Dartmouth Merit Aid

1. Assuming a top GPA or test score earns an academic scholarship at Dartmouth.+

   Dartmouth is explicit on its aid pages: 'Dartmouth scholarship funds are all based on financial need.' and 'We do not offer any aid based on academic merit, artistic talent, athletic ability or other criteria.' A high-stat student with no demonstrated need pays full sticker price, exactly like any other full-pay student.

2. Skipping outside scholarship applications because 'Dartmouth will just take it back.'+

   Outside awards first replace the student's leave-term earnings, employment expectation, and any optional loan — that portion is genuinely additive to the student. Only the amount that exceeds the replaceable self-help reduces the Dartmouth Scholarship grant. Small-to-moderate outside awards usually help the student's bottom line.

3. Comparing Dartmouth's sticker price to a merit school's net price without running the need calculation first.+

   Dartmouth meets 100% of demonstrated need with no required loans. For a family with real demonstrated need, Dartmouth's actual net price can land below schools that advertise large merit awards. Run Dartmouth's net price calculator before concluding it is unaffordable.

Families whose income and assets generate meaningful demonstrated need on Dartmouth's calculation — those families get a no-loan package that covers 100% of need. Merit-hunters expecting an academic, talent, or athletic discount should look elsewhere; a high GPA or test score earns no price reduction here.

Outside scholarships first replace a student's leave-term earnings, employment expectation, and any optional loan. Only amounts that exceed those reduce the Dartmouth Scholarship dollar-for-dollar; they never reduce the calculated Parent Contribution.

Because Dartmouth packages need with student employment and grant (no required loan), outside awards first erase the self-help/employment expectation. A modest outside scholarship therefore tends to be additive to the student's pocket. Larger outside awards that exceed the replaceable self-help portion then reduce the Dartmouth Scholarship grant dollar-for-dollar.

Source

• Does Dartmouth give academic or merit scholarships?

  No. Dartmouth states plainly that 'Dartmouth scholarship funds are all based on financial need' and that 'We do not offer any aid based on academic merit, artistic talent, athletic ability or other criteria.' Every dollar of Dartmouth institutional aid is awarded on demonstrated financial need.

• How is financial aid determined at Dartmouth?

  Aid is determined solely by need — income and asset information from the student and parents, without regard to academic merit, test scores, athletic ability, or other talents. Dartmouth's published commitment is that its financial aid 'covers 100% of the demonstrated need of all its students,' with no required student loans in the package.

• Are there any non-need scholarships at all for undergraduates?

  No undergraduate institutional merit, talent, or athletic scholarships exist at Dartmouth. (Some graduate and professional programs do offer merit aid, but that is separate from undergraduate admission.) Outside scholarships from third parties are allowed and encouraged, but Dartmouth itself awards only need-based aid.

• Will winning an outside scholarship cost me my Dartmouth aid?

  Outside scholarships first replace your leave-term earnings, employment expectation, and any optional loan — that part helps you. Only amounts that exceed what Dartmouth can replace 'will reduce Dartmouth Scholarship dollar-for-dollar,' and they can never reduce your calculated Parent Contribution.

• Does Dartmouth meet full demonstrated need?

  Yes. Dartmouth states its financial aid 'covers 100% of the demonstrated need of all its students,' and qualifying students receive a package that never includes a required student loan — need is met with student employment plus grant/scholarship funding.

• New Hampshire merit aid — New Hampshire public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
• Tulane merit aid — Louisiana private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
• Wake Forest merit aid — North Carolina private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
• Case Western Reserve merit aid — Ohio private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.

• Dartmouth scholarship stacking — Whether outside awards land as upside or quietly displace institutional aid.
• Does Dartmouth displace outside scholarships? — The dollar math on a $5,000 outside award, plus peer schools that handle it differently.