<p>Now that Dartmouth is out for me, I'm finding myself not as well prepared as I might have been for RD apps. Does anyone have any last minute suggestions for schools I might like and could more easily get into? Deferrees/rejectees, what schools are you applying to? Acceptees, where would you have applied? Any help would be appreciated as I scramble to get all these things out on time.</p>
<p>Hi Elizabeth: so sorry to hear your news, but I promise things will work out well for you. My D also very much liked Midd, Tufts, Colgate, and Trinity (CT). She almost applied EDII to Midd once deferred from Dartmouth, but decided to wait things out, but she really loved Middelbury. Best of luck...</p>
<p>You're in the NE, so I won't list the obvious suspects. Try Davidson College outside of Charlotte - it has been called the "dartmouth of the South" and the weather's much better. When my daughter visited there her tour guide was from Vermont. It is smaller than Dartmouth, but is very similar in atmosphere, close to a major airport (Charlotte), super academic reputation. I don't remember what your interests were, but it has been producing lawyers, bankers and doctors for over a hundred years. It has the best pre-med program of any school she looked at (including Dartmouth). Being from Maine would be a definite advantage, there's even skiing on the winter weekends. Over the next 5 years the Royal Shakespeare Company will spend a couple of weeks each year in residence, doing performances and classes.
I know I sound like a 15 year old cheerleader, but there is no other school that she researched (most everything east of the Mississippi) that is more like Dartmouth in atmosphere, school spirit, and academics. Foreign language is not as strong, but study abroad programs are quite similar.</p>
<p>Thisk about what really attracted you to Dartmouth and look for those characteristics primaily in the other schools.</p>
<p>Cornell, Brown, Penn, Amherst, Williams, and many other EC's...comparable places to Dartmouth but your stats are worth a shot at each of these schools</p>
<p>Arizona State Barrett Honors College</p>
<p>before you say, i never heard of it, theyve hired a top official from yale, and their dean is the former dean of swarthmore. they have a nobel prize winning econ professor, and more natl merit SFs than pton. all this is because the founders of intel (asu alumni), just gave them quite a bit of money, (im not sure exactly) and they set a goal to build up into an elite institution. this takes money, which they have, and offering full rides to national merit SFs. im considering it.</p>
<p>going to a college that wants you as much as you want them... sounds good to me.</p>
<p>IF you want to look outside the northeast, try Rice. The weather is good and the academics are great. Would be glad to put you in touch with my daughter (a soph) to answer any questions. Karen</p>
<p>(Posted this elsewhere :)
Hey Elizabeth,</p>
<p>I went to Dartmouth and hung out at alot of other schools. Not sure if we are the same, but I wanted a tightknit united school with a lot of fun people and an intellectual atmosphere. Other places I visted over college (visted for real, I mean hung out at with friends) and really liked include Vassar (very tightknit/ a little artsy/ alot of cool people), Middlebury (similar to D, great school, I liked more than most of the other LACs I visited), Penn (bigger and not as united, but great social scene), Brown (another great school), Emory (can anyone say country club, but not as tight as Dartmouth/ students not as nice), UNC-CH (big but beautiful), Duke.</p>
<p>Also, take heart. Out of high school I had my heart set on Brown. I was deferred then waitlisted and ended up at Columbia (didnt apply to Dartmouth!). Anyway, I realized Columbia wasnt for me and I always regretted not applying to Dartmouth. I worked hard and was active and got into Harvard, Brown, Dartmouth, and BROWN. But when I visited these places I fell in love with Dartmouth and have never looked back.</p>
<p>I guess my point is that you might really like where you end up, and sometimes peoples views change. At worst you can always apply as a transfer. Transferring to D is awesome, no one even knows I transferred now. People swoop you up pretty quickly up in Hanover.</p>
<p>One thing about Davidson that (personally...not trying to be militant) bothered me was that it was conservative/ southern/ etc vs Dartmouth New England liberal/ libertarian (for the conservatives). Also, where Dartmouth frats are universally welcoming, Davidson has 'eating clubs' and the frats are national ones. Davidson just seemed so much more uptight than Dartmouth. Otherwise great academic school with an active social scene on the rise though.</p>
<p>I have two friends attending Davidson and they have loved it. I'd agree with cangel...Davidson is probably more conservative, but the overall atmosphere is very similar to Dartmouth's. The location and weather are beautiful.</p>
<p>Yeah, dont get me wrong its a great beautiful place with a tight student body, just more conservative than Dartmouth.</p>
<p>Agree with Karen about Rice, it also is a major air hub, dramatic weather difference, but the school year covers the best weather months.
Can't argue with SLipper about Davidson being conservative and Southern compared to NE schools, although Davidson/Dartmouth is not the stark contrast of Davidson/Wes. The eating clubs, though, do not rush - they are self-selective, this is a big issue for my daughter, and she asked lots of students at both schools. I actually think it would have been more likely for her to join an eating club at Davidson, than for her to join a sorority at Dartmouth - but it is the South, you might want to visit in the spring.</p>
<p>Daughter read your post as well, (by the way, she says you sound like a super person, wishes you well) she suggested Vandy. It is bigger than Dartmouth, has a larger contingent of Southernness even than Davidson, but, because of its size, has more of all other types of people as well. It is not as "academic" as Davidson, I don't know how else to describe it - but it has the excitement of "real" football and has a super location, in the city, but a million miles away when on campus.</p>
<p>From Princeton Review...</p>
<p>A Davidson student is "hardworking," sometimes "to the point of chronic fatigue." Other commonly used adjectives include "very bright," "type A," "studious," and "fairly religious." Several students agree, however, that the stereotypes of "conservative and always studying" don't convey the variety of the population. "Although Davidson has many students with a conservative viewpoint," writes one undergraduate, most "students are accepting and respectful of other opinions." Several people do point out a "definite line between the churchgoers and the people who sleep in on Sundays." One respondent, however, summarizes his view of the student body optimistically: "Though we disagree, though we argue, though we truly are different people, something amazing happens when we are all together</p>
<p>As a Davidson sophomore I say that the 'conservative' label is a bit over done when applied to the school, because the school is populated with upper middle class students with mostly polite manners and southern gentility, does not mean that the are neocons. As for religion, same mix as at other schools. I am a 'devout' episcopalian(which means we drink more ;-)</p>
<p>For Northeastern schools with a "Dartmouth-y" feel, but a notch or two less selective, I concur with those who have recommended Middlebury and Colgate. I think Colby is worth a hard look,too. Good luck, Elizabeth.</p>
<p>cangel, I would be happy to talk to your daughter about sorority rush at Dartmouth, having been through it from both sides... feel free to direct any questions my way, or have her blitz me. Is she an 08?</p>
<p>Thanks Athena, I'll relay that to her, she is a brand new 09, so she's got awhile. I know they've moved rush in the past, is it sophomore fall or winter now? What happens if you are off term during rush?</p>
<p>I was ready to send Regular Decision apps to Wash U, HYPS, Brown, Tufts, Reed, Northwestern, and a couple others</p>
<p>The main block of rush is now sophomore fall... but especially with sorority rush it helps if you have an idea of the houses earlier (mainly because there are not really many social events at sororities compared to fraternities.)</p>
<p>If you are off campus your sophomore fall you can rush one of the other terms... which is better in a way since less people do it and it is slightly easier for the sisters to get to know the rushees. :)</p>
<p>I'll put in another vote for Middlebury. Quaint New England campus, outdoorsy, bright and outgoing students, top notch facilities...</p>
<p>Another vote for Middlebury. How about Bowdoin? Beautiful campus, good skiing, liberal-artsy...</p>