Hello there, friend! My name is Love and I am a '23. Aside from being on the pre-med track, I'm currently interested in studying math and public policy. I have a penchant for old things, learning languages, and the arts. I also love personality tests, irrespective of their actual validity—in case you're curious, I'm an INFJ, Scorpio, dragon, and type 2w1.
BIOL 11.07 (Major Events in the History of Life and the Human Genome) is a very unique class. We learn topics such as oxidative phosphorylation in conjunction with evolution and paleontology. In other words, where and when did ETC come from, and how can we support our hypothesis? Though not an easy class by far, every day the material I learn amazes me with the wonder of life, which is how biology should be!
MES 7.03 (Jerusalem: Vision and Reality) was my First-Year Seminar and such an interesting class to take! We explored Jerusalem through three main viewpoints (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). The class had a bit of religion, literature, anthropology, sociology, and even geography—all things I love to study but don't necessarily have the space for with our three-class quarters. I often found myself going to office hours just to talk with my professor about questions I had outside of the reading!
COSC 10 (Problem Solving with Object-Oriented Programming) is a data structures course and the last pre-requisite for the computer science major. Though I added it as a fourth class on a whim because of COVID-19 and remote learning, it quickly became my favorite class this term because I loved the problem solving that CS has to offer. It is a difficult class but the emotional and academic rewards make it all worth it!
This was one of four classes I took during fall term and it was super interesting! We learned about healthcare systems and innovations from around 4 guest lecturers per week, and were able to do research on our own and propose a new system at the end of the term. Students came from all over campus and the course was very enlightening for me in terms of understanding how care is dispensed in the U.S. and how we can improve it.
Though this was my first "foundation" course in the Biology department and I still found it challenging, I really enjoyed learning the material and found it all super exciting! We learned about DNA replication, mRNA transcription and protein translation, genetics, and had the opportunity to do a literature review at the end of the term.
The dreaded Organic Chemistry sequence of my pre-med track came upon me faster than I thought it would, but it surprised me by being one of my favorite classes to date! I found it intellectually interesting (even though it was time-consuming), probably because I treated it like a STEM-and-logic puzzle instead of pure STEM or pure memorization. Am I great at it? Not necessarily. Do I remember everything I've learned? I'm not too sure! Am I mentally ready for Organic Chemistry 2 next term? Not at all! But I had a lot of fun doing this class and surprised even myself with how I tackled it.
I love dancing, story-telling, and learning about different cultures so I knew going into this course that I would enjoy it. Cross-listed in the theater and AAAS departments, this course let students have the privilege of working with Dance Theatre of Harlem members who were in Hanover for a summer residency. As a group, we analyzed a play ("The Purple Flower" by Marita Bonner) and transformed the text into a physical movement piece. Each student also had complete ownership of a personal final project, and I opted to do a self-choreographed dance. Overall, I loved getting the chance to work creatively in my academics this term and I also was able to broaden my perspective and knowledge of the African-American story in the process!
As a pre-med, I am constantly trying to learn more about the U.S medical system. This course was extremely engaging in all aspects, taking students through all of American history through the lens of healthcare within the span of 10 weeks. I particularly liked having a discussion session that replaced a lecture, since we were able to talk about the issues with the professor and think out loud about our readings. The course was definitely challenging and required a lot of synthesis across different time periods and topics, but I feel like I came out of it with a deeper and more profound understanding of our healthcare system and why it functions the way it does today.
WinterDetroit, MI
For my junior winter, I did an internship in clinical research! With COVID affecting so much of my college experience, this practical, in-person work internship was very important for me to not only hone my employable skills but also see what having a 8am - 5pm job looks like and how it could fit into my future.
Much like my other pre-med courses here at Dartmouth, Biochemistry was quite rigorous and fast-paced. It was certainly challenging, but I found the work extremely rewarding and I enjoyed learning about all the different mechanisms that happen inside of our bodies. Additionally, many of my friends were also in this class as well, rounding out final prerequisites for graduate school, and this fact made it all the more fun.
SummerDresden, Germany
For my junior summer, I had a research internship in Eastern Germany, working at the intersection between math, computer science, and biology! The learning curve was very steep since my project focus changed once I arrived in Europe, but I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about the content and myself. I am extremely thankful for all the support that Dartmouth has given me throughout my time here, without which I wouldn't have been able to do a 12-week European adventure!
