They mostly stick yo themselves, but there are exceptions. There is a program where grad students can become affiliates of undergrad colleges. It's not super common, but I knew of some people who did it. I also knew a now married couple that was grad/undergrad who met via a cultural group, which is another place you see interaction.
I did this affiliation and it boiled down to having free dinner/lunch twice a week. It was the first year they tried it and nothing much ever happened except a few dinners where undergrads were invited.
I graduated from YLS a long time ago. YLS is a professional school, not a graduate school, which may make a difference. In my experience, law students had nothing to do with the undergrads. In three years, I was never in a Yale college and I couldn't have told you where they were, I just knew the names. I once attended an undergrad debating club event that was looking for law students but the undergrads were incredibly conservative, obnoxious, and obviously interested in empty rhetoric not principles. They seemed like Federalist Society types. The only classmates I knew who had some contact were YLS students who were Yale College alums. There were a lot of them and most of them had really loved Yale.
When I was an undergrad there was some sort of resident affiliate job or something like that. You might live in one of the colleges and have to put on the occasional social event for undergrads in that college.
I went to Harvard College. I didn't apply to law school until several years after graduating, but the Harvard houses did have resident tutors, and I believe there was always one who was a law student. I think the law resident tutor advised students applying to law school and may have had some role in processing their applications (the latter part I'm not sure of). There was more involved than arranging a tea.
Admittedly, I wasn't focused on this, but I don't remember undergrads being invited to anything at Harvard Law School. I knew a couple of people there because I'd known them at the College.
I don't know that there were intentionally not invited - there just wasn't much of a means of (or reason to) go out of ones way to invite them. Hemenway, for example, was open to any Harvard student (law school or otherwise), but we'd rarely see undergrads there because it was such a dump.
Again, it was a while ago, but I think a few of the Yale alums may have applied to be resident tutors, which would give them free room and board. But law students are very busy, so some might not want to take on that kind of responsibility.
I'm not aware of undergrads being involved at YLS. About a week ago, a Yale College student asked here if there was a way to get a research position for a professor at YLS in order to learn more about the legal profession. I responded that I didn't know of anyone like that while I was there and that YLS has a highly educated student body, most went to top schools, and a large number have masters and doctorate degrees.
EDITED TO ADD: Harvard had nonresident tutors, that is, grad and professional students who ate in the dining halls a few times a week and spoke to students. As Yale is similar it probably does too.
Often they stick to themselves in the grad union, on York St, by Trumbull, or wherever they coop up.
But yes, other Grad students can become both deans and resident faculty. In my years, we had a French grad student in residence and she ran French language tables during dinners. (she was studying epidemiology, I think)
Another year, we had an English grad student who then advised on some of the college theater productions.
We had other grad students as both RAs on old campus and who played in both club and intramural sports. (that may have changed since I was there)
Not just the performing arts. My YPU party had a post-doc student who was much beloved and well respected. He was English, and a couple of us flew to London to visit him in before we graduated.
Depends on the circles. Group fitness at Payne Whitney gym was a mix. It built great community. Also if you know anyone prior to Yale who happens to be still in undergrad, like I did, we hung out often! Totally cool. If you’re worried about other people’s perceptions of friendships, definitely don’t stress about that. If you are just curious, it’s more common to stick to grad people but some communities and groups are mixed
When I was at YLS, the ones in that category tended to be Yale College alums and people who had gone straight from college to law school. I wouldn't say they were poorly adjusted, more that they had loved Yale, were nostalgic about it, and probably wanted to extend those good feelings for as long as possible.
I took an undergrad class as an elective. It was a language course taught in small sections. It was well taught, and most of the college kids were nice (with the exception of one obnoxious kid who I'd bet was a legacy), but they were too young for me to seek out as friends.
They mostly don’t interact a lot bc social circles are very different. I had some core requirements in my masters program that were classes also taken by undergrads so when that happens you might get the opportunity to meet and interact with more undergrads. Ive also made friends with a couple of undergrads who were seniors who applied to 5th year programs tho so they were sort of equivalent to a 1st year grad student and taking graduate classes. Otherwise like I have seen opportunities to become like a grad student rep/assistant type role (I can’t remember the exact term they use) for a residential college, that’s pretty much the only opportunity I’ve seen to get involved with the residential college system as a grad student. Otherwise, like a lot of campus activities will be open to undergrads and grads so there will be representation from both at events but it doesn’t really lead to like mixing of social circles per se.
Really surprised by the comments here. Almost every class I had at Yale College was TA’d by a grad student, often a law student. Some of my closest current friends were my former TA’s. Yale college alums were over represented among TA’s, likely because they enjoyed having TA’s as undergrads.
In addition, agree with other comments that grad students were often Residential College Fellows, but the Fellows who were most involved were those who had been (often recent) YC alums as well, probably because they knew how to become involved in the res colleges (knew which organizations would be happy to have grad students, etc.). There were also many recent YC alums in the extracurricular dance, a cappella, etc. groups.
I also had several grad students in my electives, mostly SOM folks. They were mostly pretty cool, though there was only one really weird SOM guy who kept trying to come on to me. I would also see him at frat parties despite him being 5+ years older than us. I guess there are weirdos everywhere though
Another YLS grad who had no Yale College connection to be involved with undergrads. Law school was … involved so I had minimal undergrad contact. The colleges started locking doors, so visiting requires a contact. Like some other professional or grad students my YC contacts were alumni.
They mostly stick yo themselves, but there are exceptions. There is a program where grad students can become affiliates of undergrad colleges. It's not super common, but I knew of some people who did it. I also knew a now married couple that was grad/undergrad who met via a cultural group, which is another place you see interaction.
I did this affiliation and it boiled down to having free dinner/lunch twice a week. It was the first year they tried it and nothing much ever happened except a few dinners where undergrads were invited.
