<p>Dartmouth seems like a good academic fit for me because of their good history program, but I am worried about its location. I want to go to a college, where there are cultural activities to pursue after class (like museums, theater, and special events) and lots of internship opportunities. Can someone who attends Dartmouth tell me about the cultural scene there?
Thanks :)</p>
<p>Well, "is Dartmouth in the middle of nowhere?" is a tough question. Yes, it is at least two hours to any city, be it Boston or Albany, depending on how close you adhere to traffic laws.</p>
<p>But, culturally, it is not. While you would have more opportunities to visit theaters and museums at a school in a city, Dartmouth does have the Hood Art Museum right on campus, and the Hopkins Center consistently brings in artists, theater companies, and the like for shows, which are available to students at drastically reduced prices. This past year, I saw Sonny Rollins for $5, Anoushka Shankar for the same price, as well as many others. Every Friday night a local-ish type band comes and plays for "Friday Night Rock", and we get a few more well-known bands to come as well - last year, we had the Roots, Third Eye Blind, and Girl Talk. At least a few times a week, the Hopkins Center has something interesting going on, whether it's a talk, a one-man play, a concert, a show, or a movie showing.</p>
<p>As far as internship opportunities, Dartmouth will not disappoint. With the D-Plan, for the most part you can pursue internships at times other than summer, which allows you to compete against a much smaller pool of applicants and thus makes it a lot easier to get an internship. Furthermore, the Dartmouth alumni are very loyal, and some internships are available only to Dartmouth students.</p>
<p>Also, Boston is only a few hours away by bus (which leaves from campus) if you really need to get out of Hanover. This allows you to experience that city.</p>
<p>Also, not to be forgotten is the culture of the Upper Valley. There's plenty to do here, from hiking to tapping maple trees to picking apples, to skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. It's gorgeous country, and it would be a shame not to mention it as well. There are a bunch of small museums in the area, though they are kind of hard to get to if you don't have a car.</p>
<p>Hope this was somewhat helpful.</p>
<p>Wow thanks so much for the detailed response! It definitely helps a lot. I think I might actually give Dartmouth a shot.</p>
<p>In all seriousness, I really didn't leave campus all that often--there was so much to do there.</p>
<p>Its in New Hampshire not in Nowhere. ;)</p>
<p>My two favorite schools were Dartmouth and Brown. I loved the intimacy and the general atmosphere of both places. You have more access to the outdoors at Dartmouth but I do have to say that the cultural scene is better at Brown, in Providence. For me, it was a very tough decision.</p>
<p>There's a recent, good thread on this already.</p>
<p>Hanover NH is one of the most scenuic places on the planet. The climate is perfect. Each season is enjoyable. In other northern states, winter is something to "get thru" - in NH - it can be enjoyed. Not too cold - plenty of snow - plenty of fun. I don't ski yet but am looking forward to learning.</p>
<p>The stunning scenery applies to the whole of NH...my uncle used to live there...fell in love with the area when I visited him!</p>
<p>Personally I am a huge fan of going to college as an undergrad in a college town (I was an undergrad at Cornell ... rejected by Dartmouth). As soon as visited schools in a collegetown I knew it was the right environment for me. The school and campus become the focal point of the student's social life ... and large sections of the town revolve around students .... with shops, restuarants, and apartments catering to students. For me this was all good!
(with a warning that I've experienced this with medium to large schools ... with a really small LAC the collegetown experience may not be the same).</p>
<p>Again personally I do not see NYC or Boston as great college towns ... they are terrific cities in which to live. I live less than a mile from BU and kids at BU have access to things like pro sports, clubs, theater, shopping that is far superior to Cornell. But, IMO, they are mixed into a big city and the feel of BU is NOTHING like the feel of a school in a collegetown. </p>
<p>Obviously your mileage may vary ... and this is why I am in BIG advocate of school visits. I turned down a higher ranked school for Cornell and my visits turned the opinion ... I LOVED Cornell from the second I was on the campus and I HATED the campus of the higher rated school (in a city). For me going to undergrad in a collegetown and grad school in big city was the way to go. But that's just me ... figure out what YOU like!</p>
<p>(PS - I have multiple relatives who attended Dartmouth and their descriptions of their Dartmouth experience and Hanover sound very similar to mine at Cornell in Ithaca)</p>
<p>uuhh, yes, it truly is in the middle of nowhere, and no, duh, it is somewhere, a very lovely, almost "disneyesque" small NE town.</p>
<p>No actually, I have to laugh. When my D went for her first visit, and again, every time we go to see her, I am struck by how remote, and how much in the middle of nowhere Hanover is. Most people on this board would think where I live, and my whole state is in the middle of nowhere - but, I tell you the Upper Valley is remote.</p>
<p>BUT, it is beautiful - no billboards on the interstate, not many cars either after you get past Manchester/Concord, or north of Mass coming up from Conn. Mountains, lakes, small farms, beautiful. Then when you get to Hanover, you are some place - not NYC, but a lovely, lively little college town.</p>
<p>My D loves it, and I understand why, what's not to love? How much can you possibly do in one day in college? </p>
<p>Dartmouth is somewhere in the middle of nowhere.</p>