Dartmouth Success: Master the D-Plan & Hanover Academics
December 3, 2024 • 11 min read
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