What Are my ED chances at Dartmouth? (Test Optional)

[Olivia_Kim]

I just applied ED to Dartmouth in the 2022-23 cycle, and I have shown a significant amount of interest through the online opportunities available. I’m probably here feeling as anxious as everyone else, but I haven’t seen quite as many people post their stats for Dartmouth as other ivies. If anyone knows about the admissions process or knows someone who has applied to Dartmouth, I’d love your input
Here are my stats (also I’m applying as Test Optional)

Applied as a biophysical chem major, public policy minor
GPA unweighted: 3.97 (1 B in 2nd sem BC calc)
GPA weighted: 4.61
#of APs thru junior year: 8
I got 1 score of 3 on AP physics exam and the rest are 4s and 5s… passed 9 total
Extracurriculars:
-Editor in Chief of the student newspaper
-I’m part of a few administration advisory boards
-Service club and national honor society member
-2 varsity sports (lax, badminton)
-I help my sister everyday after school to tutor her and help her exercise since she has special needs and has a severe developmental delay
-i also work part time food service

Awards: these r just the most important ones i think
-school athletic character award
-5th nationally for social justice reporting
-ap scholar with distinction
-1st in illinois for serious commentary writing
-honorable mention for national student media contest feature writing

Letters of rec
-my jouralism adviser who ive had since freshman year
-my AP physics teacher from junior year
-my manager from work
-my best friend/ associate editor in chief on the paper

No one from my school has gone to Dartmouth in at least the past 10 years, but there have been 2 Harvard students in the past 4 years and 1 Yale.

So no one around me really knows if these stats are adequate/ inadequate, so I’m asking internet people to be brutally honest

[1dadinNC]

If I were you, I’d flip and try to go as public policy or journalism major and biophysical chem minor. The narrative will match better with your ECs. This is just my opinion.

Dartmouth and schools of that ilk will look for a Wow factor. They are need blind too so what you can pay is inconsequential versus some other cough top schools.

I recommend you listen to the podcast series by Provost Coffin to get a sense of what they are looking for.

https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/follow/thesearch

[Publisher]

Under the assumption that applying TO will not harm your chances, you should be a competitive candidate for admission to Dartmouth College.

[Pathnottaken]

I think that all sounds like things that make you a great candidate for Dartmouth.

It sounds like you are a wonderful writer. They value the essays heavily in their holistic process, so I am sure you will shine there.

That said, statistically there are many with similar stats and ECs, so it becomes a bit of a game of chance at that point.

[happy1]

You are certainly a viable candidate but Dartmouth should be considered a reach for any unhooked applicant.

[2Devils]

What is your class rank, or estimate if you do not know? High schools send profiles that often indicate overall gpa breakdown in the class, so even if they don’t “rank” officially, colleges will be able to figure out where you stand.

What other APs did you take? scores on each?
Was it APPhysics1 or 2 or C?
What is your senior course load?
How does your course selection compare to others in the top group of your class? Dartmouth and similar top schools want to see you have challenged yourself and taken the hardest courses available/highest rigor compared to peers .