I am not going to tell you whether Dickinson College is “the right one” for your family. No article can decide that. What I can do is show you very clearly what kind of school it is, where it stands compared with similar schools, and which questions you still need to ask the college directly.
What Kind of School Dickinson College Is
Let’s start with the basics, because the basics matter more than they may seem.
Dickinson College is a private, nonprofit, four-year college focused on the arts and sciences. Carnegie—the system that classifies colleges in this country—describes it as a small, undergraduate, highly residential school: at least half of its degree-seeking students live in housing owned, controlled, or affiliated with the institution, and at least 80 out of every 100 attend full time. Carnegie also places it in its more selective admissions group. That label does not tell you how many out of every hundred applicants get in—we will look at that number later—but it does tell you what kind of environment it offers: a campus where most students live and study full time, not a commuter school.
The highest degree level it reports offering is a master’s degree, although the bulk of its work is at the bachelor’s level. That does not mean your child’s major has a direct undergraduate-to-graduate pathway here; that must be verified program by program.
It is in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in Cumberland County, within the Harrisburg-Carlisle metropolitan area. Being in a metropolitan area does not mean the campus is in the center of a large city, and the census designation placing it “in a city” tells you where it is, not how to get there. If your child were considering living at home, the only way to know whether that is realistic is to drive the route on a weekday at the exact time of their classes. A map almost never tells the whole truth.
One point worth understanding clearly: Dickinson College is not listed as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges and universities in this federal directory, 138 have at least one of those three designations; this one does not. That says nothing about which students it serves or how your child would feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist today, which student organizations are active, and what someone who already studies there has to say.
And before the sticker price scares or reassures you, do not make any decisions based on that number yet. Ask in writing how much your family would have to pay after scholarships and aid. That is the number you can actually compare across schools.
The Size of the School and Who Will Share the Classroom With Your Child
Dickinson College had 2,217 students enrolled in the official fall count, of whom 2,204 were undergraduates and only 13 were graduate students. It is primarily an undergraduate school and is medium-sized compared with similar selective private schools: neither among the largest nor the smallest, but right in the middle.
Now, who is in that classroom? Women account for 60 out of every 100 undergraduate students. Hispanic or Latino students account for 7 out of every 100—a small minority, and compared with 941 similar selective private schools, Dickinson ranks below the midpoint of the group. If your child will be one of the few Latino students on that campus, that does not make the school bad or disqualify it, but it is real information: ask which student groups and support services exist, and speak with a Latino student who already attends before deciding. The number shown here covers the entire school; your child’s experience in a specific major may look different.
Another fact worth keeping in mind: fewer than 25 out of every 100 first-time students—specifically, 22 out of every 100—were permanent residents of Pennsylvania. Most of their classmates will come from outside the state or the country. There is also little presence of adult students on campus: the percentage of students ages 25 to 64 rounds to zero, which means almost no one, not necessarily no one at all.
Being large does not mean more options, and being small does not mean more attention for your child. What you should always ask about is the specific major, not the school as a whole.
How the Academic Year Works and Which Degrees Are Awarded There
The academic calendar uses semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. In its official report, Dickinson College stated that it accepts credit for AP exams and did not indicate that it grants credit for life experience. It also stated that it enrolls high school students in college courses for credit outside a formal dual-enrollment program, treating them as regular students in those courses.
Saying that it accepts AP does not mean it grants credit for every exam at every score. This data does not tell us what score is required or whether those credits count toward your child’s specific major. Ask for a written equivalency evaluation before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
In one year, the school awarded 371 bachelor’s degrees across 17 broad fields of study. Social sciences awarded the most, accounting for only 20 out of every 100 degrees that year—no other field accounts for most of the total. Its offerings are distributed rather than dominated by a single major. But this counts degrees awarded in one year, not people or the current catalog of majors. Before deciding, ask directly about the exact major that interests your child: how many students graduate in it, how long they take, and what the complete curriculum looks like.
The student-to-instructional-staff ratio is 9 to 1—one of the lowest reported ratios, and compared with 941 similar schools, it falls in the bottom quartile, meaning it has relatively few students per full-time-equivalent instructor. That is a favorable sign, but a low ratio does not guarantee small classes. The number compares staff and students in full-time equivalents; it does not count seats in an actual classroom. If this matters to you, ask directly how many students are in first-year classes.
One Concrete Fact About Academic Opportunities
The institution reports study abroad as a structured academic opportunity. This is one specific data point and should be treated as such: confirm participation details, costs, and how it fits with your child’s major directly with the school.
