Why Does U.S. News & World Report Rank Dartmouth First In Student Satisfaction?

Dean of Upperclass Students Dan Nelson '75:

I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS to do with the good job the admissions office does in accepting students who will have a successful experience here. The quality of teaching also has to be a major factor, as well as the concern and support Dartmouth has for the whole of the student's life, in the classroom and beyond. And it may have something to do with the efforts of people in student services, like, say, class deans.

A big element in student satisfaction, I think, comes from the strong sense of community. Feeling part of a commuity has a lot to do with how satisfied and comfortable you are. That actually creates an interesting challenge for the people who work here as faculty or administrators. We enjoy and capitalize on the benefits of that community feeling, but at the same time we need to recognize that some students really struggle with their sense of place in that community. I once heard a student lament the metaphor of the Dartmouth family. "I hear so much about the Dartmouth family," the student said. "Why do I always feel like a distant relative?" Strong communities like Dartmouth need to make constant efforts to keep their boundaries permeable enough to welcome newcomers new faculty and adminstrators as well as students who don't perceive themselves to be part of the mainstream. When we're successful in doing that, we are a stronger community as a result, and I think it pays off in students' sense of belonging and satisfaction.

We're like family, says Dan.