Greetings from the woods! My name is Gavin Fry, and I'm a student blogger with the People, Places, and Pines team. I'm a proud first-generation college student, carrying with me the full support of my crazy family. I plan to be involved with undergraduate research, outdoor activities, and club golf here at Dartmouth! You can find me geeking out about the weather, reading novels, and always drinking coffee (at any time of the day). So nice to meet you!
Academic Program
Prospective Environmental Earth Science Major with a Minor in Public Policy
Favorite Thing Right Now
My idea of starting a chapter of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) here at Dartmouth!
Oh. My. Goodness. What a fun class this was! As a certified weather and climate geek, I was totally entrenched in everything we done in this course. From the labs and weather presentations to the "flipped" classroom experience, I thoroughly enjoyed this class. Dr. Osterberg's excitement for the course material made it that much more enjoyable! It was truly an extraordinary first-year course to take.
I’ve loved this class from beginning to end. For one, I enjoyed it because of the people in it, but I also loved it because of the content. Through frequent class discussion, I learned about the health of our democracy and the ways it is compromised. Very enlightening class!
Religion 5 was a quintessential liberal arts course that deepened my knowledge in a subject I thought I had all figured out. As a STEM-oriented student, this class offered the perfect balance to my spring term schedule. As a result of this class, I became more introspective of how I was raised, and I'm more grateful in my ability to be a free-thinker.
SummerOff Campus Internship - Princeton, New Jersey
This summer, I explored my future career plans by participating in a research internship with the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory at Princeton University. I learned a lot about what I want (and what I don't want) in a future career, and I made so many awesome lifelong connections!
A course rooted in both philosophical theory and real, practical methods of becoming a better public speaker was the highlight of the term. Our class of 16 students grew to be a sort of "mini-family," and I'm so grateful for the connections I made. I completely changed the way I view public speaking and homed in on my own skills as a public speaker!
Once again, a course outside my major found its way into my favorite class list. This sociology course helped me better understand how children are viewed in society, the way sociologists study youth, and the major differences in norms around childhood around the world. Who knew there was so much to learn about youth culture!
Advice on Dartmouth Admissions from a Dartmouth Student
It's getting to that part of the year that makes me reminisce about my college admissions journey. Thinking back, I remember just how stressful that time was. In my life, it was a time of uncertainty—like wandering through a meandering stream that pulled me any which way it wanted. I've tried to think about the advice that I would give to someone like myself two years ago. I've tried to come up with little tips and tricks that might help someone's chances. I think this kind of thinking is flawed. I've been a Dartmouth student for a year-and-a-half, and I work for the Dartmouth Admissions department (this blog!). Beyond anything else, I think my advice stems from the interactions I've had and the friends I've made at Dartmouth so far:
I'm beyond grateful to have made many connections with my peers during my first four terms on campus. With everyone I've met, they each had a unique story they were willing to share. They articulated their wants and desires clearly, and they expressed to me their journey of life up until that point. That's what I love about meeting someone new; everyone has something unique to share, and I learn something new about life with every new interaction. Getting to know someone is a beautiful gift—learning about someone's past, figuring out how they got to where they are today, and why they have the passions they do. In my mind, the college admissions process is no different.
The process becomes a little less daunting, at least for me, when I think about it through this lens. Your task is to get someone to know you—to share those passions, those stories from childhood that shaped your character, and why you are you. That's all. I truly don't think it's a battle of numbers—the number of leadership positions you took on, your standardized testing scores, or your GPA. I'm confident in that assessment because I know the type of people who attend Dartmouth College. The people I've interacted with and the people I'm closest to have something special about them, and I'd be willing to bet they articulated that in their application.
Interacting with Dartmouth students on a daily basis made this more apparent to me. It's not that they had a higher test score or had a more impressive resume. It's a perfect mix of their character, determination, and curiosity. What drives you to succeed in your academic and career journey? What is something that shaped you into the person you are today? What are you known for, and what is it that you would want to be known for? Funny enough, these are all questions that could be asked when you get to know someone in person—when you're making a new friend or if you're going on a date. That's how you assess someone's potential and figure out if they're someone you would want to be around. Dartmouth students are exceptional for reasons beyond merit—they all have desires, unique stories, and things in life that make them "tick." What is that for you, and how would you fit into the Dartmouth image that I've created here?
I applied through Questbridge's National College Match, but did not match. To others who also did not match, this is not the end of your application process! Here's what I did following match decision day.
Learn about the different programs Dartmouth offers prospective students to explore campus life, learn about Dartmouth, and enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Hanover!
"What's it like working for admissions?" "Are you being truthful with your answers?" "Are you being scripted?" Let's dive right into all these questions.
It's been (almost) a full year since I was in your (figurative) shoes! Let's take a trip down memory lane and dissect my Dartmouth application process. Part one of a long journey!
Hi! I'm Cooper and I am a '28. Welcome to my blog! Moving from a populated suburb right outside of Philly to the rural town of Hanover has been such a transformative experience, and I cannot wait to take you along my journey!
