I
’ve been an admissions officer and a dean for many years, and during that long run I’ve learned my crystal ball is not always reliable. A year ago, I never imagined that the historic pool of applicants we received was a pandemic possibility until I was awash in it. Can that recent history repeat itself? It seems possible, maybe even likely. While a return to the pre-pandemic admissions landscape is slowly taking shape—outside-only tours resumed in Hanover in mid-July—most of the admissions variables that defined 2020-21 remain the same. Zoom continues to be the recruitment platform of the day, optional testing policies have been extended for a second admissions cycle, and a higher than usual degree of uncertainty persists. That’s a recipe for another big applicant pool. Last year’s historic application volume grabbed headlines, but that storyline missed an important point. The volume was paired with quality. The queue of candidates who sought admission to Dartmouth’s Class of 2025 was as talented as it was long. As dean and as an admission officer, it was humbling to consider it. As admission officers, we danced among superlatives. The resulting selectivity was an unavoidable byproduct of college admissions, especially on the extreme ends of its spectrum. I work at one of those extremes, where there are roughly 25 applicants for every seat in the class. The odds might be challenging, but that arithmetic is not impossible. As an applicant, you retain the agency to see a match between a college—maybe this college—and you. You control the opportunity to introduce yourself, to tell your story in whatever way feels right to you. To borrow a useful Zoom command, unmute yourself! Believe in the possible. Do your best to position yourself in a competitive way and know that our holistic review will absorb the many dimensions you represent. Despite what the math suggests, my colleagues and I work towards yes as often as we can. We meet those yesses, one by one, on their own terms. And there is joy in saying yes, just as there is joy in hearing it. Bottom line: the size of a college’s applicant pool should not be a reason to ignore an opportunity, and no matter the odds, yes remains a possibility. If that possibility inspires you, pursue it!
2 | admissions.dartmouth.edu
Lee A. Coffin Vice Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid
PHOTOGRAPH BY DON HAMERMAN
“ If something matters to you, pursue it. Believe it is possible.”