Dartmouth is the mountain Ivy. It’s not in the middle of nowhere, but Hanover, New Hampshire is by far the smallest college city that is also home to an Ivy League institution. It is nestled in the White Mountains. This mountain setting gives Dartmouth a particular energy, culture, and community. The 2025-2026 application cycle marked the second-largest applicant pool in the history of the College. One year earlier, in 2025, the overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was 6%. That year, they received over 28,000 applications and accepted only 1,699 students. Of that group, 1,205 committed to Dartmouth – or a 71% yield. Then, in 2026 the acceptance rate dropped to 5.8%, and they received even more applications. This continued a trend that has included record setting numbers of applicants year-over-year for nearly a decade.

There’s a strange moment that happens for a lot of freshmen. Sometimes it happens before you even start your freshman year. It usually comes sometime during the first semester – maybe after a conversation with someone at another school, maybe after realizing the classes you were excited about aren’t actually offered until junior year, or maybe you’re just unhappy.

Dartmouth is a prestigious Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire. The acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was 6%, which is higher than most of the Ivy League schools, but only by a percentage point or so.