<p>a lot of times, ppl tend to look at each school's acceptance rates, SAT scores, GPA's, etc. But sometimes, it's not only those things that get u in a particular college.
i'm still TORN between EDing upenn or dartmouth. both have their pros and cons and i just can't seem to decide on one firmly.
anyway, i was just wondering...if u look at their acceptance rates, dartmouth's is obviously lower. but after lookin at other ppl's (CCer's as well as kids at my HS) stats, i kinda get the impression that penn is EVEN HARDER to get into (tho both are among the most crazy selective schools in the nation). penn seems more biz oriented and competitive while darmouth seems more relaxed and chill. i get the feeling that everyone applying to penn is just more ultra competitive and thus makes the whole admissions process harder than it is for darmouth.
i like both schools a lot and i'm just tryin to find the best school that i have the better chance at.</p>
<p>These are 2 schools that are very different. My son, a legacy, wouldn't even apply to Penn ED because he loved Dartmouth. I love Penn and at first couldn't understand why he didn't. Do you want an urban experience or a rural one for starters? </p>
<p>After dealing with 3 kids through the admissions process, I would say Penn, if you're not applying to Wharton or a joint program, is easier to get into ED than Dartmouth. By this I mean that if you're top 5% but not val, or have a 2160 bur not a 2250, I think you're much more likely to get into Penn. Dartmouth seems to hold to higher stats consistently. Penn is also clear that applying ED is a boost and fills up more than half the class ED. Dartmouth is clear that ED is not a boost for those not hooked and fills up only about one-third ED.</p>
<p>wow that's a lot of help!</p>
<p>i also read somewhere that dart is not too generous on their deferred students.</p>
<p>so EDing penn would be a better bet? lol according to the stats from my school...it almost seems impossible. but then it all depends. someone who has higher SAT's/GPA's does not necessary get accepted. rather, a kid w/lower stats gets chosen...</p>
<p>dartmouth on the other hand, i can't say anything about...no one at my HS got into it in the past at least 2 years. 3 applied, none got in. so i can't even compare</p>
<p>btw, does penn ED admitted kids really fill up more than half of the whole incoming student body?
btw, where did u get these info? on the schools' homepage?</p>
<p>i was checking past threads on the colleges' pages on CC...it seems penn's stricter and harder...but it still could be LOTS of kids are aimin for wharton, which fortunately i'm not.</p>
<p>lol i couldn't find the 'edit' button so had to post another one....</p>
<p>
[quote]
Penn is also clear that applying ED is a boost and fills up more than half the class ED. Dartmouth is clear that ED is not a boost for those not hooked and fills up only about one-third ED.
[/quote]
For the sake of clarity, Penns ED acceptance is around 30-33%, and Dartmouth's is 25%ish. There is a difference, but if your qualified for one of the schools your qualified for the other.</p>
<p>also, i heard that the reason why dartmouth's ED acceptance rate is that high is because they have the majority of their "recruited" athletes apply and get accepted ED.</p>
<p>so basically, if ur not an athlete waiting to be recuited and not someone w/sky-high stats like 2300 w/3.99 GPA...ur automatically not in. okay that explained it</p>
<p>addin to the last message...</p>
<p>not an athlete+no hook+no sky-high stats ==> reject (both ED and RD)</p>
<p>I know someone who scored BELOW 1400 (CR/MATH) on her SAT and was barely top 10% at a private school with no legacy who got into Dartmouth ED. But the "hook" was that the college counselor at the PREP SCHOOL knew the Dir. of Admissions at Dartmouth. She also had an "artsy" portfolio and perhaps that caught their attention.</p>
<p>do u think someone like that minus the artsy portfolio would have a better chance @ penn than @ dart? no thing</p>
<p>Well....I am not a fan of "chance me" threads anyway. Ivy League Schools run in the very low double digit acceptance rate area......and while that dramatically improves their "prestige" appeal, the fact remains that picking a college is highly subjective and prospective students should focus on the school that best fits them, not which school is the most prestigious. Its also a myth that 1) you are a failure if you dont get into a top 10 school or Ivy and 2) you cant succeed in life unless you do. The rigor of course work is really no better or worse at most schools....though their methodology may differ. Dartmouth has a weird system (in my opinion) and they run short trimesters and jam in the information. Students will tell you "oh we just do it more intensely" than y'all do it. Hmmmm....I think that is just how they spin it. I would prefer a longer semester and allow for more discussion time in class. But the kids at Dartmouth obviously like their system and that is fine. And I would rather be on break with my friends at the same time, not awkward times when nobody else is around. Also, some Ivy League schools only let kids take 3 or 4 classes a semester. Most schools do 5 courses and a lab. So there you are. The "prestige" factor for Ivy League is the value of the parchment on graduation and finding jobs. But a lot of them went to WallStreet and we all know that is not going to be the same place after the smoke clears from this mess we are in. </p>
<p>What am I saying? There is a lot more to college than just "getting into the most prestigious school you can find" and PRESTO! Instant success. Fact is, there are BRILLIANT kids at a lot of schools. (No its not sour grapes either). There are PLENTY of kids with 1600 SAT scores at some lower ranking or off the radar screen schools. They are the SMART ones because they picked a school for FIT and not for PRESTIGE. </p>
<p>Now if Penn or Dartmouth are TRULY your thing and you TRULY fit socially,academically, financially and otherwise.....no harm in going for it. Good luck. But know going in that with a 10% acceptance rate, you have a 90% chance of being waitlisted or rejected. So DONT put your eggs in one basket. EMBRACE your match and safety schools, which may be better for you and offer you more money anyway! </p>
<p>If only the Ivy League Schools graduated successful people all the other colleges would just close their doors. You know what I mean?</p>
<p>And to answer your specific question, I dont really know about the artsy thing because every pool of applicants is different each year at every school and also the admissions team changes its objectives every year. One year at my D's high school hardly anyone got into the Ivy League. But they were BRILLIANT kids. The next year, a BUNCH of them got in. Makes no sense. The kids in the later year werent any smarter or had any higher scores....in fact, they were lower from what I heard. Its QUIRKY. </p>
<p>Also we are from the SOUTH and that plays a role: geographical diversity. </p>
<p>Spread your applications broadly: reach, match, safety schools. </p>
<p>College is about "growing up" as much as it is about your "major area of study." Its about meeting people. Its about art for some, about sports for others. Its about learning to be independent yet giving back to society. And in this world of ours where excessive materialism and greed have brought us to our financial knees, I think we need a lot more introspection and a lot less "prestige".</p>
<p>JMHO.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>anyone else? suggestions?</p>
<p>yournamehere-
you have gotten all the information and suggestions you could POSSIBLY want. Everyone agrees Penn will be easier to get into ED vs. dartmouth ED.