How Admission Works: Requirements, Admissions, and Selectivity
This is where many families feel the most anxiety, so let’s proceed calmly and precisely.
Dickinson College does not have open admission. It reviews several elements before saying yes. Of the nine considerations covered by this report—not counting admissions tests or legacy status—it marks four as required: the high school transcript, high school GPA, completion of the required college-preparatory curriculum, and an English-language proficiency exam for applicants.
Other elements are not required but are considered if submitted: class rank, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, a formal sample of the applicant’s work such as a portfolio or competency exam, work experience, and whether a family member attended the school. That last factor—legacy status—is something your child cannot change. If it does not apply to them, do not spend energy on it. Spend that energy on what is within their control: the essay, the letters, and the academic record.
The published undergraduate application fee is $0.
Now for the question people ask most often: how many get in? In the 2023 admissions cycle, Dickinson College received 7,185 first-time applications and offered admission to 3,095 applicants. That is 43 out of every 100. Compared with 942 similar selective private schools, it ranks on the lower side: seven out of every ten of those schools, or more, admitted a higher percentage of their applicants. It is selective, though not extremely so. On the other side of that calculation are 4,090 applicants who did not receive an offer. That percentage covers the school as a whole; if your child is applying to a particular major, ask admissions directly for that specific number.
Here is a fact that surprises many families: out of every 100 admitted students, only 17 ultimately enrolled. The remaining 83 had a place there and did not take it. Do not read that as a mark against the school—the federal record does not say why each person made their decision, and compared with similar schools, that percentage is in the middle, neither high nor low. What it does tell you is useful: other people’s decisions do not predict what the school will offer your family. Wait for your own letter with the net price—the real amount the year will cost you—before deciding whether this school stays on the list.
As for standardized tests, neither the SAT nor the ACT is required here. If your child submits scores, they will be considered; if not, the application remains equally valid. In practice, fewer than 1 out of every 100 enrolled students submitted an SAT score. That does not tell you whether the score was used for admission, scholarships, or course placement—those are different questions that this data does not answer.
As for transfers, in the fall of 2023, a total of 12 undergraduate students entered Dickinson College after studying at another institution. That count falls in the lower half compared with similar schools, but it is a count of people, not a proportion, and it depends on the size of the school. The transfer-out rate—how many of those who entered in 2017 transferred elsewhere—is not reported here. That does not prove that no one transfers; it simply means this file does not contain that information.
The Real Cost: What It Costs and What You Will Probably Pay
At Dickinson College, among 25 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received Title IV federal aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $17,167. Among 21 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $16,348; among 125 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $43,766. For dependent students, the income band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band, which included 25 students, and the average for the highest-income band, which included 125 students, is $26,599. These are group averages, not a prediction of your family’s price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship, the average was $40,242.
$17,167 was the average net price for families in the lowest-income band in the 2022-23 academic year. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you determine whether it is worth requesting the financial aid letter.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, identifying the correct band is the first step. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received Title IV federal aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The financial aid letter you receive is what ultimately matters.
Financial Aid: Who Receives It and How Much Debt It Leaves
At Dickinson College, 90 out of every 100 degree-seeking students received some form of grant, scholarship, or other aid that does not have to be repaid. Receiving something is common here, not the exception. Among those who received it, the average was $42,022 for the year—a large average, but remember that it includes people who received much more and people who received much less.
Now, an important distinction: the Pell Grant—federal aid specifically for low-income families—reached only 14 out of every 100 students. In other words, at least 76 out of every 100 aid recipients received aid from a source other than Pell. This does not tell you how much state, institutional, or other aid your family would receive—ask directly who provides each grant or scholarship, who qualifies, and what is required to renew it each year.
As for loans, 40 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan in the 2022–23 academic year. That is more than two out of every ten, but less than half. Among those who borrowed, the average amount borrowed that school year was $6,121. Compared with 942 similar schools, this share of students with loans ranks on the lower side: seven out of every ten of those schools, or more, had a higher proportion of students in debt.
Here is a truth that must be stated plainly: that $6,121 average covers only one year and counts only federal loans in the student’s name. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes end up signing for, debt from private banks, or credit card debt. Nor is it the total debt a student has upon graduation—that would require adding all years together, and that number is not in this report. This percentage does not determine which group your child will fall into—the group that gets through without debt or the group that borrows—or how much they will borrow. Their specific financial aid letter will determine that.
