at the end of every semester, every HBS student faces the task of preparing for final exams. case-based exams are very different from the types of tests many of us took in high school and college - multiple-choice options are pretty much non-existent. rather, these tests challenge students to examine a case from the vantage point of a business manager and answer key questions about the problems the manager faces, how can he/she address the issue, etc - all in a matter of 4-5 hours.
the best performers on hbs exams blend content and stylistic writing well together. while no one can help you with writing skills, the HBS women's student association (the WSA) does an excellent job of hosting review sessions at the end of each semester.
these sessions are well-attended, so get to spangler auditorium early. they feature some of the top-performing ladies in the rc/ec classes at HBS, who present the key learnings over the semester in a consolidated powerpoint presentation. in many cases, these slides are made available after the sessions are over, but the best learning happens by physically going to the review session (especially for exams like finance where problems and calculations are reviewed in detail beyond the content of the slides).
the HBS WSA has done an amazing job over the years of hosting these sessions, and the entire community is better off for it!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
what is hbs skydeck?
skydeck is a weekly tradition at HBS. technically, skydeck is the outer row of seats in the HBS classroom, which typically looks like:
front view:
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on fridays after the last case of the week, groups of students from skydeck (keen on observing every move that other students in the class make, say or do during the week) gather at the front of class and present a media-laden spectacle (filled with powerpoint, youtube, and live acting, among other things) - mocking section-mates, professors, other events at HBS (and the wider world), etc.
in terms of content, it can really go anywhere, but in my first year it never got really offensive to the point where anybody cried or walked out of the classroom. the two most common things to be aware of are:
1) saying abnormally outlandish stuff in your class comments
2) section relationships and hookups
the above two categories are totally fair game for skydeck, so beware and tready carefully.
in general, though, the skydeck tradition has continued for decades at hbs and will continue for a long time going forward (unless the administration has something to do with it). it serves as a good way to let off some steam from a hard week of cases, and skydeck also provides a great forum for you to get to know your classmates on a more personal level.
front view:
on fridays after the last case of the week, groups of students from skydeck (keen on observing every move that other students in the class make, say or do during the week) gather at the front of class and present a media-laden spectacle (filled with powerpoint, youtube, and live acting, among other things) - mocking section-mates, professors, other events at HBS (and the wider world), etc.
in terms of content, it can really go anywhere, but in my first year it never got really offensive to the point where anybody cried or walked out of the classroom. the two most common things to be aware of are:
1) saying abnormally outlandish stuff in your class comments
2) section relationships and hookups
the above two categories are totally fair game for skydeck, so beware and tready carefully.
in general, though, the skydeck tradition has continued for decades at hbs and will continue for a long time going forward (unless the administration has something to do with it). it serves as a good way to let off some steam from a hard week of cases, and skydeck also provides a great forum for you to get to know your classmates on a more personal level.
raise your hand
even though i was an undergrad business major, i have not been gliding by my first year at HBS. many of my friends, from similar prestigious undergrad business schools like michigan, uva, wharton, nyu and others have expressed similar sentiments.
basically, no matter what your background (even if you worked at the most elite i banks and pe shops), HBS case method doesn't allow you to take it easy, chill during class, and cram for exams and expect to pass with the combination of your great undergrad degree and work experience propping you up. HBS profs know everyone's backgrounds going into class, but they won't be wowed into giving you an automatic "1" because it is assumed you know all there is to know about finance, marketing, or whatever class you happen to find yourself in.
so as uncomfortable as it may sound for some of us (myself included) who don't like speaking up unless we're totally sure about an issue, the best advice i can give you is to "put 'em up" - even if you're not 100% sure about the answer, put your hand out there - what's the worst that can happen? honestly, the section environment at HBS is super-supportive, mistakes are welcome and the ENTIRE class learns just as much from a wrong answer as from a right one - and no one is going to make fun of you or judge you based on what you say in class.
basically, no matter what your background (even if you worked at the most elite i banks and pe shops), HBS case method doesn't allow you to take it easy, chill during class, and cram for exams and expect to pass with the combination of your great undergrad degree and work experience propping you up. HBS profs know everyone's backgrounds going into class, but they won't be wowed into giving you an automatic "1" because it is assumed you know all there is to know about finance, marketing, or whatever class you happen to find yourself in.
