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After high school, there is not much that young graduates can do and enjoy. One of the biggest highlights of their post-high school life is hunting down the best colleges the nation has to offer and applying to each one of them.
Dartmouth is one of the most prestigious names in the country when it comes to attending college. It has amazing undergraduate programs that range from science, art, technology, and literature. Another feather to its cap is the marginal rate of acceptance and the glorious alumni that Dartmouth prepares each year have raised the bar in all walks of life.
Each year, thousands of applicants apply to Dartmouth but only a handful get selected. One of the steps in the admission process is writing essay prompts in the application. The Dartmouth College essay prompts can come in different forms, but the essence remains the same!
The “Why Dartmouth” Essay Prompt
The current essay prompt for the college admissions process is as follows:
While arguing a Dartmouth-related case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1818, Daniel Webster, Class of 1801, delivered this memorable line: "It is, Sir…a small college. And yet, some love it!" As you seek admission to the Class of 2026, what aspects of the College's program, community, or campus environment attract your interest? (100 words or less)
The gist of the question is revealed from its structure and content. The admissions officers want to see how much applicants are excited and invested in getting into Dartmouth.
This is the classical “Why Dartmouth” example essay as it gives limited room for aspirants to show how they are going to be a great match with the college.
While writing against this prompt, students often feel lost about what to highlight about the college and what to leave on the editing floor because of limited space.
The answer to this dilemma lies in the question itself!
The admissions committee wants you to explore core values and prospects that Dartmouth students enjoy concerning its community, academic programs, and vibrant environment at the campus.
That’s why applicants have better odds of getting accepted at Dartmouth when they do some research and come up with the best writing for the college’s program.
Do you want to get accepted into Dartmouth? We can help you with that! Our professional writers can help you with exceptional, custom-written essays to beat the odds. So, contact us right now!
What Makes A “Why Dartmouth” Essay Successful
Essay writing is still an essential part of academics in high schools as well as colleges. One of the main reasons it is still going strong is that it gives a compact space and time for students to showcase their understanding and writing skills that can help them stand out from their peers in the admission race.
This is true for the Dartmouth College essay prompt too.
The interesting thing to note is that this prompt is not limited to Dartmouth alone. All the top colleges and schools around the nation, including members of the ivy league, ask students to write essays on why they think they are a great fit with the college they are applying to.
In retrospect, preparing and writing knockout Dartmouth supplemental essays will get aspirants one step closer to any other college because of their superior writing and deeper understanding of the question.
Since this post is about what is the admission essay prompt and teaching students how to write Dartmouth College essays, we will stick to this college alone.
This is one of the main reasons why aspirants must learn how to make their “why Dartmouth” essay example successfully.
How to Pen A Successful “Why Dartmouth” Essay
Essentially, when it comes to the Dartmouth essays, they are about applicants showing all the right reasons why they and Dartmouth are a perfect match.
There is no denying that Dartmouth does not need any introduction when it comes to prestige, excellent academic programs, and diverse campus life. Its alumni have always raised the bar and improved their lives and those around them.
The problem with this information in Dartmouth application essays is that the admissions committee knows that better than anyone else. They supervise marketing materials and brochures each year and highlight the achievements of the current students as well as that of alumni.
So, what is the workable solution around here?
Following are some of the competitive points that aspirants use in their Dartmouth essays to get their message through, essentially how to write why Dartmouth essay:
- Applicants should be specific about certain departments, disciplines, and academic programs they want to pursue at Dartmouth. For instance, the Department of Computer Science and Thayer School of Engineering holds special places in their respective fields because of the influence they have
- Faculty is another point of gravity for applicants who want to pursue undergraduate studies at Dartmouth. Specifying a professor or researcher can make it the admissions officers easier to see what the aspirant wants
- The prospects and opportunities that Dartmouth prepare for its alumni enjoy in the shape of job and growth offers from large multinational corporations
- A colorful and vibrant campus environment attracts students in developing essential skills that help them in academics and beyond at Dartmouth
- A diverse culture with people around the globe under one roof. The diffusion of knowledge and culture is beyond parallel in the nation
What Makes A “Why Dartmouth” Essay Lackluster
After taking a look at what makes great Dartmouth essays, it is essential to take a look at some of the common oversights that are done by aspirants. When going unchecked, they can cost a lot – a rejection letter from Dartmouth!
