The admissions decision-making process at Dartmouth College is described in transcriptions of National Public Radio broadcasts. Applicants who are accepted have to be approved at Round Table, where their cases are considered for 30 days by 13 admission officers. These Round Table discussions of specific applicants, whose identities are concealed, are presented to illustrate the deliberations. Additionally, conversations with admissions officers and a candidate provide further perspectives. More than 8,000 high school seniors applied to Dartmouth, and only 1,800 were accepted. Each application, at least 13 pages with four essay questions, is read by three admissions officers. Three "yes" votes generally mean the candidate is accepted, while three "no" votes mean rejection. About 500 get accepted that way, and 1,000 places are filled at Round Table. Through this process, students are assigned an academic rating and a personal rating. Dartmouth trains and uses 2,700 volunteer alumni to interview candidates, some of whom get flags for a special talent or commitment. At Round Table the presenting officer serves as advocate and tries to get the candidate voted into the highest possible Drawer (1, 2, or 3). Typically, the committee spent five to 12 minutes on each candidate before voting. The committee looks for a student who can handle the academic curriculum at Dartmouth but who also will be able to contribute in some area. They may pursue a particular interest or activity in depth. Special considerations, like athletic ability or race, also are addressed, and the admissions procedures of schools like Harvard and Yale are briefly noted. (SW)