Dartmouth College offers an Ivy League education with unique characteristics: the D-Plan quarter system, mandatory sophomore summer, and remote New Hampshire location. This combination creates an intimate academic community with flexible scheduling but requires adaptation to fast-paced quarters and rural campus life.

Understanding the D-Plan

Dartmouth's year-round quarter system (D-Plan) is unique. Students take classes during fall, winter, spring, and summer terms, with mandatory sophomore summer on campus. This flexibility enables off-quarter internships and study abroad.

D-Plan Requirements:

• Freshman Fall & Sophomore Summer: Required on campus
• Senior Spring: Required on campus
• 9 Total Terms: Choose when to take remaining 6 terms
• 3 Terms Off: Use for internships, research, travel, study abroad
• Flexible Scheduling: Take fall off for internship, winter for ski season, etc.

D-Plan Strategic Advantages:

Take internships when competition is lower (spring/winter vs. summer). Study abroad without missing campus activities. Spread out difficult courses across multiple terms. Graduate early or take gap terms.

Quarter System Study Strategies

10-week quarters move incredibly fast. Material covered in 15 weeks at semester schools happens in 10 weeks at Dartmouth.

Quarter System Success:

• Week 1: Syllabus, intro material—already need to start studying
• Week 5: Midterms—halfway through term already
• Week 9-10: Finals—term ends quickly
• Generate flashcards immediately: Can't afford to fall behind even one week
• Use AI tools: Speed up study material creation to match pace

Dartmouth's Tight-Knit Community

Hanover, New Hampshire is remote (2 hours from Boston). This isolation creates unusually close community bonds.

Community Features:

• Residential house system
• Strong alumni network ("Dartmouth mafia")
• Outdoor club (largest in US)
• Greek life (60% participation)

Study Resources:

• Academic Skills Center tutoring
• Writing Center support
• Baker-Berry Library
• AI flashcard generators

Surviving Hanover Winters

Hanover winters are brutal (November-March). Successful students adapt to cold and darkness.

Winter Survival Tips:

• Invest in quality winter gear immediately
• Use library and study spaces to avoid outdoor commuting
• Generate digital flashcards to study anywhere warm
• Join winter activities (skiing, skating) for mental health
• Consider taking winter term off (D-Plan flexibility)

Your Dartmouth Success Plan

Excel at Dartmouth by mastering the quarter system pace and leveraging D-Plan flexibility.

✓ Generate flashcards for fast-paced quarters

✓ Create practice questions quickly

✓ Build comprehensive study guides

✓ Adapt to 10-week term intensity

Create Dartmouth Study Materials →

Dartmouth Success: Master the D-Plan & Hanover Academics