<p>Dartmouth received 1,317 Early Decision applications this fall, a 12 percent increase over last year's 1,180 and an important trend reversal against last year's lull in applications.</p>
<p>On Dec. 8, 398 high school seniors received their first present of the holiday season when their early decision acceptance letters from Dartmouth College arrived in the mail. The students -- 199 males and 199 females -- represent an exceptionally talented group of the country's most qualified high-school students, according to the Admissions Office.</p>
<p>The majority of accepted students hail from the Mid-Atlantic, while many others come from New England and the West Coast, a geographic trend that has held true for the past five years. Twenty-four students live outside the U.S. and 19 are non-U.S. citizens. Fifty-nine percent of those accepted attended public school, while 38 percent attended private school and three percent attended parochial. In a slight drop from last year, only 60 of the accepted students were legacies. </p>
<p>Ninety-five members of the class of 2010 are valedictorians, and four are Salutatorians. Among the accepted students the mean SAT verbal score was 706, the mean SAT math score was 718, and the mean SAT writing score -- a new addition to the SAT test -- was 704.</p>
<p>Gee, those sat stats seem pretty low to me. Does this mean that the sat scores of those who are admitted RD have to be super high to bring those averages up?</p>
<p>It does seem as if the sats for this year's ED class is a little lower than the ED class of 2009.</p>
<p>*When they opened their mailboxes in December, 397 high-school seniors received the news they had all been waiting for: they were the first members of the Class of 2009.</p>
<p>Despite garnering slightly fewer applications than in recent years, the total number of Early Decision admits was up nominally, an increase Dean of Admissions Karl Furstenberg attributes directly to the strength of the pool.</p>
<p>Academically, the class looks to be the strongest in years. ** Among the accepted students, the SAT Verbal mean score was 711 and the SAT Math mean score was 719, making the overall SAT score three points higher than that of last year's early admits. Of the students accepted, 28 percent were valedictorians and 11 percent were salutatorians. **
*</p>
<p>It seems that you could be on to something because the Stats for the class as a whole, last year was higher than it was for ED.</p>
<p>*With students' college choices finalized, the admissions season for the Class of 2009 draws to a close, but not without a few last-minute kinks to be worked out. While 1,084 matriculation notices had been counted by May 6, the number will probably increase to almost 1,100, Furstenberg said. However, over the summer 25 to 30 students who have chosen to matriculate will likely drop out of the Class of 2009, with most of the attrition resulting from deferred admission.</p>
<p>Regardless of when they choose to begin their Dartmouth careers, the students accepted into the Class of 2009 are certainly well-qualified. While fewer and fewer high schools are ranking students, those who come from high schools that do are incredibly well-ranked. Almost 31 percent of students from these high schools will graduate at the top of their classes, while another 10 percent will finish as salutatorian. SAT scores for the Class of 2009 are all-time highs, with an average SAT score of 1437 -- up five points from last year -- and a median score of 1470.
*</p>
<p>yea and overall, everyone did a little worse on the new one im pretty sure. thanks for that info sybbie! i hope they dont count on us rd kids to bring up that sat average, but they probably will...</p>
<p>I suppose that really means that '10 is the "worst class ever".... LOL</p>
<p>I checked the Princeton press, and their ED SAT M scores are down, too.</p>
<p>btw: from what I can tell, the SAT M has been adjusted downward. Since the 1999 recentering, a student could miss one and still achieve an 800, but that does not appear to be the case with the New SAT....extraplating downward, missing three on the old test could yield a 750, but it is now a ~730. Of course, CB's data show that the new math test compares favorably to prior year's math tests, but they are only using the mean to support that position.</p>
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[quote]
60% of the 398 which were accepted were legacy? dammit! so much for my admission (class of '11).
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<p>You are right about that especially is your scores are a reflection of you skimming over the contents of the paragraph instead of actually reading the paragraph :) Slow down just a bit.</p>
<p>It states :</p>
<p>**only 60 of the accepted students were legacies. **</p>
<p>Yay! Scores were lower!!!!!!!! I'm actually about average (when you average my math and cr). I've really got to bring my 670 cr up to 700+, but my math is competitive and my writing (770) really helps. I would think the avg. sat math would go down with the harsher curve, which it did. Does Dartmouth weight the writing equally?</p>
<p>scores are also lower b/c of the harsh curve on the SAT.. at least thats what i believe. Before two wrong on math was aroudn a 780, now its more around 750.</p>
<p>when i applied i had these scores (only took it once):</p>
<p>M: 680
V: 670
W: 740</p>
<p>and got in... but also took it on dec 3rd, 2005 (for the second time) and got...</p>
<p>M: 780 (missed 1)
V: 760 (missed 4)
W: 720</p>
<p>maybe the curve is harsher... either way, i think the new SAT needs a little getting used to. i know that when i took it the second time i was more confident and consequently, i did a lot better.</p>
<p>i don't know if im alone on this one, but some ED applicants may have boosted their scores in december to prepare for a possible deferral or rejection to help them for the regular decision round... who knows</p>
<p>The stats do seem a little lower, but we're talking a few points. Also, numbers are only a piece of the puzzle. Sure, they're a filtering device, an indicator of whether or not someone can do Dartmouth-level work. But character, experience, strong interests and talents that an applicant can bring to Dartmouth -- these seem ultimately more important. Just an impression. </p>
<p>IOW -- numbers lower than the average won't necessarily eliminate you -- and stellar stats won't make you a shoe-in. </p>
<p>And, oh yes, trying to second-guess the numbers will make you crazy :).</p>
<p>sweet, im psyched about the lower legacy number...theres this double legacy girl at my school who is applying, but has crappy courseload and mediocre sat scores...</p>
<p>they do reject legacies, right?</p>
<p>also, cans omeone answer this scenario:</p>
<p>two students, same grades, same boards, etc</p>
<p>one student never had a job or work experience, did programs like governor school, is president of student council, and he is gonna major in political science (along with the masses at dartmouth)</p>
<p>student #2 had a job, and also worked in a cancer center for two years, and is involved with school things like a position in NHS, and is gonna be a biology major</p>
<p>both students have sports, same gpa, same rank, same boards, etc, and Go to the SAME SCHOOL</p>