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!
My freshman year is coming to an end, and I've taken a handful of STEM courses here to speak about my experience so far––it has been quite an interesting ride!
I'm currently on a pre-health track, hoping to either major in Biology or Anthropology, or an in between of the two. Being a pre-health comes with an immense amount of responsibility, at least in the scheduling of your four year course plan. Usually, pre-health students (regardless of your major) are expected to take two quarters of general chemistry, two quarters of biology, two quarters of physics, two quarters of organic chemistry, one quarter of biochemistry, and if you want, a sociology or psychology course. And for me, by the end of this term, I'd be completing both general chemistry, one biology, and one physics course; I know, quite a bit. I wanted to share a tidbit about how these courses were for me and how I formulated my schedule.
To begin, the difficulty: pretty difficult. Even though I came from a large, academically-rigorous Californian school, the STEM courses at Dartmouth were undoubtedly time-consuming and difficult. However, one thing still stands true: if you put in the work, you'll receive the grade you desire. My scores and overall grades were truly reflective of the amount of work I put in, both to studying, doing homework, attending labs, and such. There is no "impossible" course. I'd say, so far, the most time-consuming courses have been biology and chemistry ones. They both have weekly labs, lab analyses, lectures, and X-hours. I've been drowning in work this term, but I hope to lighten the work for myself for the upcoming terms and classes.
As for scheduling, I'd NOT double up on any of these courses, truly from the bottom of my heart. I underwent a whole phase of being overconfident, constantly telling myself two STEM lab courses a term will be doable. And yes, it is doable, but immensely time-consuming. I don't feel like I have enough time for leisure or fun really. However, at the same time, I knew I wasn't a humanities person. I dislike writing 1000, 800-word papers, reading tens of hundreds of pages of books a day, and more. So, perhaps, this term is valuable to me: I genuinely enjoy attending class and studying as it all involves more practical-thinking and problem-solving.
Personally, for prospective pre-health/STEM students, I'd recommend "not" overdoing any terms. Enjoy the warm weather in the fall, outdoor activities during the winter, and the excitement of leisure on the Green in the spring. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy the wide spectrum of offered classes and identify your passions, all while having fun!
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.
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.
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!