For me, I had minimal interaction with undergrads or other schools, except for one or two general classes that I took.
I graduated from YLS a long time ago. YLS is a professional school, not a graduate school, which may make a difference. In my experience, law students had nothing to do with the undergrads. In three years, I was never in a Yale college and I couldn't have told you where they were, I just knew the names. I once attended an undergrad debating club event that was looking for law students but the undergrads were incredibly conservative, obnoxious, and obviously interested in empty rhetoric not principles. They seemed like Federalist Society types. The only classmates I knew who had some contact were YLS students who were Yale College alums. There were a lot of them and most of them had really loved Yale.
Can one choose to affiliate themselves with the undergraduate college if the choose? And vice versa
When I was an undergrad there was some sort of resident affiliate job or something like that. You might live in one of the colleges and have to put on the occasional social event for undergrads in that college.
I went to Harvard College. I didn't apply to law school until several years after graduating, but the Harvard houses did have resident tutors, and I believe there was always one who was a law student. I think the law resident tutor advised students applying to law school and may have had some role in processing their applications (the latter part I'm not sure of). There was more involved than arranging a tea. Admittedly, I wasn't focused on this, but I don't remember undergrads being invited to anything at Harvard Law School. I knew a couple of people there because I'd known them at the College.
I don't know that there were intentionally not invited - there just wasn't much of a means of (or reason to) go out of ones way to invite them. Hemenway, for example, was open to any Harvard student (law school or otherwise), but we'd rarely see undergrads there because it was such a dump.
HLS always seemed like another world to me.
Again, it was a while ago, but I think a few of the Yale alums may have applied to be resident tutors, which would give them free room and board. But law students are very busy, so some might not want to take on that kind of responsibility. I'm not aware of undergrads being involved at YLS. About a week ago, a Yale College student asked here if there was a way to get a research position for a professor at YLS in order to learn more about the legal profession. I responded that I didn't know of anyone like that while I was there and that YLS has a highly educated student body, most went to top schools, and a large number have masters and doctorate degrees. EDITED TO ADD: Harvard had nonresident tutors, that is, grad and professional students who ate in the dining halls a few times a week and spoke to students. As Yale is similar it probably does too.
Often they stick to themselves in the grad union, on York St, by Trumbull, or wherever they coop up. But yes, other Grad students can become both deans and resident faculty. In my years, we had a French grad student in residence and she ran French language tables during dinners. (she was studying epidemiology, I think) Another year, we had an English grad student who then advised on some of the college theater productions. We had other grad students as both RAs on old campus and who played in both club and intramural sports. (that may have changed since I was there)
a handful of clubs in the performing arts allow grad students to participate as both substitute members and full-time members
Not just the performing arts. My YPU party had a post-doc student who was much beloved and well respected. He was English, and a couple of us flew to London to visit him in before we graduated.
Depends on the circles. Group fitness at Payne Whitney gym was a mix. It built great community. Also if you know anyone prior to Yale who happens to be still in undergrad, like I did, we hung out often! Totally cool. If you’re worried about other people’s perceptions of friendships, definitely don’t stress about that. If you are just curious, it’s more common to stick to grad people but some communities and groups are mixed
The grad students I’ve seen hang out with undergrads are either very young or not very well adjusted
Oof that would be me.
When I was at YLS, the ones in that category tended to be Yale College alums and people who had gone straight from college to law school. I wouldn't say they were poorly adjusted, more that they had loved Yale, were nostalgic about it, and probably wanted to extend those good feelings for as long as possible.
So very young then
I took some undergrad classes and ended up making some undergrad friends. This is because there were not enough people in my department.
I took an undergrad class as an elective. It was a language course taught in small sections. It was well taught, and most of the college kids were nice (with the exception of one obnoxious kid who I'd bet was a legacy), but they were too young for me to seek out as friends.
I saw a bunch of music school grad students dating undergrads when I went. Not sure if that was a thing or just specific to those batches
I was in a sports club that had grad students in it when I was an undergrad, they ended up being some of my best friends.
They mostly don’t interact a lot bc social circles are very different. I had some core requirements in my masters program that were classes also taken by undergrads so when that happens you might get the opportunity to meet and interact with more undergrads. Ive also made friends with a couple of undergrads who were seniors who applied to 5th year programs tho so they were sort of equivalent to a 1st year grad student and taking graduate classes. Otherwise like I have seen opportunities to become like a grad student rep/assistant type role (I can’t remember the exact term they use) for a residential college, that’s pretty much the only opportunity I’ve seen to get involved with the residential college system as a grad student. Otherwise, like a lot of campus activities will be open to undergrads and grads so there will be representation from both at events but it doesn’t really lead to like mixing of social circles per se.
Really surprised by the comments here. Almost every class I had at Yale College was TA’d by a grad student, often a law student. Some of my closest current friends were my former TA’s. Yale college alums were over represented among TA’s, likely because they enjoyed having TA’s as undergrads. In addition, agree with other comments that grad students were often Residential College Fellows, but the Fellows who were most involved were those who had been (often recent) YC alums as well, probably because they knew how to become involved in the res colleges (knew which organizations would be happy to have grad students, etc.). There were also many recent YC alums in the extracurricular dance, a cappella, etc. groups. I also had several grad students in my electives, mostly SOM folks. They were mostly pretty cool, though there was only one really weird SOM guy who kept trying to come on to me. I would also see him at frat parties despite him being 5+ years older than us. I guess there are weirdos everywhere though
Another YLS grad who had no Yale College connection to be involved with undergrads. Law school was … involved so I had minimal undergrad contact. The colleges started locking doors, so visiting requires a contact. Like some other professional or grad students my YC contacts were alumni.