<p>Well, Dartmouth was originally my first choice school, but given the apparent shallowness of the social scene at Dartmouth, Pomona College may very well become my first choice (plus, it's in California). As someone who has no interest in fraternities and is NOT a sports person by any means, do you think I will be miserable (relatively) at Dartmouth? I mean, I am the kind of person who will not get into relationships without serious plans and will not drink alcohol (at all, so that whole drunken fling thing is out of the question). I thought I might be happy at Dartmouth, but I don't know anymore. Of course that's all moot if I'm not accepted to the school...</p>
<p>hypophora, i think u would be better off at pomona to be completely honest.....sports and drinking is big at dartmouth so you may feel out of place....and considering as how admission to dartmouth is a crapshoot anyways i dont know how u can think ur already in....kind of counting your chickens before they hatch there</p>
<p>how could girls have both talents and beauty ?</p>
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think about it ,
how could girls have both talents and beauty ?
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</p>
<p>Don't think about it too hard. Obviously doing so broke this guy's brain.</p>
<p>^^ haha
10 char</p>
<p>Hypophora - my son will be attending Dartmouth in the Fall - EA. He is a non-drinker who is looking forward to outdoor opportunities and academics. He's dated a little in high school, but isn't a "rounder" as described in other posts on this thread. The kids he met while visiting for four days were much like him. He attended classes, Outing Club events and a music practice. He felt the overall college atmosphere was congenial and unpretentious.</p>
<p>lmao. consolation.</p>
<p>I agree that the social scene here is surprisingly shallow for a bunch of smart kids.</p>
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Dartmouth is a place where you can have a very fun time, and I think to a lesser or greater extent most people do, but your chances significantly improve if you are a jock and/or are in one of the good houses (for both males AND females). If you are not one of these things, you have little hope of mattering or having a decent amount of "social capital" and that in turn affects your relationship chances significantly.
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Ding ding ding, we have a winner! Having said that I do know quite a few people in relationships who are neither jocks nor involved in the Greek system, so it's not a set in stone rule. But if you are athletic and if you join a Greek house you will definitely have a lot of fun at Dartmouth.</p>
<p>Which isn't to say if you aren't athletic and if you remain unaffiliated, you will not have a lot of fun. I'm enjoying myself even though I don't play any sports and I only go out to the frats once a week or two. I wouldn't say the social scene here is necessarily shallow. It is if you hang out with a certain crowd (and that crowd is quite substantial here), but that's true anywhere. I've had a lot of fun in frat basements without hooking up with anyone or booting all over the place. The Greek houses are very open -- the Greek scene is not at all like at most other colleges. You don't need to be a frat brother or sorority sister to hang out at a Greek house, and a lot of people who never thought they'd be in a frat or sorority wind up joining one here.</p>
<p>If you're not into drinking or athletics -- and that does describe a surprisingly large number of Dartmouth students -- you probably won't be miserable at Dartmouth. You won't have as much fun as other people here do, but you probably won't hate it either. Overall I think the only way to tell for sure is to visit campus and see for yourself how you like things here. But I wouldn't be so quick to jettison Dartmouth as an option just because of the Greeks and the jocks.</p>
<p>Xanatos and johnleemk are right, for the most part.</p>
<p>That said, I’ve been in a relationship for a year and a half (I’m a sophomore). It isn’t as if it never happens.</p>
<p>What exactly constitutes an athletic person at Dartmouth? Do you have to be on a varsity team, club team, or just intramural to be considered “athletic?” Also, does anyone have info about the Dartmouth Mock Trial team? Is Mock Trial an “acceptable” extracurricular activitie? I’m someone who will definitely play soccer at the college I go to. I couldn’t make varsity unless it was a division II or III sports school, but I think I’d have a chance on the club team at Dartmouth (I’ve heard it is competitive), and, if not, then I would definitely play intramural. But I also am interested in continuing Mock Trial, which I have done for two years in high school and love participating in. But if I get looked down upon for being on MT or an equivalent EC, I think that is BS, and I definitely wouldn’t want to attend Dartmouth with that kind of social atmosphere. Anyone have some info or insight?</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about Mock Trial, but I’ve certainly never heard of anyone being looked down on for being involved in it (or any other activity, for that matter).</p>
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That’s quite the wrong way to think about how the Dartmouth social scene works. There are no unacceptable ECs – you won’t be looked down upon for any EC, really – or at least no more than at other schools. (I suspect spending all your time on Dungeons & Dragons or an MMORPG is not the best way to build up social cachet anywhere.) There are however ECs which give you a boost in the social scene – and at Dartmouth those ECs are sports and Greek houses. Put it this way: ECs can’t really drag you down, but they can push you up significantly. Any club sport is quite good.</p>
<p>I suppose I was overreacting a bit. But it still seems weird to me that “social standing” is based mostly on your frat/sorority or sports.</p>
<p>Yes. It is unfortunate.</p>
<p>Who you sit with matters (facetime). What Greek house you join matters (all Greek houses are not created equal). Whether you’re on a varsity sports team matters (jockocracy). And don’t bother with any of the club sports except for rugby or ultimate frisbee, the only two that don’t have a varsity equivalent. All the ones with a varsity equivalent - no one cares and its impossible to make a social circle out of participation in one.</p>
<p>However, the fact is, these problems exist at most if not all of the other schools that you are probably considering. So for all my *****ing and complaining on this thread, it’s not necessarily a reason not to attend.</p>
<p>so…despite their record…is varsity football a bonus?</p>
<p>Haha **** yes.</p>
<p>Just wanted to add I know a grand total of two Dartmouth students – one a senior and one a freshman. Neither of them drink at all and both are very happy at the school. Perhaps they are the exception, but I have to believe there are a few more around.</p>
<p>The issue is not drinking or lack thereof. The issue is that people tend to get an overinflated opinion of themselves.</p>