<p>D went to a rigorous middle school and thought that the first year of high school (at a vaunted college prep) was easy. High school got more challenging and she found the first year at Dartmouth very manageable. Subsequent quarters have been on a continuum, often turning on the amount of time that non-class activities required. Play a sport: time. Active in a club: time. Greek scene: time. She’s never shirked her responsibilities in one area or another and has managed to carry a 3.7+ GPA into senior year. It’s do-able, and the quarter system helps. Your mileage may differ.</p>