Hi! I'm Lauren, a '26 interested in anthropology, neuroscience, classics, and global health! Originally from Long Island, NY, I grew up spending every free moment swimming in the ocean. Going to college in NH was a shift away from that; however, I frequent the CT River during the warm seasons! Besides academics and admissions, I am involved in the Fusion Dance Ensemble, the Dickey Center, the Latin Learning Fellows program, and Camp Kesem. I can't wait to share my Dartmouth experience with you!
Academic Program
Anthropology major concentrated in Biological Anthropology, Classical Studies minor
Latin 1 is the first of three introductory Latin courses at Dartmouth. The class is split into small teams; students complete coursework as groups. I cannot recommend taking Latin enough: the classes are tiny, the professors are fantastic, and some even bring their dogs to class (check out my blog about Dartmouth's Latin dogs). I finished the introductory Latin sequence, fulfilling my language requirement. Now, I am continuing to work in the department as a Learning fellow—a student who has already taken the class and attends class to facilitate group work.
After taking Latin 1 in my first term, when it came time to pick my writing seminar (the second required portion of the first-year writing sequence), I naturally chose the course themed on the Greco-Roman world. This course was incredible and was seminar-style, so we discussed readings, went to the Hood Museum of Art, and presented on a feature of art in Pompeii that we found particularly interesting.
My first anthropology course! This archaeology course introduced me to the field of anthropology and archaeology at Dartmouth. This course was lecture-style, with different lectures on everything, including the evolution of religious thought, human sacrifice, and Stonehenge! The professor was incredibly engaging, and we even got to pick lecture topics during the end of the term.
Anth 006 was my first biological anthropology course! This course was incredible; this introduction course delves into the concentrations within anthropology and everything from the first life on earth to applied anthropology today! We also often had guest lecturers, from visiting professors to graduate students, who would speak about their concentration and research.
Fossils, fossils, fossils! Our professor is a renowned paleoanthropologist, so the course focuses on fossil traces of human ancestors and relatives. Human Evolution is a lecture-style course, but every Friday, we go to the paleoanthropology lab to handle casts of fossils—which we were introduced to during lectures. These fossils are also our primary form of assessment, as we were assessed on the fossils in culminating lab practicals. It is incredible not only to learn about the discoveries that shape our understanding of human evolution but also to engage directly with replicas of them.
Three and a half years ago, I decided to apply to Dartmouth. At the time of my college search, no official tours were in effect (due to the pandemic), so my college search consisted of countless "virtual tours" and self-guided campus visits. My self-guided Dartmouth tour was on a dreary March day; we didn't talk to a single student or step inside a building, yet I immediately knew THIS was where I wanted to go to school. There were students on the green, playing SpikeBall despite the lingering snow. The sense of community was tangible, and students seemed genuinely happy. Naturally, I went to the Dartmouth Co-Op and bought a tee.
That Dartmouth tee led me to an interaction with an alumnus the following summer in my hometown—a moment that became the basis for my Why Dartmouth essay. I was in awe of how this seemingly small school in rural New Hampshire could have fostered such a strong community.
I want to use this blog post to show prospective students or recently accepted '28s (and beyond!) what myWhy Dartmouth would be today—hint: it is still the people.
I stand by the fact that the people make the place, even though the place itself is pretty fantastic.
In terms of academics at Dartmouth, there is a communal love for learning. Everyone I encounter has their own niche academic interest or goal, and no matter what they study, we all will be working together into the night at the library. There is very little competition within Dartmouth; courses focus on collaborative learning. Additionally, the professors love the place—almost as much as the students. Small classes allow professors to know their students beyond a name on a roster; they love their disciplines and truly care about their students. The professors are excellent—shoutout to anthropology and classical studies professors because they all rock—and some even bring their dogs to class, which is my favorite thing ever.
There is so much to do in Hanover, but honestly, some of my favorite activities include sitting in a dorm room, "rotting" on the green, or relaxing by the river and talking with friends for hours. The people are truly incredible. Finding your people may take time, yet Dartmouth fosters countless avenues to encourage meeting new people as a first year and beyond—namely, I found a strong community during my first year through my housing community and first-year dorm. First Year Trips was also a vital moment in my Dartmouth journey, as four days of canoeing in the woods of Maine fostered some long-lasting friendships and memories.
There is so much room to explore, whether you want to try a new extracurricular activity, travel abroad, explore the outdoors, meet new people, or delve into a new academic discipline. I find myself discovering more and more resources Dartmouth has to foster exploration.
Out of those listed areas for exploration, I have found myself doing all of them. I have engaged in countless new extracurricular activities; begun research, hiked, learned how to ski, jumped in the Connecticut river, kayaked, and more; met countless amazing people; and explored various academic fields—with my favorites being anthropology, global health, and classical studies! I'm even going abroad to New Zealand next winter!
I must put a disclaimer that Dartmouth is not perfect, but I have found that the people here have this collective love for the place—this little school in rural New Hampshire.
Although now 3+ years ago, I think the notion with the alumnus holds true: there is an incredibly strong sense of community at Dartmouth and amazing people here who love to explore.
Dartmouth's liberal arts curriculum pushes students to explore new departments and draw connections between seemingly disparate disciplines. Come explore my Economics, Physics, and Asian, Societies, Cultures, and Languages classes!
The "Why Dartmouth" supplement was the hardest for me to write. How would I explain all the reasons I loved Dartmouth in 100 words? I chose Dartmouth because of how the people and campus made me feel. Dartmouth radiates excitement.
