<p>Okay,the ED deadline is just weeks away and I have a few urgent questions about Dartmouth.It would be great if Dartmouth grads or current students could answer this! :)
I really like Dartmouth and am an International.I'll probably apply there for RD anyway,but Im contemplating ED.These are a few doubts holding me back.</p>
<p>1)The Drinking Scene.I really want to know from Dartmouth grads/current students exactly how bad the drinking scene is there.I don't drink at all and don't want to start too.I don't want to be under the pressure to drink or have roommates/suitemates who all drink.I generally dislike being in the presence of people who drink regularly.Is most of the student population composed of drinkers?
This is after all the school that gave us the movie Animal House(A movie I found disgusting bdw).</p>
<p>2)The weather.I dislike cold weather,but Im a very sporty person and love nature,so the environment around D'mouth is like a dream come true.How cold does D'mouth become anyway?>Colder than Massachussets/Minnesota and New York?How long does the cold weather last?</p>
<p>3)The D plan.Im worried it might not give enough time to go more in depth into the topic because of urgent deadlines to complete the syllabus.</p>
<p>Just took the tour and you can request a substance free dorm as a freshman-there is drinking but its not pressured. All colleges will have drinking and its your choice, but at a highly intelligent school like Dartmouth nobody is gonna hold it out over you socially if you choose not to drink. It’s cold, no way around that but the campus is smallish and not far from buildings. If you learn to dress in the right snow gear, spandex(forget name-thinsulate?) and layer its not a big issue. Its colder than MA but not a lot, you can expect some AMs below zero on occasion but they have a winter term that is short so expect you would be studying a lot as its the shortest term.
I think the D plan is an advantage. Most kids these days have minor ADD and you actually immerse yourself MORE into the class by taking 3 classes in fall spring and maybe 2 in winter term. I think it is actually better than many schools taking 5 classes with maybe a 1/4 class credit lab that takes tons of time. And you can choose how many classes per Q so if you want to really dig into one take 2 that quarter. I do not see any of the down sides you are looking at. Good luck perfect pixie-hmmm-hope your essay is not on being a perfect pixie…lol
I am a parent but the info I gave you came straight from the best tour guide I have ever had at any college visit, including most of the ivies…so I know its good info…
if you have so many worries why not go RD?</p>
<p>Yes I know it’s fiction.
Doesn’t negate the fact that D’mouth has the maximum number of stars for social factor in the Fiske guide,making it a party school according to their evaluation.
And Animal House was well ‘inspired’ by the D’mouth party culture right?I saw a thread somewhere by someone who lived in Hanover saying in the night she actually saw students lying wasted outside the frat houses on Friday nights.That pretty much freaked me out.</p>
<p>FWIW, I went to a small business college not especially known for partying. There were wasted students outside almost every weekend, plus more inside. This is a normal occurrence on nearly every campus in the US, whether “party school” or not. Give a large group of 18-22 year old kids a lot of spare time and freedom, and it’s inevitable.</p>
<p>D is a first year who lives on a sub-free floor, so that part is OK. The drinking scene is very big which we knew before D applied. Nonetheless it is an issue. Yeah, no pressure per se but since it is so pervasive it can be uncomfortable at times.</p>
<p>The “substance free” dorms will have some # of kids who already have a substance problem and their parents want them in that dorm. So, it’s still a possible issue.</p>
<p>I have only visited and there was a frat party with loud music outside one of the houses before the football game, but it looked to me like a school that I would WANT to go to. I mean if you are up in the tundra all winter you need to have people that are going to help to keep the school jumping within healthy limits. </p>
<p>I did not notice a single student walking around drunk, or even think anyone I saw looked like a druggy or anything of the sort. Every student I encountered at this school seemed bright, amicable, and most noticeable- and most important to me- unassuming- that is LACKING SELF IMPORTANCE so often found a couple of the Ivies that attract the entitled types.</p>
<p>I am sure if I stuck around I could find several of each type but that applies to almost all schools, not sure why the Greek system is so vilified. I guess any club or group can make people feel included and excluded but I think the idea is if you like them join, if not no big deal…that was my read–I did not think if I were a youngster again and decided to go there that it would define me if I joined a frat or not–especially if I found girlfriend I probably would care less whether we were in sister brother frat/sororities or just dating on our own-and in college --that tends to happen in coed situations right?
