Dartmouth

Someone on this board has a kid who played at Dartmouth. Check the "Where Are They" section. I believe Dartmouth has a new tuition and cost plan that charges 10% of household income for those between 100-250K. Hanover's nickname is Hangover. By Ivy standards Dartmouth is a party school. It's cold up there. It's in the mountains on the Vermont border. Teams in the northeast usually don't practice outdoors until they get off the plane in Florida on their spring trip.

quill,
If they don't see your post and respond, you can PM FrankF and dbgfan. Their sons are recent graduates of Dartmouth.

I went to Dartmouth - long time ago, didn't play ball. LOVED it. Bleed Green. Happy to answer questions if you want education/town/lifestyle perspective. You do have to love the cold outdoors. You also have to want to be in a place that is all (name your school) all the time. The entire town supports the campus. You have to love to work hard on your academics - the kids there are smart with a capital S. I have served as an alumni interview rep - and it's hard as heck to get in. They turn down valedictorians with perfect SATs left right and center. Of course, we all hope that athletic ability changes those odds. No money in scholarships - and you still have to go to class with all those perfect SAT score kids.
PM me if you want any questions

Thanks for the offer, gamefan. It's the cold that might be the stumbling block. We'll see.

Only have a second, but you can PM me with more inquiries.

BTW, Dartmouth just beat Cornell 10-0 today to win the Ivy League Championship and entry into the NCAA tourney. First time since 1987.

They recruit a whole lot of people so don't get too excited. On the other hand, going to Dartmouth is a great opportunity and your son is ahead of the whole lot more people they don't recruit.

Not to worry, CADad. We are keeping a cool head about all inquiries. Just don't know much about that one. There is a young man one year ahead of my son who was just admitted and was a coach-supported recruit, so I'll be interested to talk to him and his parents when I have a chance. Our kids played ball together a few years ago but go to different schools.

Thanks Frank, I'll PM you when we have more info from the HS coach. We did hear about the win. Very cool!

My son matriculated in 2008 and completed his tour of duty with Whalen and the baseball team. I'll answer any questions you may have.

dbg_fan,
I see you're from TX, so I'd be interested to know how your son adjusted to the weather. Mine loves to snow ski, but he's never lived in an area that is quite so frozen all year long. (We're from Atlanta.) I hear Dartmouth is in a beautiful area, very near the Vermont border. What was your son's baseball experience, and how did it mesh with his studies? How large is the town of Hanover?
You can PM me if you'd prefer.
Thanks!

Hanover Chamber of Commerce

My understanding is that the admissions department will not cut you any slack just because the baseball coaches want you. You have to pass admissions on your own.

That is quite an obstacle, given Dartmouth's academic reputation and applications pool.

Congrats to those whose sons got in!

MIDLO

You are correct---admissions rules the roost there

And all monies are need based---my nephew attended Dartmouth and came out of HS with a 4.0 GPA, 1600 SAT National Merit Honor Scholarship student, etc etc---no monies for him

Pesky admissions standards!

you want pesky admission standards listen to this--my nephew who went to Dartmouth was turned down by Duke

Things may have been different 30 years ago but my cousin supposedly went there on a full academic.

Let's not make mountains out of mole hills. Ultimately, the admissions office has final say over who is admitted into Dartmouth. A baseball player with high grades, high class standing in HS graduating class (top 10%), very good SAT, and a coaches 'sponsorship' has a good chance of being admitted. For example, my son had a lower SAT score than the Dartmouth mean for incoming freshmen. A sponsorship has a positive effect on the admission application. I am familiar with one situation where a young man appeared to have qualifying academic statistics, yet was rejected by admissions.

dbg_fan,

As someone with experience, let me ask you this:
When an athlete like your son is admitted to an ivy, using baseball skill as a hook, are they able to keep up academically with probably superior students and the rigors of competing in baseball? Or does the academic assistance provided to student athletes makeup for any differences?

My son (a junior) needs to make a big decision soon regarding just this situation. He is a mid level student on the "academic index" that the ivies use (around 190+), but he has done that playing 3 HS varsity sports and not really doing any SAT test prep. He and I are concerned that playing baseball at a school that he starts off on the low-end of academically might be too much.

Blpr-What is the "academic index" that the ivies use and how do you configure a score?

Can't speak for dbg_fan but my son's situation was probably a lot like his son except his son had a good chance to get in without baseball. Josh hadn't taken the SAT at all in HS because the schools he had been looking at were okay with the ACT. I know for a fact he didn't get close to the SAT mean for admission into Dartmouth. He did however have everything else needed for admission including a glowing coaches letter. That said, admissions does rule the roost and if they feel that the student would still have problems they would probably be rejected. I feel very strongly that without the baseball aspect my son would not have been accepted.

There is assistance if needed. My son's first email home was that he was the "stupidest" kid on campus. After talking with other parents they said that was also the first email they got from their son's. There are students who definitely excel and there are others (like my son) who had to work their tails off to succeed. A kid's make-up is very important as it's definitely not for everyone.