will i like dartmouth??

Colleges and Universities A-Z Dartmouth College
1

<p>pleaseeeee be honest, we all know tons of people on these boards just love to get people to apply to their schools.</p>

<p>i'm debating on applying to dartmouth. i'd say i have a decentish shot at getting in, and i really like what i've read/heard about the school. 2 problems: </p>

<p>-i prefer a campus near a big city, and i know dartmouth is in like the middle of nowhere. but people tell me the campus is so great i won't even notice. is it true? what's the social scene like here? any current students want to say anything?</p>

<p>-weather. i hate cold weather. snow occasionally rocks, but not every week.
but i don't want to make college decisions based on weather, because it seems so beside the point. so do you think i would truly hate a dartmouth experience just because of the cold weather? i'm the kind of girl who loves the sunbathing, beach chilling, running outdoors, types of things. do you think i could get used to the extremely long winters at dartmouth? </p>

<p>thanks guys.</p>

2

<p>I would like to know about the first problem also.
I heard the social scene was actually pretty good, but I'd like to be reassured lol</p>

3

<p>keep in mind regardless of what any one writes the 2 things that you dislike about Dartmouth are going to be unchanged:</p>

<p>the campus is not moving, it will still be in hanover</p>

<p>the weather is not going to change much, it will still be cold for a long period of time (in time students aget used to it)</p>

4

<p>"do you think i could get used to the extremely long winters at dartmouth?"
Why get used to it if you can just pick a school that suits you better??? That's the beauty of college decisions. You get to adapt the school to you not vice versa. I'd say you'd be better off at a school tailored to your interests. Don't assume that your desires are petty. After all, you have to live with your choices, no one else.</p>

5

<p>as much as you would like to not make your college decision based on weather, it is one of the top two things people make their decision on. the first is the tour guide when they visit, and the second is the weather when they visit and the weather in general. </p>

<p>tour guides have had a major effect on me. university of chicago got crossed off my list the second the hugely nerdy tour guide said, "if you go out to get a hot dog with your friends and go bowling, your grade in any given class will suffer because you could've spent that time studying and doing work." can you say no social life?!</p>

<p>weather has less of an effect on me. when i visited dartmouth it was pouring down rain, but i loved it. </p>

<p>i agree with sybbie719. what you dislike about dartmouth won't change, regardless of what people say. if anything, just remember that you could take both sophomore and junior winter terms off and go there for summer term.</p>

6

<p>LOL. what a hilarious uchicago story. i could never go there....</p>

<p>i know what you guys mean about it not changing, but it's just that i love everything else about the place except the weather...the small town thing i could get over if the campus was awesome, cuz im from a small town myself... and yes i love the idea of leaving the winter terms thats the greatest curriculum i've ever heard of haha. one major reason i like the school. so i'm just reluctant not to apply just because of the weather... </p>

<p>what i'm really trying to get as if the weather will bother me sooo much i'll hate it?? or will the good outweigh the weather so i won't (barely) notice?</p>

7

<p>when i did my overnight stay at dartmouth, my host took me to a frat party at SAE. it was fun, but it was in a gross, crowded, dimly lit basement. we then went to another party at another frat and it was the exact same thing: drunk boys playing hours of beer pong. it pretty much seems like thats the social scene at dartmouth, for lack of anything else to do (no clubs nearby) but its definetely your choice whether or not youd like to partake in it. if thats your idea of fun, then im sure youd love this school.</p>

8

<p>WEATHER: I'm from sunny California, and I can assure you that it does get cold here in New Hampshire. However, I haven't found the weather to be a huge detriment to my college experience. Spring and Summer terms are wonderfully sunny and warm, while Fall gradually goes from warm to rainy. Winter term is mostly filled with snow, rain, and overcast skies. And yes, it's cold outside. But you wouldn't want to lay out on the Green whether its 50 degrees outside or 15. When it's cold, it's cold. You wear a warm coat, a hat, and a scarf and you scurry to your classes, the library, and the dining hall and once you're inside you shed everything because its 80 degrees inside. Many students choose to take advantage of the cold weather by taking either Snowboarding or Skiing for a PE Class. I took Skiing last winter and loved it -- the slopes are only a 20 minute bus ride away. Plus, the incredible D-Plan makes it possible to miss half the winters altogether. This winter I'm going to Mexico for a Language Study Abroad Program, and next winter I hope to get an internship back home. </p>

<p>SOCIAL SCENE: While many students choose to spend much of their time at frat parties, this is not the only option for having fun. Seriously. Okay, the nearest city, Boston, is 2 hours away so you will be missing out on shopping malls and clubs. However, Dartmouth provides a plethora of activities on-campus. There is almost too much to do here -- I never have time for everything. You can:</p>

<ul>
<li>See $4-5 movies at the HOP or Nugget Theater in town</li>
<li>See students perform in a capella groups, improv shows, cultural shows, music performances, dance groups, etc</li>
<li>See world-renowned artists perform. This year I met the director Mira Nair and saw an advanced screening of her film "The Namesake." I saw a professional performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Last year I met the playwright Edward Albee. Saw a performance of A Doll's House. The jazz musician Sonny Rollins is coming this year, last year many people went to see Wynton Marsalis. </li>
<li>Go to lectures by famous political scientists, historians, and journalists. Francis F u kuyama came earlier this year for example.</li>
<li>Go to the crazy events put on by the Programming Board. Bingo and Trivial Pursuit nights bring in huge crowds because prizes usually include either a flat screen tv or x-box. </li>
<li>Rent a free movie from Jones Media Center. </li>
<li>Join a club and get involved with their activities and events. As a government major, I'm very involved with one of the political groups and I love campaigning and bringing politicians to campus. There are tons of campus groups: everything from Project Bangladesh devoted to building orphanages to the Medieval Enthusiasts Club. </li>
<li>Go out to dinner in town.</li>
<li>Just hang out with friends.</li>
</ul>

<p>Honestly, the frats really can be a fun place to hang out. Many people enjoy going there to meet new people, play pong, or go to the dance parties. Don't forget that sororities, co-eds, and affinity housing provide a fun and comfortable space for students too!</p>

9

<p>Hey I second that BigGreenJen... I don't go to Dartmouth but obviously I loved it because I felt like it had all those cultural opportunities you mentioned that come with any school of this calibur... plus a rocking frat life! I wanna have fun at school and I'm not really into the whole bar hopping clubbing thing... I had a blast when I visited and I too shun those who play silly beirut. Wherever I end up next year.. they better have pong!</p>

10

<p>The weather and the campus location/social scene will probably have the biggest day-to-day effect on you. If you want a similarly great school in terms of education but perfer the warm weather and maybe a more urban or atleast suburban location then forget applying to Dartmouth, there is probably a place for you at Stanford or Duke.</p>