Dartmouth is the smallest Ivy, and it leans into that identity hard. With just over 4,000 undergrads tucked into the woods of rural New Hampshire, this is the Ivy for people who want a tight-knit community, serious academics, and the kind of school spirit that other Ivies pretend they're too cool for. (Spoiler: Dartmouth is not too cool for anything.)
The D-Plan—Dartmouth's unique quarter system—means you can spend a term studying abroad, doing research, or interning without falling behind. It's wildly flexible and lets students build a four-year experience that looks nothing like the standard path. Greek life is a bigger part of the social fabric here than at any other Ivy, which is either a pro or a con depending on who you ask.
Hanover is gorgeous but isolated. If you need a city to feel alive, this probably isn't your place. But if you're the kind of person who'd rather go skiing between classes or kayak on the Connecticut River than fight for a table at a Brooklyn brunch spot, Dartmouth might be exactly right. The acceptance rate hovers around 6%, and the school looks for students who are genuinely enthusiastic—about learning, about community, about showing up.