Admissions Essay Guidelines

Following the Supreme Court Affirmative Action decision our essay policy has changed: The Guarini School requires two personal statements and the MALS supplemental form allows applicants to submit two optional essays as well. Please reach out with any questions you may have regarding this change. 

Guarini School Required Essays

These are your required personal statments.

Statement 1
The Guarini School values intellectual curiosity and passion for discovery. Please write a brief essay describing your motivation and preparation for pursuing a graduate degree at Dartmouth, what research interests or advanced topics excite you the most, and how a graduate degree will further your career goals. Be sure to describe any relevant research experience(s) and/or academic preparation that might not be detailed elsewhere in your application. (1000 words max)

 

Statement 2
The Guarini School is committed to a climate that acknowledges and embraces diversity of perspectives and backgrounds, supporting a culture that fosters inclusion and actively pursues equity. Our commitment is driven by a belief that differences of opinions, experiences, identities, and perspectives are essential to building a stronger community. We encourage you to share how your personal perspectives and unique life experiences will contribute to Dartmouth and the Guarini School community. Please feel free to share how any life experiences may have adversely affected your academic history. (500 words max)

MALS Supplemental Form Essays

In the MALS supplemental form there are two optional essays you can add to your application. One is the statment of academic purpose, where you can let us know what you are interested in studying while in the program. The other is where you are able to share any additonal information that you feel will explain to the committee what factors in your life outside of academics may have contributed to your academic successes or failures.