Karina-
Is there a swimming pool and good gym at Dartmouth? And what sort of opportunities for socializing and studying off campus are there? I.e., are there lots of coffee shops and cafes around the school, and maybe a pub or two, or do you plunge immediately into fields and forests at the edge of campus?
Not to hijack the thread, but I'll briefly reply....
Yes, they've a swimming pool, and they recently completely re-did the gym and expanded it a lot. In Hanover itself there are only a few coffee shops (Dirt Cowboy is the most famous, but there are others, incl. Starbucks coffee, Dunkin' Donuts, etc.), a few cafes (my top recommendation is a small, hidden place called Rosie's -- excellent sandwiches), a few pubs (Murphey's, etc.). It seemed a lot smaller when I first arrived, but over time I found a lot more to the town, parts of it I didn't notice at first, extra roads and shops. Many med school students live in towns a short drive away, though (15 min? Like all things, depends on personal preference). Those cities tend to be better-stocked than Hanover, larger (for instance, the main movie theatre in Hanover only plays 4 movies at a time (plus there's the Hopkins centre, for movies), the nearby towns play many more).
But, yes, Hanover doesn't just end in trees
, although one can be fooled a bit at first. I guess the thing to recall is that the area has developed over many, many, MANY years as an intellectuals'/upper class haven, like many small college towns, so it's been designed with profs and students in mind, and most of these people are the kind who like great scenery but also want amenities, stuff to do, damnit -- they're not going to do without. Just try denying these profs, lol.
