<p>In name, by virtue of affiliation and to the extent that it has professional schools, Dartmouth is an Ivy. However, in character and substance, does undergraduate life at Dartmouth more resemble that at a top LAC than at its sister Ivies? For an undergrad, does it feel closer to Williams or Middlebury than to H or Y?</p>
<p>If you mean does it resemble a LAC with its focus on undergrad education, no classes taught by TAs or fellows, undergrads not in competition with grad students for research opportunities then yes, Dartmouth functions more like an LAC.</p>
<p>but it also has a lot of the resources/opportunities that universities have</p>
<p>and its endowment is like, triple that of most LACs</p>
<p>I hope so. What sybbie said is exactly why I chose Dartmouth – because it’s more liberal-arts style than any other Ivy. :)</p>
<p>So limetime, if it is “liberal-arts style” that you covet, would one of the lacs also have been a satisfactory choice?</p>
<p>Yes. I had a really hard time deciding between Dartmouth and Williams. Dartmouth eventually won over because of what I perceived as better social scene. Other than that, I though both were on par on virtually everything (financial aid (at least for me) , beautiful campus, amazing profs, focus on undergraduate, etc.). I also liked Swarthmore and Pomona as well, but it came down to Dartmouth vs. Williams (those tutorials are tempting!). It was hard, but I am confident in my choice. :)</p>
<p>oy, I did not mean to come across as still yearning for the other school or downsizing Dartmouth, but it looks like I kinda do in that last post. FYI, I am now head over heels in love with Dartmouth and I honestly cannot wait for fall and I thank my deity over and over again for letting me get into Dartmouth. :D</p>
<p>People who are attracted to Dartmouth commonly apply to New England LACs as well, particularly Williams, Middlebury, and Amherst. Williams is often considered the most Dartmouth-like in terms of selectivity and setting.</p>
<p>Dartmouth resembles these LACs, rather than other Ivies, in terms of its relatively small size, small-town setting, and undergraduate focus. Of course Dartmouth, while small for an Ivy, is still much larger than the LACs.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most striking difference between Dartmouth and the LACs is the social life, as suggested above by limetime. Dartmouth, like other Ivies, has a largely unregulated social environment which includes selective clubs, such as frats, sororities, senior societies, etc. The prominence of Greek organizations means that social life at Dartmouth tends to be segregated by gender, with men and women experiencing it differently.</p>
<p>The LACs, in contrast, generally frown on exclusive clubs. At Williams, for example, joining a frat is grounds for expulsion – clearly a major departure from the Dartmouth model, even though the schools are similar in other respects. The LACs typically expect that student organizations should be open to all students, regardless of gender or anything else. So the social environment at the LACs is distinctly more integrated than at Dartmouth. </p>
<p>People who pick Dartmouth over LACs often cite the large and unrestrained social scene as a plus. Oddly enough, people who pick LACs over Dartmouth often do so for exactly the same reason. It’s a matter of personal taste.</p>