Was your child recently waitlisted to the Dartmouth College Class of 2029? If so, you might be wondering if it’s time to cut bait. Perhaps you have the nagging suspicion that the waitlist is akin to a rejection. Spoiler alert: it’s not! As the historical data shows, Dartmouth regularly accepts students off its waitlist. So, what exactly are your child’s chances of earning admission to Dartmouth after being waitlisted, and how can they optimize their odds? Let’s dive in!

Dartmouth College’s Waitlist Acceptance Rates and Statistics

The below is Dartmouth’s waitlist data for the Class of 2028 through 2008, covering 21 years of waitlist statistics for the College on the Hill. This data is drawn from the figures Dartmouth self-reported to The Common Data Set.

Dartmouth College Class Year	Number of Students Waitlisted to Dartmouth	Number of Students Who Chose to Join Dartmouth Waitlist	Number of Students Accepted Off Dartmouth Waitlist	Dartmouth Waitlist Acceptance Rate
Dartmouth Class of 2029	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
Dartmouth Class of 2028	2,589	2,189	29	1.32%
Dartmouth Class of 2027	2,352	1,606	0	0%
Dartmouth Class of 2026	3,933	2,753	121	4.4%
Dartmouth Class of 2025	2,661	1,945	95	4.88%
Dartmouth Class of 2024	2,151	1,381	0	0%
Dartmouth Class of 2023	1,925	1,292	0	0%
Dartmouth Class of 2022	2,021	1,345	0	0%
Dartmouth Class of 2021	2,064	1,352	16	1.18%
Dartmouth Class of 2020	1,852	963	129	13.4%
Dartmouth Class of 2019	1,855	1,133	0	0%
Dartmouth Class of 2018	1,691	970	87	8.97%
Dartmouth Class of 2017	1,736	814	82	10.07%
Dartmouth Class of 2016	1,983	1,047	91	8.69%
Dartmouth Class of 2015	1,745	1,027	25	2.43%
Dartmouth Class of 2014	1,532	927	81	8.74%
Dartmouth Class of 2013	1,568	883	41	4.64%
Dartmouth Class of 2012	1,381	797	0	0%
Dartmouth Class of 2011	1,166	669	36	5.38%
Dartmouth Class of 2010	1,200	700	16	2.29%
Dartmouth Class of 2009	1,275	790	24	3.04%
Dartmouth Class of 2008	1,296	840	54	6.43%

Your Chances of Admission to Dartmouth After Being Waitlisted

Over the last 21 admissions cycles (from 2024 through 2003), Dartmouth’s average waitlist acceptance rate has been 4.09% — only slightly lower than the school’s overall admission rate the last few years.

But, of course, Dartmouth’s waitlist acceptance rate can vary rather significantly, depending on the year. After all, there are some years — like for the Dartmouth Classes of 2012, 2019, 2022-2024, and 2027 — in which Dartmouth does not turn to its waitlist. Yet there are other years — like for the Dartmouth Classes of 2014, 2016, and 2020 — in which Dartmouth admits relatively high percentages of students out of limbo.

It all revolves around a single figure: Dartmouth’s yield (or the percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll). The higher Dartmouth’s yield, the lower the likelihood they reach deep into their waitlist.

As we tell our students at Ivy Coach, there are some things you can control, and there are some things you can’t. How far Dartmouth will reach down its waitlist for the Class of 2029 is not in a student’s control. But how they approach the waitlist is entirely in their control.

Your Chances of Admission to Dartmouth After Being Waitlisted with Ivy Coach’s Help

Over the last 10 years, around 44% of students who first come to Ivy Coach after being placed on the Dartmouth waitlist earn admission. It’s a figure we’re incredibly proud of, and, in fact, in some circles, Ivy Coach is known as “The Dartmouth Whisperer.” Bo knows baseball. Ivy Coach knows Dartmouth.

So why does Ivy Coach have such success with Dartmouth’s waitlist? It boils down to Ivy Coach’s tried and true method of optimizing a student’s chances for admission after being placed in limbo. That two-step process is as follows:

1. Complete Ivy Coach’s PostMortem application review. We must see what a student did right and what they did wrong. The narrative we help craft can’t be out of left field. Rather, it needs to be consistent with the story conveyed in The Common Application and Dartmouth supplement — just told much more compellingly.
2.  Submit a compelling Letter of Continued Interest. Most students know they should submit a letter after being placed in limbo to earn admission. And most know they should do so promptly. But most students send the wrong kind of letter. Ivy Coach’s letters to Dartmouth contain no brags or updates. It’s a big reason why they’re so successful. We inspire Dartmouth admissions officers to go to bat for our students!

Getting Started with Ivy Coach on Dartmouth Waitlist

If you’re interested in optimizing your case for admission off Dartmouth College’s waitlist to the Class of 2029 with former Dartmouth admissions officer Ben Schwartz of Ivy Coach, fill out Ivy Coach’s complimentary consultation form and indicate that Dartmouth has waitlisted you. We’ll contact you in short order. We understand that time is of the essence and that your letter needs to go to Dartmouth immediately.