Dartmouth vs Cornell vs Duke

Colleges and Universities A-Z Dartmouth College
1

<p>Hi. So i'm new at posting, but I have some questions regarding Dartmouth in comparison with other tier schools like Cornell and Duke. I've posted this in all three forums as well. I'm sorry for writing so much, I'm just not so familiar with Dartmouth
My biggest questions:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>How happy are the students at Dartmouth as opposed to Duke/Cornell? How does the weather make for dreary winter days? Is this the same at Cornell?</p></li>
<li><p>Does one school typically get a "leg-up" with prestige and recognition? (I also know that all schools are top-notch, I was just wondering if one school in particular is outstanding in an area or placement)</p></li>
<li><p>What do students typically do in their spare time at these schools? Am I correct in assuming that sports are dominant at Duke while greek life is dominant at Dartmouth and Cornell? I heard Dartmouth's been in the news for it's Greek life. But is that all there is at Dartmouth? I'd hate to think if I don't make it into a sorority, than I'd be "out of" Dartmouth. </p></li>
<li><p>What is the campus vibe at these schools? How cutthroat is Dartmouth? And how does the D-Plan hurt/help the community vibe? Is it hard maintaining friendships not being on the same schedule? </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Basically, how is the nightlife/campus vibe/social activity at Dartmouth in comparison to Duke/Cornell? I'm looking for a college that is not only strong academically, but has a strong atmosphere with strong community bonds and excitement and energy that buzzes around campus. I like the "buzz" and daily activity that can seen throughout the campus. One reason I'm not applying to Penn is because their activity revolves around Philly and it lacked a community and exciting vibe.</p>

<p>Thank you so much.</p>

2

<p>Please? Anyone? </p>

3

<p>I repeat…anyone?? :smile: </p>

4

<ol>
<li>Happiness is determined by the individual. That said, Dartmouth definitely has a very strong work hard/play hard atmosphere.</li>
<li>Pretty much all the same across the board prestige wise. Go to whichever you feel most comfortable at. It will make literally zero difference if you want to go to grad school and are applying from one of the three. However, if you are interested in some career field like consulting or high finance, Dartmouth would have an edge on the other two.</li>
<li>Lots of things to do here. I am not involved in greek life, I have a blast. If you are a fan of the outdoors there is no better place to enjoy the four seasons.</li>
<li>D plan is awesome, and once you get used to it, you would wonder why anyone does anything different. in 2015 I will be interning in Washington DC in the spring, NYC in the Summer, and Tokyo in the fall. Good luck being able to pull off that type of flexibility anywhere else. You just can’t do that. Dartmouth is not cut throat, everyone is willing to help out. It is pretty hard, or impossible to find an institution that offers more research and other opportunities to its undergraduate students.</li>
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<p>I was admitted to several ivy’s, including some that are widely regarded as “more” prestigious than Dartmouth. I think as an undergrad, there is no better place to go than here.</p>

5

<p>thank you!</p>