Academics
Tucked away in bucolic New Hampshire, Dartmouth College manages to strike a nice “balance between the intimacy of a college [and] the opportunity of a university.” Students feel fortunate that the administration places an “emphasis on pursuing passions, and making the college experience your own.” And while Dartmouth certainly maintains a “competitive” atmosphere, students here truly appreciate that “no one really talks about their grades openly.” Indeed, it’s “generally understood that everyone is smart.” A neuroscience major tells us that academically, “Dartmouth puts a huge focus on the undergraduate students, and I have found my professors to be available and engaging in nearly every instance. My classes are all challenging, but they are very discussion based and tend to be small, which keeps me working hard and interested in the material.” And an impressed Middle Eastern studies major interjects, “I came to Dartmouth for the professors, but they were far beyond anything I could have hoped for. Not only are they great lecturers and accomplished scholars, they go out of their way to be available outside of the classroom, and to forge relationships beyond what is expected or necessary.” When it comes down to it, “Dartmouth is considered to be a combination of Hogwarts and Disney World because it is known for its community and intelligent students and faculty, who also are personable and know how to have fun.”
Student Body
Undergrads here emphatically insist that it’s “hard to define a typical student because at Dartmouth literally every type of person is represented.” Of course, if pressed, they might reluctantly admit that the average student comes across as “preppy, academically goal oriented but also extremely social.” And, as you might expect, undergrads also report that their peers are certainly very “smart.” Fortunately, they “do not boast about their intellectual capacity.” A happy senior tells us that “the common denominator is that Dartmouth students are very involved.” Indeed, “whether it’s with a club sports team, a cappella group, community service project, academic research, or a Greek house, Dartmouth students manage to do a lot of things in the course of the day.” One incredulous sophomore concurs, adding that his friends “are always studying and participating in some extracurricular activity and you wonder how they have time to sleep and then you will see them out at a frat too. Then they show up at class the next morning with all of the work completed and they seem like a magician.” Finally a junior concludes, “It’s a small enough school that there is a sense of community that’s always present, but large enough that everyone can find their own niche and their own area of the school and the community that caters to them perfectly.”
Campus Life
To instill a sense of community, all students are sorted into one of six houses when they arrive on campus, and that community, including the physical neighborhood, is a constant through a student’s four years at the College. At Dartmouth, the “Greek system is the main source of social activity.” However, if you’re wary of fraternities and sororities, fret not. A biology major reveals that a “very large percentage of students are involved which makes the Greek houses quite diverse and representative of the student body as a whole.” Indeed, fraternities “are very inclusive.” Further, plenty of social options exist beyond the party scene. “On any given night, you can do anything from see a hockey game to the early premiere of some cool new movie at the Hop[kins Center for the Arts], you can go to a dance party or just play cards or jam out on guitar or something...there are so many options to do whatever you’re interested in doing.” Dartmouth undergrads also love convening with nature. “Outdoorsy activities are huge here. The Appalachian Trail literally runs right through our campus. The Dartmouth Outing Club is the oldest and largest college outing club, and many students (even students who never did so before college) get involved with hiking, canoeing, rock climbing, and so forth.” And a philosophy major concludes, “Whether it’s skating on Occom Pond, going on a hike, going kayaking, apple picking, thrift shopping...there are boundless opportunities.”
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