What an awesome recap from '08 @Sybbie719. I wish I had read that earlier. It was special to be on campus and close to the students for their final hour. They use the newer or more recently renovated dorms. How they slept on those mattresses for 4 years I will never know. We enjoyed meeting other parents of students, wished we could have spent more time there, but we had a lot of packing to do and a long journey home. Miss that place!
They had just opened the new forms 07-08. Chicly still bleeds green as she went to NoLa with a group of 8ās last weekend
We split between a favorite dog-friendly place that no longer exists and the dorms, due to a late addition to our party. H stayed in the dorm, and he really enjoyed being on campus, breakfast at Louās, etc. I think I would opt for the dorms, except possibly for the A/C factor. It really depends how high-maintenance you are. 
If you are the sort of person who is okay with quirky, hostel-like accommodations, the Hotel Coolidge in White River Junction is a funky, historic place, and there are lots of good places to eat in WRJ now: it has become a hip place. The weather in the beginning of June can be all over the place. in 2012 in was bright, sunny, and fairly hot. Half of our small party retreated from the nice seats a fraternity brother had saved for us to stand under the trees by the time Sānear the end of the alphabetāwent up. I stuck it out, but I really, really wished I had a sun hat. Or a parasol, LOL. S was wearing a nice jacket and tie under his robe, and he was soaked with sweat.
We opted to stay Sunday night and make a relaxed exit on Monday morning, so we had dinner on Sunday at Simon Pearce, which was wonderful: the setting, the food, and they gave every grad a handsome surprise gift. On Friday afternoon there was a department reception (with great food), and on Sat his brothers organized a dinner at a nice restaurant in HanoverāI canāt recall which one, because it was the only time we went there for some reason.
A couple of questions about interim housing. The website doesnāt mention a cost, but can it be that the interim housing is free for those who get permission to stay? And where do the students eat at that time? I canāt imagine that all of the dining options are open for business during the breaks, but there must be some!
Well, I doubt the meal plan would be operative during the break, and kid might as well hit Louās and the Dirt Cowboy and ā¦ the other places in town for pay as you go. 
Email residential.life@dartmouth.edu for the answers to your questions.
On a different topicā¦ our D just came home on a very unexpected medical withdrawal and thereās much that Dartmouth parents can learn from our experience. Iāll recap briefly and would be happy to correspond privately with anyone who wants further info.
Our D entered Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center through the ER after 4.5 days at Dickās House. She had mono AND pneumonia AND a ferocious strain of strep that caused her throat to swell closed. She had to be intubated and spend 5 days in the ICU. After 3 surgeries in 2 weeks, she was released.
Lessons learned:
- Have a notarized medical power-of-attorney. It enables you to make healthcare decisions on your childās behalf if they are incapacitated. It also allows you to request medical records, meet with physicians apart from/in lieu of your student, and otherwise advocate for the best healthcare possible.
- Send your kid to DHMC if you have any concerns about diagnosis or treatment. The DHMC physicians (and nurses) are amazing ā highly competent, incredibly compassionate, very committed to quality of care.
- Stay at the Element in Hanover. They have a shuttle to and from the hospital (helpful on icy/snowy mornings and nights) that can also take you to the nearby Co-op grocery. The rooms all have small kitchens (very helpful if youāre keeping crazy hours). They provide free breakfast buffet and happy hour drinks & snacks, but also run a 24-hour snack shop in the lobby (again, good for crazy hours). They have a laundry room (in case you grossly underpack) and workout center (if you have time to de-stress). They offer a discount to family members of those at DHMC. And best of all, they are staffed by a kind bunch of folks.
- Contact the Deanās office. Our Dās Dean came to the hospital daily for 2 weeks to offer help with any aspect of our ordeal. She helped navigate the withdrawal process, insurance issues, housing questions, etc., but also offered emotional support, brought snacks and message from campus, and generally embodied the schoolās love and concern. It was invaluable and much appreciated.
- Utilize the āD planā to minimize repercussions. Although our D hates to be missing the snow, Winter Carnival, and other 16W events, she will be able to make up the missed course credits this summer and graduate with her class. This may not matter much to parents, but itās HUGELY important to students. In a situation like ours, the luxury of D Plan scheduling became a big morale booster.
- Be a vocal advocate. At the hospital and at the school, I made clear that my only objective was to facilitate the best possible outcomes for our D. Everyone we dealt with supported that and responded to my questions and requests constructively. I was ready to do battle on any front, but it rarely ā if ever ā seemed necessary. That speaks volumes about Dartmouthās true priorities and the professional excellence of DHMC.
