<p>As far as the OP’s question is concerned, another thing that could potentially merit consideration is that Dartmouth definitely seems to be on the decline. Application numbers have fallen and the school has plummeted on several international rankings. Negative press coverage also appears to be at an all time high and research universities appear to be becoming far more popular than liberal arts colleges (at least among talented high school students). </p>
<p>Interestingly enough, Cornell has never quite held its own at the undergraduate level. It consistently loses cross admit battles to every other Ivy Plus university and has developed a bit of a reputation for being an outlier amidst its elite peers. It also isn’t particularly well endowed (specially considering its size) and is the least selective Ivy Plus school. </p>