Howdy! My name is Crystal and I'm a '28 from 1899.2 miles away in Fulshear, Texas hoping to study Biology on the pre-health track. Outside of being on the grind in my classes at Dartmouth, I enjoy dancing (poorly and with dance groups on campus), cooking (microwave oatmeal), and taking Buzzfeed quizzes to find out what breakfast food I am. While I'll miss Bucc-ee's and brisket from my native state, I'm beyond excited to explore all that the woods have to offer! Hopefully I'll see y'all around!
Chem 11 is my first pre-health course (and consequently my favorite course thus far); I came into Chem 11 with a bit of apprehension over what to expect since the course takes the place of the two-course alternative Chem 5 and 6 sequence. I’ll admit, there was a bit of a learning curve, especially since I hadn’t taken chemistry since junior year of high school, but Prof. Wenlin Zhang’s office hours have become an excellent way for me to gain a better grasp of the course content and work with other students through new concepts. I’m super glad that I chose this course for my first fall!
My First-Year Seminar, a Dartmouth requirement for all first-year students, concerns poetry that has a unique focus on the visual nature of the work. From pieces that cover an actual description of a work of art, to pieces that form a unique shape, we discuss how form can have a meaningful impact on the interpretation of the poem itself. I originally wasn’t too sure if I would enjoy this class since my experience with poetry is pretty sparse, but I found myself really enjoying the analytical discussions that we have. Features of the class include trips to the Hood Museum of Art and the Book Arts Workshop!
After taking BIOL 13: Gene Expression and Inheritance, last term with Professor Dolph, I knew that I wanted to continue exploring the foundational biology courses offered at Dartmouth, and BIOL 12 was no exception! Even though it’s my earliest class of the day, Professor Schaller makes the class super interesting and integrates real-world applications of what we learn in class through literature reviews. The lab component of this class is super interesting, as we apply techniques we’ve learned about conceptually in class to the lab! Even though the class can certainly be a bit daunting, it poses a fun challenge for anyone interested in learning more about biology! From microtubules to myc-sensitive antibodies, the fun never ends!
So You Want to Join the Woods: Applying Early Decision from an International Student's Perspective (Part Six)
About 16% of Dartmouth's Class of 2028 consists of international students ranging from all over the world, from Cyprus to Peru to Ghana to China! I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with one of my good friends, Nandini, as she walked through her thought process during application season as she applied Early Decisionas an international student. The application process can be confusing for an international applicant, so read on to see her perspective on the experience!
A soccer game early in the season! Go Big Green!
Crystal: Hi! Let's begin by just introducing ourselves! Tell me your name, your year, and where you're from.
Nandini: Hi, I'm Nandini. I'm a member of the Class of '28 and am from Singapore.
Crystal: Great! Before we begin, do you want to just give us a bit of a background, such as where you've lived, what you're interested in, and what you plan on studying?
Nandini: Sure, so for most of my life, I've lived in Singapore, but between fifth and ninth grade, I lived in Texas (side note: this is actually where Nandini and I met!). Right now, I am currently interested in becoming a surgeon, so I'm clearly on the pre-health path. As for my major, I'm debating between biology and math, but that's something that will figure itself out over the next few terms.
Crystal: So, tell us a little bit about your application process. Why did you ultimately decide to apply Early Decision to Dartmouth?
Nandini: Dartmouth is definitely not as large as many of the institutions I was familiar with, and I found that its heavy liberal arts focus was completely different from many of the systems of education in Singapore. Had I decided to apply to colleges in Singapore, I would essentially be committing to becoming a doctor immediately, which is not something that I personally wanted. This made me look more towards schools that had more of a liberal arts curriculum. Since Dartmouth has a theme of "depth and breadth," this flexibility was a key factor that drew me to the college.
I first heard of Dartmouth in ninth grade when I researched a few colleges, and it stood out as a school with strong merits in pre-health and a heavy undergraduate focus, which were all factors I kept in mind when I moved to Singapore. Of course, the smaller class sizes, the diversity of student organizations, and the social scene were all elements that were familiar to me in Singapore, being that Singapore is a rather tight-knit metropolitan city.
Fallapalooza this past fall was a blast! Colony House and Michelle played!
Crystal: Was there anything in particular that really drew you to campus?
Nandini: I think that a lot can be said about Dartmouth's close proximity to the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC). If I remember the statistics correctly, the DHMC is one of three level-one trauma centers in Northern New England, which is very rare for a college to have. The fact that Dartmouth has such direct connections with the DHMC as well as all of the Health Professions Program (HPP)it offers made it a really strong option when I was thinking about what I wanted to study.
Crystal: Tell me about the moment you opened your decision letter! What were your thoughts and feelings?
Nandini: To be honest, I did not expect to get in at all! I wasn't entirely sure where my application stood in relation to other applicants' since I knew that so many people with impressive applications had applied as well. So I wasn't sure if I would make the cut. Being an international student made the application process overall more daunting as well since I felt like navigating the system was a bit more complex. With all of those nuances, I wasn't confident if I would get in, so I opened the letter alone at the crack of dawn due to Singapore's time difference. I saw "Congratulations, Nandini!" and the rest was history! Here I am now!
As a side note, for international applicants, Dartmouth has a lot of great resources on the admissions process that can be found here!
Crystal: That's so exciting! So what is some advice that you would give to international students who are currently in a similar position?
Nandini: The first thing I personally focused on was showing authenticity in my application. I found it really helpful to establish a focus but also have realistic elements. As in, I kept it in mind to write passionately, but also that I was trying to communicate something about myself to an admissions officer so that the message I conveyed should be something that people can truly understand. In my application, when I discussed the intertwining of surgery, medicine, and philosophy, I presented myself very authentically, which I think became a critical element when it came down to the admissions decision. I think that admissions officers could see that I was committed to my goals, and they appreciated my passion for my work.
Another thing that helped me through the application process was to clarify major themes in my application. I made sure to include that I had a concrete passion that I was committed to. A large part of my application was fixated on what I wanted to study, such as medicine and math, and I feel like this really helped the admissions officers get a clearer picture of the person I am.
Crystal: A last fun question, what has been one of your favorite, or some of your favorite things, since coming to campus?
Nandini: I am Indian by ethnicity, and I feel as though Dartmouth is really good at incorporating cultures or having cultural clubs and organizations that allow you to explore your cultural heritage. About a week or two ago, we celebrated Diwali and had a huge celebration. I think the entire Green was decorated with lights, everyone got to dress up, and we went to the Pine where there were performances and a puja. I think the fact that Dartmouth recognizes that there are international students with different cultural backgrounds and is willing to foster an environment where everyone is seen and can truly lean into their culture is something that I really enjoy.
Crystal: I'm so glad to hear that! Thank you so much for taking the time today to speak with me!
Navigating the college application process can be tricky, but hopefully, with these insights, Nandini and I will see you on campus soon!
After spending nearly an entire school year at Dartmouth, I want to revisit my "Why Dartmouth" supplemental essay. I want to explore all the new reasons why Dartmouth has become a place I can call home.
The big-little process in my sorority has strengthened my bond with my big, fostered new friendships across class years, and deepened my sense of community and belonging on campus.
In my freshman year, I wrote a blog revisiting my decision of attending Dartmouth College. Now that more than a year has passed, I would love to revisit my decision again, with a more realistic lens.
