I’m considering applying to Dartmouth, but I’m not sure if I would like the rural location. Since I don’t have time/resources to visit, I was hoping someone could tell me how Hanover compares to the locations of some colleges I have visited. I visited Cornell and Wesleyan over the summer, and was pleasantly surprised by Ithaca- I found it secluded, but still with enough going on to give it a “college town” vibe. However, I felt a bit stifled by Middletown (where Wesleyan is located). For anyone who’s visited two or three of these places, would you say that Hanover is closer to Ithaca or Middletown? Thanks so much!
Wow, that’s a tough question. Hanover is barely a town at all. It’s only similarity to Ithaca is that in each case, it’s hard to miss the college or university at its center. By contrast, a person (albeit, a very introverted person) can live their entire life in Middletown and not even know Wesleyan exists. It’s a small city of 45,000 people; if you visited over summer, you basically saw it at it’s most boring.
I have visited all three towns.
Middletown has a suburban feel. It has plenty of “civilization” (restaurants and stores, including chain restaurants and big stores), and is pretty close to Hartford and an easy weekend drive to New York City as well.
Hanover, like Ithaca, is rural and beautiful, but Hanover is a much quieter town, more akin to a Williamstown type of vibe. Hanover is really very pretty, with good Appalachian Trail access, too.
Ithaca combines incredible scenic beauty with Lake Cayuga and its many waterfalls and gorges (“Ithaca is gorges,” as the bumper stickers say), with an active, culturally saturated, lively college town with multiple restaurants and stores. It has not only the huge Cornell University but also the mid-sized Ithaca College. It is an incredible college town.
Ithaca was once selected by Utne as America’s “most enlightened” town. You might find it interesting to read about the area from this perspective: https://www.utne.com/politics/americas-most-enlightened-towns-ithaca-new-york.
Hanover is much smaller but quite upscale. If you want to buy a chic winter jacket or something you’re all set. Much better restaurant options than you would expect in a town so tiny.
I love Hanover. It’s an awesome little place and classic New England. It has access to cool towns in Vt and west Leb next door had all the grocery stores and targets you need.
I don’t know Ithaca at all.
Middletown is a standard post industrial New England small city. Looked to me that the downtown is trying to maintain itself with some banks and other type businesses. Some restaurants too.
I grew up in a town just like it. It had its own charms but not a tourist attraction. Hanover is more the latter.
Wes is great but dd actually cited the location and town as a reason against her attending. And she’s not a snob or from a tony suburb. It just depressed her and felt off campus would offer few options unless you spent two hours on a bus to NYC. But that’s one experience.
But my key partner and friend at work, as well as, the best of all time/my favorite football coach went there. And no not at Eric mangini formerly of the jets. Both cite it as key reason for their success and loved it.
I think wes is a super focused academic environment like swat with a liberal, laid back type flare.
After visiting D many times during her four years at Dartmouth, my wife and I dream of retiring to Hanover. It’s a charming town with lots of features in a beautiful area. Might have the best gelato in the country. At least, I hope it’s still there, or my fantasies may change.
Thanks so much for the responses everyone! Hanover sounds lovely, I think I’ll apply
@lemonlime13 : In another thread, you were looking for “warm & fuzzy schools”. In my opinion, Dartmouth College is “warm & fuzzy”, but Cornell & Ithaca is not. Cornell can be warm & fuzzy, but you need to find your crowd. So it is important to visit small, rural schools to see if it is a good fit for you; whereas large universities have something for everyone so you just have to find your crowd. In short, you can make a large school small, but you cannot make a small school large.
Ithaca is a wonderful funky, hippie town in an area that has scenic beauty but terrible weather. Lots of gray, gray days. Lots and lots of snow that stays around all winter. Not a good place for anyone who might have Seasonal Affective Disorder. The winters are long. Summers are lovely though!
Spring and Fall (when it’s not raining) are lovely too. My fondest memories are of the Fall.
Never had gelato in Hanover but Cornell Dairy Bar ice cream is pretty darned good.
Some years ago I created this “What’s Happening” thread in the Cornell subforum.
However I fear that most of the links are not good any more.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/cornell-university/1638407-whats-happening.html