<p>Does being from a certain state slightly help your chances to get into Dartmouth? Like if you are from a state in the deep South that typically doesn't send many students to Dartmouth.</p>
<p>It depends. If, for instance, you’re a Yankee, born and raised in Manhattan, who moved to Arkansas in your sophomore year of high school, you probably won’t get much of an advantage in the admissions cycle at all. The whole point of geographic affirmative action is to bring cultural diversity to the campus. For that reason, don’t be ashamed to use “y’all” in an essay, talk about sweet tea or chic-fil-a, or how you love to go huntin’ and fishin’ in your free time.</p>
<p>(I did all of the above. I use y’all frequently; sweet tea is godsend; it’s a shame chic-fil-a isn’t a truly national chain since it’s delicious (and quasi healthy); and I love to hunt and fish. I was accepted to every institution to which I applied: Yale (SCEA), Princeton, Stanford, and Dartmouth. I am of the firm belief that my cultural diversity – on top of solid academics, of course – was a critical factor in each of my acceptances.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>So if you’re, say a Southeast Asian (indonesia, specifically) and Gulf Arab (Saudi)… living in Saudi … Geographic Affirmative action WIN? :D</p>
<p>Aren’t essays supposed to have a slightly formal tone? You know, not using stuff like “y’all” or “'tis”? strange.</p>
<p>“geographic affirmative action”
There ain’t no such thing! The point of affirmative action is to remedy historical wrongs. How has society wronged the inhabitants of Arkansas?</p>
<p>Konig – international students to do not receive any advantage in the admissions process. In fact, the opposite is true: it’s generally considered much more difficult to be admitted as an international student, relative to an American student.</p>
<p>standrews – you know what I meant. If someone from the Deep South brings cultural diversity to an Ivy League campus, he or she will receive a slight advantage in the admissions process – not as much as affirmative action, but an advantage nonetheless.</p>
<p>EDIT: As for essays, they are not supposed to be formal. (They can be, but the best ones usually aren’t.) There is an important distinction between formal and well-written; you want the latter. Formal essays are usually academic and boring, but you should write something engaging and lively. Therefore, you want a well-written, not a formal, essay.</p>
<p>thank you so much, Dartmouth Grad. I was born and raised in the South, y’all. And Chick-fil-A is awesome.</p>
<p>Dmouth,</p>
<p>I don’t understand how you can speak with such certainty on Dartmouth’s admissions process with little insight beyond your own experience. I think your comments are insulting to both the Dartmouth admissions team and the applicants to whom you impute some special geographic advantage. I don’t think applicants from the Deep South or anywhere else should be made to feel like they are not the equal of any other admitted student at Dartmouth. They are not actors in a cultural diversity play. They are highly capable students and their admission to Dartmouth should not have doubt cast upon it because they are from a state that doesn’t send many students to Dartmouth.</p>
<p>I’m from the Deep South. I have a 2400. I feel capable. Would I have a good shot of admission at Dartmouth had I applied from NYC? Yes. Did hailing from the Deep South improve my chances (marginally)? Yes.</p>
<p>No one from the Deep South feels dumb when they step foot on an Ivy League campus. We’re humbled by our fellow students, but we’re also confident we can compete. That’s the sentiment I’ve gleaned from my friends going to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia.</p>
<p>EDIT: And geographic affirmative action, if you will, does exist. Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, and Stanford admissions representatives have all told me, in person, that coming from an underrepresented state does improve an applicant’s chances of admission.</p>
<p>EDIT2: Out of curiosity, Adele, which state are you from? If we’re from the same state, I’d be more than happy to help you in any way possible with your Dartmouth application.</p>
<p>I’m from TN. Not exactly deep south like Mississippi or something, but not exactly the most educated state and while people do go to Dartmouth and other Ivies, there aren’t that many compared to other states and even other Southern states. And standrews, I think what Dmouth is trying to say is that schools don’t want all of their students from the same places. Its not about affirmative action necc., but more about drawing from all over the country and bringing diversity. Of course you still have to be qualified, but I guess it could set you apart from other applicants.</p>
<p>I think it could help a little.</p>
<p>dear dmouthgrad,</p>
<p>i came from korea to Arkansas for the first time and as expected, i was the only asian in the entire elementary and middle school. Then i moved to Texas and been living ever since 5th grade. Do you think you could help me increase my chances? Thanks so much!</p>
<p>I posted some of my stats here:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/946525-chance-wash-st-louis-dartmouth-upenn-brown-scholarship.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/946525-chance-wash-st-louis-dartmouth-upenn-brown-scholarship.html</a></p>