With more than 2000 potential '05s facing the College's May 1 notification of enrollment deadline, the Princeton Review's recently-published rankings offer an additional source of potential influence.
The annual ratings, which include such category headings as "Professors suck all life from material," "Stone-cold sober schools" and "Students ignore God on a regular basis" are compiled based on surveys distributed to students at some 300 colleges nationwide.
Dartmouth appears five times in the 2001 edition, with a highest showing of 1st in "Best Quality of Life." Harvard is the only other Ivy to make the top 20 cut in this category.
Most students who spoke with The Dartmouth agreed with this ranking, though a few expressed doubts.
"Personally, I'm pretty happy here, but I think there is a lot to be improved on in that area. I guess I figured there'd be other schools above us," Melissa Dolan '02 said.
In the category of "Toughest to get into," the College ranks 16th, putting Dartmouth 6th among the Ivies, with only Cornell failing to make the top 20.
This placement outside of the top 10 discouraged several students.
Dartmouth is, however, the only Ivy to hold the distinction of appearing on the list entitled, "Lots of beer," just beating out Duke at 17.
"I'm surprised we're not higher [in that category] -- it's lots of free beer!" Dolan said.
The category of "Major fraternity and sorority scene" also allows Dartmouth an opportunity to stand alone in representing the Ivies, at 16.
Finally, the College comes in at No. 12 in the category of "Best Overall Experience for Undergraduates," just behind Carleton College and ahead of the California Institute of Technology. Only three Ivies make this list, with Princeton at No.1 and Harvard No. 6.
This ranking surprised several students.
"I would say we should be higher, considering Dartmouth's emphasis on undergraduates," Brian Ross '04 said.
With regards to what all of this means for prospective students, opinions varied.
"It's kind of a mixed bag. It shows that Dartmouth is an elite school, but that it also has a party scene," Ross said, noting that Dartmouth should try to play up this distinction from other Ivies.
Students generally felt that the beer and Greek system rankings only reinforced information widely known about the College, and are consequently unlikely to significantly alter the conceptions of Dartmouth held by high school students.
A few also noted the danger of putting too much stock in such rankings.
"I don't think you can capture what a college is like in a book," Amanda Potter '02 said.
"I never really think much about these surveys," Dolan noted.
Yet overall, most students felt that the rankings reflected positively on the College.
"I'd be pretty happy [as a prospective student] -- I think quality of life would catch my eye the most. I'd be pretty psyched," Dolan said.
"I think it would make me want to come here more -- at least if I was a beer drinker," Evan Fitzpatrick '03 said.
In changes from last year, the College has dropped off the lists of "Great food" and "Jock schools."
