Interesting Dartmouth and Brown Dilemna

[Belllabs]

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Hi everyone,

Descartes once said that unhappiness occurs when will exceeds knowledge (my interpretation). In this spirit I'm agonizing over choosing between these two schools. In my mind they are fairly interchangalbe. Finances are also a wash. The MDs I've talked to seem to think that Dartmouth is more prestigous but I'm not sure this is really true. I think that I would fit in well at either school as well. I would greatly enjoy any comments about what distinguishes these two schools. It seems that Dartmouth has a lot of cool international and national opportunities for rotations. Does Brown have something similar? Which school would be better for research as a medical student? Dartmouth seems like the intimate setting helps encourage faculty student interactions. Also what are the student bodies really like. Dartmouth has the reputation of having older and non-trad studnents. While Brown seems to have many post-bac and PMLE students who may be cliquish.

I guess one of my main considerations is that my girlfriend lives in Boston. Brown is slightly closer but will this matter at all? How often will I really be able to get away from campus and not be studying anyway? Brown is on the commuter rail, will I be stuck up at Dartmouth during the winter? Does anyone have experience with this sort of thing? Is this foolhardy to even consider as part of my decision?

Comments from current students or grauates would be especially appreciated.

Thanks for any input.

 

[BushidoBrown]

Descartes once said that unhappiness occurs when will exceeds knowledge (my interpretation). In this spirit I'm agonizing over choosing between these two schools.

I almost fell out of my chair laughing at the pretentiousness of this intro

Suffice it to say, they are both great schools. I can't comment on the research opportunities of each, but the other reasons for choosing one school over another seem very superficial.

It is not wrong, however, to choose a school depending on where your significant other is. I have seen a lot of posts where people show a lot of disdain for any relationship less than an engagement, but if you're serious about this girl and you see each other staying together, I'd say go for the girl.

 

[gravitywave]

nothing like opening up your SDN career with a quote by Descartes 😉 anyway, if you're going to Dartmouth, you have to be OK with the location. There isn't much there apart from the school. OTOH, the rural med opportunities are outstanding if you're into that. agree that research opportunities are likely a wash. The travel to Boston isn't as bad as you might think - it's only a twoplus hour drive from Hanover, versus an hour from Providence. There is a bus that runs that route every day too, which is very easy to study on from what i understand.

really it boils down to location: city or country?

 

[Doctopus]

The Dartmouth coach runs regularly between Boston and Hanover. Takes ~2 hrs as I recall and is inexpensive.

 

[da8s0859q]

OP, go where you feel like you'll be happier overall, with all things considered. Don't beat this to death.

Also, you have a seriously skewed definition of the word "dilemma." You would probably do well to remember that you're pitting one very well-known college against another very well-known college.

 

[Belllabs]

Thanks everyone.

Sorry about the "pretentiousness". I know that this decision is a great one to have. I just always find it fascinating when the 100s of years old words of a "crusty" philosopher apply to my life. I'm probably just extrapolating but I always thought that Descartes was pointing out something that was not obvious and is especially applicable. Everyone asumes that more choice is always a good thing but D deduces that it is not and that actually having choices beyond ones knowledge is the cause of unhappiness. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about this, but I think that it is interesting. I guess my situation is not really a dilemna though and I know that I should be extremely happy. I just want more knowledge.

What is the lifestyle like in first and second year? Would it be hell to be traveling 4 hours vs 2 hours every weekend, or would it make no difference?

 

[aSagacious]

Thanks everyone.

Sorry about the "pretentiousness". I know that this decision is a great one to have. I just always find it fascinating when the 100s of years old words of a "crusty" philosopher apply to my life. I'm probably just extrapolating but I always thought that Descartes was pointing out something that was not obvious and is especially applicable. Everyone asumes that more choice is always a good thing but D deduces that it is not and that actually having choices beyond ones knowledge is the cause of unhappiness. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about this, but I think that it is interesting. I guess my situation is not really a dilemna though and I know that I should be extremely happy. I just want more knowledge.

Without digressing into an esoteric discourse, Descartes' argument generally applies to a scenario in which there lies a "correct decision." In your case, as was mentioned several times, you really can't go wrong with either school and many of their differences are superficial.

 

[Ultimeaciax]

I live in Providence for the past 12 years and let me tell you, it's a great little city to live in. Everything is close by...Thayer St is great for college kids. I think you would have all the opportunity in the world if you attend Brown. It is the ONLY med school in the whole state. Almost all of the hospitals (there are a lot despite the size of the state) are affiliated w/ Brown in some form or other.

 

[Slack3r]

I almost fell out of my chair laughing at the pretentiousness of this intro

Who else do you think goes to Ivy League schools?

 

[BurghStudent]

2 years from now, I would love to be in your dilemma.