<p>you’re an idiot. you probably wouldn’t have gotten into dartmouth if you were applying now anyway</p>
<p>I was accepted in the most recent admissions cycle, the most competitive one in Dartmouth’s history. You’re an idiot – take a look at my username, “DmouthGrad2014.” </p>
<p>P.S. You have an 1840 on the SAT. Do you think you’re in the position to insult others’ intelligence?</p>
<p>Dmouthgrad2014 and hpgirl2010: I understand that both of you are proud of the college you plan to attend, and want to defend it against unreasonable criticism. But I think you’ve both gone beyond discussing the merits of two (excellent) colleges to personal attacks that are embarrassing to you and to your respective schools. I think civility is in the meta-curriculum at both Bowdoin and Dartmouth, and I hope you’ll both benefit.</p>
<p>
Wow. That is all I can say. Just… wow.</p>
<p>I’m elated by the fact that I’m not going to school with you next year…</p>
<p>i completely agree with the last two posters. </p>
<p>yes, i must be an idiot because i got an 1840 on my first sat and because my second was a 2000. but at least i’m not an elitist.</p>
<p>I got rejected from Dartmouth and accepted at Bowdoin. As much as I would like to think otherwise, I DO think that Dartmouth has a more intelligent student body. Also, I think that Dartmouth is significantly more prestigious than Bowdoin. I would’ve probably picked Bowdoin over Dartmouth myself for athletic reasons (I could play a varsity sport at Bowdoin and I wouldn’t be able to play that sport at Dartmouth) but I can imagine that 80+% of people would pick Dartmouth over Bowdoin. That said, Dartmouthgrad2014: you are being an elitist prick. Do not think that your acceptance to Dartmouth makes you better than anyone else.</p>
<p>Both Bowdoin and Dartmouth are great schools. There are lots of factors to consider, and prestige may be one of them, but don’t blindly follow cross-admit matriculation rates as another poster seemed to suggest.</p>
<p>I fail to see how cross-admit matriculation rates really even matter in this situation.
It may be interesting to see how many students preferred one school over the other, but these are simple statistics that do not enumerate the individual attributes of each school. It is best to pick the school that’s best for you individually, not simply because it was best for 70% of other people. </p>
<p>In the end it is indeed “anecdotal evidence” that matters. What are important are <em>your</em> impressions and your gut feelings about the two schools, not statistics. </p>
<p>Coming from another member of the Dartmouth class of 2014, rest assured that Dmouth’s perspective is not shared by all incoming Dartmouth students.</p>
<p>Absolutely, 100% listen to DartmouthGrad2014. (S)he is a correct that the prestige difference between Dartmouth and Bowdoin isnt even close. While we all hate to acknowledge the importance of prestige, it needs to be said that everyone from lay people to employers will perk up when they hear your from Dartmouth. However, they very seldom will be as impressed when they here about Bowdoin. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure Bowdoin is a lovely school. Yet, if you wanna work at GS, MS, or simply dont know what you want to do, no where short of HYPS will open more doors for you than Dartmouth. I was actually admitted to three “top-middle” ivies: Wharton LSM, Yale, and Dartmouth. Had I not been able to get both a bio and econ degree from Penn, I would have turned Yale down without a second thought for Dartmouth. Please, just go there.</p>
<p>^So, the principle factor in making a college decision should be what name will perk up the most ears when you’re at a cocktail party full of middle-aged people?</p>
<p>I have a hard time believing that the difference between an undergrad degree from Bowdoin and an undergrad degree from Dartmouth will be significant enough to open doors that would otherwise be shut. I acknowledge Dartmouth’s superior prestige, but I also know that there are more important factors in a college decision. And, frankly, as an incoming freshman yourself, I doubt that you know much about what advantages an Ivy League grad will have post-graduation.</p>
<p>Drought-</p>
<p>True, I don’t know much from personal experience regarding these schools post-grad placement. However, if the OP is looking at a field in finance/ibanking, I do know and constantly here from people in the field that Dartmouth is a tier one school for banking (the only schools that clearly beat it are Harvard and Wharton). However, Bowdoin isn’t currently in the top four tiers of banking (to my knowledge).</p>
<p>Look, I am sure that there are some benifits in attending Bowdoin. Yet, as an UG why in God’s name would you ever limit the number of doors open to you in the future. I think most of us can agree that Dartmouth is overall more highly regarded and has better resources than Bowdoin. So, I personally believe its the best school for the OP to attend.</p>
<p>(ignores the debate about prestige)</p>
<p>I was accepted to both Dartmouth and Bowdoin (as well as a few other schools). My impression was that Bowdoin was a great place to go to school–in fact, someone in my class who clearly could have been accepted to Ivies chose to apply ED to Bowdoin for this very reason. In the end, though, I didn’t really consider Bowdoin–Dartmouth gave me a much better financial aid package.</p>
<p>Earlier in this thread, people mentioned the dorms and food. Dorms are quite variable, ranging from new and spacious to old and cramped. My dorm experience has been awesome (though I’m part of the East Wheelock Cluster, which doesn’t appeal to everyone), and I’ve been very pleased with the food (a large number of people find that the dining plans are more than adequate to cover a reasonable amount of food). That said, Bowdoin has an excellent reputation when it comes to these creature comforts, but I can’t say anything with certainty since I’ve never visited Bowdoin.</p>
<p>I hope this helps.</p>
<p>dmouthgrad2014 sounds like a cool guy and makes me want to go to dartmouth.</p>
<p>not</p>
<p>Dmouthgrad2014, I’m honestly a little ashamed to be going to school with you next year 
</p>
<p>To the OP, prestige aside, just choose whatever feels more like a home to you. If prestige matters to you, then go to Dartmouth for prestige, if it doesn’t, then disregard it, and go to wherever you want to go and can picture yourself the happiest during AND after college.</p>
<p>Many people I know have chosen Dartmouth over Bowdoin. Please don’t take the few prestige-obsessed people on these boards as a representative sample of our campus. I don’t know if they’re ■■■■■■ or actually like that…
Where you go to school depends on where you feel more comfortable. Go with your gut instinct. You can carve out a niche for yourself wherever you go. Best of luck :)</p>
<p>If you are a prestige-obsessed person than go to Dartmouth.
