Dartmouth College Top Questions

Apply everywhere. Apply to colleges on a whim. Visit every campus. Talk to current students. Talk to alumni. Spend a weekend sleeping on the floor of a current student's dorm room. Forget about SAT scores. No one will care about them in a year anyway. Go to the college that you fall in love with the instant you step on campus. Trust your gut. Once you're there, try everything. Get drunk once, with people you trust, and then use your time to pursue activities more fun and interesting than binge drinking. Play Ultimate Frisbee. Go out for an intramural sport you've never played. Go to club meetings where you don't know a soul. Introduce yourself to everyone. Invite your professors to coffee; get to know them as human beings, not just lecturers. Hang out in the library stacks. Find the hole-in-the-wall pizza place off-campus that serves the best calzones you'll ever eat. Volunteer in the local community. Open your mind to everything, everyone, and every possible experience and sensation. You only get to do this once, and trust me, you won't want to miss a second of it.

Finding the right fit in a college may be easier than it seems. When a student arrives on campus and looks around and feels comfortable and excited, that is how he/she knows it is right; however, not all students get that on their first visit. For a high school student, visit the campus and stay overnight. Meet as many people as possible; ask these people about their college experiences. The more people one asks, the better he/she will understand the feel of the campus. But don't be too quick to judge: maybe the campus with lots of active Greek houses is exactly the social life a student wants but he doesn't realize it yet. Maybe she shouldn't rule out this college for being in a rural location because maybe getting away from the city and appreciating the foliage, snow, and spring flowers is exactly what she needs. When it comes to making the most of the college experience, I have three words: Just Do It! Join that club. Step out of your comfort zone. Meet those new people: they may just be your best friends. Get involved (...just not too involved.) You can do it!

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College selection is overblown. There are many schools around the country that are all very similar to each other. I don't believe that college selection is the crucial component of a succesful experience but rather what the student makes of the college picked.

I applied to 18 colleges, whichever one's I thought were "the best". I am so glad I ended up at Dartmouth, I can't imagine being anywhere else. Make sure you love your college. Visit before you go and make sure it's the right thing. I thought I wanted a big city, but I am completely content in a small college town. Do not reject a college without carefully considering it. Although make sure there are things for you to do. If you are obsessed with shopping, then don't go to a college in the middle of nowhere. If you hate the cold, stay out of the North East (but really, the cold isn't so bad. try it!) But most importantly, don't be afraid of what's different! I come from Southern California and now spend my year in the snowy clutches of New Hampshire. Is it cold, yes? Am I the happiest I have ever been in my life, yes? Try new things! Teachers and administrators were hired to make your life easier so don't be afraid. The dean isn't your high school principal, they help, not punish, you. (and have fun!)

Go with your gut feeling. The initial reaction that you have when first setting foot on campus is stronger than anything a tour guide could tell you. If you find a college that feels right, GO FOR IT.

Choose a place in which you can imagine yourself learning, growing, and being happy for 4 YEARS. Consider not only your current academic and extracurricular interests and your potential career plans but also the social climate of the school.

I was lucky to find the college that suited me excellently. When I first stepped on the Dartmouth campus (this will sound so corny), I felt like I was home. I perform well at Dartmouth because I feel comfortable, though I do have some grievances. Sometimes I feel out of place being in a predominantly white college, because I'm Nigerian. However, I 'm from West Windsor, NJ which does have a high white population but the Asian population is very high too. Yet, I never felt so uncomfortable that it affected my studies, but this won't necessarily apply to everyone. When choosing a college, study the demographics because it may be an opertive factor in deciding whether to attend a college or not. Also, note what majors college offers. Someone who is intersted in computer engineering shouldn't necessarily look at Dartmouth because we don't have as strong of a background in that field as others do. I work best in small classrooms and tend to get anxious in large lectures so focus on the size of the school. At the end of the day, I believe that a school is what you make it.

Make sure you really can handle how much is going on at this school. While it is a good place for an amibitious student, it might not necessarily be the greatest choice for someone prone to destructive social behavior, as there is a LOT of binge drinking, random sex, and drug usage. So, just be aware that while there are plenty of wonderful things to do here academically, the rowdy social life can be very distracting. If you're going to come to Dartmouth, make sure you take advantage of all the amazing opportunities here early on-- learn a language, do some freshman year research, write a thesis, and make some plans for yourself. Otherwise you might find yourself in a confusing situation where it's your senior year and you have no idea what you want to do with your life!

Do not look at reputation. Look at average class size (be wary of intro classes which are usually large), size of campus, financial aid, extra curricular activities, tuition, location/type of campus, and whether the school offers classes that serve your interests.