<p>These are my four top (semi-realistic) choices. I'm just a junior now, so I've got plenty of time. Being cautiously optimistic, I would say I could get into two of these. If you guys could share your thoughts on these schools (I will be visiting next summer) and tell me what they're like, what their reputations are, what your/ your friends' experiences at these places were like, that'd be great. Just wondering what these schools are like so I can choose if I do get admitted to more than 1.</p>
<p>Honestly, I doubt you have the stats (especially as a Junior) to be so sure of your acceptance. No one has even close to a guaranteed acceptance at any of these schools. </p>
<p>But, on topic:
Duke and Dartmouth are both supposedly very frat oriented
Brown is the happy Ivy, said to be quite hippyish
And I’m not sure about Georgetown.</p>
<p>Obviously, all of them have very good reputations.</p>
<p>Georgetown is somewhat similar to Duke and Dartmouth…not quite as fratty but still has a very big drinking culture</p>
<p>Georgetown and Duke have really big basketball and a lot of school unity. On that note, Brown and Dartmouth also tend to have a lot of class unity.</p>
<p>
Do NOT be naive! It’s SO difficult to get into these universities. Dartmouth and Brown hover around ~9-11% admit rate. Duke probably around 13% this year due to sharp increase in applicants. Georgetown was around 18% last year. These schools are the best of the best. Just right below HYPSM though there have been students who have turned down even HYPSM to go here! First focus on your studies and results. You still have a year to distinguish yourself. Then apply to these.
If you still feel highly accomplished already, then you can aim a little higher and continue to develop yourself.
Those who apply to Brown also usually aim for Princeton
Those who apply to Dartmouth also usually aim for Yale
Those who apply to Duke also usually aim for Stanford</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Ok, like I said, I was being optimistic! But I think I should get into one 
I’m hoping, anyway. Thanks for the comments! bumppp</p>
<p>I live very close to Dartmouth and have been taking classes there/attending the frat parties, and I would say that it being frat orientated is true, but the majority of the student body is involved. Other organizations often throw down too, so if you have objections to the Greek system you definitely have other options. </p>
<p>That being said, Dartmouth is a very outdoorsy school. Orientation consists mostly of hikes (of all difficulties) and there are free shuttles/ski passes to local mountains. Very cool.</p>
<p>Meal plan is nice, it’s easy to get to some of the bigger cities (Boston, Montreal), and the undergrad faculty are, for the most part, very involved. </p>
<p>HOWEVER. I would put off the college shopping for a bit, at least at an in-depth level. As a junior you will need to work very, very hard, and it’s easy to get sucked into thinking about the future. Definitely consider schools (especially some “safe” ones.</p>
<p>People I have met at Dartmouth all tend to have also looked at a similar set of schools, and Georgetown and Duke are two which come up most frequently. I myself also applied to Georgetown and Brown, though not Duke.</p>
<p>Duke-Basketball, Preppy, Fratty, Lacrosse. People at Duke have a lot of school spirit. Football there isn’t great, but thats true of all four. If you want a good balance of academics, athletics, and social life, it and Georgetown are both solid for that. </p>
<p>Georgetown–is in my favorite part of DC, and is a gorgeous school. Not sure what you are interested, but if you want to study languages at all, it and Dartmouth (rassias and all the foreign study programs) and Georgetown are a good bet. There is even a Georgetown run study abroad being led by a Dartmouth prof this term. If you are into city life, its removed from the super downtown part of DC and not on the metro exactly, but still a urban school. Like Duke in that basketball and lax are big, and there is a preppy feel.</p>
<p>Brown–at one point my top choice school, til I visited Dartmouth. It’s really pretty. Its in Providence, but sits on the hill above the city, sort of. So its still an easy walk down the hill (less easy getting back up though), if you want to go into the city, but the school itself sort of has a college town feel with its little street (i forget the name) that connects the two parts of campus. A little more artsy alternative than the other three.</p>
<p>Dartmouth–Dartmouth is preppy/crunchy/athletic/fratty/nerdy…so very New England, really. It has a very warm feeling to campus; people love the school and are mostly happy to be there. People here also looked at Duke and Georgetown. Varsity athletics, especially hockey, soccer, and baseball, are well attended, and football now that they win games. Intramural and club sports are also very popular. The greek scene is big, but its open, so you don’t need to be greek to hang out in greek houses. Clubs and groups tend to be like families, especially a capella groups and sports teams, but also various branches within the DOC. People tend to be well balanced and super involved. Work hard, party hard, like Duke.</p>
<p>Duke for the win!</p>
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<p>And those who apply to MIT usually aim for HYPS…</p>
<p>Last I checked it was HYPSM - M being MIT, so go ■■■■■ somewhere else.</p>
<p>Hoya Saxa!</p>