Dartmouth College facts for kids

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This page is about the private university in Hanover, New Hampshire. For the public university in Massachusetts, see University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. For the military college in Dartmouth, United Kingdom, see Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth. For other uses, see Dartmouth (disambiguation).

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Dartmouth College

Latin: Collegii Dartmuthensis
Motto	Vox clamantis in deserto (Latin – A quotation from the Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament)
Motto in English	"A voice crying out in the wilderness"
Type	Private research university
Established	December 13, 1769; 256 years ago (1769-12-13)
Accreditation	NECHE
Academic affiliations	AAU COFHE NAICU UArctic Space-grant
Endowment	$9 billion (2025)
Budget	$1.5 billion (2024)
President	Sian Beilock
Provost	Santiago Schnell
Academic staff	943 (fall 2018)
Administrative staff	2,938 full time, 328 part time (Fall 2018)
Students	6,746 (fall 2023)
Undergraduates	4,447 (fall 2023)
Postgraduates	2,299 (fall 2023)
Location	Hanover, New Hampshire , United States 43°42′12″N 72°17′18″W / 43.70333°N 72.28833°W / 43.70333; -72.28833
Campus	Remote town, 31,869 acres (128.97 km²) (total)
Newspaper	The Dartmouth
Colors	Dartmouth Green and White
Nickname	Big Green
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS – Ivy League ECAC Hockey NEISA IRA EISA EARC EAWRC

Dartmouth College is a private university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. It is part of the famous Ivy League group of schools. Founded in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, Dartmouth is one of the oldest colleges in America, started even before the American Revolution.

Dartmouth was first created to educate Native Americans. Over time, it grew into a major research university. Today, it is known for its strong focus on undergraduate education, meaning it's a great place for students to start their college journey.

Students at Dartmouth can choose from many subjects, like humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. The college also has special schools for medicine, engineering, and business. With about 6,700 students, Dartmouth is the smallest university in the Ivy League. Getting in is quite competitive, showing how many students want to study there.

The main campus is in a beautiful rural area of New England, near the Connecticut River. Dartmouth uses a unique "quarter system," with four ten-week terms throughout the year. The college is famous for its lively campus traditions and strong sports teams, which compete in NCAA Division I. Many successful people, including leaders, scientists, and artists, have graduated from Dartmouth.

Discovering Dartmouth's History

Eleazar Wheelock, Dartmouth College founder

Dartmouth was founded by Eleazar Wheelock, a minister from Connecticut. He wanted to create a school to train Native Americans as Christian missionaries. This was one of the nine colleges started before the American Revolution. Wheelock was inspired by his relationship with Mohegan Indian Samson Occom, who studied with him.

In 1755, Wheelock started Moor's Indian Charity School. To get more money for the school, Occom traveled to England in 1766 to raise funds. These funds helped establish a trust, led by William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth.

The Charter of Dartmouth College on display in Baker Memorial Library. The charter was signed on December 13, 1769, on behalf of George III.

Wheelock decided to move the school to Hanover, New Hampshire, and expand it into a college. On December 13, 1769, John Wentworth, the Royal Governor of New Hampshire, issued a royal charter from King George III. This charter officially created Dartmouth College. The college was named after the Earl of Dartmouth. It is the ninth oldest college in the United States.

In 1819, Dartmouth College was part of a famous court case called Dartmouth College v. Woodward. The state of New Hampshire tried to change the college's charter to make it a public university. Daniel Webster, a Dartmouth graduate, argued the college's case in the Supreme Court. The Court decided that the state could not change the college's original agreement.

Dartmouth welcomed its first African-American students in 1775 and 1808. By the end of the American Civil War, it was known as a place where African-American men could get an education. One early graduate, Jonathan C. Gibbs, became a Secretary of State for Florida.

In 1866, the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts was connected with Dartmouth. This college later moved and became the University of New Hampshire.

The earliest known image of Dartmouth appeared in the February 1793 issue of Massachusetts Magazine.

Dartmouth grew significantly in the early 1900s. Under President William Jewett Tucker, many new buildings were constructed, and the number of students and teachers increased. This period helped Dartmouth become a nationally recognized college. During World War II, Dartmouth participated in a program that helped students join the navy.

In 1956, the Dartmouth workshop was held, which is considered the starting point for the field of artificial intelligence.

In 1972, Dartmouth made a big change by admitting women as full-time students for the first time. Around the same time, the college started its "Dartmouth Plan" to allow more students to attend using existing campus facilities. In 1988, the college's official song was updated to include women.

In 2010, Dartmouth joined the Matariki Network of Universities, an international group, but left the network in 2025. In April 2022, Dartmouth returned important historical papers belonging to Samson Occom to the Mohegan Tribe.

