For prospective freshman applicants, Dartmouth—like all Ivies—sports an extremely low admit rate year after year. However, on the transfer front, the outcomes are far more variable. In recent years, Hanover hopefuls have experienced wild swings in transfer selectivity. This blog will share the Dartmouth transfer acceptance rate as well as other essential pieces of information like the Dartmouth transfer deadline, the requirements/checklist for applicants, the Dartmouth transfer decision date, and much more.

Dartmouth Transfer Acceptance Rate

Below we present the most current available Dartmouth transfer acceptance rate as well as historical data.

In the fall of 2021, there were 435 transfer applicants and 43 individuals were accepted. This means that the Dartmouth transfer acceptance rate is 9.9%. The breakdown by gender was as follows:

  • Male transfer applicants: 13.9%
  • Female transfer applicants: 5.4%

When trying to get the complete picture on how difficult it is to transfer into a given school, it is important to also look at historical data. Some colleges have wild fluctuations in transfer acceptance rate from year to year. Dartmouth is perhaps the textbook example of this phenomenon as rates have ranged from less than 1% to almost 29% in the last five years.

Historical transfer rates are as follows:

Year Acceptance Rate
2020 28.6%
2019 4.1%
2018 1.5%
2017 0.5%

Dartmouth Transfer Deadline

The college only offers a spring deadline for fall transfer. The Dartmouth transfer deadline is March 1.

Dartmouth Transfer Requirements

The Dartmouth transfer requirements are as follows:

  • Completed Dartmouth Transfer App (they don’t use the Common App for transfers)
  • Final high school transcript
  • Official college transcripts (with updates in May/June)
  • College report
  • SAT or ACT scores (unless you get a waiver)
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • If admitted, you’ll need to provide course syllabi.
  • There are no interviews for transfer students.

Students who have the best chance to gain admission to Dartmouth have done the following:

  • In the process of completing at least one full year of credits.
  • Earned exceptional grades in their first year at a community college or 4-year university.
  • Possess special talents inside or outside of the classroom that set you apart from other high-achievers. Research, publications, academic competitions, or demonstrated leadership are just some of the avenues through which an applicant can make a compelling case for admission.

Dartmouth Transfer GPA & SAT/ACT

According to the college, most successful transfers have at least a 3.7 GPA in college. In our experience working with successful Dartmouth transfers, an A average and SAT/ACT scores of 1500+ will put an applicant in the strongest position.

Dartmouth Transfer Writing Supplement

Dartmouth’s writing supplement has traditionally been aligned with the essays for their freshman application. Their 2023 transfer prompts have yet to be publicized yet. Since they made changes to the essays in the first-year application, they are likely to make commensurate alterations to their transfer essays as well.

You will likely be writing what is essentially a “Why Dartmouth?” essay followed by a second and third essay. One is likely to be:

“Be yourself,” Oscar Wilde advised. “Everyone else is taken.” Introduce yourself in 200-250 words.

  1. Required of all applicants. Please choose one of the following prompts and respond in 200-250 words:
  2. Labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta recommended a life of purpose. “We must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things,” she said. “That is what we are put on the earth for.” In what ways do you hope to make—or are you making—an impact?
  3. What excites you?
  4. In The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, William Kamkwamba ’14 reflects on constructing a windmill from recycled materials to power electrical appliances in his family’s Malawian house: “If you want to make it, all you have to do is try.” What drives you to create and what do you hope to make or have you made?
  5. Dr. Seuss, aka Theodor Geisel of Dartmouth’s Class of 1925, wrote, “Think and wonder. Wonder and think.” What do you wonder and think about?
  6. “Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced,” wrote James Baldwin. How does this quote apply to your life experiences?

Again, this is not yet confirmed, so we would recommend waiting to get started on these essays until the official Dartmouth transfer app becomes available in early 2023.

Dartmouth Transfer Decision Date?

The Dartmouth transfer decision date for fall enrollment is in early May.

Final Thoughts – Dartmouth College Transfer Acceptance Rate

In the school’s own words: “Transfer students contribute significantly to the Dartmouth community. Most transfer applicants present strong academic credentials, so the Admissions Committee also considers your ability to make a successful transition after transferring and to contribute to the life of the College—in and out of the classroom.”

The number of transfer applicants tends to be lower at Dartmouth than other Ivy League institutions. While you will face the same sky-high standards and scrutiny, the volatility in acceptance rate in recent years could end up working to your advantage.

If you are looking for information on how to apply to Dartmouth as a first year student, you may find the following blogs to be of interest:

Those searching for application info on other institutions may wish to visit our Dataverse pages/blogs:

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).