Dickinson College was created explicitly for high purposes- to prepare young people, by means of a useful education in the liberal arts and sciences, for engaged lives of citizenship and leadership in the service of society. Founded by Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the College was chartered in 1783, just days after the conclusion of the American Revolution with the specific purpose of preparing the citizens and leaders who would ensure the success of the new democracy. It was to offer a distinctively original form of American education - one that was rigorously rooted in the traditional liberal arts and was, at the same time, innovative, forward-looking and ultimately useful. It was a revolutionary education designed for a revolutionary age.
As we face the challenges and complexities of the 21st century, Dickinson continues to seek direction from this revolutionary heritage within a contemporary context. A Dickinson education prepares its graduates to become the citizen leaders of their generation by incorporating a global vision that permeates the entire student experience, creating a community of inquiry that allows students to cross disciplinary boundaries and make new intellectual connections, and encouraging students to be enterprising and active by engaging their communities, the nation and the world.
Dickinson offers a liberal arts education that is distinctive in purpose and approach. Our founders intended Dickinson graduates to use their liberal arts education as a powerful agent of change to advance the lot of humankind. We expect no less today.
Dickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773 , Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the newly-recognized United States. Dickinson was founded by Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and named in honor of a signer of the Constitution, John Dickinson, the President of Pennsylvania. Dickinson College is America's 16th oldest college.
With over 180 full-time faculty members and an enrollment of nearly 2,400 students, Dickinson is known for its innovative curriculum and outstanding international education programs. Dickinson sponsors 12 study centers in other countries and its approach to global education has received national recognition from the American Council on Education and NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The college was among six institutions profiled in depth by NAFSA for "Outstanding Campus Internationalization" in 2003 The 42% acceptance rate for the Class of 2011 is Dickinson's lowest ever, and the College's nearly 6,000 applications put it amongst the top liberal arts colleges nationwide. In 2007 Dickinson's endowment topped $300 million, more than double its total from ten years before.
Dickinson College is not to be confused with the Dickinson School of Law, which abuts the campus but has not been associated with the college since the late 19th century. The law school merged with The Pennsylvania State University in 1997, and its students study at both the Carlisle and State College campuses. Dickinson is frequently mistaken for, yet has no relation to, Fairleigh Dickinson University, a private university in the state of New Jersey.
The Carlisle Grammar School was founded in 1773 as a frontier Latin school for the young men in western Pennsylvania. Within years Carlisle's elite, especially James Wilson and John Montgomery (delegate), were pushing for an expansion of the school into a college. In 1782 Benjamin Rush, a revolutionary leader and the preeminent physician in the new nation, met in Philadelphia with Montgomery on the porch of prominent businessman and politician William Bingham to discuss the founding of a frontier college in the town. It was in this conversation that the idea for the college was formed, and "Bingham's Porch" was long a rallying cry at Dickinson.
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| Percent of Students International: | 3% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 83% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | Yes |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Centennial Conference) Basketball (Centennial Conference) Baseball (Centennial Conference) Track (Centennial Conference) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 32,120 | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 31,800 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 320 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,546 | 11% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 2,869 | 11% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 17,026 | 57% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 3,931 | 56% | |
Any Aid: |
65% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 49% (Highly Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 70% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 600, Math: 600 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 700, Math: 680 |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 14% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 26, Verbal: 26, Math: 26 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 30, Verbal: 32, Math: 28 |
| Application Fee: | $ 60.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Recommended |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Recommended |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Required |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Required |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Not Required |
