Dartmouth was the first college to have a legacy admissions policy in 1922. It has been over 100 years and many legacy students still apply to Dartmouth every year. A lot has changed since 1922 but legacy admissions are still a difficult-to-understand “field.” We constantly talk to parents who are confused by legacy admissions and what it means for their students, so today we wanted to break down everything we know about Dartmouth legacy admissions and what parents need to do if their legacy is dreaming of Dartmouth.
How many legacies get into Dartmouth?
The short answer is no one knows Dartmouth's current legacy acceptance rate. Most schools do not like to publish a legacy acceptance rate as it is ~controversial~. The last time Dartmouth hinted at a legacy admission rate was in 2012. They said:
"Legacies do get a bump… Legacies are admitted at twice the rate of other students."
This data is too old for us to reliably use, but it can work as a sort of stand-in. Back in 2012, the acceptance rate was about 13% meaning the legacy acceptance rate was about 26%. This means even in 2012, the majority of legacy students didn't get in. This is the important takeaway that we’re going to emphasize: most legacy students don't get in.
We would suspect the legacy acceptance rate has gone down since 2012 for two reasons. The first is over the last 10 years legacy acceptance rates have fallen across the industry. Second, the overall acceptance rate has fallen. Dartmouth's acceptance rate is more like 6% now. Meaning the highest legacy acceptance rate we could see Dartmouth having would be under 12%.
Also, there is this….
Ok, so usually, we write this type of blog by breaking down what a competitive legacy candidate looks like. We talk about grades and scores and resumes, and don't worry that is coming, but with Dartmouth, we have to start with something icky.
At Dartmouth most legacies are not just "children of alumni" but they are also children of donors. Due to a recent lawsuit, Dartmouth has had to reveal:
"the truth is that many are not just any-old children of these universities' alumni, but those at the intersection of legacy status and large donations."
Now, this policy may have changed since this lawsuit, but if so it has changed quietly. Which most likely means it really hasn't changed much. If you hope to use your alumni status at Dartmouth to help get your child in, you have to be an important alumnus. And Dartmouth has over 79,500 alums in its alumni network.
What makes a competitive legacy candidate at Dartmouth?
Legacies get a bad rap, especially at schools where donations are so tied up in alumni admissions like Dartmouth. Many people assume that they are less smart or driven than their peers. That definitely is not the case. Think back to our numbers, approximately 12% of legacies get in. Legacies that aren't good candidates just don't get in.
Legacy families invest in their kids' education. This means going to top high schools, working with tutors and college counselors, and using their resources to craft great resumes. Legacy students are usually well-prepared, type-A kids who are just as serious about going to a top school as their parents were. Your legacy is in direct competition with these types of students.
It Starts with Grades
Sometimes parents think that a certain status or a great application can make up for lackluster grades. Grades are the first thing colleges look at and there is really no way around them. 95% of Dartmouth's class of 2026 were in their school's top decile. Think A+ average in the hardest possible classes. They are looking for students who push themselves in difficult classes and come out on top. Many alumni parents get tutors the minute they see their kid's grades slip below a 95. This makes it doubly important for legacies to have a great transcript.
Score It
Dartmouth is still test optional for now, but if your child is a legacy, push them to submit great scores. Just like getting top academic tutors, parents often hire top SAT/ACT tutors to help their students. This is important for Dartmouth given that for the class of 2024 (the last year scores were required), the median SAT score for admitted students was 1520. The middle 50% of accepted students scored between 1440 and 1560. It wasn't much different for the ACT. The mean was 33 and the middle 50 was 32-35. This means a lot of accepted students got a perfect or near-perfect score. Also, these numbers most likely have only gotten higher since submitting scores has become optional. Your student should be pushing themselves to do the same.
The Rest
Great grades and scores are not enough. With only about a 6% acceptance rate, there are simply not enough spots for every qualified student. This is why the rest of your student's application also needs to sparkle. The legacy students we work with have done the work to figure out what they are interested in, and have pursued that passion at a 12/10. They have remarkable resumes.
This is where we usually suggest working with college counselors like us. If you start working with us early we can help your student craft an objectively impressive list of extracurriculars. If you start later, we’ll help package what your student already has in the best way possible. Yes, it's a little self-serving but also almost all legacies who get into top schools work with a great college counselor.
Think about ED
This is really a tip for all students, but it matters even more for legacy students. For the class of 2026, Dartmouth filled about 46% of its class during ED. If you hope to get a bump from legacy admissions, it's more likely to happen in ED when they know the legacy is serious about Dartmouth.
Getting into Dartmouth is hard even with legacy status. Legacy will help, but your student should push themselves to be a great candidate because other legacies certainly are. If this is all a lot to take in, we are happy to help! It's what we do.
Reach out here.