<p>Is a Columbia likely letter harder to get or something? Doesn't seem like too many Columbia applicants are getting likelies, and, of course, I didn't get one. Idk</p>
<p>Differences in philosophy. Some schools don't use them at all, some less than others. What matters is where you want to go and do you get admitted. I don't think many apply to both Dartmouth and Columbia, since they are way different environments.</p>
<p>I think Dartmouth sends out a much higher % of likely letters/# of people in the class than Columbia does.</p>
<p>Therefore Columbia likelies are more selective than Dartmouth's. Without actual numbers though it's hard to tell.</p>
<p>I believe that close to 25% of Dartmouth students are recruited athletes, hence
the greater percentage of likely letters.</p>
<p>Columbia and Dartmouth are also polar opposites.</p>
<p>How so Ephemeral2? Other than geographically...</p>
<p>NYC vs. hanover (Which produces entirely different campus environments and attract very different students), undergrad focus, D-Plan vs. semester system, loose distribution requirements vs. strict Core, and, from everything I've gathered, two very different kinds of students (Columbia's being more competitive and less engaged with the campus; dartmouth's being very community-oriented and less intense)</p>
<p>of course these are extreme generalizations</p>
<p>^ I like the city and rural environments, so I applied to both. I guess I really just don't have much of an opinion about anything =(</p>
<p>Haha no I completely understand. I know plenty of people who applied to both and would love to go to either school.</p>
<p>Dartmouth just sends out many more likely letters than Columbia does; therefore, it's easier to get a Dartmouth likely.</p>
<p>I'd say Columbia likelies are harder to get. Columbia likelies are probably more like likelies of most other colleges in that they're more geared towards athletes, while Dartmouth's seem to be directed at all types of well-qualified applicants.</p>
<p>^ Didn't know that.</p>
<p>I'll put it this way: For myself, the chance of getting a Columbia likely is 0% (since I didn't apply) and my chance of getting a Dartmouth likely is 0.000000001% (since I did apply).
How's that for the odds? ;)</p>