For Dartmouth College's Class of 2028, the admissions landscape remains highly selective. A record-breaking 31,657 students applied for a spot in the Class of 2028, and this surge resulted in an acceptance rate of just 5.3%, the lowest in Dartmouth's history.

The silver lining? This news paints a picture of a truly exceptional incoming class brimming with exceptional talent, poised to push the boundaries of academia and make waves on campus.

---

Dartmouth’s Class of 2028 Acceptance Rate: A Record-Low

Dartmouth has set a new benchmark in its admissions history with the Class of 2028. The university announced that it received a total of 31,657 applications this year, about a 10% increase from last year’s 28,841 applications. This includes an increase in both Early and Regular Decision applications.

This surge in applications made competition fiercer than ever. With a significantly larger number of qualified students vying for a limited number of spots. Despite this, the total number of accepted students decreased from 1,798 last year to 1,685 this year, resulting in an acceptance rate of just 5.3% - the lowest in Dartmouth’s history!

In fact, this is a steeper decline than any seen in the past five years, ever since Class of 2022, when the acceptance rate declined by 8%.

Class of 2028 Regular Decision Acceptance Rate

For the Class of 2028, Dartmouth received 28,107 Regular Decision applications and accepted 1,081 students out of those, resulting in a Regular Decision acceptance rate of 3.85%.

The number of regular decision applicants have increased exponentially since Class of 2024, while the number of admitted students has been relatively consistent. Because of this, the regular decision acceptance rate has been steadily declining over the past 5 years, with Class of 2027 being the only exception, showing a very slight increase.

This year, the number of students admitted through regular decision decreased by about 11% compared to last year, the sharpest decrease since Class of 2025.

Class of 2028 Early Decision Acceptance Rate

Just like Regular Decision, Dartmouth’s Early Decision acceptance rate is still competitive, but it remains significantly higher than the Regular Decision acceptance rate. Out of the 3,550 students that applied through Early Decision for Class of 2028, only 604 were admitted, for an acceptance rate of 17%.

The number of applicants through Early Decision jumped from 2,069 in 2019 to 3,550 in 2024. While the number of admitted students also increased, it wasn’t at the same pace, which explains the steady decline in Dartmouth’s Early Decision acceptance rate.

Early Decision students make up about 35% of all admitted students, despite forming only about 11% of the applicants. This, along with the higher acceptance rate, is a very clear indication that applying early is one of the best ways to maximize your chances of admission to Dartmouth.

Dartmouth Acceptance Rate Trends

Like other Ivy league schools, Dartmouth’s acceptance rate has significantly declined over the past 10 years, from 26% ten years ago to 17% today.

Over the past 10 years, Class of 2017 showed the sharpest decline, with an 8% decline in acceptances. This year, Class of 2028 marks the sharpest decline in admissions since, with a 6% decrease in accepted students.

Early Decision applications have gained a lot of popularity over the past decade. There’s been a consistent increase in applications almost every year this decade, with the exception of Classes 2019 and 2016. This has made admissions through ED more competitive every year.

With that said, ED applications still boast a noticeably higher acceptance rate than RD applications, and ED students as a percent of each incoming class have been increasing year by year, making up 35% of admitted students this year - the highest this decade.

What Kind of Student Gets into Dartmouth?

It's clear that to gain admission to Dartmouth, students need to present a truly exceptional profile that extends beyond standardized test scores and academic records.

How Crimson Can Help You Stand Out

Dartmouth’s record-breaking low acceptance rates and the broader trends in elite admissions highlight how challenging it has become to gain entry into top universities. In this highly competitive landscape, seeking guidance from experienced college admissions advisors can be a significant advantage. Advisors offer personalized support throughout the complex application process, helping you:

• Craft a Compelling Narrative: They work with you to identify your unique strengths, passions, and experiences. This helps shape a cohesive application that showcases your potential to contribute to the Dartmouth community.
• Navigate Strategic Choices: Advisors can provide insights on application timing (early vs. regular), test score submission, and highlight areas where you can further boost your profile.
• Excel in Every Aspect: From essay coaching to interview preparation, advisors ensure each application component is polished and demonstrates your preparedness for Dartmouth’s rigorous academic environment.

Proven Success in a Competitive Landscape

Crimson Education has a track record of helping students achieve their admissions goals. Our personalized approach and expertise in selective admissions have led to impressive results. This year alone, over 200 Crimson students were accepted to top US universities in the early round. Here's a breakdown of our early-round numbers:

• 126 offers to the Ivy League.
• 280+ offers to the US Top 20, including offers to Stanford, MIT, Caltech, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, University of Chicago, Rice, Vanderbilt, and University of Notre Dame.
• 15% of Ivy League and 27% of top 20 early round applicants received offers to their dream schools.
• 1280+ offers to the US Top 50, including offers to NYU, University of Michigan, Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon, Emory, University of Virginia, and Washington University in St. Louis.
• 1000+ offers to each student’s first choice school.