Together We Can by Dartmouth Admissions

Together We Can Students share their perspectives on being and belonging at Dartmouth

Let’s be honest. No college is the right fit for every

student, and Dartmouth is no exception. But if you want to celebrate your identity, carve out your own individual path, immerse yourself in audacious ideas, and find community with people who share these aspirations, keep reading. We’ve brought together a group of students to share their honest perspectives on Dartmouth. They are a diverse group—first generation, low-income, and LGBTQ+ students. Under-represented students of color and those from very urban and very rural areas. Students from the West Coast, East Coast, and no coast at all. One last thing, and it’s an important one. If finances are a concern, set that worry aside. We’ve worked hard to be able to say this, and we mean it: Dartmouth meets the full demonstrated need of every single one of its admitted students.

On the cover: Maya Perkins ’20

Who you’ll meet inside. Angel Aguilar ’22 Miami, FL Government + Geography + Sociology Minor

Chase Alvarado-Anderson ’23 El Paso, TX Astronomy + Pre-Med

Natalie Dokken ’23 Daytona, FL Biology + Film & Media Studies

Angeline Janumala ’22 Bronx, NY Quantitative Social Science + Government + Digital Arts Minor

Chelsea-Starr Jones ’23 Charlotte, NC Pre-Med + Biology + Public Policy Minor

Robin Martinez ’23 Annapolis, MD Computer Science + Economics

Amanda McIntyre ’22 Chicago, IL African and African American Studies + Sociology

Manuel Patino ’22 East Boston, MA Neuroscience + Spanish

Diego Perez ’23 El Paso, TX Government + Romance Languages

Andrew Sosanya ’20 Newark, NJ Physics + Government, modified with Artificial Intelligence

Juan Quinonez Zepeda ’22 Coldwater, MS Geography + Education Minor

Professor of Government and Mitsui Professor of Japanese Studies Yusaku Horiuchi works with students in Dartmouth’s collaborative Berry Innovation Classroom.

This is what I was looking for. “During my college search, I made sure to focus on schools that would support the various aspects of myself. I wanted to go to a college where I could get a great education, and also where my creative side would be stimulated.” Chelsea-Starr Jones ’23

“I sought out small, liberal arts colleges where the focus was on the undergraduate student and where professors would know me by name. I didn’t just want to be a random face in the classroom.” Juan Quinonez Zepeda ’22

“Like many low-income students, I lived in a household where I had a lot of responsibilities and never felt like I had the space to explore who I was and who I wanted to be. I needed a college where I could find myself.” Natalie Dokken ’23

“I was looking for an institution “I looked for a college known that was flexible on academic for creating strong, accepting requirements and encouraged communities.” students to step out of their Robin Martinez ’23 academic comfort zones. I’ve always wanted to study a little bit of everything. I was looking for a college that not only offered outstanding academics, but also excelled in guiding undergraduates through finding their calling.” Angel Aguilar ’22

There’s no such thing as

4,170

UNDERGRADUATES

US STATES REPRESENTED CLASS OF ’24

COUNTRIES REPRESENTED CLASS OF ’24

TRIBAL NATIONS REPRESENTED CLASS OF ’24

the Dartmouth type.

LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME CLASS OF ’24

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF COLOR CLASS OF ’24

FIRST GENERATION TO COLLEGE CLASS OF ’24

Pictured: During each fall’s twilight ceremony, members of the senior class symbolically pass the flame to first-year students.

FINANCIAL AID RECIPIENTS CLASS OF ’24

Community—I could feel

Pictured: A skating study break on Occom Pond, home to walks, pond hockey, the Dartmouth Outing Club house, Polar Bear Swim, and Winter Carnival.

“When I visited, I knew Dartmouth was the place for me. I felt very welcome and could sense that members of Dartmouth’s community genuinely wanted to be there. Unlike other schools I’d visited, Dartmouth didn’t attempt to sell a false sense of perfection.” Amanda McIntyre ’22

“I applied through the QuestBridge Match Program without knowing much about Dartmouth. I actually ended up applying because of the sense of kindness from the Admissions Office. I’ve found great communities everywhere I turn at Dartmouth. I have not experienced one day where I’ve felt out of place.” Diego Perez ’23

“For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’ve found people that I can be 100% myself with and friends who want to grow with me. They’re silly and funny like me and are also just as motivated to succeed academically.” Chelsea-Starr Jones ’23

it right away.

“Like many elite colleges, Dartmouth is many things at once. It is divisive and challenging, just as much as it is inclusive, diverse, and educational. There is a space for you, no matter your background.” Natalie Dokken ’23

“You should apply to Dartmouth even if you don’t think it’s for people like you. When it comes to Dartmouth, there is no preferred background. The experience is what you make it.” Andrew Sosanya ’20

“I was surprised by just how strong and multifaceted the Dartmouth community is. We respect each other, and we are the first to stand up when something is wrong. We are dedicated to solving problems and making positive impacts within our community and outside it.” Angeline Janumala ’22

You can af ford it. We did.

