UC Berkeley or Dartmouth? (HELP!)

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Yes, I know this has been asked already. I read through the threads and I am still having an EXTREMELY hard time deciding because the schools are so vastly different. I have a full ride (no work study or loans) at Berkeley and full tuition+room and board at Dartmouth with some work study (about $5,000-6,000 in work study and summer earnings). I would like to have some input since the May 1st deadline is creeping up.</p>

<p>I have lived in California for all my life, and I am loving the weather. The only time I see snow is on TV, so 40 degrees Fahrenheit and below is considered cold for me (which would make the winter experience at Hanover brutal.) Plus, since I live in the Bay Area, transportation and shopping is SO VERY CONVENIENT for me at Berkeley, contrasting the rural area at Dartmouth. I mean, sure I can take the bus to West Lebanon (which is only available on weekdays), but it's just too much of a hassle. On top of that, the stores nearby are ridiculously overpriced for me because I am an extremely low-income student (single mom with <$10,000 a year). I don't know if I can afford to live in a college town.</p>

<p>Academically, I honestly don't think I can compare to the other admitted students at either Berkeley or Dartmouth. I only took 2 AP courses (Biology and Calculus) and all the other classes I took are honors. Some of those honors classes are not even classes because the teacher spends more time making us color/draw (seriously!) than actually learn. Besides that, I do study and work diligently when necessary. Is one school more difficult than the other in terms of grading on a curve?</p>

<p>Another thing, I like how Dartmouth has this period of time in which you "shop around" for the classes you like, which makes me wonder if Berkeley even have this option when students are fighting just to get the classes they need to fulfill their prerequisites. Another thing about Dartmouth is the professor's attention to the undergrads. I NEED THIS. Just in case I ever need tutoring, advice, clarification, or possibly recommendations, I can take advantage of this! If I choose to go to Cal, I am so worried that I would end up with a bad TA teaching a class and meet my professor once in a blue moon. Class size and availability are definitely factors for me.</p>

<p>I am also concerned about not having the resources to go study abroad or participate in organizations due to the rigorousness of the classes that I need to take. I know for sure that students at Dartmouth manage their time well and get involve in a wide range of activities on and off campus. I'm not sure about Berkeley though...people seem so focused on their studies. I feel that folks at Cal are wayy more competitive and cutthroat than those at Dartmouth (if you can even apply those terms to the students there).</p>

<p>When I was at the Dimensions program at Dartmouth, EVERYONE WAS SO FRIENDLY that it moved me deeply. I don't know if this was a facade or not, but it definitely gave me a fantastic impression of the school. Don't get me wrong, the people I talked to at Cal are great too but I did not stay long enough to know if this is true for most of the students there.</p>

<p>Also, I saw a couple of the residence halls at Dartmouth and they were gorgeous. I love East Wheelock and New Hampshire the most and I know I won't be able to live in the latter on my first year. I didn't see Berkeley's dorms but from what I read online, they seem unremarkable. Ultimately, I don't really mind how the dorms are like as long as the showers have space for you to dress RIGHT when you remove the curtains.</p>

<p>Sorry, I know I was a bit scattered with my pros and cons, but these things have been weighing on my mind lately and I need to decide before the May 1st deadline. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE! </p>

<p>THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE!</p>

2

<p>Dartmouth. I didnt see a single significant con for Dartmouth in your post so I take it you like it there better. Dartmouth, as a small PRIVATE, ivy league school, spends a lot of its attention on its students because everyone is significant there. At Berkeley, Ive heard about people falling through the cracks so Im concerned about that as well as Im making my pick between Berkeley and Cornell. Also, what is your major? If it is engineering, you might want to go to Berkeley since Dartmouth’s engineering I heard isnt on par, but if it is in Arts and Sciences, go Dartmouth all the way. The connections and attention will be worth the extra work study.
A more interesting question though, please dont be offended, is how you managed to get into Dartmouth and Berkeley with only taking 2 AP classes with the rest being honors class in which you “color.” That has me quite intrigued.</p>

