<p>I'm a rising senior at the Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA). I'm very interested in pursuing neuro- or cognitive science as a major in college. I'm also looking to become a cognitive neuroscience researcher, and would like to have the opportunity to do this type of research as an undergraduate. </p>
<p>I began looking at Dartmouth very early on in the application process. I became very interested in their neuroscience programs, and I visited campus recently this summer, and loved it.</p>
<p>I'm taking a psychology class at Northwestern University this summer, and my professor suggested looking at UPenn. I did, and liked what I saw.</p>
<p>My school is very competetive, around 20 graduates out of classes around 185 go to Ivy League schools and MIT, about another 20 go to the great midwestern schools, Northwestern, U Chicago and Wash U. The thing is, UPenn is a very popular school to apply to from my academy, but UPenn is one of the hardest places to get into from my school. Last year, 22 applied, 3 got in. Dartmouth is much less popular among my peers, and is much more accepting of IMSA kids. </p>
<p>I'm wondering what you all have to say about how Dartmouth's cognitive science/neuroscience/psychology programs measure up to UPenn's.</p>