Dartmouth College Top Questions

Dartmouth is such a dense school that it's really hard to just sum it up. Safety: I can't think of another school where I'd feel comfortable leaving my computer unattended in the library for several hours. Things rarely get stolen (unless you bring a Northface jacket to a frat and someone mistakes it for their own) and there is no serious crime that goes on (our newspaper publishes descriptions of the "crimes" that go on in Hanover, which are humorous due to their tame nature. Students: A good mix and a good social group for everyone. Lots of school pride both on campus and off. Also, the townfolk have a lot of pride for us too! Atmosphere: The campus is beautiful, especially when it's warm out (and by warm I mean 45+ degrees and sunny...trust me, you'll get used to 50 degrees being hot). The town is quaint. Very clean and super nice people. Pretty pricy and not diverse at all. Food: The food is much better than your average college food (which isn't saying much). There are places to eat in town, but no fast food restaurants for quite a distance. Dorms

Yea, people are smart here and did incredible things in high school like any other top-tier college. The thing that sets people apart at Dartmouth is the dynamic energy they have. People don't lock themselves in their room to study, they're out on the green enjoying the sun with a book and some friends. Maybe they're throwing a frisbee while talking about humanitarian microfinance projects in equador. Or maybe it's the weekend, and instead of just "going out" they get decked on in the most outrageous costumes you've ever seen because "We just like to wear a little Flair."

The location is something that few other colleges of its caliber offer. That said, it is difficult for people who are accustomed to spending their time in Manhattan boutiques and clubs. Hanover, New Hampshire is far from metropolis. The town proper is really one main street, and it feels a lot like a gilmore-girlsy quiet New England town. There's a cute family breakfast diner, a few bookstores, a few clothing stores, the Gap, CVS, and a coffee shop or two - all within 5 minutes walking distance from the college green. But that's the end of town. The small-town aspect of Dartmouth does a lot to the social structure. Everyone talks about how there is a definite sense of community - the focus of all 4000 undergrads is directed towards the school itself and the people around them, rather than the city. So by the end of four years spent in the middle of nowhere with awesome people, the personal bonds are intense, a sense that is tougher to create when the school scatters off into the city each weekend. But, that's definitely a matter of personal preference. Some people will nonetheless feel restricted by the size of the town. Being small and undergraduate focused has a big impact upon life at Dartmouth. I was personally looking at places like UCLA and USC as well as Dartmouth, and have been surprised that the size has been one of my favorite parts of the school. It's a wonderful feeling to know that if you're feeling lonely, you can just walk to the campus center (it's nicely organized around a large green, the library, the theater/arts center, and food) and be guaranteed to run into someone you know. But at the same time, it's unlikely that in 4,000 people you wont find SOME people you click well with, and you'll never be able to get to know everyone. Size changes things a lot; if you meet someone one day at an a capella show, you're quite likely to run into them on multiple occasions again, so it's entirely possible to get to know people thoroughly, without having to live next door to them. The students are friendly and not at all competetive. Honestly, the people are probably the best resource. If you dont understand math, there are 5 people who live a few doors down in either direction who are brilliant at it and willing to help. But even with an overwhelming number of friendly people, Dartmouth is real, and you will run into the occasional person you dont like. Also, Blitzmail (email) instead of cell-phones dominate life, and we write emails like crazypeople. Nobody owns a cell phone. I told you, unique.

I think the most amazing thing about Dartmouth is its dedication to fostering passion in its students. It does this through the plethora of opportunities- studying abroad, research, publications, clubs, etc. I love being on campus. Dartmouth is very much a community. They take care of you here, and really pamper you too! During the first week of school, all freshman get a free lobster dinner, while a string quartet plays live in the background, of course. We are very pampered here! Our alumni also take care of us. Alumni of one of the singing groups, for example, just rented a villa in Tuscany for current student members and flew them to Italy for spring break.

Small town with not much to do but go to frats. There seems to be defacto segregation, but not as bad as some schools. Professors are really here to help.

I cannot say enough good things about Dartmouth. I completely loved my experience there. As an alum, Dartmouth remains a huge part of your life. The alumni are very active and loyal. It is like joining a private cult. I think it is unlike any other college in that you always feel like you are a part of the school.

Dartmouth is such an awesome place, so much so that an outsider would never get it. Coming from the west some people don't even know what school I'm talking about. I'm like "ahhh its an ivey league school". Princeton and Harvard definitely are way better known. The campus is so special. Everything from the Green to the town make me happy just thinking about them when I'm away. I have yet to be on another college campus that makes me feel this way!

This is a small school with a big world-view and world-class elite facilities. Most people from the Northeast know what Dartmouth is, but elsewhere we have to tell people it's part of the Ivy League, then they sort of get it. I wish this place wasn't so privileged. I wish we didn't have gender and race issues. It seems like other, more urban or larger Ivies have moved beyond these issues more. Sometimes this place is a place of great despair for people, for the same people it is a place of great joy and pride. We struggle here. I'm not sure if we work any harder, but things come at a cost here it seems, and the worst part is feeling alone. But we are stronger for it, and the legacy of Dartmouth is a retinue of proud, principled alums who do good in the world (next to others we aren't that proud of). The granite of New Hampshire, as the song goes, is imbued in our muscles and our brains, but on a windy peak admissions is loath to tell you about. As far as the town, Hanover's history is the history of the college, and the town doesn't offer much that the college hasn't created in its vast legacy here and around the world.

Being the smallest of the Ivies, Dartmouth is a fairly good size. It's small enough where you're not just a number, and yet large enough that there are always new faces. It's location is another story, located in middle of no where, there's not much to do unless you're a big nature person.

Dartmouth is really remote, hard to get to, and totally removed from 'civilization.' But that said, it is an extremely vibrant campus with things to do all the time, and never enough time to do all the things that one would like. Campus is a great size; its not too big that it takes forever to get anywhere, but not too small that you feel trapped. The same is true of the student body size, as you can always see someone you know, but there are enough new faces to keep things fresh.