When you select an MBA program, you are not just choosing your learning environment, but are also committing to becoming part of a community. Each Thursday, we offer a window into life “beyond the MBA classroom” at a top business school.
Each February, approximately 600 MBA students from more than a dozen business schools across the country gather in Hanover, New Hampshire, to take a break from classes and job hunting and join students at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College for Winter Carnival weekend. In 2011, 200 skiers from 14 business schools—including, for the first time, the Stanford GSB—took part in the fundraising event. Winter Carnival features ski and snowboard races, snow sculpting, a hot-dog-eating contest and other such events—all intended to promote socializing while also raising money for a selected nonprofit organization. The costumes teams choose for the skiing competitions tend to be a highlight of the event. Past costumes have included 1980s-vintage ski gear, Hawaiian-themed clothing, business suits and even Speedos!
One second-year student described the Winter Carnival to mbaMission as one of the more anticipated annual events at Tuck: “Its core is a ski race between Tuck and other schools; it’s very serious. There are also costume dress-up races. It is a big social event, to embrace the winter. On Friday, there is a big party at Occom Pond, with hot chocolate; it’s very family friendly. On Friday night, they hold a dance party. The ski races are on Saturday, followed by another party, which was new this year … a Big Lebowski Bowling Party—which was great. It’s a cool way for other schools to come and experience the winter wonderland that is Tuck.” A video about the 2011 Winter Carnival is available here
For in-depth descriptions of social and community activities at Tuck and 14 other top MBA programs, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides.
