Dartmouth

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone working in the "IR" field, for undergrad really not at all important what the major is called, or whether the school has a separate department, more important to truly master at least one and preferably more languages, spend meaningful time during semesters and summers abroad (and NOT just hanging out and drinking with other American students)LEARN TO WRITE WELL, quickly, clearly and under pressure, learn to analyze sources and come to a hypothesis and be able to defend that hypothesis, and learn to interact with and influence other people.

Psst. Don't look. This sounds like CIA to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone working in the "IR" field, for undergrad really not at all important what the major is called, or whether the school has a separate department, more important to truly master at least one and preferably more languages, spend meaningful time during semesters and summers abroad (and NOT just hanging out and drinking with other American students)LEARN TO WRITE WELL, quickly, clearly and under pressure, learn to analyze sources and come to a hypothesis and be able to defend that hypothesis, and learn to interact with and influence other people.

Psst. Don't look. This sounds like CIA to me.

haha. true. the PP forgot to add don't smoke and buy too much pot. All IR/IS departments should have a one day seminar regarding security clearances in freshman/soph/junior years since many good IR jobs are at agencies where TS/SCI w full-scope is required.

As for language mastery, many at the Agency have middling language skills. the rating to get a language bonus (3) is pathetic. And the people nailing 4/5's/native fluency in Tier 1 or Tier 2 langauges many times get hung up on security clearance processing being 1st/2nd generation americans.

If you want to be an analyst in the DI you have to love to write and not care when others tear up your style/prose.

i guess i got a bit off topic.

[Anonymous]

to the OP, i would suggest these as options as well in addition to Dartmouth:

Hopkins...though not listed in Foreign Policy's top ten, they have a superb 5 year ba/ma program with sais where you do 3 years at hopkins baltimore and 2 years at SAIS. Superb program. They also have a 5 year program with Science Po in Paris.

http://krieger.jhu.edu/internationalstudies/sais/index.html

http://krieger.jhu.edu/internationalstudies/sciencespo/index.html

Penn - specifically the Huntsman Program...brutally difficult to get into and perhaps your daughter is not interested in Wharton, but it is a 4 year dual degree program where you get a degree from Wharton and a International Affairs. Extremely marketable and you have a superb small network built into a bigger university.

Tufts

Granted, these schools are very different in culture than Dartmouth but just some suggestions if your DD is looking at IR programs/sschools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of schools offer IR courses in their Government or Poly Sci departments. The larger universities offer an IR major. Small LACs generally do not.

Not sure that's true. I majored in IR at a SLAC years ago. It was in the Poli Sci dept but as a separate major. Based on the college visits I've done over the last few years (more than I'd like to admit with 2 kids and little overlap in their school interests) IR seems to be pretty common.

Interesting. I'd love a list. Not coming up with much using Google.

Every school website lists majors. I'd start with the colleges you are interested in and see what they have.

[Anonymous]

Dartmouth is very difficult to get into OP even with legacy status. Make sure your kid gets the highest possible score on the SAT they can, top grades, and stellar ECs.

[Anonymous]

Thanks -- yes, we know. She has also applied to several safeties.

[Anonymous]

I'm assuming you've read the infamous Rolling Stone article. Dartmouth alums tell me that it was absolutely on to something dark about Dartmouth, but that scene can be avoided and many students do avoid it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm assuming you've read the infamous Rolling Stone article. Dartmouth alums tell me that it was absolutely on to something dark about Dartmouth, but that scene can be avoided and many students do avoid it.

I and many believe all the negative press from it did affect Dartmouth this admisions cycle. Its peer institutions all saw slight increases in early apps, whereas Dartmouth saw a HUGE 12% decrease in ED apps this year compared to last year.

This should shed some light:

http://thedartmouth.com/2013/01/10/news/admission

[Anonymous]

OP,

Your daughter has not yet been accepted?

[Anonymous]

She's received a "likely letter," which stated that she'll be accepted on the official acceptance date. It's a new process (she's not an athlete; a few students receive these letters). We were really thrilled and excited!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She's received a "likely letter," which stated that she'll be accepted on the official acceptance date. It's a new process (she's not an athlete; a few students receive these letters). We were really thrilled and excited!

Before you sign on the dotted line and celebrate, you should read the "Dartblog" which provides intricate "inside" details about the hazzing and other sordid activities. There's no doubt that the hazzing has discouraged applicants. The figures can't lie. I know I'd try to look past the "alure" of the Ivy to consider whether/if it makes sense for my child to attend this school.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. We are doing very thorough research. I would love to hear about any specific, firsthand experience. That is why I am posting!

[Anonymous]

OP,

Have you posted on College Confidential?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. We are doing very thorough research. I would love to hear about any specific, firsthand experience. That is why I am posting!

This pretty much sums up the situation. Strange you haven't come across this regarding Dartmouth.


http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/confessions-of-an-ivy-league-frat-boy-inside-dartmouths-hazing-abuses-20120328

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. We are doing very thorough research. I would love to hear about any specific, firsthand experience. That is why I am posting!

This pretty much sums up the situation. Strange you haven't come across this regarding Dartmouth.


http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/confessions-of-an-ivy-league-frat-boy-inside-dartmouths-hazing-abuses-20120328

When did she say she wasn't familiar with that?

I think it sums up an aspect of life at Dartmouth. Not a pleasant one to be sure. But about 40% of students are in Greek life. Some of those are coed or sororities so the % in frats is much smaller. There is plenty of life outside of frats. And since OP has a girl the hazing stuff is not a concern. Obviously the treatment of women would be.

I only went to grad school so wasn't involved in that culture but my friends who did attend D undergrad think this story is representative of a pretty narrow slice of Dartmouth and not what the school is about. The administration seems to be trying to address it although I thought the last president was too light on it. Hopefully the new president will be more aggressive.