Admission to Dartmouth, or any top college or university, takes intelligence, diligence and ambition. But an invitation to attend Dartmouth is more than a reflection of those qualities. Every acceptance letter from Dartmouth is a bet. A bet on you and your potential to succeed, or, as the Admissions Office puts it, to “be extraordinary.”
According to the Admissions Office, a successful applicant brings a “combination of qualities, experiences and point-of-view that isn’t duplicated by any other student.” That begs the question: why me? Our time here is a chance to discover the answer. Amid Dartmouth’s pre-professional culture and the stress of envisioning life after graduation, I want to emphasize the importance of valuing your time here as more than just a means to an end.
Dartmouth isn’t just offering a degree; it’s offering an experience. An opportunity to spend four years at an institution curated to enrich the mind and soul. Of course, Dartmouth offers a degree and launch pad for a professional career, but its liberal arts education, commitment to cohesive community and immense resources can make your four years here a truly life-changing experience.
Dartmouth’s quarter system shuffles us through terms so fast that an entire year seems to vanish with a blink of the eye. Once we’ve gotten situated in our clubs, friendships and rhythms, life is already shepherding us towards the daunting prospect of life post-graduation. Until college, life has followed a pretty linear path for most people. From elementary through high school, there is a clear outline and goal. Finally, there comes college. And then what? The desire for security and a clear answer to what comes next often leads us to focus far too much on the ends of our education and neglect the means.
When I came to Dartmouth, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I still don’t. Nevertheless, I spent my freshman and sophomore years fixated on figuring out my future career and what I needed to do to achieve it. It wasn’t until my time studying abroad in Paris last spring that I realized I had been going about it all wrong. I had grand visions of double-modified majors, minors and extracurriculars that would make me the perfect candidate for what I thought I wanted to do with my life. In Paris, I learned about French architecture, art history, gastronomy and culture — all subjects that had absolutely nothing to do with my career aspirations, and it was amazing. Funnily enough, it took me two years to discover learning for the love of learning.
This realization led me to rethink everything I had done at Dartmouth and what I planned to do. Dartmouth is an opportunity to make your aspirations come true, but also an invitation to question them, learn more about yourself and imagine what’s possible in life.
The core value of the liberal arts extends beyond the classroom. As undergraduates, we sit at a critical juncture in our lives. Lived experience is crucial for learning more about the world and ourselves. Here, we have the freedom to experiment and discover how we operate and what we may want out of life. Dartmouth boasts an immense swath of resources to support this.
Numerous centers and institutes on campus offer internships, conference and trip funding. They offer study abroad opportunities, host distinguished speakers and facilitate alumni connections, to name a few examples. This past December, a friend of mine went rock climbing in China on Dartmouth’s budget, thanks to the generosity of the Dartmouth Outing Club’s Schlitz Fund. Never again will we have these resources at our fingertips, and it is up to us to make the most of them.
No Dartmouth experience is the same, and there isn’t a “right way” to spend our time here. Still, these four years are an invitation to dream big. So, do what you will with Dartmouth. Apply for funding to go rock climbing in China or pursue an internship in Australia. Or, simply do your readings. Get a meal with a friend you haven't seen in a while. Value your time in this incredible community. Dartmouth is here to serve you, but it’s on you to “be extraordinary.”
Opinion articles represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
