Did you know that Dartmouth College was originally founded in 1784 to convert Native Americans to Christianity? But Dartmouth, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, does not have an official religious affiliation, and in fact, what draws the community together here is the intense residential nature of this Ivy League college. Ninety percent of Dartmouth College students live on campus, and students are affiliated with their housing association for all four years. The housing communities are an important (some might say dominant) part of the social scene at Dartmouth College, which supports social events, meals and team sports through funding for the housing associations.
The center of campus, with Dartmouth’s iconic original building, is called The Green, and you can walk to any corner of campus in 12 minutes from this central spot. Dartmouth is on the quarter system – they call it the “D Plan.” This means the academics move very quickly, in 10-week terms. While most students take courses in fall, winter and spring, students are required to take courses at least one summer term. In past years, students were specifically required to remain on campus during the summer following their sophomore year, but the rule is more flexible now, allowing students to choose which summer they take courses. All Dartmouth College students are required to take a foreign language during their time here, with no exceptions. The average class size is 16 – so you’ll have lots of collaborative, discussion-based classes here, and lots of interaction with professors, who significantly involve undergraduates in their ongoing research in the sciences, humanities and engineering. Dartmouth is also one of the few Ivies that offers an undergraduate business program.
Greek life is active here – about 60% of students are involved with a Greek letter organization, and students aren’t allowed to go through the recruitment process until their second year. Dartmouth College is fairly remote – it’s in Hanover, New Hampshire – the closest airport is Boston, which is about a 2-hour drive. There’s a coach bus that will take you from the airport to campus. Hanover is a cute little down, with places to eat, drink and shop just steps away from the Dartmouth campus.
Michelle and Evelyn visited Dartmouth in the fall of 2022. You can see all the photos from our visit below.