On June 12, 2023, Sian Beilock became Dartmouth's first female president. In 2023 and 2024, Dartmouth focused on student well-being, hosting events about mental health and hiring a chief wellness officer. In April 2024, the college announced a major plan to eliminate carbon emissions on campus by 2050, investing $500 million in green technology.

Academic Programs at Dartmouth

Baker Memorial Library

Dartmouth offers a liberal arts education, which means students learn a wide range of subjects. Undergraduates can earn a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Engineering degree. There are 39 academic departments with 56 different major programs. Students can even create their own special majors or study two majors at once. Some popular majors include economics, government, computer science, engineering, and history.

To graduate, students must complete 35 courses. They also need to take classes in different academic areas, show they can speak a foreign language, and complete writing courses. Many departments offer special honors programs for students who want to do extra research and write a thesis. Dartmouth also has 57 different programs where students can study off-campus, including in other countries.

Tuck School of Business

Beyond undergraduate studies, Dartmouth has three professional schools: the Geisel School of Medicine (for doctors), the Thayer School of Engineering (for engineers), and the Tuck School of Business (for business leaders). It also offers master's and doctorate degrees in many subjects. Even with these advanced programs, the school keeps the name "Dartmouth College" to highlight its focus on undergraduate students.

Dartmouth has many talented teachers, including a high number of female professors. The college is known for its research, with faculty members contributing to important developments like the Dartmouth Workshop and the creation of the Dartmouth BASIC computer language. In 2017, Professor Eric Fossum won a major prize for his work on imaging sensor technology. Research from Dartmouth also contributed to the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

College Rankings and Recognition

Dartmouth is highly regarded among national universities. U.S. News & World Report ranked Dartmouth 13th among national universities in its 2022 rankings. It was also recognized as 3rd best for veterans and tied for 5th best in undergraduate teaching. Forbes magazine ranked Dartmouth 10th overall among universities and colleges in 2019.

How to Apply to Dartmouth

Getting into Dartmouth College is very competitive. For students applying in Fall 2023, only about 6.2% were accepted. Most admitted students were at the top of their high school classes. The average SAT score for admitted students was 1501, and the average ACT score was 33.

Dartmouth helps students afford their education by meeting 100% of a student's financial need. This means they provide enough aid so that students can attend, regardless of their family's income. Dartmouth also does not consider a student's financial situation when making admission decisions, even for international students. For families with incomes of $125,000 or less, tuition is free. Dartmouth has also replaced student loans with scholarship grants, so students don't have to borrow money for their education.

In 2020, Dartmouth made SAT scores optional for applicants due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in 2024, it became the first Ivy League school to require test scores again.

The Dartmouth Plan: A Unique Schedule

Tower Room in Baker Memorial Library

Dartmouth uses a special "quarter system" called the Dartmouth Plan, or "D-Plan." This means the school year is divided into four ten-week terms. Students can customize their academic year by choosing when to study on campus, participate in off-campus programs, or take a term off for vacations or internships. All freshmen must live on campus for their first year, and sophomores must be on campus for the summer term. This system allows more students to attend without needing to build many new dorms.

Working with Other Universities

Dartmouth is an active member of the University of the Arctic (UArctic). This is a group of over 200 universities and organizations that work together to promote education and research in the Arctic region.

Exploring the Dartmouth Campus

This is what a college is supposed to look like.

—U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953

Drawing of Wilson Hall, Dartmouth's first library building, by architect Samuel J. F. Thayer (1842–1893).

Dartmouth College is located in the quiet town of Hanover, New Hampshire, in a beautiful area called the Upper Valley. The main campus covers 269-acre (1.09 km²) and is centered around a 5-acre (2 ha) green space called "The Green." Dartmouth also owns a large amount of land in the White Mountains and northern New Hampshire.

Most of Dartmouth's buildings are designed in the Georgian colonial style, which gives the campus a classic look. The college is also working hard to reduce its carbon emissions and energy use. The campus is known for its many trees, including beautiful American elms.

Even though it's in a rural area, Dartmouth is connected to major cities like Boston and New York City by bus services. These cities are popular places for students to visit on weekends.

Academic and Arts Facilities

The Hopkins Center

The Hopkins Center for the Arts (known as "the Hop") is where students can explore drama, music, film, and studio arts. It has theaters, an auditorium, and studios for woodworking, pottery, and jewelry. The Hop is connected to the Hood Museum of Art, one of North America's oldest museums.

The Geisel School of Medicine has its own complex with labs and classrooms. The Thayer School of Engineering and the Tuck School of Business are located near the Connecticut River. These schools share a library. In 2022, the college completed a large new building, the Class of 1982 Engineering and Computer Science Center, which houses the Computer Science department.

Dartmouth's libraries hold over 2.48 million books and 6 million total resources. The main library is the Baker-Berry Library, which includes the iconic 200-foot (61 m) Baker Tower.

