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.
When I began applying to college, I pulled out my laptop and a document, determined to find out what I wanted out of college. That all-too familiar list stared at me: academics, location, weather, financial aid, food, housing. Researching academic differences between schools confused me most. After a certain point, the differences between schools all felt…pretty much the same. Where was I supposed to start? What was I supposed to look for? Phrases like "undergraduate focus," "class size," and "liberal arts" filled websites, but what did they mean? Not knowing how they impacted a college experience (and not knowing what I wanted), I didn't focus on it very much when formulating my college list. But academics is, well, the core of attending college! One term in at Dartmouth, I've been able to experience a little of how Dartmouth's approach to academics shapes my college experience. Here are a few aspects about the academics at Dartmouth and how they impact my daily life!
The Quarter System
What's a quarter system like? A fast-paced experience, the quarter system means counting down the weeks in the term, naming each week from 1 to 10. Each class has new information that builds upon the previous class—reviews with the professor themselves are usually a separate class outside of the designated hours. There's always something new to talk about and discuss, but more to memorize and understand in a short time—it can build up very quickly. Taking tests for information that I learned several classes ago while also reviewing information from class earlier that day is the norm. But it also means only taking three or four classes in a term, being able to delve deep into the class's subject for two and a half months; by the end of the term, I was astounded at the progress I had made.
Undergraduate Focus
"Undergraduate Focus" felt like a buzzword, accompanied by faculty-to-student ratios and average class sizes. In school, it's a fundamental aspect of my academic experience. I was amazed at the speed at which the administration responded to my questions, at the amount of people available for support that the school provided. In class, the smaller class sizes meant professors knew me by name from the first or second day of class, that I could go to office hours without having to wait for a long time. It means that students who want to research with a professor can, and that students who want to go abroad for a term can do so with minimal hurdles. Dartmouth feels as if it revolves around the undergraduates; sometimes I wonder if I'll have enough time to take advantage of everything offered for undergrads!
Liberal Arts/Graduation Requirements
Every school's graduation requirements are different. I never expected that I would be taking Spanish in college, but because students are to take languages here, I'm able to explore another language, and at a faster pace. Everyone is to take an art class, a science class, and more, only encouraging a wide breadth of subjects to explore. I'm excited to take the required writing class this winter, and the subsequent first-year seminar in the spring, even if I technically cannot take other classes. However, I do not find the requirements limiting—after all, at Dartmouth I'll take a total of around 36 classes—that's plenty of space to take interesting classes. You can see the graduation requirements for Dartmouth here.
I hope this post helps clear up a little bit of what academics means. Of course, there are so many other factors that shape academics, but attending Dartmouth, these three parts of education had the biggest impact my first term. Good luck and thank you!
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!
