<p>Do you think being from a rural area and applying to Dartmouth can be an advantage?</p>
<p>It depends. Rural Massachusetts? Probably not. Rural Montana? Probably. Geographic diversity is usually only considered in terms of statehood.</p>
<p>Rural FL, sorry</p>
<p>Florida probably won't help you. It would if it was rural out in the West.</p>
<p>Even if I'm from an underperforming high school in a very rural area of FL?</p>
<p>Perhaps it might be a small tip, but not the major one if you were a student from a tiny town in like Wyoming.</p>
<p>I think it is funny that when people think of rural they think of montana (ie second post)--- I am from a very rural area in Montana and just got into dartmouth, and I think more than my location helping me to get in, I think the sheer opportunity of being in a smaller school is what helped. Like if I was in a school of 6,000 kids there is no way I could have had in depth involvement in over 10 clubs with president positions in 4 or so and then have 3 state officer positions- there is no way I would have been valedictorian-- there is just no way I could have had the personal relationship with my teachers and administration-- there is no way I could have brought around change in the community as a whole while doing all of that--- I think small towns give students so many opportunities to succeed and explore-- I think simply from being from a small town won't really help to get you in, in my opinion it is how you thrived and took advantage of your situation----
but I may be wrong... I use to think that it would be an advantage to simply be from montana, but I keep reading that geographical diveristy is not focused on by the Ivies....</p>
<p>Geographic diversity is definitely a factor taken into account, and one type of diversity, aside from state diversity, is urban vs. rural. I agree with scarletleavy, it will give you a little tip, and I also agree with vanessa about the advantages of going to a small school in a small town. Basically Dartmouth will look at how well you took advantage of the opportunities given to you.</p>
<p>exactly... they may consider you differently because of what was offered, but they will evaluate you on the steps you took to rise above it or take advantage of what you did have... some people try to use living in a rural area as an excuse, when it is not... take full advantage of what you have and they will evaluate you accordingly</p>
<p>vanessav, i completely agree with you; i don't think i could have had the opportunities I have in Louisiana in any other state...</p>
<p>likewise, i sometimes hate not having any APs at my public high school of 800, but it has a ton of unique advantages</p>