Sports and Recreation Facilities

Memorial Field

Dartmouth has excellent athletic facilities. The Alumni Gymnasium has pools, a fitness center, and an indoor track. Next to it is the Berry Sports Center, with basketball and volleyball courts. Memorial Field is a large stadium for football and track events. The Thompson Arena houses the ice rink, and the Nathaniel Leverone Fieldhouse is used for indoor track.

Other facilities include boathouses along the Connecticut River, the Hanover Country Club, and the Corey Ford Rugby Clubhouse. Dartmouth also has its own ski area, the Dartmouth Skiway, where the college's ski team practices.

Student Housing and Dining

Since 2016, all undergraduate students at Dartmouth live in one of six House communities, similar to residential colleges. These houses include Allen House, East Wheelock House, North Park House, School House, South House, and West House. The dormitories have different styles and room types. Dartmouth guarantees housing for freshmen and sophomores, and over 3,000 students choose to live on campus.

In November 2022, Dartmouth Hall was renovated and rededicated, thanks to fundraising efforts by over 1700 alumnae celebrating 50 years of women at Dartmouth.

Dartmouth Dining Services offers 11 dining locations. The Class of 1953 Commons, or "Foco," is the main all-you-can-eat dining hall. There are also cafes, a convenience store, and snack bars around campus.

House Communities

Name	Founded	Total capacity	Main location capacity	Main location buildings	Freshman buildings	Color
Allen House	2016	426	257	Gile Hall, Streeter Hall, Lord Hall	Bissell Hall, Cohen Hall	Red
East Wheelock House	2016	327	327	Andres Hall, Zimmerman Hall, Morton Hall, McCulloch Hall		Orange
North Park House	2016	214	137	Thomas Hall, Goldstein Hall, Byrne II Hall, Rauner Hall, Bildner Hall, Berry Hall		Dark Blue
School House	2016	561	333	North, Mid- and South Massachusetts Halls, Hitchcock Hall	Brown Hall, Little Hall, Wheeler Hall	Light Blue
South House	2016	592	366	Topliff Hall, New Hampshire Hall, The Lodge	North, Mid- and South Fayerweather Halls, Richardson Hall	Black
West House	2016	520	335	Russell Sage Hall, Butterfield Hall, Fahey Hall, McLane Hall	French Hall, Judge Hall	Purple

Lord Hall, Allen House
Morton Hall, East Wheelock House
Woodward Hall, North Park House
Mid Massachusetts Hall, School House
Topliff Hall, South House
Russell Sage Hall, West House

Student Life and Activities

Student body composition as of May 2, 2022
Race and ethnicity	Total
White	49%	49
Asian	15%	15
Foreign national	11%	11
Hispanic	10%	10
Other	8%	8
Black	6%	6
Native American	1%	1
Economic diversity
Low-income	15%	15
Affluent	85%	85

Dartmouth students are represented by the Dartmouth Student Government. Students elect a president and senate each year. The Princeton Review has ranked Dartmouth highly for "Quality of Life" and "Happiest Students." Sports and Greek organizations are very popular activities. Overall, Dartmouth offers more than 350 student groups, teams, and sports. The school also has many long-standing traditions and a strong network of alumni.

Student Organizations and Clubs

Robinson Hall houses many of the college's student-run organizations, including the Dartmouth Outing Club.

Dartmouth Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity house

Dartmouth has over 200 student organizations and clubs for many different interests. These include academic groups, cultural groups, performing arts groups, and recreational groups. Some notable groups are the Dartmouth Outing Club, which is the nation's largest and oldest college outdoors club, and The Dartmouth, one of the oldest university newspapers in America.

The Greek system is a popular social option for students, with 32 recognized houses. About 70% of eligible students belong to a Greek organization. Students can join these groups starting in their sophomore year. Dartmouth was one of the first colleges to welcome all students into fraternity houses in the 1950s.

Dartmouth also has secret societies, which are student and alumni groups that focus on college history and service projects. The Sphinx society is well-known, housed in a unique building on campus.

Sports and Athletics

A Dartmouth varsity hockey game against Princeton at Thompson Arena

About 20% of students play a varsity sport, and nearly 80% participate in some form of club, varsity, or intramural athletics. Dartmouth has 33 intercollegiate varsity teams, competing in the NCAA Division I Ivy League conference. Dartmouth does not offer athletic scholarships. Teams compete in sports like football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, track and field, soccer, and skiing.

The college also offers 26 club and intramural sports, such as fencing, rugby, water polo, and ultimate frisbee. The Dartmouth Fencing Team won a national championship in 2014. The Dartmouth Men's Rugby Team has been ranked among the best college teams. Dartmouth requires every undergraduate to complete a 50-yard (46 m) swim and three terms of physical education.

