Founded in 1769, Dartmouth College is a member of the Ivy League that has consistently ranked among the U.S. top academic institutions. As a private institution located in Hanover, New Hampshire, Dartmouth consists of a liberal arts college, the Geisel School of Medicine, the Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences. Incorporated as the "Trustees of Dartmouth College," it is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution. With an undergraduate enrollment of 4,194 and a total student enrollment of 6,144, Dartmouth is the smallest university in the Ivy League. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar.

The Carnegie Foundation has classified Dartmouth as a university with "very high research activity." More than 50 percent of students participate in the many off-campus programs offered in more than 20 countries around the world. Distinguished Dartmouth alumni include Theodor Geisel (well known as Dr. Seuss), creator of the television show "Grey's Anatomy" Shonda Rhimes and former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner.

Dartmouth College offers a wide range of student activities with nearly 25 percent of students participating in Dartmouth's NCAA Division I varsity sports. More than 90 percent of students live in on-campus housing, which includes residence halls, fraternity and sorority houses, college-approved coeds and undergraduate societies. Approximately 60 percent of students are members of Greek organizations, which serve as the hubs of social life at Dartmouth. The Outing Club—the oldest and largest collegiate outing club in the country—is the most popular student organization at Dartmouth, offering outdoor activities, expeditions, gear rentals and courses.