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How to Write Dartmouth's "Introduce Yourself" Essay

Introduce yourself (Oscar Wilde: "Be yourself; everyone else is taken"). The open form is the test: what you choose to say first.

250 wordsChoose 1 of 2Creative prompt2026-27
Dartmouth College's wording, checked October 26, 2026
“"Be yourself," Oscar Wilde advised. "Everyone else is taken." Introduce yourself.”

How to approach it

  1. 1Choose one surprising angle on you rather than a summary.
  2. 2Use a form that fits you: a list, a scene, a set of rules you live by.
  3. 3Make sure a reader learns something real by the end.

A structure that works

One way to shape this answer. It describes moves, not sentences: the words have to be yours.

  1. 1An opening that only you could write.
  2. 2Two or three specifics that build one picture of you.
  3. 3The thing about you that holds those specifics together.

Where the 250 words go

PartWords
The moment or exampleabout 100
What it shows or changedabout 90
Why it matters, or what you bringabout 60

Mistakes to avoid

  • A résumé in sentences.
  • Being quirky with nothing underneath.

The checklist our grader uses for this question

When you check your Dartmouth answers, this answer is read against these 5 areas. Each comes back Met, Partly or Missing with a quote from your draft as evidence, and together with the 250 words limit they set its readiness verdict.

AreaWhat a reader looks for
Answers the questionThe opening sentences answer what was asked, plainly, before background or a hook; every part of a multi-part question is answered.
Takes the form seriouslyIt follows the prompt's premise and form (a note reads like a note, an imagined event has rules) instead of turning into a standard essay.
An angle of your ownThe idea goes past the first one most applicants would have, with a specific, surprising choice.
Shows who you areThe play reveals the applicant's mind, values or humor; a reader learns something real about them.
Dartmouth's askAn introduction only this applicant could write: specific, personal, not a résumé.

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Questions

How long is Dartmouth's "Introduce yourself" essay?

Up to 250 words.

Is it required?

Choose 1 of 2. Dartmouth's full set of questions is on the Dartmouth supplemental essays page.

Can I reuse an essay from another college for this prompt?

You can start from material you have, but rewrite it for Dartmouth's exact wording: answer every part of this question, and cut what it does not ask for.

Can Statementory write or improve my answer?

We never write or rewrite it: colleges ask you to affirm your essays are your own work. Our checker reviews it against the checklist on this page, quotes your own words, and asks the questions only you can answer.

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