Dartmouth College Reviews

It's pretty diverse. On a scale...

It's pretty diverse. On a scale from 0 to 10, I would put Dartmouth's diversity at a 7 or 8ish. Anything higher would, by necessity, mean compromising the emphasis on merit that exists within the system to the extent that is unfair. A school that is a to-scale proportion of every demographic group within the United States is either a miraculously precise coincidence or a lie. Basically, the demographic situation at Dartmouth is ideal.

Overall, the dorms are really...

Overall, the dorms are really nice. There are a lot of new dorms and newly renovated dorms, but the older dorms have much higher ceilings and a lot of charm. Avoid the river cluster, if possible—it's really far away and pretty antiquated.

There's really not much crime to...

There's really not much crime to speak of other than accidental coat theft at parties and the occasional missing bicycle—so lock 'em up. The Good Samaritan policy is the most unique security measure, I think. Basically, if your friend drank too much and you're worried, call Safety and Security and neither of you will get in trouble with the school—they just want to help.

Profs range pretty extensively,...

Profs range pretty extensively, but the majority here are really Ivy League caliber. You can get into some small classes with really accessible profs or take a huge lecture once in a while and be surprised by how well some profs can keep the attention of an enormous audience.

There is definitely no typical...

There is definitely no typical student—there are frat guys, sorority girls, actors, engineers, econ geeks, uber-intellectuals, uber-non-intellectuals, athletes, ex-athletes, and kids that you never see because they're always in the library. There is a little bit of geek in everyone, but it's a healthy thing. I can't really speak to the average attractiveness of guys without sounding too self-serving, but guys are decently good looking. Girls are no state-school girls, but it seems each incoming class gets more attractive—or I'm just getting used to it as a senior.

Some varsity sports are really...

Some varsity sports are really superb—skiing, lacrosse, hockey, crew, and a few others. Rugby is one of the best in the country every year, but it is technically a club sport. Intramurals range from ex-athletes really competing to people who have never played before.

It's actually pretty diverse....

It's actually pretty diverse. Despite the historically conservative nature of the school, undergrad voting was 83 percent Obama in the election. Due to exceptional financial aid, people from every walk of life are here, and everyone has a story to tell that will surprise you. As far as ideologies go, there's definitely a range, and there's no single classification, really. It's sexually diverse, as well, in multiple respects. There's an approximately 1:1 ratio of guys to girls, and in each gender, homosexuality is out in the open and accepted, although circles of friends will vary on compositions, of course.

It's fairly strict on drugs, but...

It's fairly strict on drugs, but as far as drinking goes (outside of dorms), there is sort of an understanding between the frats and S&S (safety and security) that a lot of drinking goes on. In fact, a great policy is the "Good Samaritan" policy in which a student can alert campus safety if someone has had too much to drink and neither student receives any disciplinary action for the matter. Safety and security and the administration understand that kids want to let loose and party, and they really want to protect rather than be overly strict.

Turnover on new renovations to...

Turnover on new renovations to buildings and facilities is pretty quick, so most facilities are really up to date and nice. The gym is spectacular, the libraries are very nice, especially Rauner Special Collections, and there's a new life sciences building being built to LEED platinum standards—there's really nothing to complain about.

Hanover is one of the most...

Hanover is one of the most comfortable, nice, crime-free places I've been. It's really pleasant, and the nearby towns of Norwich, Quechee, and Lyme, to name a few, are also very nice. It can feel really small at times, but it's definitely not claustrophobic.

Freshmen technically can't have a...

Freshmen technically can't have a car, but they can pay to park at a frat usually. Hanover is pretty efficient at giving out parking tickets. If you don't pay a few, they may put a boot on your car, so hedge your bets and don't abuse the system like my friend who got 16 parking tickets freshman year.

There are actually a lot of...

There are actually a lot of off-campus options in town, including Murphy's, a grill/pub; Canoe Club, a bit classier American spot; Lou's, a diner, but's only open until 3 p.m.; Ramunto's for pizza; Gusanoz for Mexican; Jewel of India, the better of two Indian restaurants, Yama, which is Korean and awesome; and Bagel Basement. Not as good and overrated are Molly's, Mai Thai, The Orient, and EBAs, which is the only option in town after midnight unfortunately. There are also some places within driving distance.

Overall, it's a really superb...

Overall, it's a really superb place to be, but you have to learn how to make the most of it. I actually was very unhappy freshman year and was close to transferring out, but I'm really, really happy that I stuck it out because the three years after that have been amazing, and I realized it was mainly the courses I was taking. They were over my head and consumed my life freshman year.

Pretty much everyone has their own...

