Sawasdee ka! I'm Memo, a '26 (thankfully), and I'm from the sunny city of Bangkok, Thailand. Despite being terrible at hiking and tolerating the cold, here I am in the middle of the woods. I'm leaning toward a CS modified with Digital Arts major and a QSS minor, but I have no idea. Simply put, I will be doing a lot of exploring. Fun times! Anyways, stick around and read my blogs. Please. I will keep you informed and well entertained. :)
Coming in with some Python background, I still find this class challenging. Yet, I always enjoy going to Vasanta's lectures and working on the short assignments with the help of the TAs. Awesome experience.
Professor Pierson taught the class really well—his lectures always start with a hook that keeps me engaged. Although the material is definitely more challenging than the prior class, I learned a whole lot more. My CS1 professor suggested we learn Java before taking CS10 (she even sent us resources for it!), but of course, I didn't. It was a language I continued picking up as I did my short assignments and PSETs with my partner. The workload is not light; however, I felt like everything was worth learning!
Visiting Dartmouth Without Actually Visiting Dartmouth
Despite the vast ocean that separates me and my dream school, I applied to Dartmouth College as an international student from Bangkok, Thailand in the early decision round. This wasn't just a leap of faith, I assure you. Although unable to physically witness the scenic landscapes of Hanover and the school's vibrant community, I found numerous resources that allowed me to capture the true Dartmouth experience. This strengthened my decision to commit to the college, and I'm here to share my story with all aspiring students who wish to learn more about their options without actually visiting the schools.
I believe it is truly important to get to know the college and its people before you apply, especially when it comes to the early decision round. If you are unfamiliar with the term, the early round requires prospective students to apply to the college earlier in their senior year of high school (usually early November). However, this also means that they get their admissions notification earlier too (usually mid-to-late December)! The early round is divided into the early decisions and the early actions, with the early decisions requiring accepted students to commit to the school and withdraw all applications to other schools. I'm going to spare the details, but it is immensely important to know the policies of each school (early rounds) and their application due dates. With that said, a helpful thing to do is to make a spreadsheet of all the schools you consider applying to. Write down their application due dates, whether it'd be the early decision rounds or the regular decision rounds. All of this highly important information can be found on the school's website! I pasted the website's URL on the spreadsheet as well. Once deadlines are established, it's time to explore.
When I was doing my college research, I started with the academics–majors offered, research opportunities, median SAT score (although Dartmouth is SAT optional!), study abroad programs, curriculum, and many more. It's also helpful to know the admissions statistics of prior classes, the process, and the affordability of the schools. The more exhilarating part is college life and its traditions! Feel free to use as many resources as you want. For Dartmouth, I read the People Places Pines blogs, watched Joelle and other famous Dartmouth Youtubers, explored the 'Life at Dartmouth' page, stalked the @raunerlibrary Instagram account, interviewed multiple Dartmouth students and alumni, and attended numerous virtual tours and student panels! I absorbed myself into the opportunities that are available online and made sure I knew the school as best as I could before applying. Whatever seems remotely interesting, jot it down on the spreadsheet and do more digging if you have time. You might even find niche facts that you can add to your 'Why Dartmouth' essay (or a similar prompt for many other schools). In my case, I found out about the Sugar Crew and explained to the admissions committee that I wanted to make my own maple syrup on campus.
Applying to colleges halfway across the globe can be simultaneously exciting and daunting. Take advantage of all the online resources available, and prepare yourself well before making your decisions! :)
Traditionally, Dartmouth students take three courses during a term, but I decided to take four courses this term! Learn about course load and the academic system at Dartmouth.
Planning on visiting Dartmouth as a prospective student or an interested person wanting to see our beautiful campus? In this post, I share insider tips to ensure your visit is fulfilled!
As I approach the halfway mark of my Dartmouth journey this spring, I find myself reflecting on the significance of distributive and world culture requirements in shaping my academic experience.
Coming back from Spring break usually means coming back to an entirely different campus than the one you left in the Winter – but that was not the case this year! Read on to hear more...
This is my final term before senior year, which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. One thing I am excited about is the classes I am taking this term, so let me tell you more!
This is part two of me "nerding out" about my honors thesis! If you want to learn more about independent projects, theses, or the humanities at Dartmouth, check it out!
