<p>Hey all you Dartmouth hopefuls! Or, to those of you who applied ED, Dartmouth acceptees/deferees/rejectees!</p>
<p>I am applying regualr decision, but I just wanted to know other people's reasons for applying to Dartmouth (i.e. why do you like it? What made you like it?)</p>
<p>Or... why didn't you apply to Dartmouth? (i.e. what made you dislike it?) Thanks, guys! :D</p>
<p>Everyone's thoughts or experiences may or may not be the same as yours. So no matter what anyone else thinks you have to know for yourself why choose or not choose Dartmouth. You would do best to ask your self why Dartmouth and why is it or isn't it the best place for you. After getting past the "Well, it's an Ivy thing" at the cost of $160,000 for 4 years, you should definitely not adopt a sheep mentality or bandstand- I like the beat and it's easy to dance to reason as to why you should attend.</p>
<p>I fell in love with Dartmouth because of the combination of the outdoorsy ruralness and excellent academics. While urban living has been glamorized by TV shows, the Olsen twins, and the media in general, I think it's a shame that most people don't get to spend at least a part of their life having some type of Outward Bound-like experience. For me especially, I figured I'd have the rest of my life to spend in big cities, visiting museums, going clubbing, seeing the latest shows, all Sex-and-the-City style. But I very much doubt I have another chance to go skiing, hiking, rowing, etc. unless I move to Seattle! </p>
<p>The D-Plan is great; there is no limit to the possibilities of things you can do on off-terms: internships, teaching, traveling, community service, research, etc. A note to all pre-professional students: the D-Plan is especially handy when it comes to internships. While every other college student is struggling to beat the competition for a summer internship, you have the option of spending an academic term interning without taking time off.</p>
<p>I love the undergraduate focus. Dartmouth has all the resources you could need, plus professors who specifically cater to your needs as an undergraduate student. No apathetic TAs, no absent-minded research oriented professors, many small seminar-like classes in fascinating and even quirky subject areas. I know that Robin Williams' character in "The Dead Poet's Society" was based on a Dartmouth professor, I know that "Animal House" was based on Dartmouth parties- it's definitely not a quiet school! The fact that it's on the way from Montreal to Boston is great... Dartmouth manages to snag most performing groups or speakers, so the campus life is pretty vibrant. </p>
<p>Of course, this creates for somewhat of a bubble atmosphere. While some people dislike this, it's one of things that attracted me to Dartmouth most. I am excited to go to a school with on of the highest alumni giving in the country, I am excited to go to a school big enough to breathe but small enough to be intimate, and I am excited to go to a school where alumni stop me in the streets when I am wearing a Dartmouth shirt to say "Go Big Green!" </p>
<p>Yes, there is a lot of drinking on campus. This is a phenomenon that happens at many rural liberal arts schools... it doesn't bother me. I know it's very easy to avoid the drinking scene and still be happy, and that Dartmouth drinking certainly doesn't match the excessiveness of drinking in some of the Southern state schools. Yes, there is a big Greek scene on campus. While I tend to be wary of any clique-like groups, I would be silly to imagine that it's any worse than the Harvard finals clubs, or the Princeton eating clubs.</p>
<p>Other schools I looked at were Williams, Amherst, Middlebury, Bowdoin, and Carleton.</p>
<p>People are telling me to get ready for the "best four years of my life," and you know what? I believe them. I could not imagine going anywhere else.</p>