The institution also reports offering an installment tuition payment plan as an option for managing the cost.
Campus Life: Housing, Services, and What Exists Beyond the Classroom
Dickinson College has institution-owned housing and does not require all first-time students to live there. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by the plan selected. The reported maximum housing capacity is 2,078 students. The existence of housing does not guarantee that a bed will be available specifically for your child: ask in writing for this year’s rate, the housing application deadline, and whether housing is guaranteed or applicants may be placed on a waiting list.
As for ROTC, the school indicated that an opportunity is available, and the only branch confirmed in writing is the Army. The Navy and Air Force are not marked. If your child is interested in a different branch, this report does not confirm it—that does not mean it is impossible; it means you need to ask directly. And even though an opportunity is marked, that does not confirm that the program is taught on this specific campus; ask about available spaces, scholarships, and requirements by program name.
In sports, Dickinson College competes at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA. It reports membership for football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. This does not say which division each sport competes in or whether athletic scholarships are offered—ask the coach of the specific sport directly and in writing.
As for distance education, the school offers it, but not at the undergraduate level—exactly where your child would be entering. In the fall count, 0 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all of their classes remotely. If you need scheduling flexibility, do not count on this option without confirming it first.
The library employs paid staff, has physical and digital collections, and participates in interlibrary loan. Its spending is also well above the threshold recorded by the government. That does not guarantee that it has the specific databases needed for your child’s major; ask using the name of the major.
Finally, the institution reports these services: combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services after program completion, on-campus child care, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, and a published webpage for disability services. The fact that these services are reported does not tell you how accessible, good, or sufficient they are—you learn that by visiting and asking questions.
How Likely Students Are to Stay and Graduate
For many families, this is the question that carries the most weight: if my child enrolls here, will they finish?
Let’s start with retention: of the 576 first-time, full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students who entered in the fall of 2022, a total of 511—or 89 out of every 100—were still enrolled there or had already graduated one year later. Compared with 930 similar schools, this places Dickinson in the upper part of the group: it retains a larger share than most of its peers. That is a strong figure. But a high retention number combines two distinct groups—those still enrolled and those who had already graduated—without separating them, and it does not reveal what happened to the 65 students outside that count.
As for graduation, of the cohort that started in 2017—a group of 603 full-time, first-time students—503 had earned a degree six years later. That is 83 out of every 100. At the four-year mark, the figure falls to 73 out of every 100—a difference of ten percentage points between waiting four years and waiting six. Compared with 920 similar selective private schools, this rate is among the highest: nine out of every ten of those schools, or more, reported an equal or lower proportion.
It is a good number, and that should be stated clearly. But a high percentage is not a promise for your particular child. It describes what happened to the cohort that entered in 2017. What is within your control, and theirs, is making sure they start the first semester with their credits in order, know who their academic advisor is, and understand when registration opens for courses in their major.
There is a third, even broader measure: IPEDS followed a cohort of 729 students for eight years after they entered between July 2015 and June 2016. As of August 2023, 82 out of every 100 had earned some degree or certificate from this school. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was 81 out of every 100—virtually the same. Compared with 935 similar schools, this places Dickinson in the top quartile. Again, this is a high number that remains consistent across different periods, but it describes a cohort that entered years ago, not a promise about your child’s future.
What You Know Now and What You Still Need to Do
You now understand in considerable depth one of the three pieces you need to make a decision: what Dickinson College really is—its size, selectivity, sticker price, net price by income level, financial aid, retention, and graduation. It is a small school, selective without being extreme, expensive on paper but with net prices that change sharply by family income, and with persistence and graduation figures that rank among the highest in its comparison group.
What this article cannot know is what you do know: what your child wants to study, how far away they are willing to live, how comfortable your family feels with the idea of a school where Latino students are few, and how much you can truly pay each month without being overwhelmed.
Your child’s job is to write the essay, request the letters, maintain their GPA, and decide whether this is what they want for the next four years. Your job is to complete the FAFSA on time, read the financial aid letter carefully, compare the real net price—not the sticker price—across the schools on their list, and ask the specific questions this article could not answer: questions about the particular major, the Latino student community on campus, first-year classes, and housing.
Neither of you can do the other’s work. But together, with this part now understood, you are one step closer to building the complete plan.
Source note: The information in this article comes from official data reported by Dickinson College to the United States Department of Education’s IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), covering different years and cohorts as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent Dickinson College or the United States government; this article is an independent explanation of public data.