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!
Spring term is beginning, and I'd like to provide a quick overview of the classes I'm taking this term. Prospective students: Dartmouth functions under a quarter system, where each student usually takes 3 courses each quarter. With that in mind, here are the 3 classes I'm taking as a first-year!
CHEM 6: General Chemistry II + Lab
Chem 6 is the second and last class of the general chemistry sequence. The class itself has a mandatory laboratory section, where students are required to attend a 4-hour lab session each week. The hands-on experiments done during these lab sessions essentially supplement what we learned in-class! Personally, I enrolled in this course because it is a requirement for medical school admissions; however, I also do love chemistry as a subject! I very much enjoy problem-solving, both independently and in collaborative environments, so chemistry is an ideal academic subject for me.
BIOL 12: Cell Structure and Function + Lab
Biol 12 is one of the six biology foundation courses available at Dartmouth, and it covers cell and molecular biology. This is my first biology course at Dartmouth, and inevitably, I find it quite difficult. There is simply so much information to absorb, which is somewhat impossible to do with only "focusing" during the lectures. Understanding all the concepts does take some work: I tend to read the lecture notes and textbook, rewatch the lecture recordings, and attend review sessions to obtain the "whole picture" of everything I learned. There is a mandatory laboratory component in this class once again, which means another 4-hour session each week. Biology labs are most definitely much more detailed, and I need to apply a lot more technical skills. I personally believe this is beneficial for me as I could develop a more detail-oriented approach to the future courses I take!
MATH 10: Introductory Statistics
Statistics is an integral part of most majors' prerequisite courses—biology and anthropology as well. This course doesn't use STATA or R for computing, which is unique, in comparison to other popular options for a stats course like SOCY 10, GOVT 10, or ECON 10. The class itself is a very slow-paced environment where Prof. Van Erp values students' understanding over anything else. For now, MATH 10 is undoubtedly my favorite course as I'm able to supplement my knowledge with technology—certain things don't need to be memorized as I'm able to employ applications like Excel. The midterm exams are online as well, allowing me to stress less about being in an intense classroom environment and under a serious time crunch.
At Dartmouth, there is an undergraduate requirement for language; after all, it is the liberal arts! Fulfilling this requirement looks different for various people and I will focus on my experience.
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a phenomenal total solar eclipse occurred — and we happened to be within the path of totality. As a result, Dartmouth hosted a variety of eclipse-related events on- and off-campus. Find out how I spent the eclipse!
Traditionally, Dartmouth students take three courses during a term, but I decided to take four courses this term! Learn about course load and the academic system at Dartmouth.
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!
As I approach the halfway mark of my Dartmouth journey this spring, I find myself reflecting on the significance of distributive and world culture requirements in shaping my academic experience.
