Dartmouth College Scholarships Query

Dartmouth College sounds amazing, especially with their full scholarships for international students. How competitive is it to get one of these scholarships, and what tips do you guys have for making a strong application? Trying to evaluate my chances!

Dartmouth College indeed has a generous financial aid policy, providing need-based financial aid to both domestic and international students. It's important to realize that these are not technically "scholarships" in the traditional sense. Dartmouth follows a need-blind admissions policy for domestic applicants and a need-aware policy for international students.

The need-aware policy means Dartmouth acknowledges the financial need of international students while making an admissions decision, effectively making acceptance into Dartmouth and receipt of financial aid highly competitive for international students. That being said, once admitted, Dartmouth is committed to meeting 100% of the demonstrated need of all admitted students, regardless of their nationality.

Here are some tips for a strong application:

1. Academics: Since the aid is need-based and not merit-based, your academic qualifications will play a considerable part in the admission decision. Ensure you have a competitive GPA, take challenging courses, participate in academic extracurriculars, and if possible, have strong standardized test scores.

2. Demonstrate your contribution: Highlight your extracurricular activities and experiences and how they shaped you. Tie these to what you could uniquely bring to Dartmouth's global community. Dartmouth values a diverse student body, and this could include various experiences, achievements, or viewpoints you may have.

3. Detailed Financial Aid Application: When applying for financial aid, be as detailed and accurate as possible in demonstrating your financial need. Use the Net Price Calculator on Dartmouth's website to estimate your aid. Remember, the more specific you can be, the better the college can understand your financial situation.

4. Essays: Essays are a vital part of your application. They enable colleges to understand you beyond numbers and lists of activities. Make sure your essays present a well-rounded picture of who you are.

Remember, admission to Dartmouth, like any Ivy League school, is very competitive, more so for international students needing financial aid. But being well-prepared and diligent in your application process will stand you in good stead. Keep your options open and consider applying to various colleges to increase your chances of admission and obtaining financial aid. It's always a good idea to have a balanced college list!