At Dartmouth, we visited what may be the most beautiful campus in the country--in the summer. The fact that the admissions office didn't have air conditioning was an odd reminder that in winter, Hanover, New Hampshire is a very cold place.Dayton was impressed with the school, especially the small size. The Dartmouth Plan, its unusual academic calendar provides students with the opportunity to attend school in the summer and take a quarter off during the regular school year. Students with adequate credits from high school can even skip a quarter altogether--and not pay tuition (I liked that). Ultimately, Dayton kept Dartmouth high on his list.
At Harvard, we visited the standard against which all other colleges are judged--that is, we visited the Harvard of Universities. In and of itself, it is a bit intimidating for me as a parent.Dayton seemed right at home. The students and advisers he heard from made him feel like he would enjoy the experience at Harvard and fit right in. The admissions officer noted that 90% of applicants would. Given that Harvard's admission rate is below 10%, the process has the feel of a lottery. Dayton is considering applying to Harvard on an early action basis--presenting a bit of a challenge to his positive impressions of Princeton.
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