Last year, at a school-sponsored event called “After Prom,” a fortuneteller predicted that I was going to make a tough choice between two great colleges. Despite my disbelief in such prophecies, I walked off wondering how likely that would be.

To my surprise, that is what my college search really came down to: Dartmouth vs. Princeton.

In early April, I visited Brown, Dartmouth and Princeton during their preview programs. I was hoping that I would experience a sudden epiphany or receive an immediate gut feeling upon stepping on one of the campuses.

That did not happen. ...

The last visit was to Dartmouth. After landing, a fellow pre-frosh and I went on a two-hour bus ride to the campus through a beautiful forest. One aspect that struck me about Dartmouth was every student’s unparalleled love for his or her school. Students were happy to sit for hours just to share their experiences.