@privatebanker She just turned 16. She is not turning 17 soon. A misunderstanding of expressions.
Reinforces my thought. I am sorry. Dartmouth
Wow to have such options at 16.
We should change this thread to “good school for future Madame President”.
Amherst is cold too, indeed.
But Greek life IS a difference, as well as the curriculum (open at Amherst and gen Ed/distribution requirements at Dartmouth).
Both are excellent for CS and equally connected to the industry but professors may be in different areas of research.
@KeepItFair : are skiing lessons, skis, and snowsuits available for free? (I assume the shuttle and access passes are free to Dartmouth students).
@gigichuck I just wanted to say that though it seems like a long time when you are young, maybe you should be leaving grad school on the table. 4 years at an elite college, OPT then elite grad school, OPT, would be an incredibly strong position and opportunity. Especially if you want to have a start up, you would make so many wonderful connections including financial ones to fund your dreams. I think that investors would be more inclined to stand behind you with valuable experience and grad school.
O’k so if you go to Dartmouth (or even Amherst), when you go to a party be careful of what you drink. Don’t put a drink down and then drink again from it. Someone could slip something into it.
For winter sports, consider cross country skiing as an affordable-ish option. You could get used skis.
@privatebanker Yes, incredible options. I said to her it is a choice between diamonds and pearls.
@privatebanker : how does that reinforce your choice ? Genuinely curious. At 16,17,18, I wouldn’t pick Dartmouth (that being said, I’ve never gotten drunk in my life and never felt I missed anything).
I haven’t seen op say she wants to ski but if so it is free at Amherst through the outdoor club. Gear and all.
@gearmom No not yet. And it’s almost May 1 yikes. Okay grad school is back on the table, on a tiny little corner close to the edge 
@gigichuck When you are older, you will miss this time in college. You could just send your transcript to Harvard and Princeton. Just for kicks They might beg you to attend. Leave it on the tiny corner of the table.
I would choose Amherst. But both choices would serve her well.
Amherst
And, that is a perfect example of what I mean. I mean, it is entirely possible that, as an international, the OP will be immune to the subtleties of American race relations (I’m reminded of the SNL skit where the king of Wakanda visits “Black Jeopardy”) and what a remark like that says about the state of play at Dartmouth. And at age 16 going on 17, it’s perfectly possible she may find all of this squabbling between Americans rather amusing and nothing to do with her. But, four years is an awfully long time to bet that stuff like that won’t get old.
@circuitrider, if you’re attempting to generalize about race relations at Dartmouth based on a couple of alums you know who had bad experiences, then I think you’re out of line. You’re saying there aren’t any Amherst alums of color who refuse to donate because of bad experiences? I mean, that’s absurd. The stereotypes on this thread are also ridiculous. There are plenty of students at Dartmouth who choose not to drink at all and who have full, happy social lives. I don’t think the drinking situation is much different from most other colleges.
As for winter sports, the Dartmouth Outing Club would certainly help students with gear—there would be little to no cost to the joys of cross-country skiing on the golf course at night. And the wonders of the first snowfall or walking around Occom Pond on a sunny Sunday are perfectly free.
The OP has two amazing choices, and I’m sure she’ll do well wherever she decides. She really needs current students from both colleges to weigh in on the specifics she asked about. In the meantime, I wish CC posters without direct knowledge of a college would refrain from perpetuating false stereotypes.
Hi @MYOS1634 I think at 16 you would need the larger student population to find a group. Also as p 14 my experience is that being a lord jeff would be a tougher social environment. And academics more intense. The ivy experience can be a bit looser. Also if I were playing to an international market after school I would choose d
But that’s just my two cents. But it wouldn’t take much to move me to the other side I spent 4 years in Amherst myself a few decades ago. And loved it
I actually don’t think @gigichuck is going to have a hard time finding a group at uni. She comes across as charming, intelligent, optimistic and brave. She won’t have trouble.
I’m a little sorry I brought up 15 going on 16 which simply meant that you were going to have a birthday soon. But since everyone keeps using it, go check out “16 going on 17” on YouTube from the Sound of Music.
But I am not at all worried about @gigichuck socially.
On the contrary, officially, it is kind of different:
http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-dartmouth-cultural-reforms-20150129-story.html
My major beef with Amherst is that it has so much money that student culture has taken a back seat to simply having the administration “solve” every problem. But, at least black students there don’t have a persistent, well-funded, anti-affirmative action student presence to contend with:
http://www.dartreview.com/the-problems-of-affirmative-action/
Mammoth, actually. https://www.amherst.edu/amherst-story/amherst-pride/mascot
@circuitrider, yep, you’re right. The administration took action to curb dangerous drinking at Dartmouth–and I think the experiment is still too young to know how successful it’s been. My understanding is that the reaction has been very mixed on campus. But you’re seriously deriding an effort to do something about the issue of excessive underage drinking, something that exists on just about every campus in America?
As for the Review, it offers a hard-right perspective that’s always represented a fraction of the student body and is held in contempt by the majority. That’s been the case since it first formed in the early 80s, and certainly Dartmouth’s student population has become decidedly more liberal since then. The D takes much more traditionally liberal positions. I happen to think publications with alternative viewpoints–across the political spectrum–are a good thing, but I object to the times that the Review has crossed the line over the years.
Once again, unless current students of color want to weigh in on the merits of Dartmouth vs Amherst, there’s little point of continuing this back and forth. And frankly, it’s not particularly germane to what the OP asked. Are there any current CS students or recent grads who can add to the discussion?
@OHMomof2 Old habits die hard. Mammoths now Think tufts and elephants.
@TTdd16, only current students of color can weigh in on issues at the schools? Most students have interactions with a very diverse community of students and their opinions are insightful as well. My kid is an Amherst grad of color,and I have shared very positive things via PM with @gigichuck.
@privatebanker I hear you. I loved the Lord Jeff- Mammoth selection and transition process though, D was there through it. Very democratic, current students and alumni got a vote, the list of finalists came from a student generated list. For a year they knew LJ was out but the new one wasn’t in, there were even humorous cups and shirts printed for that, with a big “?”