Dartmouth vs. Northwestern, please help

<p>What are you opinions? I know that NU is near Chicago and that Dartmouth is in the middle of New Hampshire, but besides that, they seem very similar. What is your advice? After Dartmouth's dimensions, I'm probably leaning towards them a little more than Northwestern, especially since I don't know too much about Northwestern.</p>

<p>I know a lot about both (I went to Dartmouth and got into NU and my cousin is there now). I honestly would choose Dartmouth, Here's why: </p>

<p>Prestige: Both are good, but Dartmouth is one level above</p>

<p>Community: NU is twice the size, and Dartmouth is one of the most tightknit in the world, which means an awesome alumni network, and general love for the place.</p>

<p>Resources/ Academics: Dartmouth is much more undergrad focused, which means more grants, all professors teach classes, etc. D helped me start a company and paid for its office space, what other school does that! Also D gave me an $8000 research grant, among other opportunities including a year with the head of the department as my thesis advisor. </p>

<p>Location: NU is good for the city, but Dartmouth's middle of nowhere fosters an awesome social life into itself</p>

<p>Study Abroad: This is my favorite thing about D. Sophomore summer is a great great time to meet your class, and study abroad with 20 other Dartmouth kids is an amazing and unique experience. I left D having lived in the Pacific, Oxford, and Spain, and it was all through grants or regular Dartmouth tuition.</p>

<p>Its an amazing place. I chose it over Harvard, Brown, Duke, etc and it was the best choice I have ever made.</p>

<p>dartmouth =P</p>

<p>many people i know that have visited northwestern, myself included, didnt like the campus.</p>

<p>Both have very similar academics. The main difference is whether you prefer the city or the middle of nowhere. Northwestern and Dartmouth were my top two choices, but I preferred the city much more than the New Hampshire outback, so I chose Northwestern.</p>

<p>Honestly for me it wasnt city or nowhere, it was community or less of a community experience. I like the city too, but riding a bike to class in the snow and running into a ton of friends everywhere is very different than a bigger school with grad students, Division 1 football, and where you take shuttles around.</p>

<p>LOL! While NU is in the Big10, it's much smaller than the rest of the Big10. It's a mid-size private. Most people don't take shuttles around. :P</p>

<p>It also depends on what you want to study. NU is known for preprofessional programs (journalism/engineering/econ/speech/education/film & theater/music...etc) while Dartmouth is probably better for liberal arts/classics.</p>

<p>Still 8000 vs. 4000 and a much larger campus...It isnt nearly as intimate.</p>

<p>Actually NU's campus isn't big--only 250 acres.</p>

<p>Seemed pretty large when I visited. Anyway, the size issue can go either way. If you are the type of person who wants to get to know a lot of your community it will be much more natural at Dartmouth. </p>

<p>On the other hand its smaller size means there are less opportunities to "get away" and also it means the cliques are smaller. For example there is a sizable Indian group at NU largely due to the size of the student body. At Dartmouth, even though the percentage is the same, there are less Indians on campus, and thus they are much more integrated in the overall university. It depends on what you are looking for. Personally Dartmouth was perfect, but I know plenty who might prefer a larger school.</p>

<p>Go to Dartmouth.</p>

<p>If I had the choice, Northwestern hands down. Academically and reputationally, they are both excellent but in different ways. But I personally do not like the environment at Dartmouth...it is too limited and too secluded. If you don't mind a rural and secluded locale, than Dartmouth is ok, but if you do not like such an atmosphere, Dartmouth is a no-no!</p>

<p>It also depends on what you want to study. If you are interested in Economics or Engineering, it is not even close. Northwestern just has far more to offer in those fields of study.</p>

<p>For engineering sure, but for business, law school, med school I give the edge to Dartmouth. Top grad schools/ I banks/ consultant firms on the east coast seem to be have more dartmouth grads. And even in engineering/ econ, a great majority go into business. And most will admit that grad rankings of engineering/ econ matter a lot less than the number and quality of recruiters that show up on campus, and Dartmouth excels. </p>

<p>Anyway they are both great. I personally found Dartmouth's seclusion to be a huge advantage. People actually show up to on campus activities. And you have to remember Alexandre chose Michigan over multiple Ivies, so he prefers the larger environment.</p>

<p>N) Community in the suburbs
D) Community in the country</p>

<p>D) Most school-community-devoted group of students in the country
N) (don't know about their rep here)</p>

<p>N) Big 10 (if you want big time TV sports)
D) Ivy League</p>

<p>This is difficult indeed. I would have to say choose Northwestern over Dartmouth…</p>

<p>Evanston is more small city than suburb. One could never leave Evanston and have a very good life.</p>

<p>definitely Dartmouth...</p>

<p>The "grad schools/ I banks/ consultant firms" that recruit at Dartmouth also recruit at Northwestern. A investment bank isn't going to pick a Dartmouth grad over a Northwestern grad because he went to Dartmouth and vice versa.</p>

<p>Half of these people are in high school and know nothing of either school; if they hear that something is in the Ivy League they automatically assume it’s a better school. I suggest you research and come to an informed conclusion.</p>

<p>
[quote]
For engineering sure, but for business, law school, med school I give the edge to Dartmouth. Top grad schools/ I banks/ consultant firms on the east coast seem to be have more dartmouth grads. And even in engineering/ econ, a great majority go into business. And most will admit that grad rankings of engineering/ econ matter a lot less than the number and quality of recruiters that show up on campus, and Dartmouth excels.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>For business/law/med??? It should be prebiz (what is that?LOL!), prelaw, and premed. Northwestern has better business, law, and medical schools than Dartmouth.</p>

<p>Well, of course Dartmouth would naturally have more presence in the northeast because it's where it's located. A lot of firms in NYC also have offices in Chicago and vice versa. Dartmouth is in NH and I suspect it's reputation is not as good as Columbia/Cornell and HYP whereas Northwestern is very known in Chicago. </p>

<p>Just how exactly do you know the number of recruiters is less at Nortwestern??? I actually think there are more recruiters visiting NU's campus because of the easy access to Chicago and NU's much larger number of different programs. What do you mean by "quality" of recruiters? How do you know less major/Fortunue 500 firms (still not necessarily the best places to work anyway) show up at Northwestern? I think you are really streching it without much proof. The fact is Northwestern has top-10 econ and top-5 industrial engineering/operation research (also known as mangement engineering and science) programs and that should be a good indicator that it's a great school to get into biz.</p>

<p>Sam Lee, Northwestern's professional grad programs have nothing to do with undergrad placement, except perhaps at Northwestern's own schools. Dartmouth, like Amherst and Williams, has amazing placement. Look at the WSJ survey, HBS, Harvard Law, Yale Law, Columbia Business, Stanford Business etc. Dartmouth always does exceedingly well.</p>