As a pre-med student interested in health disparities, SOCY 75 was an amazing class to take! We covered numerous topics concerning how where one lives can impact their health outcomes. At the end of the course, students were also able to complete a final project of their choosing and I loved being able to tie my personal experiences into an academic course.
Throughout college, most of my science courses have been at the introductory level: one term of genetics, one term of cell structure, etc. Rarely have I had the chance to engage with something on a deeper level or connect the pre-med courses to human biology. This course was super interesting because I could finally connect everything I've learned throughout college into one cohesive course that connects to something I want to do post-Dartmouth.
Hello, '24s! As we head into your first year at Dartmouth, you may be overcome with a sense of panic: what classes do I even take? Fear not, for this blog post will get you started in the right direction.
In an average term, a Dartmouth student can take three classes. Every student can take four-class terms three times without a penalty. After that, you have to petition the Registrar and pay extra tuition. But only after your first term can you opt to take four classes. Choosing between three or four courses is not something you need to worry about yet. Even during your first year in general, I would advise against it simply because three is already a heavy-enough workload for most people. The only conditions in which I personally would advocate for four-course terms are :
Prerequisites for courses, majors, or study abroad
Online terms
A course that is not offered very often
As always, speak with your undergraduate advisor when deciding!
With your three courses, you can actually do a lot.
Most first-year students have a general inkling of what they enjoy. If you know you like STEM, for example, look into an introductory course in that area to get the ball rolling. If you want to try out economics or government, look for ECON 1 or any of the government department's intro offerings. Many students take classes in these areas, so you definitely won't be alone in trying something new. If you have some prerequisites that you know you will need further down the line—like MATH 3 or 8, a statistics class, etc.—also find a way to work that into your schedule as soon as possible.
In addition, you may be slotted to start your writing sequence. Dartmouth offers Writing 2, HUM 1, or Writing 5 in the fall.
Writing 2 and Writing 5 are two sides of the same coin: writing-heavy courses that are offered in different departments. Writing 2 is part of a larger sequence for Writing 2-3, offering support for students who want to spend more time developing their English skills. If you get placed into this sequence during the summer, you will start with Writing 2 in the fall. If you get placed into Writing 5, you may either start your writing sequence in the fall or in the winter.
You can also replace Writing 5 with HUM 1. HUM 1 is a reading-heavy class, where students discuss around 10 works per quarter with professors from all across the humanities—I myself did this course as my first writing requirement and had a wonderful professor from the German department! If you enjoy reading and discussing classic works, I definitely recommend this class. On top of the writing placement, you will have to do a separate application to get into the course.
Lastly, I suggest that you try a class in a department that you've never had a lot of exposure with. This is a fantastic time to try new things, and the learning curve in most introductory classes will be easy enough for you to follow. Don't let yourself get boxed into an idea of what you think your Dartmouth experience should look like and let yourself explore. Many people take a exploratory class once and serendipitously find themselves in love with a new course of study that they've never considered. It can be easy to think that you're wasting your time when you take this path, but you are at a liberal arts college! Now is definitely the time to step off of the beaten path. One way that you can think about broadening your horizons is to get a list of all the courses that Dartmouth offers (you can find it at the Registrar website). Then, separate the courses by department or major, and highlight or take note of any classes you find interesting. You may discover something new about yourself, and see a bunch of classes that fit the International Relations minor, for example.
So, one very generalized first-quarter can look like this:
Intro class in department you already know you may like
Writing 2, Writing 5, HUM 1 OR some sort of prerequisite like MATH 3
Intro or survey class in department you have very little experience in
If you are pre-med or looking to go into a very prerequisite-heavy major like Engineering or Physics, you won't have as much flexibility and may have to replace #3 with another course. As always, talk with your advisor about your plans and what majors (no matter how many!) you are currently interested in.
As a Digital Media Student Director for Dartmouth's First-Generation Office, it is my role on campus to amplify first-gen voices, foster community, and create meaningful connections through creative outreach.
This fall, Dartmouth provided me with incredible opportunities to get involved in politics. I registered as a New Hampshire voter, joined civic organizations, canvassed, and more! Read on to follow my journey leading up to Election Day!