“I was able to get funding through the Women in Science Project (WISP) my very first year to do research in a biology lab.” Chelsea-Starr Jones ’23

“As a low-income, first-generation college student, I’ve had an amazing experience with financial aid at Dartmouth. Despite my family’s inability to pay for my education, I have been able to do everything you’d expect from the Dartmouth College experience—from First-Year Trips to snowboarding. Dartmouth promises to cover all demonstrated need, and they take that promise very seriously. Personally, I could not have attended college without that financial aid. My family had no savings. Dartmouth understands that this is the case for many students and does not take your ability to pay into account while making your admissions decision.” Robin Martinez ’23

“If your annual household income is below $125K [with typical assets], Dartmouth is committed to paying full tuition, which is pretty amazing. I knew that if I was somehow accepted, my financial aid would be stellar.” Manuel Patino ’22

“One of my favorite things about Dartmouth is never being excluded from opportunities I wouldn’t normally have access to. For example, I worked with my Black sorority to plan our annual People of Color Ski Day—30 students went skiing and were given lessons free of charge. I also am a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, which grants me access to financial assistance for independent research, mentoring, insight into applying for graduate school, test prep, and so much more. Dartmouth’s resources and financial aid have greatly enhanced my experiences as a student. The sky truly is the limit here.” Amanda McIntyre ’22

“Financial aid helped me study abroad in South Africa, allowed me to do non-profit work in Manhattan, and has sent me to the Middle-East. At Dartmouth, I’ve never had to worry about securing funding for adventures.” Andrew Sosanya ’20

1 GRANTS, NOT LOANS

Full-tuition guarantee for families earning $125,000 or less with typical assets.

TALK TO US

HIGH-VALUE SCHOOL

We want to hear your concerns. Let’s talk through them together.

We rank as one of the best value schools in the nation—and among the most affordable.

AID IN ACTION

ALL IN

Our financial aid travels with you, wherever in the world your Dartmouth opportunities take you.

We meet 100% of your demonstrated need—regardless of citizenship. That includes the basics, plus all the extras.

There are many ways to make it work.

Pictured: Earth Sciences students trek through remote southwestern canyons during The Stretch, one of Dartmouth’s most storied off-campus programs.

D-Plan With Dartmouth’s quarter system, you can choose when you’re on and off campus without compromising your education, research, or work experiences.

Here, it is all about you. “I’ve been able to study abroad in a subject I never would have studied in my day-to-day life. I’ve taken classes in Russian, geography, Japanese politics, and astrobiology. I’ve learned to make jewelry, plant tomatoes, and eat lots of haggis. I’ve organized social events for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and I’ve benefited immensely from the various identity-based communities I have access to as a student here.”

“I was surprised at just how involved and caring the professors have been in my academic, personal, and intellectual growth. Dartmouth professors truly care about the students. I recall my high school teachers telling me how their college professors did not take initiative to help them or even remember their names. Here at Dartmouth, the complete opposite occurs.”

Angeline Janumala ’22

Juan Quinonez Zepeda ’22

“The flexibility in choosing a major really shocked me. I entered Dartmouth as a geography major, but by the end of my sophomore year I wished I had chosen government. Turns out, I still had the opportunity to graduate as a double major and even add a sociology minor I’d been considering. The emphasis on the undergraduate experience is evident in the way professors, program directors, and the students themselves engage with one another to help you find your passion and excel in it. ”

“I have done so many things I never thought I would, from hiking nearly ten miles of the Appalachian Trail to writing articles about LGBTQ+ issues. I even landed a paid research position. I also figured out what courses interested me the most and am planning on double majoring in biology and film—a combination I never envisioned going into my first year of college. I am out of the closet, involved in activities I enjoy, and have found a second home a thousand miles away from the one I grew up in. I am happier than I have been in a very long time.”

Angel Aguilar ’22

7:1

STUDENT-TO-FACULTY RATIO

Natalie Dokken ’23

MAJORS + MINORS— OR CREATE YOUR OWN

200+ 80,000

EMPLOYERS WHO RECRUIT AT DARTMOUTH

YOUR ALUMNI NETWORK

Advice from students a few steps ahead of you. “Take that chance! You are more interesting and accomplished than you think. If I had doubted myself, I would not be at Dartmouth now, and I wouldn’t have had so many wonderful opportunities.” Chase Alvarado-Anderson ’23

“There is space for you on the Dartmouth campus, no matter your background. I attended a pre-orientation program specifically for first-generation and low-income students and made friends with my mentor and another student right away. They’re still among my closest friends. I feared I would struggle to make friends at Dartmouth, but that cannot be further from what transpired.”

“If you’re a high school student who is skeptical about applying to Dartmouth, I would encourage you to seek council from Dartmouth’s Financial Aid Office and all other offices linked to your concerns. I know it can be intimidating, but that is one of the best ways to navigate the college process. If you are concerned about fit, make a list of everything you are looking for, then compare how each college you are looking at Natalie Dokken ’23 scores on that list.” Juan Quinonez Zepeda ’22

“The orientation for new first-generation and low-income (FGLI) students introduced me to key resources and valuable networks. With programs like that, we are continually working towards eliminating anxiety and insecurity for our fellow students so those from marginalized backgrounds can tackle Dartmouth fearlessly and innovatively.”

“Before visiting, I was pretty reluctant to commit but when I did, I felt an amazing environment around me. I knew the people at Dartmouth would support me unconditionally. If you have any inkling of desire to apply, do it.” Manuel Patino ’22

Angeline Janumala ’22

Southward view of the Green from Baker Tower.

What’s next? Consider joining Andrew, Robin, Chase, Natalie, Diego, Angeline, Chelsea-Starr, Angel, Juan, Amanda, and Manuel at Dartmouth. Here’s where you’ll find us. dartgo.org/ togetherwecan

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Dartmouth Hall in fall.