<p>Hey everyone,
I have been accepted to a bunch of schools in the last month and have narrowed it down to UNC or Dartmouth. I know that they're two very different schools, and I've seen Dartmouth but not UNC (i'm going down to see it very soon though). Unfortunately UNC doesn't have my intended major (Neuroscience) but I do know that they have a great pre-med program, which is what I definitely want to do. UNC is also cheaper than Dartmouth, however, I have not been offered any significant scholarship money there (aside from my National Merit Scholarship). I love Dartmouth A LOT but UNC is still definitely on my radar. Obviously this forum is going to be pretty biased toward UNC, but I'd still love to hear any thoughts on my dilemma!</p>
<p>Thanks guys.</p>
<p>unless you hate Dartmouth(this doesn't appear to be the case) or can't afford it go there. I love UNC, I may even end up there next fall, but going to UNC over Dartmouth would just be silly. Especially if they don't even have your major. </p>
<p>Congrats on your acceptances.</p>
<p>I know both of these schools really really well. I went to Dartmouth and have a family member who went to UNC. I spent a summer at UNC. UNC is an AMAZING school but with all honesty Dartmouth is more tightknit and a stronger educational experience. Its also incredibly fun socially. Its the clear choice in my book, as much as I love UNC and would choose it over most schools after the top 10-15.</p>
<p>I'm choosing UNC over offers from Rice, Vanderbilt, Davidson, among others. It most certainly is not "silly," as a previous post said, to choose UNC over Dartmouth or any other school, as long as it fits the bill for you! I visited UNC and all the other campuses and looked into the programs (I will also be going into medicine.) I did get a good scholarship, but I got scholarships elsewhere as well. I chose UNC because I liked the feel of the campus and what students and faculty had to say about it and because of its well-known quality academically. UNC is consistently in the top five public universities in the country and in the top 20 period. There is also that "intangible" feeling you get when you know something feels right for you. Be sure to visit before you make your decision, and, as long as you can afford it, go with your gut feeling, no matter what campus you choose!</p>
<p>My oldest brother went to Dartmouth and my middle brother and I go to UNC. You can have excellent educations at both. Percentage wise, Dartmouth may have more driven people, but UNC also has a high number of motivated and interesting people - my brother always said that you'd be surprised at how many unintelligent people you'd find at the Ivies. I say that because I know it does <em>seem</em> silly to pick UNC over Dartmouth, but that's only if you make the assumption that the people there truly are at a higher caliber. So my two cents => UNC can compete with the best of the private schools with its academics. Reputation wise, Dartmouth has it beat, for sure, but the reality of the situation seems to me that if you work hard enough you can get anything you want out of a strong school.</p>
<p>The other concern I'd have is about the weather. My brother loved his time at Dartmouth but ultimately says he would have gone elsewhere because the 4:00 PM sunsets and snow through April were so depressing to him. He says that he wishes that he'd looked more seriously at Stanford and Berkeley (he wanted to get out of North Carolina and would NEVER consider UNC :P).</p>
<p>Good luck to you! Even if your choice isn't easy, it's a very nice one to have.</p>
<p>Social life wise, if you want to apart of the most legendary party scene out then Dartmouth has got it and I think academic wise as well.</p>
<p>the caliber of the student body of Dartmouth(which is still much better than UNC's) is just one small factor in what makes a school great. Dartmouth has the money and prestige so it's going to have better professors, facilities, opportunities etc.</p>
<p>Of course you can get an excellent education if you applied yourself at UNC, you could do that anywhere, the point is that at Dartmouth you won't have to go looking for it as much. </p>
<p>there are still good reasons to go to UNC but unless you feel a VERY strong connection to UNC, Dartmouth is the better school by a longshot.</p>
<p>My best friend chose UNC over Dartmouth. So you're saying he's silly?</p>
<p>would you stop latching on to one thing I said that you disagree with and actually read my post please? Dartmouth is an overall better school than UNC, that is an almost undeniable fact.</p>
<p>There are still good reasons to pick UNC but if the scales are even you should probably pick Dartmouth. Cost is a very important factor, I'm sure there are a lot of kids that get into top schools that go to UNC because of its low cost.</p>