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.
So! You've delved into the academics of a college, the majors they offer, whether they are on a quarter or semester system, and even looked at some clubs. But what do you look for when you're visiting the school itself?
The summer of my junior year, I went on a road trip with my family to colleges in California. We visited a number of well-known colleges, signed up for tours for some, and just walked through the campus for others. It was interesting to compare and contrast each school, but at the same time, I wasn't sure what to expect or what to look for. Grasping the vibe of the school was also not easy; with most people away from campus in the summer, the energy of each college I was visiting was not at its usual levels, making it difficult to gauge how I'd manage in that school's environment. But here are a few pieces of advice that I would have liked to know more about each school as I visited their campuses!
Study the Campus Map
This requires a bit of pre-visit homework, but it's essential to a better understanding of the campus and how a student navigates the campus. Signing up for a tour is a great way to know a bit about each major building on campus, but if you want to do some work on your own, here are some suggestions of things to look for!
Where are the dorms?
You can often find dorms, their names, and their floor plans on the university website. Depending on the school, most first-year students (at least) will live on campus, meaning that their location (and set-ups) are vital. How far they are from important buildings on campus could determine how long most students end up walking every day. It's great to see these buildings in person, too, rather than fading into the background.
Dartmouth's floor plans can be found here.Dartmouth's dorms are distributed throughout the campus, meaning that the location of where students stay varies pretty significantly, and each location has its pros and cons. It adds a unique part to the Dartmouth campus and experience.
Where is the library?
The library (or libraries) is the place where most students will do their studying. Some libraries may be closed to the public, but many allow people to walk through and use their facilities! And they're not small buildings; Baker-Berry Library alone has more than twelve unique spaces (that I can think of off the top of my head). Getting to explore the libraries on the campus and the places where students study can give a great insight into what life is like as a student of that college.
Where are the food options located?
Where do students eat? Some colleges have several dining halls throughout the campus; others (like Dartmouth) have one major dining hall. As these places are where most students will go to eat every day, knowing its location (especially in relation to dormitories) is helpful in also painting a picture of life on campus.
Dartmouth even shares its dining hall menus on the internet, so you can see what I'll be eating for dinner (if you want)! If you end up visiting, Dartmouth allows the public to pay and eat in the Class of 1953 Commons, if you want the true "FoCo" experience.
Where's the gym?
Last but not least, knowing where the athletic facilities are will offer another clue as to what life is like at the college. Are they far from the dorms? What do they consist of? As a tennis player, my glance goes directly to the tennis courts. Are there facilities for your exercise of choice?
Other things you can look for are:
The buildings associated with your study of interest
Parking lot distance (if you plan on bringing a car)
Parks/outdoor study spaces
Stairs/Accessibility
As you walk around the campus, the ground that the school is built on is also something to note. Is the campus on a slope, so that you're hiking up or down the campus? Is it flat? Is it bike-able? Is the campus accessible for people with crutches or wheelchairs?
Being able to get to classes without hassle can eliminate a small but important stressor that students can face. But a slope can also offer some extra exercise for the mid-day walk!
Grocery/Shopping Access
The closest Walmart, CVS, or other drugstores often ends up being a lifeline for last-minute emergencies and necessities, and knowing where access to such a kind of store is some good info to know while you're there.
Dartmouth has a CVS Pharmacy down the street, barely a ten-minute walk away, and it's my go-to place for tissues, soap, and dorm snacks!
A picture of my latest CVS haul…
But It's Summer…
Of course, visiting a school during a break means that you may not get the complete college energy. It may be a little difficult to imagine, but by keeping the number of students in mind, as well as the general size of the whole campus, you can envision what a usual school day looks like!
Asking a student on campus what a typical college population looks like on campus can also give a good picture. Ask your tour guide, or a friendly student (if they don't look busy)!
What would I say about Dartmouth? Dartmouth can get moderately full! I find that it's hard to find a seat in the library during finals season when the library gets packed with students, and that food halls at peak hours can get crowded and lead to long lines. However, I've always found the volume of students pretty manageable—the campus is wide enough to find space for myself when I need it.
The old golf course on the north side of campus always offers a quiet place to think.
I hope these tips help! By paying close attention to the campus, who knows? You might find something that you love so much that you want to write about it in an essay for your application!
Every Dartmouth student is required to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. Here's my experience navigating the language requirement!
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!
