<p>Wondering if we can get some specific info on courses, overseas programs, etc. I'm trying to figure out if what I am planning at D is realistic or not. Current students would be my best source.</p>
<p>Specific info requires specific questions.</p>
<p>Most of that stuff is on the Dartmouth webpage.</p>
<p>Yeah, what do you want to do?</p>
<p>Ok here goes:--and thank you for offering to answer my questions---
What is the rep of the anthro dept among students?
How hard is it to get into that New Zealand program? The Argentina language program? The Rome art history program? These all look so appealing but I wonder if only majors get in..
I'm interested in getting a full, rounded liberal arts education while clocking off as many premed prerequisites as I can in the process. Are there a fair amount of other students who are not science majors/"pre med" doing this at D? Also, are those courses killer? (The school I am weighing vs. D has A LOT of kids with these priorities and few hard-core all-out premeds, so the premed courses are geared with that objective in mind...they are not all-consuming GPA killers.)</p>
<p>RUmbean, DD will be Dartmouth 09, and is planning a similar course. She will be interested in the reponses you get to this question. I will give you the same advice I gave her (I'm an MD) - this is a great plan, but take it one course at a time. You can always do a post-baccalaureate if you have to (although in her case, she will have to work and go part-time) - the most important thing is to make top notch grades in the sciences you do take, make the most of all Dartmouth has to offer, and do some sort of outside experience to help you decide if medicine is for you, and to help you articulate why you want to do medicine.
Practically, I think she is planning on taking calculus, and basic chemistry and biology the first year, and re-evaluate then. I've encouraged her to look into the practicality of taking at least one pre-req, ?physics maybe, at our local state uni during the summer between fresh and soph year.
You realize that when you get to college, whatever college, the logistics of taking all those pre-med courses intrudes, and many kids find themselves majoring in biology, not because it is a primary interest, but because they want and financially need to finish their education in a timely manner.</p>
<p>I think it is smart to consider even this early on, which study abroad programs you think are for you, and plan to try some of those departments as a frosh - DD's problem is that she wants to do everything - that's great though, that is the attitude about knowledge that landed you guys there in the first place!</p>
<p>Daughter, an 08 is doing pre-med and is also planning to go to New Zealand junior year (I think it is part of the anthropology department). C-can you believe that she changed her mind about Greece! She has decided to go junior year because she wants to knock out as many of the pre-med requirements as possible before she leaves. Since there are 4 terms of chem (general & o-chem) it is recommended that you knock them out asap, if you plan on going away. The bio couses are not pre-req's to one another , so she feels she can take them at anytime. She will do both physics classes before she leaves.</p>
<p>while you do not have to be a major, you are required to fill the pre-req courses. Since you take 3 classes with your study abroad, it would be a nice way of completing a minor. There are a number of 08's that will begin their Study abroad in fall 05. Kelsey08 & Ben are going to Rome withthe classics department. </p>
<p>Depending on how you place in language, if you can knock out span 21 (the pre req) you may be able to do this by spring of your sophmore year. Your best bet with any program is to apply early are there are limited spaces available. (You do not have to wait to take your pre-reqa to apply but you must have them finished before you go.)</p>
<p>link to study abroad programs</p>
<p>Dartmouth's premed advice from the Nathan Smith Society</p>
<p>That's all great advice, and exactly what I was looking for...additional would be apprecited, too. These specifics matter so much, because if the "global citizen" thing is a big draw of D for me and I can't logistically do it, then it may be the wrong decision. I've laid out a potential 4 year plan with all the prerequisites for theoverseas stuff and it looks do-able,albeit tight. Summer courses might be an answer...good to know I need to do the chems first and the bios at any time. That helps my planning. Other comments? From students, esp. about anthro dept's rep among students?</p>
<p>Well that expression "It's Greek to me" had to come from somewhere! DH is dropping classics hints everywhere, but right now K's leaning toward French. I'm hinting to be very non-intellectual about it, and decide what country you want to visit first, then use that as a minor, as you said, Sybbie. Costa Rica's been mentioned, I suggested waiting until after DOC camping to decide on that one ;).
French reading and writing is a strong point for her, it very possible that she can place out of the language requirement, which will influence which study abroad program, and therefore which city she would qualify for (without on campus classes).
So many great choices!</p>
<p>My advice as a current student...</p>
<p>Anthro I have heard great things about, however your intro courses will be somewhat large... but that is expected. The anthro dept. generally has a lower student-to-faculty ratio than other "hot" majors.</p>
<p>As for FSP acceptance, priority is given to majors. Usually there are between 10-20 spots for each program, with a wide range of applicant numbers (I applied for an English FSP with over 60 other applicants; my friend applied to a Geography FSP where nearly everyone who applied was granted a spot) I don't know the acceptance rate, but your chances drastically improve with your class year and major status. </p>
<p>On another note, I would encourage you to "feel around" and not be limited by pre-frosh notions of what you want to do in college. There are lots of opportunities to explore; don't pidgeon-hole yourself yet!</p>
<p>The Anthro and Art History programs are extremely hard to get into if you're not a major... or in some cases even if you are a major. In fact, they (along with the Biology one to Jamaica) may be the most difficult ones to get into. The Argentina one (like most language ones) shouldn't be that hard though.</p>
<p>The impression I get is all pre-med intro classes are weed out classes, esp. in Biology.</p>
<p>That's good info for me because D's big draw, vs. my other choices, is the chance to do a truly global study of humanity via art, anthro and cultural study while completeing premed prerequisites. If you can't really get into half the programs, then it is no draw at all and D loses the edge for me (vs. other schools).</p>
<p>rumbean, I'm doing a similar program of study here at Dartmouth... serious consideration of the humanities while completing pre-med requirements. It's tough, but many people go this route. Basically, I've been taking one pre-med class and two humanities classes each term. My terms have looked like this: Math 9 (honors multivar. calc), Chem 5 and Chem 6 (currently enrolled). I'll kick up the prereqs my next year, but I'm still debating medical vs. business school, so we'll see. </p>
<p>In any case, Dartmouth makes it possible to do a program of liberal arts study while preparing you for a medical career. So far this year, I've had no trouble balancing science and the humanities.</p>
<p>rumbean, don't worry too much about the study abroad opportunities. Anthro is hard to get into, probably one of the hardest, especially because the FSP is offered in the winter when I think a lot of people would rather be in New Zealand than here. I would apply early, for your sophomore year, and if you get wait-listed, you'll have a great chance if you reapply junior year. Don't be too discouraged, though, keep in mind that there are tons of study abroad opportunities not listed on the college site. My friend got wait-listed for the New Zealand study abroad program, but he's going on an archaeological dig of Incan ruins in Peru this summer with a Dartmouth alum--for free, because Dartmouth gets the National Science Foundation to fund things like that. I don't think he even has to pay for the plane ticket. He just blitzed his anthro prof and asked if he could do any field work over the summer, and the prof hooked him up. If you are motivated, you can do some seriously cool stuff.</p>
<p>I was an anthro major and did a cultural anthropology research study in the Marshall Islands. I got a ton of money from Dartmouth through the Goodman Scholarship (everything was paid for). I then did a thesis with the department chair. It isnt hard to access these opportunities at all, it just took meeting with a Professor, putting together a proposal (during the fall of my junior year, and I left in the winter to do my research!) and applying.</p>