What's special about Dartmouth

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Appealing to a certain type of lacrosse bro mindset . Old school, in a toxic masculinity way (think Brent Kavanaugh).

Guess your friends are into that.

This describes every guy I've ever met from Dartmouth. My Harvard roommate was dating a guy from Dartmouth, and he was the most cartoonishly obnoxious moron, just a really disgusting, cocky caveman. We had an apartment off-campus, and the boyfriend would come a lot of weekends, and one hideous summer when we were all in the apartment. His "bros" were in and out all of that summer, and they were all the same. Chummy, childish meatheads who seemed to revel in embodying the Dumb Fratboy Jock stereotype.

[Anonymous]

Current Dartmouth parent here and the "lacrosse bro" thing has completely changed especially over the past 2 admissions cycles. I went to the DMV accepted student event last year as well as a DC Dartmouth club event for accepted kids and out of 50 kids at each there was one preppy white boy. The rest were racially diverse, artsy, nerdy, etc. We saw the same when we went to move-in day (and saw the entire class of 1100 walk by us at the end of the day which is the tradition) and parents' weekend.

[Anonymous]

One of only two colleges with its own ski slope!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I friends of parents who have children who attend Deerfield and Brunswick Boy school. All I hear them talk about and discuss is Dartmouth and I would just like to know what is special about Dartmouth...all of them want their children to get in Dartmouth

I went to Andover. We were told that if we wanted 4 more years of high school, we should go to Dartmouth.

[Anonymous]

Dartmouth parent here. People posting here about their high school and college experience from 30 years ago (when they were students at Andover and Harvard, etc) are really not relevant. The school and student body has changed an incredible amount since then, especially in recent years.

Last year from the DMV there were 45+ high schools represented between the 50 or so matriculants. Charters, Catholics, publics, privates, etc. The private my kid attended had a single admitted kid whereas historically they were known as a "feeder."

Dartmouth remains a very difficult admit and feels like "they don't take kids from our school" because it is super small. The class size is 1100, they have a high yield, they staff 35 varsity athletic rosters (including football) a huge Questbridge cohort and additional FGLI outreach programs so the spots left for kids without one of these hooks is likely less than 500 per admission cycle. It's just a hard admit and no one will know more than a tiny handful from their school or community who get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I friends of parents who have children who attend Deerfield and Brunswick Boy school. All I hear them talk about and discuss is Dartmouth and I would just like to know what is special about Dartmouth...all of them want their children to get in Dartmouth

Nothing. It is easier to get in than lot of even public schools

Actually, Dartmouth has the opposite problem. If you don't go to certain NYC privates or New England boarding schools, Dartmouth is pretty much an impossible admit, especially for accomplished public school students. My DC was considering Dartmouth for their ED app, but after looking at the data, decided Dartmouth would be a waste of an app. Goes to a higher ranked school today. If you don't go to one of the Dartmouth feeder high schools, it is a pointless application. Before applying, students should really look at their high school's track record with Dartmouth over the past four years. That will tell you what you need to know.

Yeah, but Deerfield would be one of their main feeders

I find Dartmouth doing something very 1990 - taking feeders and FGLI giving it a barbell feel on campus. There are top .01% at all these schools, but Dartmouth has more than most (per NYT article) and there are bottom 10% at all these schools but Dartmouth has more than most (via QB and rural programs). These kids don't mix on campus all that much. They dont have the best FA for families making 100-200k so they often lose those kids to good schools with better FA.

[Anonymous]

After recent lax bro rape conviction and alcohol related river drowning Dartmouth has attempted to turn the page by emphasizing interest in "middle class" families. But it remains an institution where athletes and legacies + ED = dominate preference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Firstly, it's 'get into Dartmouth,' not 'get in Dartmouth.' Are you an immigrant?

Moving on, Dartmouth is the smallest Ivy and more like an LAC in many respects, though it is technically a university (despite its name being Dartmouth College).

It is also a bit less left wing than many top schools. A bit whiter too. I still remember the "Dartmouth Indians," though that has now been done away with.

It's uniqueness means you pretty much either love it or hate it, and the love its are quite enthusiastic. This is probably what you're picking up on.

Firstly, it's "Its uniqueness" not "It's uniqueness." Moving on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Firstly, it's 'get into Dartmouth,' not 'get in Dartmouth.' Are you an immigrant?

Moving on, Dartmouth is the smallest Ivy and more like an LAC in many respects, though it is technically a university (despite its name being Dartmouth College).

It is also a bit less left wing than many top schools. A bit whiter too. I still remember the "Dartmouth Indians," though that has now been done away with.

It's uniqueness means you pretty much either love it or hate it, and the love its are quite enthusiastic. This is probably what you're picking up on.

Firstly, it's "Its uniqueness" not "It's uniqueness." Moving on.

There is no “it” there, for either of you.

[Anonymous]

It's a regional SLAC that happens to be old and in a region with a lot of billionaires.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a regional SLAC that happens to be old and in a region with a lot of billionaires.

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Appealing to a certain type of lacrosse bro mindset . Old school, in a toxic masculinity way (think Brent Kavanaugh).

Guess your friends are into that.

This describes every guy I've ever met from Dartmouth. My Harvard roommate was dating a guy from Dartmouth, and he was the most cartoonishly obnoxious moron, just a really disgusting, cocky caveman. We had an apartment off-campus, and the boyfriend would come a lot of weekends, and one hideous summer when we were all in the apartment. His "bros" were in and out all of that summer, and they were all the same. Chummy, childish meatheads who seemed to revel in embodying the Dumb Fratboy Jock stereotype.

Sounds like somebody didn’t get as much attention as she wanted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After recent lax bro rape conviction and alcohol related river drowning Dartmouth has attempted to turn the page by emphasizing interest in "middle class" families. But it remains an institution where athletes and legacies + ED = dominate preference.

Dartmouth’s drinking culture is really troubling:

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2025/04/06/dartmouth-college-fraternity-culture-student-death/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/nation/dartmouth-sued-following-professor-misconduct-allegations

[Anonymous]

Desperately clinging to the bottom of T20 and will be let go shortly. And rightly so.

[Anonymous]

Midwits galore.