While Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth Medical School and arts and sciences graduate students hold many social events together, they rarely plan events in conjunction with the Tuck School of Business students, according to several students interviewed by The Dartmouth. Because Tuck is larger than the other graduate schools, any event to which all graduate students are invited will be overwhelmed by attendees from Tuck, according to Tuck Student Board social chair Kate Libby Tu'12.
Despite the separation between the graduate schools, those pursuing graduate degrees at Tuck have a variety of social options planned and funded by the College, students said.
Tuck students often socialize among themselves because they form such tight-knit communities during their two years in the program, Derrick Deese Tu'12, quality of life chair for the Tuck Student Board, said.
Approximately 500 students are enrolled in the MBA program at Tuck, according to its website.
Manuel Bedacarratz Tu'11 said the social aspects of Tuck were very important when he was examining possible business schools. Tuck's small size makes meeting people easier and creates a more receptive alumni network, he said.
Although the small class size is applauded by many students, others interviewed by The Dartmouth said that some of their peers find dating at Tuck to be more challenging compared to other city schools.
"Within the Tuck community, there have been some couples that have formed but I think it is tougher [than at other schools]," Deese said.
Bedacarratz said that students who are single when they arrive can feel limited in their options, but added that students can overcome the challenge of meeting new people by getting involved in activities outside of Tuck.
"You can totally meet new people," he said. "It only depends on you. But it's not New York or Boston."
Finding time to socialize amid a busy academic schedule can be its own challenge, Erin O'Flaherty, a first year student in the Master of Arts and Liberal Studies program, said.
"It is a little lonely but you do have to realize that work comes first," she said. "As an undergrad, that's not always the case."
Planning social events can be challenging because the student population is so diverse and includes both younger, single students and older, married students who may or may not have children, Libby said.
Approximately 40 percent of Tuck students are married or have partners, according to Amy Mitson, associate director of admissions at Tuck.
The percentage of married students at Tuck is slightly higher than at several of its peer institutions.
Approximately 20 percent of graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business are married or have a significant other, according to The Wharton Journal. Roughly 25 percent of students at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business are married or have a significant other, according to the Booth School's executive director of communications Allan Friedman.
Students interviewed said that both married and unmarried students attend many events sponsored by the Tuck Student Board.
Along with planning formals, the Tuck Student Board also sponsors several events designed specifically for students with children, Libby said. The board tries to create events that appeal to a wide variety of students, she added.
Although married Tuck students cannot live together in on-campus housing, all students living off campus are invited to events occurring in residential buildings, Bedacarratz said.
In order to help partners adjust to life in Hanover, there is a Partner Board that functions similarly to the Tuck Student Board.
The Partner Board sponsors events and oversees several social clubs such as a gourmet club, book club and Upper Valley appreciation club, according to Partner Board Chair Regan Madigan, who is married to a Tuck student.
Partners typically feel very welcome in the Tuck community and are active participants in campus life, Madigan said.
"You're never not invited to come on campus," she said. "Tuck really does promote everybody."
Tuck partners are allowed to audit any Tuck class for free, an opportunity that many partners seize, according to Madigan.
More events among the different schools could help the graduate population "connect and get acquainted with each other," Tanvi Chug MALS'11 said.
Events planned by the Graduate Student Council are a good way to meet peers outside of class and are widely attended by students, according to O'Flaherty.
Graduate Student Council organizes several events throughout the year for graduate students including formals, barbecues, bowling parties, apple picking and cooking classes, according to Chug, a former chair of student life for the Graduate Student Council.
The most popular event according to surveys completed by students is the winter semi-formal, Chug said in an e-mail to The Dartmouth.
