When we arrive in Hanover as freshmen, our memories of the at-times stressful process of making a college decision begin to fade. Though some students host prospective students or become tour guides, many others are not too involved with the College’s admissions efforts. Without the spectacle of student protest to mesmerize campus, Dimensions programming came and went without much fanfare. Around 350 prospective students attended the third Dimensions this past weekend, and about 300 attended the two performances of the Dimensions show. These numbers should give us pause, especially in light of the handwringing over our admissions numbers.
Recently, the College significantly changed Dimensions. Last year, over 500 prospective students attended a single Dimensions weekend. Prospective members of the Class of 2017 filled the dark side of the Class of 1953 Commons to capacity to watch a show performed by members of the Class of 2016. Although Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Maria Laskaris has said that over 1,000 students signed up to attend one of the three Dimensions this year, relatively few ’18s came to the most comprehensive option, and fewer attended the show. This drop in attendance impairs the College’s ability to showcase Dartmouth student life and school spirit.
The Dimensions show can be a contentious subject on campus. Some call it a lie. Others praise it for helping them choose Dartmouth. Although my opinion may be biased due to my involvement in the Dimensions show, the show undoubtedly adds a component to the Dartmouth admitted student experience found at none of our peer institutions. It can speak to prospective students more effectively than most admissions pamphlets or panels on student life could. Why? Because it is not the College itself trying to get prospective students excited about the chance to come to Dartmouth. It’s actual students — and that’s powerful.
The College, however, seems to have forgotten about the Dimensions show’s appeal. Why chop Dimensions up into three parts and then pretend that they are all equal? It is true that many other universities offer multiple prospective student visit programs throughout April. Yet the old format of Dimensions provided those who could attend with a fuller glimpse into campus life than did other schools — and those prospective students all had the shared experience of the Dimensions show. Though the College may want to maximize prospective student visits by creating more dates, it is unfortunate that it has advertised the three Dimensions weekends as equals. If it insists on keeping this change, the College could at least encourage attendance at “Dimensions 3” to keep the strengths of the Dimensions experience intact. At the bare minimum, the College should ensure that those who do come to “Dimensions 3” do not miss the show by highlighting it prominently in the Dimensions schedule of events.
Put simply, the College should want as many prospective students as possible to see the show. The Dimensions crew dedicates significant time and effort at virtually no cost to the College. The students’ dedication, after all, is part of what makes the show so impressive to prospective students. They naturally expect Dimensions to include organized events and activities to attend, but almost none would expect current students to spend such time preparing a show for them. In its pursuit of a higher total of prospective student visits, the College should remember that the show makes Dartmouth’s visit weekend much more memorable than others.
This is not to claim that this year’s Dimensions was a failure. The ’17s on the Dimensions crew entertained prospective students with two high-energy performances. They still reached out to prospective students and made a difference, despite the regrettable decision to end “fake prospies.”
The Dimensions show is more than just a Dartmouth tradition — it is an undeniable asset in attracting students. In April 2012, a group of ’15s singing about Dartmouth in Leede Arena sold me on this school. There’s more to choosing a college than just analyzing numbers and facts. Let’s hope the College doesn’t lose sight of that.
