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Scholar Selection

Be sure to review the Program Information page before beginning the application process as the Hanlon Scholars Program is new. Additionally, please read the following information carefully to ensure you submit all necessary components of the application. 

Important Note: The Hanlon Scholars are primarily selected pre-matriculation through the admissions process, with the class of 2028 the first to be selected. To build a secondary cohort of upper class scholars, we are now accepting applications for the 2024 - 2025 academic year. Scholars must be rising juniors ('26s) at the time of application. Selected scholars will be eligible for research grants beginning in their junior fall. The following information details the application process for rising juniors to apply in the Summer 2024 application cycle. '27s may be eligible to apply during the next application cycle for the 2025 - 2026 academic year.

Eligibility and Selection

To be eligible for the Hanlon Scholars Program, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Be rising juniors at the time of application (completed 5-8 terms of enrollment by the end of summer term)
  • Have a major declaration complete or in progress
  • Have a strong academic record (GPA is a factor in selection, although there is no cut-off)
  • Have an identified faculty mentor with expertise in the area who is committed to mentoring the student

The following factors are considered in the selection process:

  • Academic achievement and promise
  • Commitment to making positive change in society, as evidenced in proposal and resume
  • Intellectual engagement in and out of the classroom
  • Plan for utilizing the enrichment funds
  • Leadership potential
  • Character

Application Timeline

Applications are reviewed by a committee of Dartmouth faculty and staff who will select semi-finalists for (ideally in-person) interviews. The timeline below is for Summer 2024:

  • Submission of the recommendation request form (student): July 8
  • Submission of application materials (student and faculty): July 15
  • Selection of semi-finalists for interviews: mid-to-late July
  • Interviews of semi-finalists by campus selection committee: week of July 29
  • Notification of selected scholars: week of August 5
  • Orientation for selected scholars: week of August 12

Application Process

There are two parts to the application process.

1. Faculty mentor recommendation (only one required/permitted)

  • The student must submit the online recommendation request form at least one week before the application deadline: recommendation request form
  • When the student submits this form, the faculty mentor will receive an email with a link to a Qualtrics form
  • The faculty mentor will submit their recommendation via Qualtrics by the deadline.
  • Be sure to follow up with your faculty mentor to make sure they received the link and are aware of the deadline.

2. Student application

Guidelines for Written Proposal

Your proposal should be approximately 4-6 pages (double-spaced) and organized in three sections as outlined below. Use subheadings or numbers to delineate the sections and be sure to address the elements listed for each section.

Sections 1 and 2 must be written in narrative form – DO NOT format these sections as a series of questions and answers or a set of bullet points. Section 3 can be written in narrative form or as a set of bullet points or subsections. The timeline can be included as Section 4 or as an appendix.

1. Your research questions

  • What research questions do you want to explore over the next two years?
  • How did you arrive at these questions? What courses, work experience, extra-curriculars, personal experiences, etc. led you to be interested in these questions?
  • What academic preparation do you have that will help you in answering these questions? How do these questions relate to your intended major and/or minor or to specific courses that you've taken or plan to take?
  • How have other people in your field or discipline approached these questions? If applicable, discuss relevant literature or previous findings.
  • Why do these questions matter to you personally? Why are they questions that you especially want to explore?

2. Research plans

  • How will you work toward answering your questions? What elements do you plan to include (e.g., research, additional training, internships, creative practice, conferences, leadership roles)?
  • Are there skills or knowledge you need to acquire to help answer your questions? How will you obtain these skills or knowledge sets?
  • How will you engage with your faculty mentor throughout the project? How does their expertise relate to your plan?
  • How would you plan to use the funding available through the program? (Provide a summary but not an itemized budget in this section.)
  • What kind of output would you like to achieve by the end of your senior year (e.g., honors thesis, documentary film, article manuscript, portfolio)?

3. Other considerations

  • Do you anticipate any language and/or cultural barriers?
  • Are there any potential safety concerns?
  • Will you need to complete any training or certifications (if not mentioned in Part 2)?
  • Anything else you feel is relevant?

4. Appendix/timeline

  • List your Hanlon Scholar plans by term starting from your junior fall through graduation
  • If you plan to engage in scholarly activities during interim periods (e.g., winterim, spring break), include these in your timeline.
  • If there are one or more terms in which you do not plan to be engaged in the Hanlon Scholars program for any reason, note that in the timeline.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HANLON SCHOLARS PROGRAM?

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

If you have questions that aren't addressed on this website, email to set up an appointment: scholars.programs@dartmouth.edu