So, the following are some of the things that make the essay lackluster:
- Sharing public knowledge in admission essays, such as what the campus environment attracts, can make sure that aspirants will never get into Dartmouth. This is because when they have to write 100 words or less, every word counts
- Essays lacking in enthusiasm and excitement also end up in the paper basket. The admission officers want to see what makes aspirants want to seek admission at Dartmouth
- There is no denying that students apply to multiple colleges and schools to improve their odds of getting college admission to the best institutes. This does not mean devoting less time and energy to writing essays for one college at the cost of another
- Some students copy or take “inspiration” from previous Dartmouth supplemental essays that made big at Dartmouth. This is another mistake. They can learn from them. But the story and content should belong to them and them alone
Top Tips To Compose A Successful “Why Dartmouth” Essay
A good college admissions essay will always answer two questions:
- Who is the applicant?
- How will Dartmouth prepare the aspirant to achieve his future goals?
Keeping this in mind, the following are some of the top tips that will help aspirants answer those two questions in the Dartmouth essay prompts.
- Personal Voice
- No Cliches
- Redefine The Form
- Review & Revise
Personal Voice
Apart from the academic transcripts and proofs of extracurricular activities, the college admissions officers at Dartmouth want to know what lies deep inside. This is why they ask a rather straightforward question with deeper meanings. Students with personal stories and voices who avoid copying someone else’s voice and tone succeed in getting admission at Dartmouth.
Avoid Cliches
There is a cliche: Avoid cliches like plague. Many applicants make the mistake of using phrases and quotes that have lost their color and originality. Instead of overstating them, it is best to take a pencil and a couple of pages and invent some new ones. In any case, aspirants must showcase their superior writing and researching skills in a Dartmouth supplemental essay.
Redefine The Form
It is hard for the best writers to convey a strong message in 100 words or less. Yet, many applicants write masterfully crafted essay examples that impress the admissions committee. One of the ways to write a great essay is by redefining the form. Instead of seeing it as an essay, think of it as a place to write a personal story, a poem. This will surely help them stand out from the crowd in Dartmouth College’s supplemental essay.
Review & Revise
Review and revise steps are a must before applicants turn in their Dartmouth supplemental essays. In essence, these essays should showcase the best example of storytelling and write from the student’s part.
That’s why it is best to check grammatical mistakes and structural imperfections of the Dartmouth supplemental essay before submitting it along with the admission forms.
An Example of A Successful “Why Dartmouth” Essay & Why It Is A Head-Turner
Following is one of the examples of successful Dartmouth essay prompts that can help students in acing theirs:
As a person who wants to write compelling stories that can withstand the test of time and space, I believe Dartmouth’s Comparative Literature Program would be a great place to start. This is where I can pick courses and research things that are out there yet hidden unless you are looking for them. Courses like Cyborgs and Posthuman, Prada, Chanel, Ferrari, as well as Literature and Music will hone my skills as a writer who can touch hearts and minds. The rest will take care of itself on its own!
Why It Is A Head-Turner
Here is the rundown of all the reasons why this example was a head-turner for a Dartmouth supplemental essay:
- Under 100 words, the essay was direct and specific with no mincing of words
- It listed specific departments with distinct courses and research work that will help the applicant in achieving his goals
- It placed the applicant right at Dartmouth and how he wanted to spend his time and energies
- The applicant was aware of his role in the bigger picture of the world and how Dartmouth would help in equipping him with the right tools