From what I gathered frats/sororities are a far cry from the Greek systems of the 50s and 60s. I really can not see kids wanting to take part in that kind of nonsense in the 2010s…Hazing is simply not allowed any more and that to me is the scariest and stupidest part of the Greek system. The tour guide was a sorority member and she said at ANY OTHER SCHOOL she is not the type to join one but at Dartmouth it was appealing and not at all like the stereotype of sororities or she would not have been in it, period, and I totally believed her. She was very unpretentious and a serious student and person, the best tour guide we have had at any school bar none.
And wrt to the poster who said there are a couple of kids in substance free dorms to avoid temptation/have problems---- what are you saying? That a person can not reform? That they will then be recruiting others to the dark side when they relapse?
In your world are there REALLY an abundance of overachieving people in the tank that are accepted to Ivy League schools who achieve in spite of severe drug abuse and alcoholism? Seems pretty unlikely to be the MO of a typical student at this school-lol. </p>
<p>Also, half of the students in Dartmouth are NOT members of greek life and I have not heard that they are ever unwelcome to attend parties or visit friends there and the graduation rate is 98%-meaning very few kids leave because they hate the school-its a very high retention rate- but I find myself here trying to defend the greek system which honestly I am indifferent to, I look at it as just another learning experience in life, neither good nor bad, but what you make of it.</p>
<p>“perfectpixie” I have to ask if you are so worried about a rowdy atmosphere there are many schools like Bryn Mawr or Wellsley and others that are not all girls, where you can limit your interactions with drunken males if its sobriety you are aiming for. Point is you have to find a fit for you and you find yourself with severe doubts and have to ask questions to a board trying to decide on ED make it clear that you are not comfortable enough nearly to say Dartmouth should be your ED school!!! I would go up there and spend a night with a student. It is not unheard of to set such things up. If you apply RD and get in then you can spend more time and decide if its for you.
Finally in answer to your last question-yes, the winters are long. They start in November and last until mid April sometimes. I know because I am only a couple hours south of there, but that also brings with it endless skiing and winter sports opportunities. And they have school in the summer every summer which you could easily align your schedule around as someone else said eliminating winter term for Soph/Junior year.</p>
<p>Chardo - this is really the point. If you are going to cut loose a bit 18-22 is the age to do it so I am not nearly as bothered by it as some others here seem to be. Sure, some people are not into it and some cannot handle it, but its part of learning your boundaries, wherever you go and certainly not a requirement to attend. Funny, you never hear the frat members saying that the sober students make them uncomfortable…lol</p>
<p>Saying 50% of the students are not Greek is misleading as 1st years cannot rush. Of the upperclassmen–sophs thru seniors–the percentage is higher.</p>
<p>As for weather, it’s about on par with Minnesota as well as rural Massachusetts and rural New York, depending on exactly where. Urban/suburban areas are warmer… my impression is that Boston is slightly warmer than Hanover (on a given day maybe ~2 degrees C warmer) and New York City is slightly warmer than that (on a given day maybe ~4 degrees C warmer). You could compare local forecasts to get a better sense of climate.</p>
<p>Have you ever seen a student walking around drunk on any college campus? (Not rhetorical, but I guess you visit during the daylight hours. Parties don’t start until after 10:00 pm).</p>
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<p>They teach that in Tour Guide training. </p>
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<p>Why? </p>
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<p>True, but at Dartmouth the Greek system is part of the ethos of the college community, which is not atypical of rural, NE colleges, and perhaps other top-ranked colleges such as Duke and Vandy (which offer big time D1 sports).</p>
<p>I’ve been here for over a month, and thus far, everyone has been welcomed to every fraternity party. The only day we weren’t allowed in frats was when they were doing the final stages of rush.</p>
<p>Waitlistman-I wouldn’t say that Im that confused.Im very impressed with the academia at D’mouth,research opportunities and although I did have a doubt about the D-plan,it doesn’t sound bad to me.
