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Summary
Dickinson College is a private institution that was founded in 1783. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,397, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 120 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Dickinson College's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 46. Its tuition and fees are $44,551 (2012-13).
Only a few days after the Revolutionary War came to a close, Dickinson College was chartered in Carlisle, Pa. Today, Dickinson students have more than 130 student clubs and organizations to choose from, including about a dozen fraternities and sororities. About a quarter of all students join a Greek organization. The Dickinson Red Devils compete in the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference, and the school has a particularly competitive rivalry with Franklin and Marshall College in nearby Lancaster, Pa. Intramural sports, like sand volleyball and badminton, are a popular draw for students, too. Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and some seniors must live on campus, though housing options differ by class standing: first-year students are assigned to dormitories, sophomores and juniors live in suites, and seniors can either move into campus apartments or apply to move off campus. Freshmen also have the option to register for a learning community, a group of students with a similar interest who live and take at least two of the same classes together. The campus town of Carlisle is a historic community of 20,000 residents, and has been recognizes as very livable and family friendly by Forbes magazine. To get around town, students may rent from a small fleet of college-owned, red bicycles. The campus is 25 miles away from the state’s capital, Harrisburg; 95 miles from Baltimore; and 125 miles from Philadelphia. For a semester or a year away from Carlisle, students can choose from more than 40 study abroad programs, many of which are led by Dickinson faculty.
The Dickinson School of Law is now affiliated with Penn State University and has moved to University Park, Pa., but Dickinson undergraduates can still benefit from the professional institution. Students can take an accelerated track toward earning a law degree, completing three years at Dickinson College and three years at the Dickinson School of Law at Penn State. Other joint master’s degree programs include an accelerated Bachelor of Science degree from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, a 13.5 month program following three years at Dickinson College, and a guaranteed scholarship of at least $10,000 to any Dickinson student admitted to the highly ranked William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Rochester. Distinguished graduates of Dickinson College include U.S. Representative Bill Shuster (Pa.) and New York Times reporter Jennifer Haigh.
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Dickinson College, founded in 1773, is a highly selective, private residential liberal-arts college known for its innovative curriculum. Its mission is to offer students a useful education in the arts and sciences that will prepare them for lives as engaged citizens and leaders. The 120-acre campus (90-acre main campus, including a 30-acre recreational area close by, and a 180-acre farm six miles from campus)is located in the heart of historic Carlisle, Pa. The college offers 42 majors with an emphasis on international studies, has more than 40 study-abroad programs in 24 countries on six continents and offers 13 modern languages. Exceptional curricular strengths include global education and environmental sustainability. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1783 |
| Religious affiliation | No Religious Affiliation |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | suburban |
| 2011 Endowment | $326,551,024 |
Applying
When applying to Dickinson College, it's important to note the application deadline is February 1, and the early action deadline and the early decision deadline are December 1 and November 15, respectively. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due February 1. The application fee at Dickinson College is $65. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 41.9 percent and an early acceptance rate of 45.9 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 41.9% |
| Application deadline | February 1 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | February 1 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Dickinson College is 10:1, and the school has 73.6 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Dickinson College include: International Business/Trade/Commerce; Political Science and Government, General; Economics, General; International Relations and Affairs; and Psychology, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 91.0 percent.
Student Life
Dickinson College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,397, with a gender distribution of 44.2 percent male students and 55.8 percent female students. At this school, 94.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 6.0 percent of students live off campus. Dickinson College is part of the NCAA III athletic conference.
| Total enrollment | 2,397 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA III |
Campus Info & Services
Dickinson College offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. Dickinson College also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Dickinson College, 41 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Dickinson College.
| Students who have cars on campus | 41% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Dickinson College, 55.4 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $29,363.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Tuition and fees | $44,551 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $11,178 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
