After just three days on campus for the College's annual Dimensions at Dartmouth program, Uzzi has set his heart on the Big Green. He said he already has plans to learn to ski when he matriculates at the College next year.
"I was thinking that I wanted to stay on the Duke [University] waiting list, but it's definitely not worth it," Uzzi said. "[Dartmouth] was more than I expected it to be. It's going to be a lot of fun, I can really tell."
Uzzi, who is from Brooklyn, was one of approximately 650 students admitted to the College who participated in Dimensions this year, according to Associate Director of Admissions Sarah Damerville.
The "remarkable" three-day event is run by the Admissions Office and is intended to "showcase the Dartmouth community," Associate Director of Admissions Brian Estrada said.
The weekend included many scheduled events for prospective students, including a student-run activities fair, a talk by College President Jim Yong Kim, multiple campus tours, academic department open houses and other activities run by student organizations.
A performing arts showcase was held for prospective students in Spaulding Auditorium on Friday night. The showcase, featuring campus performance groups and student films, was co-sponsored by the Hopkins Center, according to Damerville.
Approximately 70 percent of admitted students who attend Dimensions typically enroll at the College, Damerville said. While she said this is partially because students are "self-selecting" and generally will only attend programs at schools they are serious about, Damerville also attributed the high yield to Dimensions programming.
"We put on a good program and the campus really comes together," she said. "Students and families are really drawn to what we're able to put together."
Dimensions occurred on an earlier date than usual this year because the Admissions Office did not want the activities to conflict with Christian and Jewish holidays, Damerville said. Despite the early scheduling, more students than expected attended the program, according to Damerville.
The Dimensions program also operates on a different scale than other schools' admitted student programs, according to Estrada.
"The institution I came from didn't have a blowout [for admitted students]," he said. "There were maybe some open houses, some schools do two events or a series. We have a single admitted students program. All the energy flows into it, I've never seen anything like it."
Dimensions is unique because of the high level of student involvement, according to Damerville. Approximately 500 Dartmouth students signed up to host prospective students this year, and a team of student interns worked in the Admissions Office to coordinate Dimensions, she said.
"Students play an incredible role in the program," she said. "The term's just begun, but there are so many organizations involved in the activities fair and students put together a program in just a few weeks."
The College's budget cuts have not affected the Dimensions program, Damerville said.
"[The cuts] have affected our office in a lot of different ways, but if you're looking specifically at [Dimensions], this event has always been a priority for the College," she said.
For the students unable to attend Dimensions, the Admissions Office posted videos of current students speaking about their Dartmouth experiences. Nine videos are posted online, covering topics from Language Study Abroad programs to community service and off-term internships. Online video chats addressing different aspects of Dartmouth student life have also been posted.
Uzzi said he valued the sense of community at the College.
"The minute I got to my host's room and unpacked my stuff, he introduced me to everyone on the floor," he said. "I didn't realize everything that was there for me until I came here. I'm going to visit again in the summer because I'm so excited to be part of the Dartmouth family."
Prospective student Lazara Ramos said she is choosing between Dartmouth and Stanford University.
"I had been [to Dartmouth] before, and [Dimensions] just reaffirmed why I liked it so much," Ramos said. "It has the best community I've seen at a college campus."
Mike Monaco, a prospective student from Massachusetts who is considering offers from Dartmouth and Duke, said Dimensions changed his view of academics at the College.
"People expect an Ivy League school to be cutthroat," Monaco said. "The [Dartmouth] community is pretty united and it's more of a collaborative work environment."
Monaco said he viewed Dartmouth as a well-rounded institution after attending various Dimensions events.
"One of the big things about college is that it's more than just a great education," he said. "You have that feel at a college that it's a place where you can live."
Students who work in the Admissions Office stressed the importance of the Dimensions program in convincing prospective students to attend the College.
"What makes Dimensions unique is through the different aspects of the weekend, the prospective students become immersed in the Dartmouth culture and experience life on the Dartmouth campus," J. Mentrek '13, who works in the Admissions Office and helped organize the Welcome Show, said.
Mentrek said the connections formed between current and prospective students during Dimensions are unique.
"Having that contact between prospective students and actual students makes us more successful because they have real relationships," he said.