If you are a person who wants to be happy and respected than think over your decision more.
Both are amazing institutions. I don’t think you can lose either way.
For a small school Bowdoin offers a lot. The two schools SAT scores for each sections ARE within 20-30 points away from each other- not a big stretch. You also might get more attention and be a recognizable person on campus at Bowdoin.
My mother went to Georgetown, then to Oxford. She said that she knew someone who went to Bowdoin and got into Oxford for graduate school and someone from Harvard who unfortunately did not get into Oxford. Doors are not closed to you if you go to Bowdoin. Just because you go to Harvard, Yale or Dartmouth does not mean that you are guaranteed better spots at graduate schools, jobs, etc. How you do in the school you go to is as- if not more- important as its name. Also if you plan to attend graduate school the gap between Bowdoin and Dartmouth closes further because companies will look more at what graduate school you went to and I guarantee that admissions boards to grad school will know of Bowdoin and where it lies in association to Dartmouth.<br>
GOOD LUCK on your decision! and just remember to make the choice that makes you HAPPIEST</p>
<p>“I know lots of people here in the South who have chosen Cornell over Williams – and that’s because it has more name recognition.”</p>
<p>Yeah, they’re everywhere in the South. Next to college football, NASCAR, and whittling, the most popular hobby in the South is turning down Williams for Cornell.</p>
<p>dartmouth has a larger alum network~ don’t know if that counts for anything but just pointing it out . . .</p>
<p>hahahahha schmaltz, i like your sarcasm. anyways, OP, we’d all love to hear which you chose. we know you’ll be happy at either school</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>this year, as a matter of fact.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Do you have the statistics for this? Also, considering how it appears you haven’t even enrolled at Dartmouth yet (class of 2014??), I think its safe to assume that you really have no credibility when talking about either of these schools, particularly Dartmouth. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>…says the person that only a few posts earlier criticized ad hominem attacks as below his/her “level”</p>
<p>I am a fan of both schools and have friends and relatives who have attended one or the other. Bowdoin does have a presence in the financial world.</p>
<p>Here are a few articles about some alumni:
[USATODAY.com</a> - A CEO and a gentleman](<a href=“http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2005-04-24-chenault-usat_x.htm]USATODAY.com”>http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2005-04-24-chenault-usat_x.htm)
[J.P</a>. Morgan | Jes Staley<br>Chief Executive Officer, Investment Bank](<a href=“J.P. Morgan | Official Website”>J.P. Morgan | Official Website)
[Star</a> financier who has made giving a high art - The Standard | Genesis Foundation](<a href=“http://www.genesisfoundation.org.uk/content/star-financier-who-has-made-giving-high-art-standard]Star”>http://www.genesisfoundation.org.uk/content/star-financier-who-has-made-giving-high-art-standard)
[The</a> largest American charitable contributions of 2009. - Compiled by the <em xmlns=“”>Chronicle of Philanthropy</em> - Slate Magazine](<a href=“http://www.slate.com/id/2243496]The”>The largest American charitable contributions of 2009.)
[Mount</a> Kellett proves a Steep Climb for Ex-Goldman Partner | Banking & Finance > Banking & Finance Overview from AllBusiness.com](<a href=“http://www.allbusiness.com/banking-finance/financial-markets-investing-funds/13752900-1.html]Mount”>http://www.allbusiness.com/banking-finance/financial-markets-investing-funds/13752900-1.html)</p>
<p>I live in Asia, and quite frankly, except for those who have studied in the U.S. or have lived there for a reasonable amount of time, most people do not know about Dartmouth, Bowdoin, or my alma mater, Amherst. Among the intelligentsia, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Chicago, UC Berkeley get instant name recognition since they have top graduate/professional programs; Nobel laureate faculty members, and high impact research. FYI, I chose Amherst over Yale for college. I felt, and still believe, college is an individual decision. Ultimately, your education is the most important reward from college and not just the degree. Prestige didn’t play the major role in my college decision. If it is important, as it is for D’mouth, then that is his/her personal reason for choosing a college and should be respected. However, although important, prestige certainly is not the only factor for many other students. College is an unique time of life in which you have few outside responsibilities other than your education and development. I would go with what you feel in your gut is the best choice for you. Choose wisely and enjoy the experience!</p>