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Dartmouth College

Latin: Collegium Dartmuthense
Motto	Vox clamantis in deserto (Latin – A Biblical reference to John the Baptist in the New Testament)
Motto in English	"A voice crying out in the wilderness"
Type	Private research university
Established	December 13, 1769; 255 years ago (1769-12-13)
Accreditation	NECHE
Academic affiliations	AAU COFHE MNU NAICU UArctic Space-grant
Endowment	$8.5 billion (2021)
Budget	$1.2 billion (2022)
President	Sian Beilock
Provost	David F. Kotz
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 located in Hanover, New Hampshire. It is part of the Ivy League, a group of eight famous universities in the northeastern United States. Eleazar Wheelock started Dartmouth in 1769. It was one of nine colleges created before the American Revolution. Today, Dartmouth is known as one of the best undergraduate colleges in the U.S.

Dartmouth was first meant to teach Native Americans about Christian beliefs and English culture. Over time, it became a university that trains people for many different jobs. Even though it's a research university now, it still uses "Dartmouth College" in its name. This shows how much it focuses on teaching undergraduate students (those working on their first college degree).

Dartmouth offers many subjects, including 60 different majors in areas like humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. Students can also create their own special study plans. Besides its main college, Dartmouth has four special schools: the Geisel School of Medicine (for doctors), the Thayer School of Engineering (for engineers), the Tuck School of Business (for business), and the Guarini School for advanced studies. It also works with the Dartmouth–Hitchcock Medical Center. Dartmouth is home to the Hood Museum of Art and the Hopkins Center for the Arts. With about 6,700 students, Dartmouth is the smallest university in the Ivy League. It's very hard to get into Dartmouth; only about 5.3% of applicants were accepted in 2028.

Dartmouth's main campus is about 269 acres and is located in the countryside of New England. The school uses a "quarter system," which means it has four ten-week terms throughout the year. Dartmouth is famous for its focus on undergraduate students, its Greek life (fraternities and sororities), and its many traditions. Its 34 sports teams compete in NCAA Division I. Many famous people have graduated from Dartmouth, including politicians, Nobel Prize winners, and Olympic athletes.

History of Dartmouth College

Eleazar Wheelock, the founder of Dartmouth College.

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

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 Wheelock, and the trust was led by William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth.

The Charter of Dartmouth College, signed on December 13, 1769, by King George III.

Wheelock moved the school to Hanover, New Hampshire, to expand it into a college. The Royal Governor of New Hampshire, John Wentworth, gave the land. On December 13, 1769, King George III signed the royal charter to create Dartmouth College. The charter said the college was for educating Native American youth, as well as English youth, in all subjects. This was to connect it to the Charity School and use its funds. Dartmouth is the ninth oldest college in the U.S. and the last one founded under British rule. The first degrees were given in 1771.

Wheelock mainly wanted his new college to educate white students. Samson Occom was disappointed by this change. He then formed his own community of New England Indians called Brothertown Indians.

The earliest known image of Dartmouth, from 1793.

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

Dartmouth welcomed its first African-American students in 1775. By the end of the Civil War, many black men had attended the college. Dartmouth was known as a place where men of color could get an education.

In the early 1900s, Dartmouth became a more important national university. Under President William Jewett Tucker (1893–1909), the college grew a lot. Many new buildings were built, and the number of students and teachers tripled. Tucker is often seen as the person who "refounded Dartmouth."

Lithograph of the President's House, Thornton Hall, Dartmouth Hall, and Wentworth Hall

Later presidents continued to improve the campus. In 1972, Dartmouth, which had only been for men, started admitting women as full-time students. Around the same time, the college started its "Dartmouth Plan" for scheduling classes. This allowed more students to attend without needing more buildings.

In 1988, the words of Dartmouth's school song changed from "Men of Dartmouth" to "Dear old Dartmouth" to include women.

In 2004, Dartmouth College was recognized as a model for how institutions can last and change over time. This was partly because of the famous court case and how the college changed in the late 1800s.

In 2019, Dartmouth College joined the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group of leading research universities.

In 2022, Dartmouth Hall was renovated. This project was supported by many alumnae (female graduates) to celebrate 50 years of women attending Dartmouth.

Academics at Dartmouth

Baker Memorial Library, a main library at Dartmouth.

Dartmouth focuses on a liberal arts education. It offers a four-year Bachelor of Arts degree and an engineering degree. Students can choose from 56 different major programs. They can also create their own special majors or study two majors at once. Some of the most popular majors for recent graduates were economics, government, computer science, engineering, and history.

To graduate, students must complete 35 courses. About eight to ten of these are for their major. Students also need to take ten "distributive requirements" in different subjects. They must also show they know a foreign language and complete a writing class. Many departments offer honors programs where students write a special project called a thesis. Dartmouth also has 57 different off-campus programs, like studying abroad.

The Tuck School of Business, one of Dartmouth's graduate schools.

Dartmouth offers advanced degrees like doctorates and master's degrees in 19 subjects. It also 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). Even with these advanced schools, Dartmouth keeps the name "Dartmouth College" to honor its history.

