earning under $175,000 with typical assets.
Oriel Admissions suggests treating Dartmouth as a reach school, choosing Early Decision when Dartmouth is a clear first choice, and showing in the application why its size, setting and D-Plan suit the student.
Sources: Dartmouth News, March 30, 2026, Dartmouth Common Data Set 2025-2026, Dartmouth class profile, Apply to Dartmouth, Dartmouth testing policy, Dartmouth financial aid, Dartmouth need-blind, Dartmouth D-Plan, Ivy League, Brown admission numbers, Brown Common Data Set 2025-2026, Harvard admissions statistics, Princeton profile, Columbia Class of 2030 Profile, Yale College Class Profile, Fall 2026, Yale News, March 26, 2026, Penn incoming class profile, The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 2026, Cornell University Factbook, MIT admissions statistics, Harvard Common Data Set 2025-2026, Princeton Common Data Set 2025-2026, Columbia Common Data Set 2025-2026, Yale Common Data Set 2025-2026, Penn Common Data Set 2025-2026, MIT Common Data Set 2025-2026, Stanford Common Data Set 2025-2026.
About Oriel Admissions
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