<p>I have been admitted to both Cornell (College of Human Ecology) and Dartmouth. I am an international student from Ghana and really don't know much about the cities in which these schools are and which of them will be better for me. I wish to study pre-Med and I would really appreciate it if anyone could help me in choosing which of these schools to attend. </p>
<p>Amherst and Wesleyan have also accepted me and as it stands now, I can attend only one of the four.</p>
<p>I just want the one that would be best for my intended major and increase my chances of getting into Medical school.</p>
<p>Congratulations on all of your amazing acceptances!</p>
<p>Is financial aid a consideration? Of the 4 schools you are considering, I believe Dartmouth and Amherst meet full need for international students. Cornell and Wesleyan do not. Even if you do not need financial assistance now, it will only get more expensive if and when you attend med school.</p>
<p>So if financial aid is a consideration, I recommend that you wait until you hear back from all 4 schools regarding this.</p>
<p>If it is not - I cannot speak for the other 3 schools, but I do know that Cornell’s CHE places well into med schools. Perhaps others can chime in with more interesting details.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot Doby. But financial aid is not a consideration. All four schools offered me full rides and I would not have to pay anything to any of them I choose to attend.</p>
<p>Since you asked about the cities, both Ithaca and Hanover are rather remote from big metropolitan areas. Both have lots of cold weather and natural beauty. Dartmouth/Hanover is close to the White Mountains, and is great for skiers, hikers, etc., and Cornell/Ithaca has many gorges, waterfalls, state parks and 40 mile long Cayuga Lake nearby. Hanover is smaller than Ithaca, and to my mind, less interesting and vibrant. Ithaca is a quintessential college town, with many restaurants, 2 colleges, and a counter cultural vibe. Hanover is smaller, and Dartmouth is generally thought to have a more conservative student body than any of the other Ivy League schools. Fraternity life is dominant there. Greek life is also big at Cornell, but not as pervasive. I’m not sure what you have in mind for social life in college, but you might want to look at the information about how many international students attend each, in case that is important to you.</p>
<p>Since you are pre-med, I believe Dartmouth’s medical school and teaching hospital are in Hanover, while Cornell’s are in NYC, 3.5 hours away from Ithaca. If you thought you might want to volunteer or do an internship at a hospital, Dartmouth might be a better choice. The presidents of both universities happen to be physicians. Jim Kim, at Dartmouth, is one of the founders of the non-profit organization Partners in Health which has fought AIDS and TB in Haiti, Peru, and Rwanda, among other places. David Skorton at Cornell is a pediatric cardiologist.</p>
<p>Good luck to you–you have a wonderful choice!</p>