Dartmouth has many talented teachers. In 2005, research projects by Dartmouth teachers received $169 million in funding.

Rankings

Dartmouth is often ranked among the top universities in the United States. U.S. News & World Report ranked Dartmouth 12th among national universities in 2022. It was also ranked 3rd best for veterans and 7th for "best value." For five years in a row (2009–2013), U.S. News ranked Dartmouth 1st for undergraduate teaching.

Admissions

McNutt Hall, where the undergraduate admissions office is located.

Getting into Dartmouth College is very competitive. For the class entering in Fall 2023, Dartmouth received over 28,000 applications. Only about 6.2% of these students were accepted. Most accepted students were ranked first or second in their high school class. The average SAT score for admitted students was 1501, and the average ACT score was 33.

Dartmouth promises to meet 100% of a student's financial need. This means they help students pay for college based on what their family can afford. Dartmouth also admits students without looking at their financial situation, even international students. This is called "need-blind admission." For families earning $125,000 or less, tuition is free. Dartmouth has also stopped giving student loans and now offers more scholarship grants instead.

The Dartmouth Plan

The Tower Room in Baker Memorial Library.

Dartmouth uses a "quarter system," with four ten-week terms each year. The Dartmouth Plan, or "D-Plan," lets students customize their academic year. Students must live on campus for their freshman year (fall, winter, spring terms) and two terms of their senior year. They also must be on campus for the summer term of their sophomore year. For other terms, students can study on campus, join an off-campus program, or take a term off for vacation, internships, or research. Students usually take three classes per term.

The D-Plan started in the early 1970s when women were first admitted. It was a way to have more students without building many new dorms. It helped fit more students into the existing campus.

Board of Trustees

Dartmouth Hall was rebuilt in 1906.

Dartmouth is managed by a group called the Board of Trustees. This board includes the college president, the governor of New Hampshire, and 21 other members. Some members are chosen by the board itself, and others are nominated by alumni (graduates) and then elected by the board.

Campus of Dartmouth College

An American elm tree on Dartmouth College campus.

Dartmouth College is in the small town of Hanover, New Hampshire. It's located in the Upper Valley region of New England, near the Connecticut River. The main campus is 269 acres and is built around a 5-acre grassy area called "the Green." Dartmouth owns a lot of land in Hanover. It also owns 4,500 acres in the White Mountains and a large 27,000-acre forest called the Second College Grant.

Dartmouth's buildings are old and new, but most are designed in the Georgian colonial style. The college works to reduce its carbon emissions and energy use. The campus has many trees, including some very old American elms.

Even though Dartmouth is in a rural area, it's connected to big cities like Boston and New York City by bus services.

Academic Facilities

The Hopkins Center for the Arts, where students can enjoy and create art.

The Hopkins Center for the Arts (called "the Hop") is where students can study and enjoy creative arts. It has departments for drama, music, film, and studio arts. It also has workshops for wood, pottery, and jewelry. The Hop has two theaters and a 900-seat auditorium. It is connected to the Hood Museum of Art, one of the oldest museums in North America.

The Sherman Fairchild Physical Sciences Center.

Dartmouth has three graduate schools. The Geisel School of Medicine is on the north side of campus. It has labs, classrooms, and a library for medical studies. The Thayer School of Engineering and the Tuck School of Business are located near the Connecticut River. These two schools share a library. In 2022, a new Center for Engineering and Computer Science was completed.

Dartmouth's libraries have over 2.48 million books and 6 million other resources like videos and maps. The main library is Baker-Berry Library. It combines the old Baker Memorial Library (opened 1928) and the newer Berry Library (completed 2002). Baker's 200-foot tower is a famous symbol of the college.

Athletic Facilities

Memorial Field, home to Dartmouth's football team.

Dartmouth's first sports field was the Green. Today, many athletic facilities are in the southeast part of campus. 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. Behind the gym is Memorial Field, a large stadium for football and track. The Thompson Arena is an ice rink. Dartmouth also has a golf course, boathouses, and the Dartmouth Skiway, a skiing facility for the ski team.

Residential Housing and Student Life Facilities

Since 2016, all undergraduate students at Dartmouth live in one of six House communities, similar to residential colleges. These include Allen House, East Wheelock House, North Park House, School House, South House, and West House. Dartmouth guarantees housing for freshmen and sophomores. More than 3,000 students live in college housing.

Dartmouth Dining Services runs 11 dining places on campus. The Class of 1953 Commons, or "Foco," is the main dining hall. There are also cafes, a convenience store, and snack bars around campus.

The Collis Center is the main hub for student life. It has a cafe, study areas, and offices for student groups. Robinson Hall, nearby, also houses many student organizations.

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

Student Life at Dartmouth

Dartmouth students are represented by the Dartmouth Student Government. Students elect a president, vice president, and senate each year. In 2006, The Princeton Review ranked Dartmouth high for "Quality of Life" and "Happiest Students." Sports and Greek organizations are very popular. Dartmouth has over 350 student groups, teams, and sports. The school also has many old traditions and a strong network of alumni.

