Does Dartmouth care about demonstrated interest for admissions?
I’ve been researching a lot about the admissions process at Ivy League schools and noticed some colleges mention demonstrated interest as a factor. I couldn't find much specific info about Dartmouth though.
If anyone has experience with applying to Dartmouth or knows for sure, do you think things like campus visits, attending virtual info sessions, or emailing admissions officers actually impact your chances? I haven't been able to get up there in person, but I did sign up for a couple of their webinars. Just want to be sure I don't miss doing something important that could help my app.
If anyone has experience with applying to Dartmouth or knows for sure, do you think things like campus visits, attending virtual info sessions, or emailing admissions officers actually impact your chances? I haven't been able to get up there in person, but I did sign up for a couple of their webinars. Just want to be sure I don't miss doing something important that could help my app.
1 month ago
•
51 views
Grayce Gibbs
• 1 month ago
Advisor
Demonstrated interest is not a formal factor in Dartmouth's admissions decisions. This means that things like registering for campus tours, attending virtual information sessions, or emailing admission officers are not tracked in a way that impacts your application review.
That being said, there’s still indirect value to engaging with the school. Attending webinars and reading up on Dartmouth can help you write much stronger, more specific supplemental essays—especially the “Why Dartmouth?” prompt. For instance, if you reference something you learned on a webinar or discuss a unique program or resource you heard about from an admissions officer, your response will feel more authentic and tailored.
Many applicants use these virtual opportunities to gather good details (like student traditions or unique classes) which can help show genuine interest through thoughtful, well-informed essays, even though physical visits or tracked attendance don’t directly give you an admissions boost.
So while Dartmouth won’t favor you simply because you showed up to an event, using what you learn to articulate why you truly want to be at Dartmouth and how you’d fit the community will help make your application stand out. For example, if you discovered in a webinar that Dartmouth’s intellectual freedom is reflected in their D-Plan and you connect that to your interests or goals, that will resonate more than just saying you want to go to a “top school.”
That being said, there’s still indirect value to engaging with the school. Attending webinars and reading up on Dartmouth can help you write much stronger, more specific supplemental essays—especially the “Why Dartmouth?” prompt. For instance, if you reference something you learned on a webinar or discuss a unique program or resource you heard about from an admissions officer, your response will feel more authentic and tailored.
Many applicants use these virtual opportunities to gather good details (like student traditions or unique classes) which can help show genuine interest through thoughtful, well-informed essays, even though physical visits or tracked attendance don’t directly give you an admissions boost.
So while Dartmouth won’t favor you simply because you showed up to an event, using what you learn to articulate why you truly want to be at Dartmouth and how you’d fit the community will help make your application stand out. For example, if you discovered in a webinar that Dartmouth’s intellectual freedom is reflected in their D-Plan and you connect that to your interests or goals, that will resonate more than just saying you want to go to a “top school.”
Grayce Gibbs
Denver, CO
Dartmouth College (AB); Colorado School of Mines (MS)
Experience
4 years