To that end, we hope to become acquainted with you during the admissions process, getting to know you more fully than we could by simply reviewing your credentials. This does not mean you must visit the Dickinson campus. As much as we would love to have you visit, we are aware that this may not be easy for many international students. What it does mean is that throughout this process, we welcome you to contact us by phone, post or e-mail. By the time you are ready to make your decision about where to apply and where to enroll, we want you to know all about us and feel confident in your decisions as well.

To that end, we hope to become acquainted with you during the admissions process, getting to know you more fully than we could by simply reviewing your credentials. This does not mean you must visit the Dickinson campus. As much as we would love to have you visit, we are aware that this may not be easy for many international students. What it does mean is that throughout this process, we welcome you to contact us by phone, post or e-mail. By the time you are ready to make your decision about where to apply and where to enroll, we want you to know all about us and feel confident in your decisions as well.

Of course, your credentials are an important piece of the admissions decision. Between both the contact we make with each other throughout the application cycle and your application materials, we expect to gain a comprehensive impression of your personal and academic qualifications for Dickinson. The credentials we carefully review include:

1.  Your application form, preferably the Common Application, can be completed and submitted online at <www.commonapp.org>. The Dickinson Supplement to the Common Application also is required and can be accessed and submitted online at the Common Application Web site. All application forms and support brochures can be found on our international-admissions Web site at www.dickinson.edu/international/intesforms.html.

2.  Your secondary-school academic record translated into English—the equivalent of ninth, 10th and 11th grade in the U.S. and ultimately your final year progress—is reviewed to determine the quality of your school and the courses you have taken. We expect you to follow a curriculum that would prepare you for university studies in a competitive university in your country. Typically,
this would be coursework such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or preparation for your A-level examinations or the most demanding classes available to you. 

3.  Your extracurricular activities, including leadership roles and awards related to these activities, help us begin to understand how you will contribute to our community. We look for evidence that you are willing to step outside of the classroom and make a contribution to your school, to your family and to your community. We are not looking for a long list of activities but for the quality of your commitment to these activities, the length of time you have been involved in them and whether you have assumed more responsibility over time.

4.  Your essays don’t just help us review your writing skills. The length and topic of your essays are not as important as whether we are able to get to know you better through these essays. We pay particular attention to your Dickinson supplement essay, as this helps us understand how you see your goals and interests fitting with our environment and what you intend to do with the opportunities a Dickinson education will provide.

5.  Recommendations, translated into English, from your guidance counselor, adviser or principal, and your two teacher recommendations allow the admissions committee to better understand how you are viewed in your school’s environment. These provide us with insight into your achievements, motivation and character. They should tell us how you are perceived by your instructors and your peers.

6.  SATs or ACTs are required if you intend to apply for financial aid. These also will be used to determine your eligibility for scholarships. More details for your area can be found at
<www.collegeboard.com> and <www.act.org>. Test sites usually are located at a main American or international high school or a U.S. educational advising center in your area. Register for a test date far enough in advance so that your score results can be submitted by your application deadline. Find more details at www.dickinson.edu/international/brochure_StandardTest.html.

7.  Online registration is available internationally for the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The online-registration service provides credit card processing and real-time seat assignment. By the end of the registration session, students receive their test date, test-center location, confirmation number and confirmation that the credit card has been accepted. Students can register online at <www.ets.org/register.html> or at <www.ets.org/toefl>.
We are looking for a TOEFL score of 250 or better on the computer-based test (100 or better on the Internet-based test and 600 or better on the paper-based test). We will review applications from students who achieve between 230 and 250 (89–100 on the Internet-based test and 570–600 on the paper-based test), but you should send additional information to support your fluency in the English language. In that case, a letter from an English teacher should be included with your application. You might also include a graded paper that was written in English as part of your studies. The TOEFL requirement can be waived if you score 600 or better on the Critical Reading section of the SATs.

8.  Because financial aid is available but very limited and competitive, your financial need is a consideration in the admissions process. To apply for financial aid, you must submit the International Student Financial Aid Application, which is available from the College Board at <www.collegeboard.com> and can be printed from our Web site at www.dickinson.edu/international/intesforms.html. 

9.  Finally, in support of your financial-aid application or to demonstrate your ability to fund your education (even if you are not applying for financial aid), you must submit the Declaration and Certification of Finances, which also is available on our Web site at <www.dickinson.edu/international/intesforms.html>. Please review the financial-aid brochure
to help you properly complete both of the financial forms mentioned in #8 and #9 at www.dickinson.edu/international/brochure_FinAid.html.

The policy of Dickinson College is to enroll a first-year class by selecting qualified candidates who will benefit from and contribute to the life of the college. Dickinson College is an intellectual and social community that values justice, free inquiry, diversity and equal opportunity. It is a fundamental policy of the college to respect pluralism and to promote tolerance, civility and mutual understanding within its community. The college does not discriminate on such bases as race, color, sex, political and religious beliefs, marital status, age, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origins, veteran’s status or disability.