Does Dartmouth live up to its hype in the college books?

<p>Hey all, I haven't been around the boards for a month or so, so I apologize if such a thread already exists.</p>

<p>On other schools' forums, there are threads where students who are currently attending the college in question answer the questions of applicants. So I've recently been doing a lot of reading about Dart, and honestly, the more I read about it, the more I like about it. In particular I was pleased to see that kids at Dart are overall happier than at other similar schools - and that there's a lot more focus on the undergrad and an excellent, accessible faculty that isn't just smart but knows how to translate their expertise into good teaching.</p>

<p>Can anybody currently at Dartmouth vouch for that? Or did the adcoms pay off those authors? lol</p>

<p>I vouch!
I love Dartmouth - I love the professors, the people, the Dartmouth Outdoors Club, and the dorms. I love late night conversations in Novak Cafe, long study sessions in the tower room, playing in the band, and passing friends on the green. Though I have only been on campus for one term, I have grown to like almost everything at Dartmouth; the hype is all true.</p>

<p>hahah that's so wonderful, and exactly what I wanted to hear! It's actually funny b/c I only decided to apply to Dartmouth last-minute, like three days before my apps were due to guidance. My mom was like "why not? It's common app, no extra essays. just ask a friend to write something good about you." So I did...now it's my fave school lol!</p>

<p>Yes, it is an awesome awesome school.</p>

<p>I agree with all this. Dartmouth is a gem that is more than the hype. I absolutely loved it.</p>

<p>I love... walking up from my dorm, seeing Baker Tower grow as I near the center of campus... looking out over the Green, covered in snow and our snow ship sculpture being built, day by day... Blitz... late-night Blitz... going into Lone Pine midway through weekend nights, hearing students sing and play guitar... hockey games... parties... snowball fights in my dorm hallways... the 2-hour conversations, persisting through 2 and 3 rounds of people eating dinner... I love the school spirit, the people, the place. It is a good place.</p>

<p>I wish everyone understood how amazing it is. Looking back it was incredible.</p>

<p>You know that's really amazing. Similar threads on other boards haven't yet evoked such school passion...most people have a sort of love/hate relationship with their school.</p>

<p>So what were your most and least favorite things about Dartmouth? (the question I ask all interviewers haha)</p>

<p>Every once in a while, something said on this Dartmouth board compels me to post just how excited I am about the school--</p>

<p>I'm so excited (yet realistic) about getting that letter back!</p>

<p>lol ditto! can you believe it's in less than two months?! i know right now i'm more impatient than anything else...but come mid-march i'll be a wreck. everything i hear makes me cross my fingers for the big envelope lol</p>

<p>March just can't get here fast enough.... I just want to know! And, of course, I want to receive good news. I saved a fortune cookie fortune that said "you will be receiving good news from far away" (I live in California) and I taped it to the calendar the day we get the decisions... that made me feel better. :)</p>

<p>aww that's so incredibly cute! </p>

<p>i actually went ED Penn (for proximity reasons)...and am sooooo glad i got deferred now. it doesn't match up to Dartmouth at all. but like the week the decision were coming out i was a train wreck lol. i spent hours upon hours on these forums, talking to the friends i'd made...it's crazy lol. hopefully we can all lean on each other like that when it's crunch time :)</p>

<p>Bluirnika,</p>

<p>Here is what I love about Dartmouth. </p>

<ol>
<li>The Spirit. Dartmouth's school spirit goes so much beyond sports teams. It is ingrained in the place. I cannot tell you how many of my friends keep in touch as alumni or how much Dartmouth people help each other. Somehow you have an instant bond with almost anyone who went to Dartmouth. Its an amazing thing I have never seen anywhere else. </li>
<li>The Academics: Dartmouth professors really care. Its cliche but true, they are in hanover for their undergrad students first and foremost. I personally was given $8000 to do research for my thesis (I did my thesis research internationally in the pacific).<br></li>
<li>The unique programs: There are so many REAL ways to bond with other students.<br></li>
</ol>

<p>Here was my best Dartmouth year in a nutshell...
Summer Sophomore year: Taking great classes (Professor invited us all to his home type of classes) and having an great time on campus. I got to know my entire class year so well (1050 people), and everyday we did amazing random things like swim in the river at night, have bbqs, great parties, etc.<br>
Fall Junior Year: Preparing for my thesis, taking acting class from an amazing professor and getting to really know my acting class. We all hung out, it was awesome! Also worked 1-on-1 with a professor to plan my thesis research and thesis.<br>
Winter Term: Thesis research on a pacific island. One of the most amazing experiences of my life
Spring Term: Study abroad in Europe with 23 other great people (all Dartmouth students). Unlike programs at other schools, study abroad programs are 100% Dartmouth, and we went on excursions every weekend to other cities, museums, parks, etc. I am still great friends with many of these people.</p>

<p>I could go on and on, Dartmouth does so many things well. It is just such a nurturing environment. The kind of place where the President of the school waves hello to you, or where you might be drinking a hot chocolate at the student center and 10 friends will come with sleds and next thing you know you are out there. I have honestly never been around such a large group of upbeat, funny, cool people.</p>

<p>For example, I wouldnt normally have joined a frat, but at Dartmouth it was very cool. People go to all the frats and there is little testosterone. Its just a friendly atmosphere.</p>

<p>The only thing I dont like is the three most popular frats are pretty jocky. Yet I have seen this occur at a bunch of schools.</p>

<p>Which would you say are the three most popular frats?</p>

<p>Maybe most popular is the wrong word, but Theta Delt, Heorot, and AD...maybe Chi-Gamm too...</p>

<p>that's interesting- I never go to any of those...I spend my time at SAE, Sig Ep, and Chi Gam</p>

<p>i love how Dartmouth gets all this bad press for having such a huge frat scene. What people fail to realize is that the people that are in Dartmouth frats are IN DARTMOUTH. so clearly they're not the stereotypical a s s h o l e frat boys - they got themselves into Dartmouth after all.</p>

<p>Dartmouth grads/students, any comments? Are the Dartmouth frat boys actually run-of-the-mill frat boys? lol.</p>

<p>No, they're pretty cool.</p>

<p>Is Dartmouth in New Hampshire or Vermont?</p>

<p>New Hampshire, but it seems like it's really close to the border between the two states. Vermont and New Hampshire make such a cute couple, honestly.</p>