3

<p>Personally, I would go to Dartmouth. I imagine its undergraduate attention would be amazing. I did not apply to any Ivies but I kind of regret not applying to Dartmouth, although I am very happy with my admissions outcome. I say Dartmouth.</p>

4

<p>I think you’ve already answered your own question. Go with Dartmouth.</p>

5

<p>The fact that you’re insecure of your position at both schools(in terms of academic potential) I think you should go for Dartmouth. A private school will hold your hand more than a large state school like Berkeley. At Berkeley, you’ll either sink or swim. At a private school, generally speaking advisers or counselors will keep track of your academic progress and recommend resources for you if you feel like you need them.</p>

<p>Also, you have no idea how much of a plus it is to have the opportunity to “SHOP” for classes. I think all schools should do this, but I guess at a large state schools like Berkeley and LA, their emphasis for undergrads is to turn out degree holders not people who want the best possible education(from teachers who teach, and not only teach because it’s required in order for them to do research).</p>

6

<p>I would probably go to Dartmouth if I were you. Unless you know what department you’d want to go to in Berkeley, and are confident that you want do something that Berkeley is specifically known for or at least really enjoy there, you’d probably be happier at Dartmouth.</p>

<p>If you knew fairly well what you wanted to do academically or you were excited by multiple departments at Berkeley, especially in L&S, then I’d recommend it, especially if you prefer the weather, but it seems like you want an educational experience more similar to a private school (take all sorts of classes, get lots of advice, and work your way into a major) as opposed to a public school where it is more about requirements and units, and you have to decide how you want to specialize everything.</p>

<p>So, unless you’re excited by research in any of the departments at Berkeley or are really interested in specific courses, professors, or anything like that, it would probably be easier on you to go to Dartmouth.</p>

7

<p>Dartmouth hands down.</p>

8

<p>One question: Are travel costs a concern? I’m not familiar with finaid policies but it seems that they wouldn’t cover travel.</p>

<p>However, barring serious travel cost concerns and your issue with weather, I’d say the experience you’re looking for is at Dartmouth. For someone with less than stellar preparation for a top school, Dartmouth will be much more accessible. I just advise beginning with a lightish courseload first semester to allow yourself time to acclimate, for work study, and to look into resources like the writing center if you find yourself less than prepared for college-level papers.</p>

9

<p>chibaoz,</p>

<p>Congrats on both the Berkeley and Dartmouth acceptances. </p>

<p>Take the plunge and go to Dartmouth (I am highly biased being a D student). You’ll likely experience some growing pains and a bit of homesickness (it’s all part of the deal), but the quality of the undergraduate experience, academically and socially, at D will more than make up for in the long run. </p>

<p>Don’t pass it up and (again) congrats.</p>

10

<p>Definitely Dartmouth. That kind of personal, nurturing education will benefit you. It will make you more confident and help you find interests you didn’t know you had. You will be immersed in your college life and you will not be allowed to drift. It is totally worth it. And yeah, snow can be a drag at times (though it is also amazingly beautiful at others), but it’s a shame to be crippled by fear of weather. Get a warm coat and you’re good.</p>

11

<p>Your post is full of praise for Dartmouth and full of reservations for Berkeley.
The choice is clear.</p>

12

<p>Definitely Dartmouth. Seems like a much better fit for you and you’ll love the tightknit community, alumni loyalty long after college, the amazing study abroad, the dinners at professors homes, etc.</p>

13

<p>exactly what Liek0806 wrote–

</p>

14

<p>Dartmouth, Berkeley does not compare for undergrad.</p>

15

<p>Dartmouth is much smaller; more frat-oriented; preppier; snowier; rural; and more alcohol-oriented.</p>

16

<p>California is something you know. It’s comfortable and seems like less of a leap of faith. And Berkeley is one of the world’s great universities. But if you pass on an almost-full ride at Dartmouth, you may spend the rest of your life wondering “what if?” </p>

<p>Even without the “Ivy” label, Dartmouth is special. The world-class major university experience lavished on an undergraduate population of < 5,000 is a rare thing in the world of higher education, and few places do it as well as there.</p>

<p>I don’t think that the relationships you experienced at Dimensions were a facade. I think they were the essence of Dartmouth.</p>