Hi everyone! I'm Kabir, an international member of the class of '26, from New Delhi, India. I'm thinking of majoring in Psychology and Film & Media Studies. Outside the classroom, I enjoy watching movies, going on hikes, hanging out with my friends, and going on runs (if you see me on the streets of Hanover, say hi!) In the short while I've been here, I've come to love Dartmouth, so if you're interested in what I have to say, stick around! This should (hopefully) be fun :)
My Writing 5 class was definitely my favorite class this term — it opened my eyes to the realities of the food industry, strengthened my skills as a writer, and helped me make a ton of new friends.
My seminar was possibly the best class I've taken so far at Dartmouth. I learned about the importance of free speech and journalists in a democratic society, and how those rights to freedom are being stripped everywhere, all the time.
I've loved Cognitive Psychology as a class so far, especially because of the cool demos that the professor uses to illustrate every type of phenomena we learn about. From illusions to memory tests, it's so cool to see how the human psyche can be tricked so very easily.
(I know this picture has nothing to do with this topic, but I found it too cool not to incorporate somehow - so we'll let it slide).
There's a lot of students at Dartmouth who are on the pre-health track. Like a lot (most of my friends call it the Grey's Anatomy syndrome). I interviewed a '26 who's currently on the pre-health track about their experiences with it and what they'd say to students who want to apply to Dartmouth and prepare for a life of pre-health.
Q: How is it planning your class schedule?
A: Honestly, when I was a freshman, it was really intimidating because no one warns you about the courseload. As you keep going, I wouldn't say it gets more do-able, but you become more used to it. You have to take 1 math class, 1 statistics class, one or two physics classes, two organic chemistry classes and a whole bunch more—on average, it's about 10-12 classes. If you're coming to Dartmouth, read up about pre-health and look at the course schedules of past years. Since not every class is offered every term, it's a good idea to have a (very!) rough idea of what you're planning on doing for the first one or two terms.
Q: How are the resources as a Dartmouth pre-health student?
A: They're good. We have a bunch of academic advisors and deans around that can always help you out if you're just looking for a little help in how to structure your academic life. Department chairs are super helpful, which is great. But, the best thing is that the Geisel School of Medicine as well as Dartmouth-Hitchcock (the hospital) is super close. No resource is too far away, which means that exposure to the medical world, as well as living out your Meredith Grey best life is not too hard. And the college wants to help you out, understanding that this is a difficult structure for most people, which is really helpful.
Q: What would you say to students who're unsure about it?
A: My honest advice is just start with it. I've met so many sophomores and juniors who are still on the track or who got off it, and there's no right or wrong decision in that regard. But, the collective sentiment stands that it's way easier to get off it than to get on it somewhere in the middle of your Dartmouth life. Try it out freshman fall, if it really isn't for you, that's completely fine, because you'll find something much better that is for you. But, starting it later can completely throw you off because you're going to be stressed out about finishing all the required classes. I would suggest that if you're 'unsure', that means that there is a small possibility that you want to do it—explore it. You may not enjoy it, but that's better than not trying it at all.
Q: Is pre-health possible with other majors?
A: Since 'pre-health' is not technically a major at Dartmouth, rather a set of courses that you have to take, you absolutely can take a major. Some of my friends are majors in languages like Russian or Spanish, but are on the pre-health track; my other friends are engineering majors or computer science minors, but are on the pre-health track. It's totally possible and with the help of the quarter system, the possibilities to explore are kind of endless.
Academics can be challenging at Dartmouth. But there are lots of groups across campus here to support you through your academic journey. Read on for my experience asking for help and a few organizations that might be helpful to you!
Every Dartmouth student is required to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. Here's my experience navigating the language requirement!
