Welcome! I'm Olivia Koo '26, hailing from Los Alamos, New Mexico. I am studying biological chemistry on the pre-med track, and I'm excited to be supplementing it with music, as a classical pianist and singer-songwriter! Some of my favorite things to do are watching YouTube videos about video games, singing and playing my guitar, and reading New York Times op-eds. Look through my page for information about Dartmouth's pre-med track, STEM research, acapella/music, and study abroad opportunities!
Unsure whether I would enjoy the biology-heavy pre-health track, I took an intro biology class. I surprisingly found myself so invested each class—I didn’t think I’d ever be excited trying to determine if the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) had DNA or RNA, but here we are! I found it a great introduction to thinking processes at Dartmouth.
I loved coming to this class with its supportive environment! The professor's feedback really helped me improve in my writing. This course guided us through personal narratives and organizational writing while discussing what it really means to be authentic. It also introduced me to the library’s resources for writing and research!
This class was definitely not easy! The accelerated version of general chemistry, it was my first class at Dartmouth that used a textbook, and I had to adapt and learn how to use a textbook for a class properly. But that didn't mean I didn't have a good time! The classes were full of physical demonstrations, and I felt very supported in the lab and beyond.
This was the first group music class I took, and I loved it! Each class we'd move a little forward in time; one day we'd talk about medieval chants, and by the next couple weeks, we talked about Baroque music. We even got to observe original medieval music scores from the Rauner Library, and attend a performance of Baroque music by the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra!
Songwriting 1 was the first time I was able to work on something creative/in the arts at Dartmouth, and I really loved it! I got to learn how to improve my songwriting and get to know a community of fellow songwriters on campus. The class was both supportive and constructive, and I pushed myself to my creative limit with the assignment of writing one new song a week. This class inspired me to continue writing and being expressive, whether in an academic setting or not.
For one of my classes on the London Music FSP, I got to attend a myriad of musical performances in London and discuss them with my class! It was a once-in-a-life-time experience–getting to watch multiple operas, ballets, jazz sets, and a musical, as well as seeing beautiful performances from the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, and more, helped me grow my ear so much and my inspirations as a musician.
I took this class to learn a little more about the social landscape around medicine, and this class delivered that by a mile. From environmental exposure to racial inequities in medicine/health to the discussion of medicine itself as a manipulative tool in colonialist social structures, this class helped me rethink medicine and my role within it.
Should I Apply Early Decision or Not? My Thoughts as a Non-ED Student
When first applying to college, I was urged to select a school to apply early to. I had spent the summer mulling over my primary application essay, about my school list, and slowly began collecting materials for my application, but I hadn't put much thought into applying early to a school, despite its reputation for ensuring an acceptance and a peace of mind early in the process. As the first US-undergraduate applicant in my family, there were a few reasons why I did not invest much thought into the commitment of an early decision school:
1. I wanted to compare financial burdens for the schools I would be accepted to. Every college offers a financial aid calculator that can help give students a rough estimate of how much they might pay to attend! With that said, I personally wanted to wait and compare full packages schools offered after merit and other scholarships were included (Dartmouth's financial aid calculator is here!). I wanted to see what different schools would offer in admissions prices, to make the most educated choice for myself and my family.
2. I wasn't sure if I had a "dream school." I had toured universities and could see myself at many of them, and did not have my heart set on any of them.
3. My application was not 100% ready. I was still partly in the "soul-searching" mode of writing my primary application essay, and was wondering how I could express myself best as an applicant–as a result, I did not feel confident in sending my application to a place I truly desired to be..
With fall leaves brings early college applications!
As a result, I chose to apply to an early-action school for my "early" application instead. With higher confidence in my application by January, I was able to apply to most of the universities on my school list in the Regular Decision cycle. There was a risk to this–namely, regular decision cycles, especially for elite universities, tend to be more selective than the early decision cycle–but I had placed a high importance on comparing and selecting the best, most affordable option, and was willing to take that risk on!
After arriving at Dartmouth and speaking with other students, those who ED'd and those who did not, I learned that whether students ED'd or not depended, unsurprisingly, on their priorities! So, why ED to Dartmouth? Or anywhere at all?
1. I'm drawn to the atmosphere/setting of the campus, and would like to go to school there. When I spoke with ED students, many of them were drawn to Dartmouth's proximity to nature, seeing an opportunity to connect with nature, to hike, ski, and swim during their time in school. Simply speaking, the college you go to will also be your home for several years!
2. The school is suitable for my career prospects/I'm drawn to the teaching style of the school. Most peers I've talked with had no idea what they wanted to do when they first entered college, but others were set on Dartmouth due to its pre-career pathways, like engineering or pre-health–having done the research, they felt confident that their ED school would offer them the resources and experiences they needed for their planned path. For others, the liberal arts focus of the school offered an academic freedom for their exploration!
3. I would find a community at this school. When researching a school, one can often come across the communities that are present in its social makeup that is unique to it! For Dartmouth, that may include its longstanding Greek Life system, its historical community for Native American and Indigenous students, and/or its passionate outdoors club, among others!
Early Decision is just one of several avenues towards a college education! As a non-ED student myself, I understand the advantages and disadvantages of the ED process and chose what was best for me at the time. I hope this guide helps outline what you might think about in your own decision!