Im asking questions about D’mouth on this forum not because Im ‘not sure’ but because Im an International student and cannot visit.Nor do I live in an environment where everyone is applying/talking about US colleges.
And after all,this forum is meant for clearing doubts and helping each other out in a constructive way.
Your posts were very informative and lessened my worries quite a bit.Thank you for that!Now if only I can get over my fear of the winter and press ‘send’.Oh well,10 more days.</p>
<p>blue bayou–
“Have you ever seen a student walking around drunk on any college campus? (Not rhetorical, but I guess you visit during the daylight hours. Parties don’t start until after 10:00 pm).” Parties start after 10PM —oh so on football days the tailgate parties I saw 2 of happening at Frats do not count as parties–they serve lemonade?
It was already almost 3 PM and Dartmouth was having a football game at 4pm and the Frats were blasting music (some of it hip hop which I hate but thats a different story) and their seemed to be a party going on prior to the game. While I can not say if their was drinking inside the frat house A pre-game tail gate when I go to football games generally involves a few beers before kickoff. As I said I did not see any students walking around drunk and on other campuses I have seen kids drunk at all times of day any day of the week even when classes were in session. </p>
<p>Finally, if I did bayou I still would probably not have cared given the context of a big game. What is the point of your pulling my post apart—to prove I am a fool who knows less than an almighty alumni? </p>
<p>And if not why do you call out my post for semi-defending the greek sysem simply because its the people who run it not the system which is the implication by most. SO DUDENESS what is your point?
That Dartmouth Greek life is like the House of the Rising Sun? Its been the ruin of many a poor boy and BlueBayou knows he is one? Just how are you being productive and helping the dialogue by iniulting me rather than simply stating what you believe are the pluses, s and realities of the greek system at Dartmouth.</p>
<p>I just view it as another thing in life that you deal with. Its not good or bad, but if you deal with it in a good way it can be a lot of fun for you and make you very many close friends for life. If you choose to use it as a fools tent to simply get sorority girls drunk and get laid as often as you can then I am sure one may have fun but it is certainly my hope that this kind of beer commercial thinking is not the modus operandi at all the frats. If it is I can tell you my D will be kicking some nuts and not joining…end of story…So then bayou what is the story–“its part of the Dartmouth Ethos” I am hoping you mean the friendships and fellowship and sure even the occasional amazing party with a sorority but one where people behaved mostly like adults. Otherwise I am not sure what you feel the ethos is of the greek system.</p>
<p>I swore I would not get dragged down by another message board ivy league malcontent in an argument so I doubt I will reply regardless if the guy is insulting or not. And thank you Dartmouth Forever, your post confirmed my feelings about the frats being open to everyone and the general attitude being inclusive rather than exclusive in all but a few frats/sororities. I can not win since I did not go there so I am going to leave it to the Dartmouth students to come clean and straighten folks out about the scene dudes and dudettes! Ciao,WLM</p>
<p>pixie, you will be just fine…and I understand its harder for an international student but its probably even more appealing to apply ED so you know the big move is going to be planned earlier. I think you will like it, but you should try to talk to more active students as I said I am only a parent. But I would not let my D apply if I was worried about her feeling pressured to drink by sorority mates or students there n general. My wife felt the same way and we both grew up in very tough neighborhoods in the city…good luck.</p>
<p>Okay mastablasta-so you are applying ED to Dartmouth, you have an ACT of 30 (the average to get in is 33) and you do not have your SAT II scores in yet. You do not indicate your SAT scores…hmm…you keep posting what do you dislike about Dartmouth…could you be a ■■■■■? That is not name calling, its a person who arrives to instigate trouble like for example defending a poster who attacks a pretty benevolent other poster. You are effectively on ignore…good luck on your ED at Dartmouth or is it Brown…better retake that ACT though–seriously.</p>
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