Dartmouth wasn't on my radar until two weeks before the deadline
So, you ask…. how did I end up at Dartmouth?Let me preface my story by saying that every single Dartmouth student landed at Dartmouth in a different way. Some felt Dartmouth was their destiny since childhood, others fell in love on a campus tour during high school. I’ve even talked to people who never stepped foot on campus until freshman orientation. My story doesn’t quite fall in any of these categories. You may be surprised to find out that Dartmouth was completely off my radar until December 2013, the month before my college applications were due.
Less than 7,000 students
Going to a large public school and feeling like a lost fish in the ocean, I knew that I wanted a smaller school with a tight knit community
At least 250 miles away from DC
Being from the DC metropolitan area (and absolutely loving it), I knew that I wanted to be elsewhere for my four years of college because there was a good chance that I would eventually resettle close to home. Going to a college away from home had the added benefit of allowing me to live in an unfamiliar place outside of my comfort zone.
Flexible Curriculum
At the time, I had no idea what I wanted to study, so I needed a school that would allow me to explore many different areas.
Small class sizes
I was in a lot of 30-40 person classes in high school and wanted something more intimate in college
In a city
Yes, you read that correctly. I was intent on living in a city for my college years and thus focused most of my research on schools in or within walking distance of a bustling metropolis. I had always envisioned myself going to art galleries on the weekends, taking public transportation, and running in city parks in my spare time.