<p>How is the workload at Dartmouth? Compared to Cornell, which is more difficult? Is it possible to have decent grades (3.7-4.0 GPA) and still do a fair share of extracurriculers and have a social life?</p>
<p>I think a lot of us are wondering that same thing... We want to be able to back up that ivy league degree, but have a good time doing it</p>
<p>you read my mind</p>
<p>Workload really depends on your personal ability and the classes you're taking. If you went to a competitive high school (e.g., your school is really large and the top 10% all went to ivy league schools) and had a really heavy workload in high school, then Dartmouth won't be that hard. In fact, the three course workload at Dartmouth can be easier than what you might have had in high school. Dartmouth student's usually don't spend as much in time in class as students in other schools. MWF classes last 65 minutes each, while TuTh classes last 110 minutes each. Both types of classes have 50 optional "x-hour" 50 minute classes which the professor can choose to use, or not use. If your professors don't end up using your "x-hour" classes (which is most of the time, unless its science course) then you spend about 3.3 hours a week. Multiply that by three classes, and you end up with less than the standard 12 hour min. course loads that other schools have. </p>
<p>Of course, Dartmouth can also be really tough. I'm a freshman and I took four classes last term (winter), one of the classes being Chem (which has a 4 hour lab in addition to regular class). Once midterm week started, it didn't end and instead just continued until finals week. I ended up cutting down on extra-currics which I had done Fall term, but I ended up doing fine GPA wise. </p>
<p>Here's a question:<br>
Is 100 pages of assigned reading every other night a lot to you?
Does starting and finishing a book over the weekend sound tough?</p>
<p>Well if you answered yes to any of the questions above, than the reading intensive courses might be a <em>tiny</em> bit tough for you. Don't worry though, cause the Prof's here are really interesting, and the readings are usually really interesting too. </p>
<p>The greatest tool that Dartmouth has is the Course Review (available at sa.dartmouth.edu when you matriculate) and the Median Grade list (published online at the Registrar's site). </p>
<p>With these tools, you'll always be able to choose classes that match your level. </p>
<p>Did you take AP Calculus BC? AP Chem? AP Physics C (not B)?
If you did well on these classes, then the intro level courses here won't be a problem for you (this doesn't include Honors intro classes). Otherwise, you might have to work harder in Math/Science classes than you did in high school.</p>
<p>As for comparing workloads between schools:
All top schools have heavy and hard work loads. I've visited and spoken with friends at Harvard, NYU, Northwestern, etc. </p>
<p>There might be rumors/myths about heavy workloads at one school or another, but everything's really subjective.</p>
<p>For every student complaining about a heavy workload at their school, there's defn. another student in the school with a similar schedule who thinks its a stroll in the park.</p>
<p>"Does starting and finishing a book over the weekend sound tough?"</p>
<p>Does this happen in the English class that most freshmen have to take/the English class freshmen are required to take?</p>
<p>
[quote]
"Does starting and finishing a book over the weekend sound tough?"</p>
<p>Does this happen in the English class that most freshmen have to take/the English class freshmen are required to take?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This will happen in many of your classes that are more reading based. My D took a classics class where they read bout 600 pages a week? During sophmore summer she had a class with a 21 book list and they read every boodk.</p>
<p>if you attended a writing-intensive HS, then you'll transition well to any college. If your HS was more mutliple choice & scantron, then Dartmouth's humanities/english classes will take some getting used to. But that would be true at Cornell, as well. Some of my son's friends are attending UCLA and Cal, and had an easy first quarter (when they were repeating AP chem, Calc, etc.). The shock set in this semester, however, as the repeat courses are over and new college-level material is presented.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Does this happen in the English class that most freshmen have to take/the English class freshmen are required to take?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No. Most Writing 5 classes only read about 3 books, and write 3-4 papers (one on each book, plus a final paper). </p>
<p>However, the first year seminars (FYS) can be different. If you choose a FYS outside of the English department (most FYS are outside the english department) then you probably won't have that much reading. A lot of the FYS in Government, Physics, Engineering, etc., really just have you read journal articles (which are usually around 20 pages). </p>
<p>I chose a First Year Seminar in the English department on Asian Americans in Popular culture. We read about 5 books, plus a course reader, and also watched about 6 movies (including Harold and Kumar go to White Castle). </p>
<p>Don't worry. If you don't want reading intensive classes, you won't have to take them. </p>
<p>But even if you do end up taking a reading intensive class, you won't believe how easy finishing a book over the weekend can be, esp. since professors usually assign interesting things to read. really!</p>