Hi everyone! My name's Daniel, and I'm a 25! I'm from Orange County, California and Seoul, South Korea. I'm hoping to major in Biomedical Engineering and Anthropology Modified with Global Health. If I'm not under my sheets watching a new Netflix series, you'll find me spending time at Still North Café or at the engineering building. I hope you learn something new about Dartmouth today!
Academic Program
Biomedical Engineering and Anthropology Modified with Global Health
This class had an emphasis on really learning the material, rather than mindless regurgitation. Every class lecture truly excited and interested me, and readings were thought-provoking, The final was also a project instead of an exam, which was very fun to complete. I could tell Prof. DeSilva was also very passionate about the class materials as well!
As a "seminar" course, we focused on enjoyable discussion-based lectures. Each and every one of Prof. Kangas' lecture topics were engaging and intriguing, constantly pushing me to think. While we had reading assignments, they weren't necessarily linked to graded discussions/quizzes, which allowed me to feel more relaxed and stress-free (I didn't need to go crazy and write notes in-class). All in all, I loved learning about Pompeii!
A classic pre-med requirement course. This class has a basic structure of problem sets, two midterms, labs, and a final. I thought the points were well-distributed and the exams were fair. I personally enjoy problem-solving, which allowed this class to be more exciting personally. I'd suggest you pick the right professor for you as each professor has a different way of teaching!
This class is taught by Prof. Shipley, a professor who teaches mainly during summer terms. It was very different from the previous anthropology courses I've taken –– we had a filmmaking component as well as a collaborative project. I enjoyed this class because the assignments had a very broad, overarching outline and allowed you to explore your interests very freely. For example, for my final project, I created a podcast that delved into the educational inequity in South Korea.
My first sociology course at Dartmouth. It goes very in-depth about the macro immigration policies in-place in America and how it relates to different immigrants' experiences. I found it intriguing because I'm an immigrant myself, and I also was able to analyze and develop a different outlook on my family's experiences as well. We had interesting projects such as immigrant interview assignment, immigration policy brief, and in-class discussions.
Another first - my first Asian Societies, Culture, and Language (ASCL) course here at Dartmouth. Essentially, through a 3-hour class block each week, you watch a Korean film that provide insights into the different aspects of South Korean culture –– from Korean independence of Japan to modern economic disparities. Very interesting discussions and minimal work: the course focuses a lot more on student learning than testing!
I know what you're thinking: no way this guy liked MATH 13 the best out of his classes. I was thinking the same going into the class, but I enjoyed the problem-solving aspects. Math was one of my favorite subjects in high school, but I didn't get a chance to take any courses here at Dartmouth until I changed to an engineering major which made MATH 13 a prerequisite. All you do is solve problems, practice, grasp concepts, and take exams. But, after a bit, you get the hang of it.
One of my favorite, favorite courses throughout my whole time at Dartmouth. If you thought you know medicine and health, think again –– evolutionary perspectives open up a completely new spectrum of thinking. Have you thought about institutionalized racism in BMI indexes? How about adolescent growth differences between women who give birth in birth centers versus hospitals? Conversations you've never thought of within the medical realm happens in this class. Highly recommend it!
Prospective Students: I'd Say Dartmouth 'Isn't' in the Middle of Nowhere
I've officially survived two terms at Dartmouth College, now entering my last term as a first-year. Time flies, am I right? When I was accepted to Dartmouth in December 2020, as an early decision applicant, my biggest fear was moving to an institution in a less-populated, secluded location—or, as some people call it, "the middle of nowhere." However, now, I want to debunk this common conception of Dartmouth: I'd like to argue that Dartmouth "isn't" really the middle of nowhere.
Dartmouth has very easy access to main East Coast cities, especially through its own bus service, Dartmouth Coach. It's not difficult to find the right time (perhaps on a weekend after midterms) to visit these cities with your friends, enjoying a weekend out of the Hanover bubble. During my fall term, I was able to complete multiple one-day trips to Boston, which is about a two to three hour bus ride, as well as a multi-day trip to New York City, which is about a four to five hour bus ride. If everything is planned right, supplemented by your efforts to wake up early, trips are completely doable! And I'd like to argue that these cities are remarkably closer to Hanover than you've imagined.
In front of Dartmouth, we have what is known as the "Rodeo Drive" of New Hampshire: Main Street. While seemingly small, the street has restaurants with a wide variety of options, amazing cafés, and stores. My friends and I typically head to an Asian restaurant on Main Street and grab take-out on Fridays, rewarding ourselves for all the work/exams we completed that week. Dartmouth College students use an app known as "SnackPass," that functions as an UberEats or DoorDash for students at other institutions. Deliveries are done within a reasonable timeframe, and all foods come in a well-packaged and fresh manner! Dartmouth also has one fine-dining restaurant that is available for special occasions within a hotel next to Hopkins Center for the Arts.
Dartmouth students have access to ZipCar, a car renting service on-campus. Rates start at around $10 to $15 an hour, depending on the size of the car. All you have to have is a picture of your license! It's exciting to drive and head to a nice, delicious restaurant outside of Hanover, to West Lebanon or even main Lebanon. Although I personally have never done it, I know a few students who also rent cars for whole days to drive down to Boston.
While Dartmouth College's location may seem as if it's in the middle of nowhere within the woods of New Hampshire, there are so many exciting things to do on and off-campus, with numerous major cities being less than five hours away. I hope this helped you decide whether or not Dartmouth is a place you want to be!
Planning on visiting Dartmouth as a prospective student or an interested person wanting to see our beautiful campus? In this post, I share insider tips to ensure your visit is fulfilled!
Witnessing an eclipse was one of the most exciting days in my life to date, and a solid reminder of our place in this universe. Read on to hear about it!
Coming back from Spring break usually means coming back to an entirely different campus than the one you left in the Winter – but that was not the case this year! Read on to hear more...