Student Groups

Robinson Hall, home to many student organizations, including the Dartmouth Outing Club.

Dartmouth has over 200 student organizations and clubs. These include academic groups, cultural groups, performing groups, and publications. Some well-known groups are the Dartmouth Outing Club (the largest and oldest college outdoors club), The Dartmouth Aires (an a cappella group), and The Dartmouth (one of the oldest university newspapers).

A Dartmouth Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity house.

Because Dartmouth is in a rural area, the Greek system is a very popular way for students to socialize. About 70% of eligible students belong to a Greek organization. Students can't join until their sophomore year. Dartmouth was one of the first colleges to allow different races in fraternities in the 1950s.

Dartmouth also has secret societies, which are groups led by students and alumni. They often work to preserve the college's history and do service projects. The Sphinx society is one of the most famous, known for its Egyptian tomb-like building.

Athletics

A Dartmouth varsity hockey game.

About 20% of students play a varsity sport, and almost 80% participate in some kind of club, varsity, or intramural sport. In 2021, Dartmouth had 33 varsity teams. Dartmouth's teams compete in the NCAA Division I Ivy League conference. Dartmouth does not offer sports scholarships. Students play many sports, including football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, track and field, and skiing.

The college also has 26 club and intramural sports like fencing, rugby, and water polo. 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 also requires every student to pass a 50-yard swim test and complete three terms of physical education.

Native Americans at Dartmouth

The 40th Dartmouth Powwow at Dartmouth College.

Dartmouth College's original charter from 1769 stated that the school was created to educate "Youth of the Indian Tribes in this Land." However, the college mainly focused on educating white students for many years. Only 19 Native Americans graduated in its first 200 years.

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 seven Ivy League universities combined.

Traditions

Dartmouth is known for its strong school spirit and many traditions. Each term, there is a special weekend celebration. In the fall, bonfire on the Green marks Homecoming. In winter, Winter Carnival celebrates winter sports. This tradition started in 1911 and is the oldest of its kind in the U.S. In the spring, Green Key is a weekend for campus parties.

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, which includes a barbecue and live music.

Another old tradition is First-Year Trips for new students. These four-day trips started in 1935 and end at the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. In 2011, over 96% of freshmen took part in these trips.

Insignia and Other Representations

Motto and Song

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

Seal

The official Seal of Dartmouth College.

Dartmouth's 1769 charter required a seal for official documents. The college's founder, Eleazar Wheelock, designed the seal. It looks similar to the seal of a missionary group, to make it seem like the college was more for mission work. The seal shows a pine grove, Native Americans, and a building, with the motto "vox clamantis in deserto." It also has figures representing Religion and Justice.

Shield

On October 28, 1926, the "Dartmouth College Shield" was approved for general use. This emblem is based on the shield shown in the center of the original seal. It is used widely today.

Nickname, Symbol, and Mascot

Dartmouth does not have an official mascot. Its nickname, "The Big Green," comes from the school's official color, Dartmouth Green, chosen in 1866. For a while, the athletic teams were unofficially called "the Indians." However, in 1974, the college decided this symbol was not right for its goals of supporting Native American education.

Some students have tried to choose a new mascot. One idea was Keggy the Keg, an anthropomorphic (human-like) beer keg, which sometimes appears at sports events. Another idea was the "Dartmoose."

Famous Dartmouth Alumni

Robert Frost, a famous poet who attended Dartmouth.

Dartmouth alumni (graduates) are known for often donating money to their school. Dartmouth graduates also tend to earn high salaries after college.

By 2008, over 60,000 people had graduated from Dartmouth. Many graduates work in finance, consulting, and technology. Top companies that hire Dartmouth graduates include Goldman Sachs, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google.

Many Dartmouth alumni have become important figures. Nelson Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States. Over 164 Dartmouth graduates have served in the U.S. Congress. Two alumni, Salmon P. Chase and Levi Woodbury, have served as justices on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Dr. Seuss, the beloved children's author, was a Dartmouth alumnus.

In literature, Dartmouth has produced 13 Pulitzer Prize winners. Robert Frost, a famous poet, attended Dartmouth. Theodor Geisel, known as children's author Dr. Seuss, was also a Dartmouth alumnus. Other famous authors include Louise Erdrich and Phil Klay.

In entertainment, Dartmouth alumni include David Benioff, co-creator of Game of Thrones; Shonda Rhimes, creator of Grey's Anatomy; and Fred Rogers, the host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Actors like Sarah Wayne Callies (Prison Break), Mindy Kaling (The Office), and David Harbour (Stranger Things) also went to Dartmouth.

Brad Ausmus, a professional baseball player and manager.

Many Dartmouth alumni have become successful in professional sports. In baseball, there's Brad Ausmus and Kyle Hendricks. In football, there's Jay Fiedler. Dartmouth has also sent many athletes to the Olympics. Adam Nelson won a gold medal in shot put. Kristin King and Sarah Parsons won bronze medals in ice hockey. Cherie Piper, Gillian Apps, and Katie Weatherston won gold medals in ice hockey for Canada.