<p>I'm choosing between Dartmouth and Williams and need some advice. Though I am not yet 100% sure, I am interested in studying a combination of Econ, Neuroscience, and math. I like that Dartmouth is bigger than Williams and (I think) has better sciences. My biggest concerns with Dartmouth are a) the frat/drinking culture and b) it doesn't seem very intellectual. I'm afraid that Williams may be too small but it does have a reputation of being an intellectual school, although it is also known for its jocks (I am not a jock).</p>
<p>Whenever people talk about Dartmouth on CC, the frat scene is always listed as one of their top concerns. Is the Greek scene pretty big at Dartmouth? Yes. Does everyone drink and party every night? No! Contrary to popular belief, a large portion (17% according to Dick's House, which is Dartmouth's sort of health center/nurse's station) of Dartmouth students abstain from drinking. As in they don't go anywhere near alcohol. No one shoves alcohol down your throat at Dartmouth. If you say "I don't drink", that's it. People aren't going to try to corrupt you. Now, if you want to drink, beer is readily available (and free) at the frats. But that doesn't mean you * have* to go to frats. Plenty of people don't join a Greek house (about 40%) and you will most definitely not be bored and alone on a friday night because you are the only one not going to a frat party.</p>
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it doesn't seem very intellectual
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<p>That's a joke, right? Please tell me you did not just call one of the top schools in the nation not "very intellectual". I don't mean to sound rude/mean or to offend anyone, but this is the same sweeping generalization made about Cornell that really angers me sometimes. Obviously, a great many of smart, successful people have come out of both schools (or three. Let's include Williams, just to be inclusive and fair). I'm not exactly sure what it is you find so unintellectual (not a real word, I know) about Dartmouth. They hosted one of the Democratic Party debates and had all of the candidates for president come to speak at various events across campus. Honestly, the only way you didn't get to meet and engage in some form of interaction with the candidates was if you locked yourself in your room and never went anywhere (and even then, supporters of the candidates came to your door to try to convince you to vote for their favorite candidate). Guest speakers across every discipline have given lectures or held events at Dartmouth. Classes are small and encourage discussion. Classes are pretty tough, regardless of the major (psych and sociology are often considered to be easy majors, but the way psych grades are calculated at Dartmouth make it extremely hard for students to get an A). Corporate recruiting is excellent, with a large number of grads going on to work at major investment banks such as Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs.</p>
<p>Obviously, Dartmouth students are smart or else it wouldn't be so competitive to get in. What do you mean by intellectual? Maybe I am just misinterpreting your definition.</p>
<p>It's definitely debatable whether Dartmouth is better than Williams for the sciences; Williams has absolutely top notch facilities and top notch faculties for the sciences. Econ and math are particularly well known departments. </p>
<p>That said, check the course catalog at Williams--I'm not sure how much neuroscience is actually offered.</p>
<p>Williams is incredibly intellectual...you will have numerous long conversations with your friends and classmates about academic issues outside of classes. I didn't go to Dartmouth, but my impression is that Dartmouth is similarly intellectual. </p>
<p>I do think that you'll find more of a drinking and partying culture at Dartmouth than at Williams, but there is definitely drinking and partying that goes on at Williams too. Personally, I hate the concept of frats (exclusive social groups...ugh), but I think in practice (especially at a place like Dartmouth), they're probably far less of a negative issue than you imagine. I'm very happy that my school didn't have frats, but I've mostly heard good things from students who went to schools which had frats.</p>
<p>Finally, Williams definitely has a lot of student athletes (who do not fit the "jock" stereotype at all), but it also has a lot of student musicians, student actors, student poets...etc, etc. The athletic side of Williams is one of the more highly publicized sides, but don't let it fool you--it reflects an active culture at Williams much more so than an athletic culture. Most students excel in activities out of the classroom and you'll find vibrant theatre, music, art...etc...scenes at Williams in addition to successful sports teams. I am sure that most Dartmouth students are similarly active.</p>
<p>I don't really know much about Williams (so I encourage you to find more info about it), but I can tell you a thing or two about Dartmouth:</p>
<p>KittyLow pretty much nailed it for the frat/drinking one. </p>
<p>As for Dartmouth not being very intellectual, I can see where you're coming from. The drinking and outdoorsy image that Dartmouth has established for itself does work against the intellectual image. No one really associates drinking with intellectual discussion, but there really is a lot of stuff that goes on here. There's a dinner-with-a-professor going on everyday. I'm checking my mail and I see: "Human Rights Speakers at Dartmouth", "Tuck India Business Conference 2008", and "Free Dinner & Lecture by Anna Hui!". </p>
<p>For your prospective major, Dartmouth fits all of them. Econ is what Dartmouth does best. The neuroscience department is also a strength here (you wouldn't think it would be, but it is). There's a lot of research going on. As for math, I feel like Dartmouth has a pretty good program, but I don't enough about it to compare it to Williams's math program.</p>
<p>This is a wash really as Dartmouth is essentially an LAC in Ivy clothing. I would go with the best finances and then where you feel most comfortable. I wouldn't turn down Dartmouth but it seems like some people like to be the "cool person" that turned down the Ivy for the "little LAC that could" By the way there is 9 pages of this foolishness in the rejecting Harvard thread.</p>