Hello there! My name is Shuyi and I'm a '23, which means it's my senior year here at Dartmouth! Follow me for my last year at Dartmouth as I reflect upon my college experience. At Dartmouth, I enjoy playing squash, eating at late night, and of course, blogging. You can ask me about studying social sciences, coming to Dartmouth as an international student, and anything else really. I hope you enjoy the blog!
How frequently are students able to enroll in the classes they want?
A:
The short answer to this question is very frequently.
In my time at Dartmouth, I have almost never heard of students not getting the classes they signed up for, except for classes that the majority of the student body needs to take, such as First-Year Writing classes and introductory Economics classes. Personally, the only class I was not able to get into was my Writing 5 class in the fall, but even then, I was able to choose another Writing 5 class that I thoroughly enjoyed and even wrote a blog post about!
The way we enroll in classes at Dartmouth is we sign up for the classes we want, and a lottery system dictates whether or not we are enrolled in this class, and with which professor during which time. If you are not happy with your schedule, you have the opportunity to add and drop classes. For example, although I got my Econ 22 class this winter, I had it assigned during Tuesday and Thursday when I would much rather have had it on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Therefore, I simply went on Add/Drop, and changed my schedule to the way I wanted it. In fact, I was able to customize my schedule so that I don't have any classes on Tuesday and Thursday. How cool is that? Even when class sizes are full, students can email the professor to join the waiting list and potentially join the class!
Not only are our classes more intimate, where a small class size allows for personalized learning and real relationships, but classes are also more available. I don't have to worry about competing with thousands of people for the same class, as we have a small community at Dartmouth. Therefore, I can plan out my requirements and major without worrying that my plans might be affected by the unavailability of classes.
Dartmouth's Chinese New Year celebrations brought a sense of home through themed dining, student-led events, and cultural gatherings, fostering community and appreciation for the holiday.
ENGS 12: Design Thinking—one of Dartmouth's most popular courses. Read on to hear about my experience, key takeaways, and how the class reshaped my approach to creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.
