Dimensions of Dartmouth, known colloquially as Dimensions, is the College’s admitted students program — meant to give prospective and incoming freshmen a glimpse into a day in the life of a Dartmouth undergraduate. Last year, as I was struggling to make a decision between Dartmouth and another institution, I attended Dimensions to help me make up my mind.
I was truly captivated by how the campus community welcomed me with open arms. I felt as though I was a part of the College, even though I hadn’t committed yet. It was amazing to be surrounded by so many people who were not only extremely talented, but also kind and genuine. Very shortly after leaving campus that day, I decided to commit to Dartmouth, knowing I would have a community of people supporting me when I arrived in the fall.
During Dimensions, each prospective student — endearingly known as a “prospie” — is paired with a host, a current student who volunteers their time, and sometimes the floor of their dorm room, to give prospies a glimpse into Dartmouth student life.
David Rogers ’25 has been a Dimensions host since his freshman year. He volunteered as a day host in 2022 before becoming an overnight host for the past two years. After being admitted to Dartmouth in December 2020, Rogers was not able to participate in Dimensions, which was canceled in 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But in the years since, Rogers said he thought that hosting prospies could allow him to connect with potential incoming students and introduce them to the Dartmouth community.
“I think it’s a super fun opportunity to be someone’s relative first memory at Dartmouth, even though they aren’t an official student yet,” Rogers said.
In preparation for Dimensions, the Admissions Office solicits student volunteers to host a prospie, either for the day or overnight. When it comes to matching prospective students with hosts, the Admissions Office uses a portal where both parties can enter information about themselves, such as their interests and involvements, to get the best possible match, according to senior associate director of admissions Anna Dechert. While the office tries to match people with similar interests if they “have the time and capacity,” Dechert added that this does not always work out.
“Matching students by gender identity … is kind of the first thing, and then availability,” she said. “If there are other kind[s] of common interests, whether that’s academic or other interests, sometimes we have more capacity to do that, and sometimes we don’t.”
In 2023, the College hosted its first in-person Dimensions in four years, making the Class of 2027 the only class currently on campus to have experienced in-person Dimensions. Catherine Harnois ’27, who attended Dimensions last year before matriculating, said she enjoyed attending classes and taking tours. She said the experience ultimately prompted her to become a host this spring, as she hoped to provide a similar positive experience for the incoming class.
“I was already committed [when I attended Dimensions], but I think that coming here and being on campus with students and getting to go to classes — and seeing how students interact[ed] with each other — definitely made me more comfortable in my decision and confident that I wanted to come here,” Harnois said.
When she participated in the program, Harnois said she thought Dimensions was successful at showing students a “day in the life” of a Dartmouth student.
“I think [Dimensions] does a pretty good job, because [prospective students are] able to go to classes and then have … lunch when [their host goes] to lunch, and see what a Dartmouth student does in a day,” Harnois said.
Dimensions primarily curates its programming for prospies, with options including sitting in on classes that interest them and taking tours. However, potential new students also have plenty of time to explore campus and Hanover alongside their hosts outside the planned curriculum. In addition to taking his two prospies on a tour of the College, Michael Lu ’25 said he also connected them with his friends, who came from similar backgrounds or had shared interests.
“One of the prospies was from Texas, and specifically Houston, so I set them up with one of my friends who was from Houston who could talk to them about the transition from [Houston to Hanover] that I wasn’t so knowledgeable about,” Lu said.
Dechert said formal programming combined with blocks of unstructured time makes the Dimensions experience unique among peer institutions. According to Dechert, several other universities’ admitted students’ days primarily consist of large, formal and fully curated information sessions. By contrast, Dartmouth focuses on allowing prospies to have an “authentic interaction” with the community.
Tim Walters ’27, a Dimensions host this year, said having a more unstructured Dimensions schedule allows prospective students to imagine their lives at Dartmouth. He added that the support of the Dartmouth community also plays a major role in giving prospies a positive experience.
“It’s a great way of showing students what Dartmouth is actually like,” Walters said. “Everyone is so nice to you and everyone you meet is trying to offer advice and trying to help you out.”
Associate director of admissions and coordinator of Native/Indigenous outreach Steven Abbott also said the day-in-the-life format can provide prospies with “good ways” to get “as broad a perspective as [they] can.”
Though Dimensions provides opportunities for prospective students to engage with the Dartmouth community and build connections with both current students and potential classmates, there is always room for improvement. Lu said it would be helpful for prospies with similar interests to be placed in small groups. This strategy could help prospies make stronger connections while giving the hosts time to focus on non-Dimensions work, since it could be “boring for potential students” if the host has to take time to study in the library, Lu said.
Harnois added that offering more programming on the day before Dimensions officially begins — when prospective students arrive at their overnight hosts’ living spaces — would allow prospies to fully engage with Dartmouth from the moment they step foot on campus.
“I know not everyone was showing up [early], but just having more opportunities for the people who do come early [could be helpful],” Harnois said.
When asked what advice he would give to uncommitted prospective students, Rogers said they should try to envision themselves on campus and seek the most authentic Dartmouth experience possible.
“Just try to experience Dartmouth in all of its glory — and have fun, because that’s what Dartmouth is all about,” Rogers said. “Come to Dartmouth. You’re going to love it. It’s going to be an amazing time for you.”
For Lu, the people at Dartmouth are what make the College special. Both his older sister and his brother-in-law went to Dartmouth, so he grew up hearing positive anecdotes. Still, he said he didn’t understand the reason for the College’s reviews until he became a student.
“Why I really fell in love with Dartmouth [was] the people here,” he said. “I think the people that go to Dartmouth are particularly unique and … have a really positive energy. … They’re willing to go out of their way to host and help you with anything that you need.”
