Hi folks! I am Griselda Chavez, an on-campus '24 from Los Angeles County who gets cold way too easily! I'm currently trying to navigate numerous Zoom calls while taking advantage of Dartmouth's beauty (and desserts!) until next term. While remote learning at Dartmouth, I've enjoyed taking indie-music-inspired-walks around the college (main character?) and meeting amazing professors. Make sure to stick around and read all about how you can make Dartmouth your own—even during a pandemic! :)
Academic Program
Major in Environmental Studies & Minors in Public Policy and Latin American, Latino, & Caribbean Studies
Attention All First-Generation & Low-Income Students!
Don't underestimate yourself.
Hi y'all! I'm about halfway through my first college term and I thought I would hop on here to tell you: APPLY TO DARTMOUTH!
I am an FGLI (first-generation, low-income) student and currently a freshman, so I just finished the college process and can relate to how many of you, prospective students, may be feeling. I'm sorry for the additional hurdles you have to overcome because of COVID-19 and I know I can't completely relate, but I think we share some of the same worries and would like to address them.
Since a young age, I haveusually been the type to try and apply for everything despite the likelihood I would get accepted. Although I was always worried about getting rejected--and I was several times--I always felt the need to apply so I wouldn't resent myself in the future for losing my chance. Despite this, applying to Dartmouth felt different.
There were moments of doubt when I really thought, "Why should I apply if I'm going to get rejected?" I was underestimating myself and it's very common. You start comparing your test scores, grades, extracurriculars, and story to others' applications. There were times where I felt like just submitting an essay I wasn't proud of so I could reason with myself that I got rejected because "I didn't really try."
Don't let these doubts creep into your head. Give yourself the opportunity to apply and work hard on your application. You don't want to look back during college decisions and think, "Wow, I wish I had applied to _____." You now have the time to apply, so take the risk.
Maybe you're not underestimating yourself and you're ready to apply, but you're being held back because you're worried about how you will transition to a different culture. I know I was!
I come from a predominantly Hispanic, low-income community--greatly different from Hanover, NH and Dartmouth. Back home, being a first-generation student is common and by being a minority you are part of the majority.
I'mnot going to lie, there are definitely times here at Dartmouth when you can notice these differences amongst your peers. However, you don't have to go through this alone. The First-Year Student Enrichment Program (FYSEP) at Dartmouth exists to help FGLI students with this transition. During the summer, I was able to meet students with similar backgrounds as me while learning how to smoothly transition to a different academic culture. Although the program only occurs during one summer, the community supports you throughout your entire Dartmouth journey.
For instance, when coming to campus, the director, Jay Davis, hosted socially-distanced get-togethers on campus to give us the opportunity to connect with other FGLI students in person and listen to how each of us were doing. I was reminded that I'm not the only student struggling.
We also have upperclassmen mentors who do what they can to help us thrive at Dartmouth from helping us choose our classes to helping us prepare for interviews! The amount of support is so comforting and overwhelming. You can always find someone to count on.
Don't let the smiles fool you, choosing to attend Dartmouth was incredibly stressful! For many FGLI students, going to college is stressful because of the family and community you are leaving behind. Communication is really important when it comes to making this decision.
There are also several other factors I didn't address, and I hope to write about them in the future. That being said, I encourage you to apply. I know it can be hard leaving your family and responsibilities behind. There are so many obstacles in your way, but take this opportunity. Take the risk and apply!
I decided to put some of the most popular questions together and provide some answers for future prospective students who also have these questions on their mind!
As you can see, what started as a simple blogging job has transformed into one of my biggest involvements on campus. What's great is that I love the work that I'm doing, and since it takes on so many forms, I never get bored!
Dartmouth is home to a diverse range of students that will become your lifelong friends. For this blog post, I thought I'd interview a few of my fellow '24s to give you a glimpse into the crazy awesome people that make Dartmouth, Dartmouth!
In terms of fears about going off to college, I've noticed some recurring themes, both from my conversations with '25s and from my own experience. Read on to see my responses to some frequent questions and concerns!
Here is an inside look on the culture of Dartmouth through the perspective of a low-income first-year student! I talk about professors, financial aid, and offer some pieces of advice!
There is never a dull moment at Dartmouth! One of the main reasons why the College is so special is our unique D-Plan, which operates on the quarter system.
There are also several other factors I didn't address, and I hope to write about them in the future. That being said, I encourage you to apply. I know it can be hard leaving your family and responsibilities behind. There are so many obstacles in your way, but take this opportunity. Take the risk and apply!
