Dickinson College (DC) Academics and Admissions

Academics

Founded in 1783, Dickinson College (DC) is a private liberal arts college located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Being the 16th oldest college in the United States, it has more than 40 undergraduate majors with an emphasis on international studies. It also has more than 40 study-abroad programs in 24 countries on six continents and offers 13 modern language programs. The most popular majors at this school are Social Sciences, Foreign Languages, English, Biology, Business, and History. Other popular programs include Astronomy, Bioinformatics, Chinese, Latin American studies, and military science. Pre-professional programs at this College include ministry, law, medicine, journalism, business, and binary engineering.

DC offers very small class sizes. It also has special academic options that include double majors, student-designed majors, honors programs, independent study, and independent research. This school was recognized as one of the best National Liberal Arts Colleges in the 2011 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges.

Most Popular Fields of Study

Information Summary

Ranks 9th in Pennsylvania and 49th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	97.2
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$71,339
Admission Success rate	N/A
SAT 75%ile scores	1365
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	10 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	92% / N/A
Enrollment Total (all students)	2,399

Admissions

Admission is more selective. Applicants can use the common application and there is a non-refundable application fee. Applicants must submit official transcripts, letters of recommendation, and an essay, but standardized testing is optional.

Transfer students, home-schooled students, and international students may need to use different procedures, so they should refer to the website or contact the Office of Admissions for more information about the admissions process.

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Financial Aid

This is a wide variety of financial aid programs available. The majority of students who apply for financial aid receive some form of state, federal, private or institutional financial assistance. Forms of aid that are available for students include grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study. A limited number of institutional scholarships and waivers are also available. All students who wish to be considered for financial aid must complete the CSS Profile, as well as, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Profile should be completed in December and the FAFSA should be submitted as soon as possible after January 1st for the upcoming academic year. If selected for verification, students will also need to complete a Federal Verification Worksheet and/or additional documents. Students are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office for more information and assistance with completing the financial aid application process.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 4340th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Pennsylvania.

Students

Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and some seniors are required to live on campus, but housing options differ by class standing. Freshmen are assigned to dormitories, while sophomores and juniors live in suite-style housing. Seniors can choose to either live in campus apartments or apply to move off campus. Freshmen can also sign up for a learning community, which is a group of students with a shared interest who live and take at least two of the same classes together. Meal plans are required, but there are three plans that students can choose from. Most students claim to love the food, which is ranked high nationally.

There are 7 computer labs as well as two 24-hour computer labs. Wireless internet access is also available. There is one extensive library with four separate “reading rooms.” Popular places to hang out on campus include the Quarry Café and the HUB lower level student lounge. The Quarry had pool tables and board games, and movies are usually shown in Dana Hall on Friday and Saturday nights. The Campus Activities Board sponsors many weekend events that include concerts, dances, comedy shows, magic shows, and laser tag games. These events always include free food. Parties are generally hosted by the Greek organizations, but the school is very strict about underage drinking.

Dickinson students have more than 130 student clubs and organizations that they can participate in, including twelve fraternities and sororities. There are other Greek organizations as well. Greek life is a huge part of student life at Dickinson. Almost 25% of the college’s students join a Greek organization.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

DC’s Red Devils participate in the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference. The school’s colors are red, white, and black. The school has a particularly competitive rivalry with Franklin and Marshall College. Dickinson has 23 varsity sports teams that compete in baseball, men’s and women’s riding, men’s and women’s basketball, football, softball, men’s and women’s track, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s lacrosse, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, and women’s field hockey. The College also has a cheerleading squad and dozens of intramural and club sports that include men’s volleyball, ice hockey, soccer, badminton, lacrosse, and ultimate frisbee. One of Dickinson’s most legendary athletic achievements is the 1958 men’s lacrosse team’s national title and Roy Taylor Division championship.

Local Community

The campus town of Carlisle is a quiet, historic community located about 2 hours from Philadelphia and 30 minutes from Harrisburg. There are interesting stores and many great restaurants and cafés that students frequent, but there isn’t much of a nightlife, other than a few bars. However, the college is working with the community to revitalize the town. Students often shop at the huge Wal-Mart or go to the nice movie theater in town. To get around town, students may rent from the college’s small fleet of red bicycles. There are other universities that are just a short drive away.

Dickinson College