Hi everyone! My name's Daniel, and I'm a 25! I'm from Orange County, California and Seoul, South Korea. I'm hoping to major in Biomedical Engineering and Anthropology Modified with Global Health. If I'm not under my sheets watching a new Netflix series, you'll find me spending time at Still North Café or at the engineering building. I hope you learn something new about Dartmouth today!
Academic Program
Biomedical Engineering and Anthropology Modified with Global Health
Perhaps, final season isn't the most stressful thing ever as there's something that tops it: course selection. During week 8, all Dartmouth students are asked to elect their winter term courses on DartHub, a comprehensive online platform for students. The selection period began in week 7, and we were given approximately a week and a half to complete it. Thankfully, class spaces are distributed on a lottery system, not a first-come first-serve basis; so, students don't have to rush to fill their courses out. I was able to consult with my pre-health advisor, undergraduate advisor, faculty advisor, and upperclassmen during this time before my ultimate selection. I still vividly recall changing COSC 1: Introduction to Computer Science and PHYS 4: General Physics 2 back and forth, unable to decide. My final choice was PHYS 4, and I'm happy with my decision because… I successfully secured all three of my first-choices because of luck AND because all the time periods worked out.
Next quarter, I'll be taking PHYS 4 as aforementioned, ARTH 07.05: Pompeii-Antique & Modern, a first-year seminar that analyzes ancient art and architecture monuments, and CLST 11.16: Ancient Medicine, which is a class that brings students back to the Greek and Roman origins of medicine (it sounds super interesting!!). Every first-year is required to enroll in an expository writing course and a first-year seminar course in consecutive terms; since I took expository writing this term (go check out my review a few blog posts back) I decided to take the art history seminar in winter. I decided to take PHYS 4 as it satisfies my physics requirement for medical school. And lastly, CLST 11.16's topic seemed extremely intriguing to me, and although its class cap is at 25, I was lucky enough to be one of the students!
What happens if I don't get my first-choice?
If students don't get their first-choice, usually 1 or 2 course(s) out of the 3, they're able to adjust their schedules during the first-come first-serve basis course change period. For example, this term, course selections for the winter term were released on 11/11, and students were able to check which classes are still open for them to select, and on 11/12 8:00 AM EST, course change period began. You undoubtedly need to click quickly to get your second, third-choices!
Then, the add-drop period begins when winter term actually begins in January. Add-drop period is when students, who are dissatisfied with their schedule/classes, can drop the respective classes and add different ones. Usually, many of the popular courses are full by this point.
Course selection was very stressful, but it also gets me excited about what new, exciting classes are awaiting me next term! I can't wait to take on winter term.
Dartmouth professors truly make all the difference, especially when you have the opportunity to take them out to lunch and get to know them outside of the classroom. Read about my Differential Equations professor Professor Robert Dougherty Bliss.
