<p>I have two daughters; one went to Harvard and the other went to Dartmouth. Based on their experiences I’d offer this:</p>
<p>Both girls love their schools and got great educations. You can’t go wrong with either one on that score.</p>
<p>Despite Harvard’s reputation for having remote professors who don’t care about undergrads, and Dartmouth’s reputation for having super undergrad-focused professors, I could find very little difference between the two. As far as I can tell, both have many smart, accessible teachers who are very keen to teach and help their undergrad students.</p>
<p>The big differences between the two schools IMO boil down to two things: 1. Rural vs. urban setting and 2. Social scenes that revolve around Frats vs. residence Houses.</p>
<p>If you prefer trees, camping, skiing, partying at frats, togetherness, and a small town feel, then Dartmouth is for you. If urban life and all that offers is more your style, Harvard is the place to be.</p>
<p>In any case it’s your decision. Good luck.</p>
<p>PS: Both have cold, snowy New England winters. But they are not the same. People in Boston think their winters are fiercely cold. But those folks are weather weenies compared to the hardy souls who brave the cold months in Hanover.</p>