I love Penn.. everyone is incredibly nice, the courses are great, social scene is probably the best in the League. I also agree that the trimester system SUCKS, so I'm glad Penn doesn't do that.
That said I have friends who go to Dartmouth and I haven't heard of anyone who hasn't enjoyed their experience there (the ONLY criticism I hear is that the location sort of sucks)
But I think you said somewhere you like Dartmouth more, perhaps, but that you just want to pick the school you have a better chance of getting into. Although at Penn you have a better chance, go for the school you love. If all things were ABSOLUTELY equal, then Penn would be the wise choice. But if this is not the case, go for Dart. This topic has been going on for WAY too long.
Good luck!</p>
<p>Just to clarify, at schools that are on the quarter system--such as the University of Chicago and Dartmouth--the basic course load is 3 per quarter, or 9 per year, vs 4 per semester and 8 per year at semester-plan schools. At both kinds of schools, some students take more courses some of the time. I can assure you that there is no shortage of classroom discussion at the U of C! And I strongly doubt that there is such a shortage at D, either.</p>
<p>The D plan has its pluses and its minuses. Generally, it is more flexible than most college schedules. You can take a quarter off in the winter and do an internship when everyone else is in school, so there may be more opportunities. You can take quarters abroad. There are some quarters when everyone in a class is required to be in residence together, such as the summer of sophomore year. On the other hand, your breaks aren't going to coincide with those of your HS friends much of the time. You really should look at the info on the Dartmouth website that shows sample D-plan schedules, and decide if it appeals to you.</p>
<p>One thing about D is that it seems to have a huge amount of school spirit, and unusually devoted alums. There must be a reason. :)</p>
<p>I loved the D plan! Sophomore summer is AMAZING (you end up being friends with many people in your class), 50% of the student body goes on more than one study abroad, and getting to focus on only three classes is fantastic. I went to Columbia my first year, and objectively I found the academic experience at Dartmouth to be MUCH MUCH better. Leagues ahead. Professors, administrators, etc just seemed to care much more. Also the resources difference was astounding.</p>
<p>
[quote]
went to Columbia my first year, and objectively I found the academic experience at Dartmouth to be MUCH MUCH better.
[/quote]
I think you meant subjectively.</p>
<p>Most people consider Columbia to be one of the most academic/intellectual ivies..</p>
<p>Well...I have to say that MOST colleges on the semester plan are NOT on the 4 courses per semester program. They are on a 5 classes (plus lab) per semester, or 10 classes per year. They are longer in DURATION so they cover material more carefully it seems to me. In the trimester/quarter system, they have to assign more reading and less discussion because there just isnt the time to discuss it. Not that lively discussions are not had, only they dont have the time to spend on them. </p>
<p>Furman University just switched over from trimester to semester and that was ONE of the reasons: to cover material more thoroughly. </p>
<p>Its a matter of preference. In the 3 classes per trimester plan, you typically go to class 5 days a week. In the 5 classes per semester plan you typically have a day off from the classes....a needed break.<br>
If you ask students they will pump their current system and say, "I LOVE IT HERE!" The usual hype. But you really need to think about it.</p>
<p>Its a HUGE myth that schools out of the top 20 aren't intense and they dont engage in serious scholarship. In fact, from my anecdotal reports, friends whose kids are in the Ivy League are not working NEARLY as hard as my D is.</p>
<p>Admissions Selectivity and Prestige are not always all that its cracked up to be. Not that Penn and Dartmouth are slackers or easy schools. I am NOT saying that. I am just saying that you can find some pretty good schools below the prestige radar and maybe more money.</p>
<p>The bottom line is its all very subjective and what is an excellent fit for you, may not be for someone else and vice versa.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>I think it is a mistake to apply ED to a school based on acceptance statistics. Penn and Dartmouth are very different and you should apply to one that you think you would be happiest at. Have you visited and sat in classes there? Both of my kids applied ED to the schools they eventually attended and it was done with a certainty after visiting many potential schools. It was very clear for both of them.</p>
<p>sitting in classes is irrelevant. It all depends on the given class and teacher and there won't be substantive differences between schools in that regard. What matters is location, feel, student body, social scene, academic strengths and yes even prestige</p>