PosAttitude - wow, what a story. Your lessons learned would apply at any college, but good to hear that Dartmouth was so supportive.
Dartmouth WAS so supportiveā¦ and continues to be. We are very grateful, and our daughter loves it more than ever (and canāt wait to get back there!!).
Wishing y9ur D a full and speedy recovery
Thanks @sybbie719! During an experience like this, even the smallest kindness is much appreciated.
Wow @PosAttitude, hoping that all is getting better for you and your family now. The medical power of attorney is a good thing for all parents to have in case their child gets ill away from home. Each state usually has a āformā that you can use for this purpose. It was also reassuring to know that DHMC was so convenient to campus. .
@PosAttitude, what an ordeal! Iām glad to hear that the school was and is so supportive, but more importantly that your D is recovering.
Although my S is now 26, I hadnāt thought about what would happen if he were seriously ill. Important food for thought.
Curious how current (and past) parents feel about the new Residential Houses being introduced on campus? With the Class of 2019, incoming Dartmouth students will be randomly assigned to one of six dormitory clusters. Beginning their sophomore year, these students will live in these assigned clusters for the remaining three years of their undergraduate experience - Upperclassmen will have the option to live in Greek housing, affinity housing or in Living and Learning Communities, but will remain members of their original residential community. Examples include the house systems at the University of Chicago, Harvard, Princeton and Yale universities. Students at these schools who were interviewed expressed support of their respective housing systems, emphasizing a sense of community and ease of access to faculty and other students. Dartmouthās initiative also aims to facilitate faculty interaction and academic/social support within the residential community system that is sometimes complicated with their D-Plan program. Son ('19) just learned on Friday that he will be a āFounding Memberā of the Allen House - which will be located at the Gile, Streeter and Lord halls (āThe Gold Coastā) - and will include a newly-built āAllen House Centerā for meetings and social gatherings. Professor Jane Hill of Thayer School of Engineering will be the inaugural resident āAllen House Professorā. Son seems excited - a great way to have a āsense of belongingā and return to familiar surroundings after a term abroad, etc. Received a red āAllen Houseā t-shirt and scarf - and impressive welcome letter. Next Thursday will be the initial āHouse Dinnerā for introductions, etc.
^^ @Gauchman my son, also a '19, is a āfounding memberā of Allen House as well. Wonder if they know each other already? This year my son is in Cohen.
@b1ggreenca - maybe, since he also lives in The Choates - but in the substance-free Little Hall.
@Gauchman I think Dartmouthās move to Residential Houses is great. Itās something Iāve been advocating for years. I had one daughter go to Dartmouth and the other to Harvard. Dartmouth was wonderful for my daughter, but the one big advantage I saw in Harvard was its House system. If Dartmouth can create and implement a House system as good as Harvardās and expand it to accommodate the entire student body, it will be huge boost for Dartmouth.
Perhaps the best thing that would come from well done House system would be a huge de-emphasis of the Greek houses. If Dartmouth students come to primarily identify with their residence Houses and the frats are reduced to mere off-campus social clubs they will shrink in importance and thus decrease the negative influences and bad press the Greeks so regularly bring to the campus.
Past parent here. I also think the idea of a House-type system is awesome, and long overdue.
Iām all for house systems. Itās good for kids to have a home on campus that offers continuity, especially with the D plan.
My S joined a fraternity, albeit a very diverse and not āhard-coreā place, when he came back from a sophomore fall term abroad to find that several of his closer friends from his freshman hallāguys whom he said he never thought would join a fraternityāhad joined it. I think he was looking for the sense of connection that a residential house system would have provided. He ended up living in the Greek house from sophomore summer until winter term senior yearāwith the exception of an internship term junior yearāthen he and a fraternity brother moved out and roomed in a dorm together. He said he wished he had done so earlier.
He had a positive Greek experience, it really taught him many things and gave him leadership opportunities, but he thinks the school would be better off without the Greek system.
Harvard and Yale are set up for the house system. Princeton, Williams, and other places that have implemented it were not. Iām sure Dartmouth can do it, but they are going to have to expend some resources to do so.
Nice 3.8% tuition increase for next year! Please donāt tell me that is usual for Dartmouth, because it seems unsustainable to me.
I fear this has been the pattern for the last decade and more.
Tuition Total
2016-2017 49,998 66,174
2015-2016 48,120 63,744
2014-2015 46,763 61,947
2013-2014 45,445 60,201
2012-2013 43,782 57,996
2011-2012 41,736 55,365
ā¦
2004-2005 30,729 39,465
[Source: Dartmouth Fact Book]