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.
As the admissions cycle for the Class of 2026 comes to a close, many students are looking at their offer letters and feeling quite unsure about their next steps. Where should they go? What should they pursue? How can they make sure that they aren't making a wrong choice?
Though I'm now in my third year of college, I still remember these thoughts quite vividly during my senior year of high school. There were just too many possibilities and potential lives that I could lead at each of my accepted colleges, and I wasn't always certain that I was making a smart decision. Thankfully, through various conversations with family and then-current students, I was able to piece together my priorities and see how they would fit into my future life. And during my years at Dartmouth, I've since had the privilege of talking to prospective students and first-years, giving advice on how to navigate the world once you've made the decision.
But all of that starts with this first step of choosing a school, so here is a list of why you should choose Dartmouth if you're in the midst of all this decision-making!
Dartmouth makes you excited to study whatever you're interested in.
This first point doesn't mean that you need to know exactly what you want to major in or do with your life. It also doesn't mean that you need to make academics your entire world while in college! Instead, this point indicates that the school you end up choosing should have the resources, culture of support, and innovation that will make you excited to learn and grow in whatever field you end up pursuing.
Are you someone who thrives in smaller classrooms or do you prefer big lecture halls like those of European universities? Do you have a very niche interest in recent archaeological digs in the Indus Valley, or are you trying to get involved with the theory of archaeological studies rather than the physical findings? How do you feel about research? How do you feel about being taught by TAs vs. tenured professors? What opportunities can you find on that college's website, and which ones make you excited to participate?
Dartmouth suits your financial situation.
Going to college in the United States unfortunately means a hefty sticker price, and while college is only four years of your life, the debt that you can accrue lasts much longer. Therefore, it is extremely important that the school you choose is a smart financial decision for you and your family.
Does the school have generous, need-based financial aid? What are the earning potentials of graduates straight out-of-school? For students from lower income backgrounds, how are non-academic incidentals covered, like health insurance, internship funding, or even your graduation cap and gown? While the school website can be very handy for this, I also suggest reaching out to current students through social media (as appropriate) or official contact forms to see how they speak on the matter and how finances affect their daily lives. In some ways, I think this point is the most important aspect that I'll cover in this blog post today, simply because worrying about finances can bleed into every other part of your life and tax your available mental bandwidth.
Dartmouth is located in a place that you can enjoy for four years.
The place where you go to school doesn't have to be your dream vacation destination, but it should be in a place that you can enjoy being for extended amounts of time. Think about your daily habits, what you enjoy doing on a day off, and what transportation would look like for you—both daily and getting from home to school in-between terms.
How easy is it to get home after exams or during family emergencies? What happens if you want to run to the grocery store or the mall? Can you do the activities that you enjoy doing, such as canoeing, people-watching, or sampling food trucks? These little logistical things can seem small and silly when trying to decide on where you go to college, but it is precisely these small things that make up your daily life, so think carefully about what you want and what can actually be conducive to your college experience.
Dartmouth will set you up for success.
This is somewhat similar to Point 1, but it is still a little bit different. You should choose a college that you know will support you and give you the resources to succeed both in academics and in your professional life going forward.
What are the mental health resources like on-campus? How do first-generation and/or low-income students find assistance and community in the ivory tower of academia? What are the reputations of the professors, the general student body, and the alumni network? Are there advising offices for your preferred professional path? What have students in the past said about how their college affected their internship, research, or job searches?
This point is a little harder to gather information for because a lot of it may seem like anecdotal evidence, but I encourage you to do some research online and scour multiple sources to get a somewhat clearer picture of the environment that you're choosing. If you find conflicting stories, think about how they differ and what sorts of common truths you can pull from them. Not everyone has the same college experience, even at a small school like Dartmouth, so also think about your own personal background and how that might influence the way that you experience university.
Dartmouth is a place that you are prepared to make your alma mater.
At the end of the day, no amount of research or preparation will make your choice 100% foolproof. There is a chance that you will miss something, that a person you trust may accidentally misrepresent reality, or even that you simply misjudged how important or unimportant something was to you.
So even after all the advice I've listed above, the truth of the matter is that there are very few perfectly informed choices in life, and that's okay! After being a Dartmouth student for three years and talking with my twin sister who goes to a different college, I've learned that the most important thing while choosing a school is your commitment to take advantage of all the resources available, maintain a growth mindset, and make the institution a better place yourself, wherever you end up. This can be a scary choice, and for many high schoolers, it is the first big choice they make where they have to take the consequences alone. But I firmly believe that if you choose and enter a college with this mindset, you will be able to flourish anywhere, Dartmouth or otherwise.
Make a choice out of your excitement for new experiences, trust in the institution's commitment to supporting its students, and your vision for your future. I'm sure you will go very far.
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!
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
