Is Harvard harder to get into than Dartmouth for undergrad admissions?

Yes. In the broad, real-world sense most applicants mean, Harvard is harder to get into than Dartmouth for undergraduate admissions, even though both are extremely selective and both routinely deny many students with top grades, rigorous coursework, and strong extracurriculars. Harvard draws an unusually large and self-selecting applicant pool, has global name recognition that pushes even more highly qualified students to apply, and tends to be perceived as the more difficult admit.

That does not mean Dartmouth is meaningfully “easy” by comparison. Dartmouth is still one of the most selective colleges in the country, and for a strong applicant the difference may not feel huge because both schools are rejecting many students who would be competitive anywhere. At this level, admissions decisions are often about institutional priorities, fit, and how a student’s profile lands in a particular year.

Part of why people talk about them differently is applicant behavior. Harvard attracts a broader volume of applicants, including many who apply largely because of its brand, while Dartmouth’s pool is often a bit more self-selected around students who actively want its smaller, more undergraduate-focused, outdoorsy, close-knit environment. That can make Dartmouth feel slightly less universally intimidating in conversation, even though it remains extraordinarily difficult.

So if your question is simply which one is tougher in the general admissions pecking order, Harvard is usually viewed that way. If your question is whether Dartmouth is enough less selective that it should be treated as a comfortable option, the answer is no.