In 1934 there was not an organized admissions program, although the college made it clear that they sought students who at the very least, had been in the top half of their high school class and preferred students who had been in the top 10% of their high school class.  Prospective students appear to have learned about the school by a word of mouth.  Students came to the school for its advantages as a small college, its strong reputation, its locality, or were influenced by friends, relatives and acquaintances at the college.  The school learned of prospective students from alumni and offered honor scholarships to outstanding high school students.

    Actual admission to the college required that a prospective student pass the College Entrance Board Examination, present a certificate from an approved secondary school, or pass an examination administered at Dickinson.  Applicants were also required to fill out a personal data sheet that inquired about their school activities, personal habits, forms of recreation, musical ability, life work, religious activities, reading interests, and financial status.  They also had to supply a certificate of medical examination and, if possible, have an interview with a representative of the college.  This interview served as an opportunity to learn about the personality and qualifications of the prospective student.  However, unlike many colleges at the time, applicants were not required to submit an autobiography, personality tests, intelligence tests, or teacher recommendations.

    To be admitted, prospective students had to have completed at least 15 units of high school credit, although they could be admitted with only 14.5 units.  This included 1.5 units of elementary algebra, 3 units of English, 2 units of one foreign language, and 1 unit of geometry. An additional eight units were required, seven of which were from Spanish, French, German, Greek, history, Latin, science, solid geometry, or trigonometry.
 

Class of 1934     Chronicles Dickinson College

Dickinson 1934 is a project of Prof. Osborne's History 204 Class, Fall Semester 2000.