Native American Students at Dartmouth

The 40th Dartmouth Powwow

Dartmouth College's original charter from 1769 stated that the school was created to educate Indian Tribes. However, in its first 200 years, only 19 Native Americans graduated. In 1970, Dartmouth started new programs to increase Native American enrollment. Since then, over 700 Native American students from more than 200 different tribes have graduated from Dartmouth. This is more than all the other Ivy League universities combined.

Fun Dartmouth Traditions

Dartmouth is known for its strong school spirit and many traditions. Each term, there's a special weekend celebration. In the fall, Homecoming (Dartmouth Night) features a large bonfire built by the freshman class. In winter, there's the Winter Carnival, which started in 1911 to promote winter sports. This is the oldest college winter carnival in the United States. In the spring, Green Key is a weekend filled with campus parties and celebrations.

The summer term used to have an unofficial tradition called Tubestock, where students floated on the Connecticut River. This ended in 2006. The Class of 2008 replaced it with Fieldstock, a college-supported event with a barbecue and live music.

Another long-standing tradition is the four-day, student-led First-Year Trips for new freshmen. These trips help new students get to know each other and the campus. Each trip ends at the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge.

Dartmouth's Symbols and Identity

College Motto and Song

Dartmouth's motto, chosen by its founder Eleazar Wheelock, is Vox clamantis in deserto. This Latin phrase means "A voice crying out in the wilderness." It refers to the college's location in what was once a frontier area. The college's official song is "Alma Mater," which was updated in the 1980s to include both women and men.

The Official Seal

Seal of Dartmouth College

Dartmouth's 1769 royal charter required an official seal for documents. Eleazar Wheelock designed the seal, which looks similar to a missionary society's emblem. The seal shows a pine grove with Native Americans moving towards a building, with the motto "vox clamantis in deserto." It is supported by figures representing Religion and Justice. The seal was officially accepted in 1773 and has been updated slightly over the years, with the date changed to "1769" to match the charter date.

The Dartmouth Shield

On October 28, 1926, the trustees approved a "Dartmouth College Shield" for general use. This shield is based on the design in the center of the official seal. A version designed by Canadian artist Thoreau MacDonald in 1944 is widely used today. This shield is a common symbol of Dartmouth College.

Nickname and Mascot

Dartmouth does not have an official mascot. The college's nickname is "The Big Green," which started in the 1860s when students chose a shade of forest green as the school's official color. In the past, the athletic teams were unofficially called "the Indians." However, in 1974, the college decided to stop using this symbol because it did not fit with Dartmouth's goals for Native American education.

Students have suggested other mascots, but none have become official. One idea from the college humor magazine was Keggy the Keg, an animated beer keg that sometimes appears at sports events. Another idea was the "Dartmoose."

Famous Dartmouth Alumni

Dartmouth graduates are known for often donating money to their college. By 2008, Dartmouth had over 60,000 living alumni. Many graduates work in finance, consulting, and technology. Top employers include companies like Goldman Sachs, Amazon, and Google.

Many Dartmouth alumni have become important leaders. Nelson Rockefeller, a former Vice President of the United States, graduated in 1930. Over 164 graduates have served in the United States Congress, including Daniel Webster. Other alumni have been U.S. Cabinet members, like Henry Paulson and Timothy Geithner, who both served as Secretary of the Treasury. Two Dartmouth alumni, Salmon P. Chase and Levi Woodbury, served as justices on the Supreme Court of the United States. Sian Beilock, the current president of Dartmouth, is also an alumna.

In literature and journalism, Dartmouth has produced 13 Pulitzer Prize winners. Famous poet Robert Frost attended Dartmouth, as did Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel), the beloved children's author. Other notable writers and media personalities include CNN journalist Jake Tapper and TV producer Shonda Rhimes.

Dartmouth alumni in academia include Stuart Kauffman and Jeffrey Weeks, who received "genius grants." Three Dartmouth graduates have won Nobel Prizes: Owen Chamberlain (Physics), K. Barry Sharpless (Chemistry), and George Davis Snell (Physiology or Medicine).

Many alumni have become successful business leaders, such as Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. (former CEO of IBM) and Jeffrey R. Immelt (former CEO of General Electric).

In film and television, Dartmouth is represented by David Benioff, co-creator of Game of Thrones; Shonda Rhimes, creator of Grey's Anatomy; and Fred Rogers from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Other actors include Sarah Wayne Callies, Mindy Kaling, and David Harbour.

Dartmouth alumni have also excelled in professional sports. Baseball players include Brad Ausmus and Kyle Hendricks. Football players include Jay Fiedler and Reggie Williams. Many alumni have competed in the Olympics, winning medals in sports like shot put, ice hockey, and rowing.