Mario Lopez

Reflecting on my "Why Dartmouth?"

One hundred words.

Only one hundred words.

Only one hundred words to express why you want to go to Dartmouth.

Since Early Decision for Dartmouth will be sometime this month and Regular Decision will be due shortly after that, I would like to spend some time to break down my "Why Dartmouth?" essay and tell you guys why I decided I wanted to go to Dartmouth:

My "Why Dartmouth" essay:

"I'll use the D-Plan to study Classics in Italy, delving into Italian culture through FSP-Rome. I'll immerse myself in Italy's history by speaking Italian, living like a native, and juxtaposing ancient Roman artifacts and architecture first-hand to explore Rome's contemporary effects on the modern world.  Hiking in the morning or skiing after class, I'm eager to connect with the Upper Valley by exploring and leading expeditions into the wilderness through Dartmouth-Outing-Club's unparalleled variety of outdoor activities and adventurous community: my stress outlet. Dartmouth… an adventurous community that shares my passions for travel, self-reflection through nature, and academic exploration. My home." 

1. "I'll use the D-Plan to study Classics in Italy, delving into Italian culture through FSP-Rome. I'll immerse myself in Italy's history by speaking Italian, living like a native, and juxtaposing ancient Roman artifacts and architecture first-hand to explore Rome's contemporary effects on the modern world."

Ever since I was a kid, I've had a great love for traveling and exploring new places and cultures. This is why I was incredibly attracted to Dartmouth's versatile D-Plan—Dartmouth's alternative to the Semester System—which allows students to create their own academic schedule with great flexibility to study abroad and acquire internships.

Dartmouth also offers one of the best Study Abroad and Exchange programs by providing the opportunity to study in various locations around the world while immersing oneself into the culture and language of that country (due to Dartmouth's unique quarter system, Dartmouth abroad programs involve professors traveling along with its students to allow students to study without disturbing their academic schedule).

Dartmouth attracted me because of its values of exploration and discovery and how much the school facilitates and makes these programs available to students. I'm currently planning to participate in an LSA—short for "Language Study Abroad,"where students are immersed into a country by learning the language and exploring a foreign city for an entire quarter.

2. "Hiking in the morning or skiing after class, I'm eager to connect with the Upper Valley by exploring and leading expeditions into the wilderness through Dartmouth-Outing-Club's unparalleled variety of outdoor activities and adventurous community: my stress outlet."

Dartmouth's deep roots and connections to the Upper Valley and its surroundings were among the most appealing aspects of the school to me, from First-Year Trips (FYT) to participating in activities sponsored by the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC). Dartmouth strives to help students find a sense of adventure through outdoor recreation. This becomes even more accessible and easy to participate in through Dartmouth's free rental system, where students can rent kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, hiking gear, and more at the DOC. 

I saw attending Dartmouth as my opportunity to attend a school where students would be able to take ski lessons in the morning during the winter at Dartmouth's Skiway and then go to class in the afternoon. I saw this possibility of being active and participating in the outdoors as an opportunity to relax from the workload; this unparalleled opportunity is what made Dartmouth a really appealing choice for me. 

Me and my friend kayaking down the Connecticut River with the Kayaks we rented for free from the DOC.

3. "Dartmouth… an adventurous community that shares my passions for travel, self-reflection through nature, and academic exploration. My home."

Lastly, what closed the deal for me was Dartmouth's incredibly tight community. Due to Dartmouth's nature as a small school, one is able to walk anywhere on campus and see at least one familiar face. Dartmouth's isolationism in the middle of the woods in New Hampshire is what makes Dartmouth's students and alumni an incredibly tight-knit and kind community. 

Dartmouth is a place where one is able to meet so many different people and explore so many different things that one is able to find a place of belonging. This is what made Dartmouth the school of my choice. Dartmouth made me feel a sense of belonging that no other school did. 

It felt like Dartmouth was like my second home.

Until next time,

Mario