just visited dartmouth.. loved it but question

one800helpnow
Fri, 19 Aug 2005 15:17:38 +0000

hello32 - definitely do not worry about the outdoors stuff. you can get involved in whatever you like and stay out of stuff you don’t like…there’s plenty to do on campus and you will not feel pressured - i have friends that range from very outdoorsy to those who complain about walking to their fridge across the room. also, the people who run the pre-orientation trips plan very carefully to meet your needs/wishes. remember, those trips are for YOU to have fun and to meet people in your class, as well as upperclassment. so if you don’t want to do anything too outdoorsy, they have plenty of options available for you. the DOC also lend out equipment for the trips if you don’t have it/can’t afford it/don’t want to buy it. if you love skiing, dmouth is a great place for the sport - we have our own skiway, and we’re not too far from some really good mountains on the east coast. you’ll find that many upperclassmen will blitz out (dmouth lingo for email) to friends offering rides to nearby skiing.

as for the dplan, it has its advantages and disadvantages. sometimes, you will not be able to see some of your dmouth friends for awhile because you’ll have different dplans. but, for me, i found that it was a nice way to meet new people when my close friends were not on, and it helped me keep in touch with others really well. and, the vacations are really not that much more different - there are plenty of overlaps, and the dplan is most DEFINITELY an advantage for internships/jobs. i mean, how many college students can say that they can start a job/internship in january and work from 9-5?

10 weeks may seem a bit short, but keep in mind you’re taking 3-4 classes…so more intense and concentrated work, but also fewer classes…and if you end up not liking a class, you spend less time in it!

i agree with saila…roadtripping is awesome - i’ve done it a couple of times, and it’s been fun to visit my hs friends from home. the dplan is REALLY awesome for studying abroad/exchange programs - because of the trimester system, i was able to do 3 programs through dmouth while only being away for the equivalent of 2 semesters.

good luck with your decision! i’m glad dmouth made it to the top of your list!!