It may seem like an inordinate number of non-sophomores are milling around campus this summer, but according to enrollment statistics from the Registrar and housing data from the Office of Residential Life, the class breakdown is similar to that of recent years.
What neither ORL nor the Registrar's information shows, though, is the number of juniors -- and freshmen, for that matter -- living off-campus who are not enrolled in classes. And a number of '04s said that there are more of them around than the College's official numbers indicate, since many people are living off-campus who are doing research, working or otherwise not registered for classes.
As usual, nearly the entire sophomore class is, by requirement, taking classes in Hanover this term, although six have been granted permission to participate in summer study-abroad programs.
In addition to the over 1,000 sophomores in Hanover this summer, 53 '04s and 38 '06s are also enrolled in classes.
However, ORL's housing records show that 92 '04s are living on campus -- including coed, fraternity and sorority houses, affinity houses and residence halls. At least 39 of these are not taking classes.
Unlike during the year, ORL has more dorm space than it has occupants, but nevertheless only allows students taking classes or otherwise working at a College-affiliated job as eligible for Dartmouth housing, ORL Housing Director Rachael Class-Giguere said.
Indeed, a number of '04s noted that at least half of their classmates in town for the summer are living off-campus, working either on college-funded research projects, senior theses or at other campus and non-campus jobs.
"There are a lot of us," Caryn Karo '04 said. "I know a lot of people who are here, and even my friends that are '03s and '05s and '06s have said that there are a lot of us hanging out."
Many '04s cited generous college research grants, a bad job and internship market, and a general attachment to Dartmouth as reasons for remaining in Hanover.
"I think that a lot of people get pretty attached to Dartmouth, and it is a nice place to live," Josh Stern '04 said. "And the bad economy means