My first math class at Dartmouth was awesome! I think a lot of the introductory math courses at any institution get a bad wrap as they are trying to prepare you for upper-level courses down the road. However, Calculus I at Dartmouth was a very enjoyable experience for me. It was taught by a graduate student named Ryan Maguire who was very understanding and supportive through the term. What made this class particularly favorable for me was its lack of exams or quizzes. Instead, we had group assignments that would elaborate on some of the concepts taught in class to a “mini lab-like” level. I got along with my group very well and we still stay in touch! We also had WeBWorks (short online math assignments that test your knowledge of how to execute the basic arithmetic we learned in class). Finally, the majority of our grade came down to a “portfolio” we created throughout the term. Essentially, we created our own mini textbook that went over the four basic areas of study in the class: Limits, Continuity, Derivatives, and Applications of Derivatives and Integration. Overall, I would say that this class gets a solid 8/10. The only reason it missed some points is because of how fast paced it was. There really was no time for reflection, but that’s what you get during a Dartmouth 10-week quarter!