Pretty much everyone has their own laptop. Blitz, the campus e-mail, is the preferred method of communication. It's used almost like instant messenger, so people are on their computers or Blackberries fairly often.

It's very minimal. It's weed...

It's very minimal. It's weed predominately, but, overall, it's really not a big factor and can easily be avoided.

It's not really even necessary for...

It's not really even necessary for Hanover because everything is within walking distance, but there is a free shuttle (Advance Transit) that runs to Lebanon and White River junction, which is helpful once in a blue moon but not really used too much by students.

As far as the social scene goes,...

As far as the social scene goes, it's pretty predominantly Greek. Once you're 21, you can go off campus to the bars, but there's enough variety among the houses that you can get varying degrees of intensity in your partying. There's everything from low-key to pretty-near idiotic.

There's a wide range of food on...

There's a wide range of food on campus. Thayer's grill line is pretty extensive, the hot line has rotating specials every day, and there's a sandwich line and salad bar. It's pretty well done overall, but healthy is subjective. Home Plate has classier variations of the above, and it's more comfortable to sit down with people here. Pavillion has a kosher/Halal option. It's usually very good, and the fresh baked cookies are a must. Courtyard Cafe—the Hop—has eggs and breakfast done any way you want all day, as well as a really good sandwich line.

Summer is beautiful and actually...

Summer is beautiful and actually gets pretty warm, so bring a bathing suit for the river. Fall is really nice and comfortable for a while, but the weather quickly gets cold. Winter lasts for approximately 5 months depending on the year. It's cold, snowy, and sometimes brutal, but in recent years there is almost always a mid-winter warm spell where people walk around in flip-flops and shorts—50 degrees or so feels wonderful sometimes. Spring is muddy but a drastic change and is much appreciated.

It's actually pretty convenient. I...

It's actually pretty convenient. I lived off campus my sophomore summer with a bunch of friends at The Blue Zoo down West Wheelock hill a bit toward the river, and it was a great time. Many of my friends currently live off campus and have done so for the last two years or more and have had great success with it. Being the president of my fraternity, I've lived in the frat house since sophomore summer, which has been awesome.

Campus Safety and Security...

Campus Safety and Security (referred to as S&S) does a great job of protecting people. Of the minimal crime that exists, the majority of issues involve people accidentally taking the wrong jacket at frat parties or the occasional stolen bike that wasn't locked up.

There is a fairly extensive range...

There is a fairly extensive range in quality of dorms. Some of the oldest dorms on campus have recently been renovated for purposes of insulation, but they've lost some of the old charm they used to have—and asbestos, I guess. Overall, the dorms are high quality all around, and there's only one dorm down by the river, which can be a bear to deal with in the winter.

The Dartmouth campus is pretty...

The Dartmouth campus is pretty small, and most off-campus houses are within walking distance, so a car isn’t necessary. There’s also a free bus line that goes around campus and to nearby cities. However, if you do bring a car to campus, there’s not much parking space available. Greek houses will often let members park there or sell off extra spots. Most of the students park in A lot, which is about a 15-minute walk from the center of campus. You're allowed to bring a car up starting freshman spring term.

I’ve greatly enjoyed my college...

I’ve greatly enjoyed my college experience so far. I’ve met so many cool people who have enriched my time at Dartmouth. While classes are important, social life shouldn’t be neglected. Getting to know new people by joining clubs or trying new activities is always fun. Also, there are a few Dartmouth traditions that are shared by the members of each class. For example, during Homecoming, the freshman class runs around a huge bonfire the number of times of their class year. So, for example, students in the class of 2010 were supposed to run around 110 times. Not too many people did all of it, but it’s a fun experience, and it’s great watching each new first-year class partake in the festivities.

The facilities at Dartmouth are...

The facilities at Dartmouth are pretty good. The gym was just renovated a few years ago, making the fitness center much larger. There are also two pools, basketball and volleyball courts, and a hockey rink nearby. The student center, Collis, is a popular hangout spot and contains many study spaces, dining areas, a large room for big events, and a small pool hall. When the weather is nice, students tend to sit outside on Collis porch to eat, study, and people watch. The main library, Baker-Berry, has an open stack system and more than four floors of study areas, ranging from absolutely silent to group rooms. There's also a café in the library that is great for a study break or extra energy. Most of the library closes by 2 a.m., but there are two 24-hour spaces. Around campus, there are actually a few more libraries, including a music library in the Hopkins Center and a biomedical library near the medical school. The Hopkins Center (called The Hop) also has a few auditoriums, a café, jewelry and woodworking studios, and is adjacent to the Hood Art Museum.