<p>yah, I met a unemployed harvard grad, and then i bumped into a friend in community college with a job as a janitor. I always knew community college was better.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Northwestern is even further from Harvard in terms of cross-admit battle
[/quote]
</p>
<p>and thus, Dartmouth IS closer to Harvard than NU. </p>
<p>if you want to battle over words like "much" - well I'd say that Dartmouth's 7% yield no. is "much" better than NU's measly 2%.</p>
<p>Comparing the amount of students who chose to attend the respective schools over Harvard is pretty silly. This says nothing about the two schools compared to each other- it says nothing about their academic strength, course offerings, job placement, etc. I hate when arguments over BS topics like this spring up during conversations. This kind of stuff does, and shall, lead nowhere……</p>
<p>I mean, Harvard beats out every school in that survey, including Princeton, Yale, and Stanford. Does this mean that they are not direct peers of Harvard, EQUAL in academic strength? No it does not.</p>
<p>All of this said, I believe that there are valid reasons for picking Northwestern over Dartmouth.
Academic quality of student body/faculty being approximately equal--leaning toward Dartmouth overall, but to Northwestern in many specific areas:</p>
<p>*Location; (Hanover, NH vs. Evanston, IL)
*Outstanding academic quality in a specific area; (for example, Northwestern for film would make more sense than Dartmouth for film.)</p>
<p>Personally, I chose Northwestern over Dartmouth, Penn, JHU, and Brown, because:
1) I'm from the New England, and wanted to leave for awhile.
2) I went to a rural boarding school, and Dartmouth reminded me quite a bit of it, (albeit much less austere--I really like Dartmouth.)
3) Northwestern offered a top ten program in my major.
4) Northwestern provided access to a great city, unexplored by me theretofore.
5) Northwestern didn't seem as stuffy as the other universities of its quality.</p>
<p>So count me among the 22%--and I'm very happy with my decision.
I have no doubt that Dartmouth would've been excellent too.</p>
<p>Juju, those are fine reasons for choosing NU and honestly Northwestern is absolutely in the top 15 school consideration set. In terms of success, WHO you are matters much more than the slight difference in reputation. And you're right, in certain areas (theater, journalism, etc), its hard to beat NU.</p>
<p>Well, I guess we have different perspective in looking at those numbers. So to be fair, let's consider the following:</p>
<p>Harvard vs Yale: 65% vs 35%. Is that "sigificant" gap? the_prestige, I always think Yale and Harvard are peers; are you introducing me something new? Should one say Stanford is much better than Dartmouth since its 27% vs 7% then? Again, I don't think so but then I haven't been contradicting myself. But it looks like some people are constantly changing their standard--higher number for their school = "siginificantly better" but lower number = "slighly less" or "up there withl". </p>
<p>
[quote]
Comparing the amount of students who chose to attend the respective schools over Harvard is pretty silly. This says nothing about the two schools compared to each other- it says nothing about their academic strength, course offerings, job placement, etc.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I agree. :)</p>
<p>isnt it basically a ranking of prestige :P</p>
<p>You cannot change the strike zone in the middle of the game!!! Lol</p>
<p>Seriously though, its really asinine to argue which one is better: Both are fine institutions featuring two very- productive CC posters, Slipper (D) and KK91105 (NW) :)</p>
<p>Sam, with all due respect, you are totally changing the goalposts.</p>
<p>I recall another argument where agoodfella was blasted for introducing USC and NYU into the mix in a debate about the relative strengths of the film departments of Wesleyan in an overall discussion about Wesleyan vs. Brown. That was deeemed "unacceptable" and "irrelevant".</p>
<p>So similarly, why are you all of the sudden bringing into the mix Yale and Stanford in a debate about NU vs. Dartmouth?</p>
<p>Did Slipper say that Dartmouth was closer to Harvard than Y or S?
Did I say anything about Dartmouth's strengths relative to Y or S?</p>
<p>As I recall, this thread is about NU vs. Dartmouth, so what does Yale or Stanford have to do with anything?</p>
<p>In the end I would say Dartmouth, only because I think its amazing in every area, socially and academically. It is the quintessential college experience. </p>
<p>BUT if you like NU more (chicago, specific major, etc), go there. Both schools are in the "top school" zone and frankly that means more than anything else. BUT Michigan is not as good as Brown, Dartmouth, Duke, Penn, or Columbia (a poke at Alexandre lol).</p>
<p>Look what I can do....</p>
<p>In the end I would say Northwestern, only because I think its amazing in every area, socially and academically. It is the quintessential college experience.</p>
<p>That would work if it were true, but I don't get the impression Northwestern is that fun of a place to be from the things I've read and the people I know who've gone there. Things like campus size, location, aesthetics I didn't like as much, but recognize is completely subjective.</p>
<p>did you actually get into those schools JuJU</p>
<p>a Duke student can say they chose it over harvard when they never got into those schools</p>
<p>"That would work if it were true, but I don't get the impression Northwestern is that fun of a place to be from the things I've read and the people I know who've gone there. Things like campus size, location, aesthetics I didn't like as much, but recognize is completely subjective."</p>
<p>No offense to you, but you don’t get to decide what is “true”. I happen to love Northwestern, and am pretty sure being in a random town in New Hampshire would make me hate life. For me, Northwestern is a great place to be. </p>
<p>Stepping out of the subjective sphere….. Both Dartmouth and Northwestern have 97% freshman retention rates. So, an equal percentage of freshman at both schools choose to return. I’m not going to stand by and let people make ridiculous and unfounded claims about the campus life at Northwestern. Everyone at Northwestern of course doesn’t love it, but I’d be willing to bet no school has a completely satisfied student body.</p>
<p>BUT WHAT ABOUT TUFTS!!??</p>
<p>Actually, I think both sides here have made a good case, and it's refreshing to see people so loyal to their alma maters. But it's apples and bananas here. How about you guys agree that if somebody wanted a wonderful mid-sized university with Div 1 sports that was right next to an exciting big city, Northwestern is as good as it gets? And if you want a wonderful smallish university in the mountains, Dartmouth is as good as it gets? OK? Now KK, put on your purple pj's, blow up your inflatable wildcat, and get to sleep. And how 'bout those Detroit Tigers?!</p>
<p>None of this is based on what is "true". It's all based on perceptions and experiences.</p>
<p>Agreed, TourGuide446.</p>