Dartmouth Univeristy

Dartmouth University is comprised of an undergraduate institution with over 40 areas of study, and several graduate and professional schools that allow students to earn advanced degrees in medicine, business, and engineering. The Flexible Plan offers a unique four-term year-round schedule in which students have some choice over when to study on campus and when to engage in experiential learning, with the most flexibility in their sophomore and junior years.

The college is situated in the picturesque town of Hanover, New Hampshire, allowing students to exercise their bodies and minds with all that the campus and community have to offer. The Appalachian trail runs through the campus, and the Dartmouth Skiway consists of two mountains and over 100 acres of ski trails. The nearby Moosilauke Ravine Lodge offers hiking and overnight accommodations for students and community members, while Dartmouth’s Second College Grant provides 27,000 areas of outdoor recreational space and lodging. An organic farm on campus allows students to engage in hands-on laboratory experience and research in sustainable agriculture.

History of Dartmouth University

Dartmouth was established in 1769 by Rev. Eleazar Wheelock, a Connecticut minister, as an institution to educate Native Americans. One of the first students of the college was a Mohegan Indian named Samson Occom, who also helped to raise funds in order to found the college. However, only 19 Native Americans graduated from Dartmouth college in the first two centuries. In 1970, the incoming president of the college, John Kemeny, promised to address this issue and created the Native American Program, and the admissions office began actively recruiting these students. Currently, there are over 1,000 graduates of Dartmouth University with Native American lineage.

In 1819, Dartmouth made legal history with a Supreme Court case regarding the University’s charter. In the case of Dartmouth College vs. Woodward, New Hampshire was attempting to alter the charter in order to give the governing bodies of the state the ability to choose the president and trustees. Since this would make the formerly private college a public institution, Dartmouth graduate Daniel Webster argued the case for his alma mater, and the college won the right to preserve their charter. The verdict was a landmark decision in corporate law, limiting the powers of the states and strengthening the Contracts Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Dartmouth University has also served as a pioneer in education. The Thayer School of Engineering, founded in 1867, was one of the first professional engineering schools in the country. In 1900, The Tuck School of Business became the first graduate school of management in the nation. Dartmouth University was also the first college to award a graduate degree in Health Care Delivery Science, which trains clinicians and healthcare administrators to be agents of change in order to deliver better healthcare outcomes at lower costs. The university continues to be an exceptional institute of learning, earning the number one rank for undergraduate teaching by the U.S. News and World Report for four consecutive years.

Campus Life

In addition to over 160 groups and organizations on campus, the university has established many traditions over the years that students can look forward to participating in as a Dartmouth University Big Green. Newly enrolled students embark on First Trip, an outdoor orientation program in which returning students lead an exploration of the natural setting surrounding the Dartmouth campus. Since 1888, alumni and current students come together every fall for Dartmouth Night and Homecoming, a celebration including a bonfire and, more recently, a parade.

The Winter Carnival, which features Dartmouth’s NCAA Division I sports teams, was created over 100 years ago and is an annual tradition at the college. The modern version of the event includes a Polar Bear Swim in nearby Occom Pond, which also hosts skating in the winter months. Every spring, the university celebrates its original mission with the Pow Wow, in which students and off-campus competitors and participants gather on the campus Green to immerse themselves in Native American history and culture.

Financial Aid for Dartmouth University Students

Dartmouth is committed to meeting 100 percent of the demonstrated need for each student accepted to the college. Each student’s need is equal to the difference between the cost of tuition and the amount that each family can contribute. The university will help provide the financial aid through grants, work study, and low interest loans for some students.