Shotgunning—I'm very confused

JanieWalker
Mon, 29 Jun 2020 12:16:34 +0000

In addition to the great comments/advice above, think about it this way - would someone who would be happy at Dartmouth also be happy at, say, Columbia? Feeling reasonably comfortable at the school matters. It does not help to gain acceptance to a particular Ivy only to hate it once you’re there. Much better to spend your time finding true fits. My D21, for example, would feel completely at home at Dartmouth, in the mountains, than at Columbia in the middle of the city and with a rigid core curriculum she doesn’t want to experience. She would rather go to our state flagship than go to Columbia, because she knows Columbia is just not a good fit for her and she’d be miserable there. It’s difficult to get a great education if you don’t like the program or the surroundings. (And yes, of course Columbia is a wonderful school, but it isn’t for everyone…and neither is Dartmouth, which someone who loves cities might find far too rural and isolated).