To the Editor:
While Claire Murray '10 raises thoughtful questions about the limits of providing online courses as a substitute for first-hand experience ("Dartmouth for Free?" Feb. 26), I disagree with her larger contention that making sample Dartmouth courses available online will undermine the admissions process.
Ultimately, every resource provided to prospective students is an unfulfilling measure of the Dartmouth experience. Even an overnight stay at Dartmouth only provides a very narrow view of life as a Dartmouth student. Many potential applicants sit in on classes during their visits. Having every session of a course available online would probably be more beneficial than the experience of attending (albeit in person) one day of class, and would help applicants who are unable to visit Dartmouth.
As one of the best colleges in the country, and as a college that prides itself on undergraduate teaching, we should be proud of the quality of our courses, even at the introductory level. The best thing we can provide prospective students is transparency and openness, and if they are unable to realize that a video of an introductory course may not convey Dartmouth's unique qualities, well then maybe they should not apply.