so as uncomfortable as it may sound for some of us (myself included) who don't like speaking up unless we're totally sure about an issue, the best advice i can give you is to "put 'em up" - even if you're not 100% sure about the answer, put your hand out there - what's the worst that can happen? honestly, the section environment at HBS is super-supportive, mistakes are welcome and the ENTIRE class learns just as much from a wrong answer as from a right one - and no one is going to make fun of you or judge you based on what you say in class.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
pick a good....no....pick a GREAT ED REP !
You’ll pick your section officers during the first month at HBS. I’ll comment on the utility of some positions later (Career reps are useless in my opinion) but I will say that one of the MOST IMPORTANT ones is that of “Ed Rep” – this person will be the main liason between you, HBS professors, teaching assistants, exam proctors – everything related to academics, basically.
Your ed rep will update you on when study sessions are, what to bring for certain cases/simulations, the feedback that professors may have on the class performance, and countless other things. I was blessed to have an amazing Ed Rep my first year at HBS. It greatly eased the section’s transition into the case method (which can be rough for many) and definitely made reviewing for finals a lot easier.
So pick your ed rep with caution, and have high expectations for him/her during the ENTIRE YEAR – some sections have had issues with their ed reps and have replaced them in years past.
Your ed rep will update you on when study sessions are, what to bring for certain cases/simulations, the feedback that professors may have on the class performance, and countless other things. I was blessed to have an amazing Ed Rep my first year at HBS. It greatly eased the section’s transition into the case method (which can be rough for many) and definitely made reviewing for finals a lot easier.
So pick your ed rep with caution, and have high expectations for him/her during the ENTIRE YEAR – some sections have had issues with their ed reps and have replaced them in years past.
you CAN have it all at HBS
You’ll hear this at a lot of business schools. You can do either 2 out of these 3 things when pursuing your MBA.
1. Sleep
2. Study
3. Party
The reality? NOT TRUE. If you are good at time management, you can schedule everything into your week.
Of course this won’t be like undergrad where you can go out Wednesday through Sunday of every week (there are people who do that, but their grades suck and they become in danger of getting kicked out by the end of their first year).
Target going out twice a week, pick your days out in advance if you can, and then GO OUT – let loose, have fun. For the sake of your fellow classmates: don’t talk about cases and simulations and all the stuff from the classroom when having beers – it’s annoying and no one will give you credit or think you’re smarter for it. Relax and leave the classroom behind – really get to know your peers !
1. Sleep
2. Study
3. Party
The reality? NOT TRUE. If you are good at time management, you can schedule everything into your week.
Of course this won’t be like undergrad where you can go out Wednesday through Sunday of every week (there are people who do that, but their grades suck and they become in danger of getting kicked out by the end of their first year).
Target going out twice a week, pick your days out in advance if you can, and then GO OUT – let loose, have fun. For the sake of your fellow classmates: don’t talk about cases and simulations and all the stuff from the classroom when having beers – it’s annoying and no one will give you credit or think you’re smarter for it. Relax and leave the classroom behind – really get to know your peers !
first post
This blog is written by a current HBS student. It will feature a lot of content that is HBS-related, including:
1. Admissions advice (when I feel like recounting the good old application process days) – interviews, essays, reccs, etc.
2. Tips on life once you get to HBS – gleaned from my experiences, my friends during this experience, and many graduates of HBS that I keep in touch with from many different fields.
3. General thoughts on HBS alums doing different things in the world
4. Stories / occasional videos / pics from HBS events and from around campus here in Cambridge
5. Answers to your questions. Feel free to email me at hbstips1@gmail.com if you have any personal questions relating to HBS. If you grant me permission I may elect to publish an answer to your question, if I feel it is relevant to the reader base.
Generally, I am writing this because I feel that HBS is a place that is really dynamic, awesome, intellectual etc – but without proper guidance, it’s easy to get lost and confused about what the experience is meant to be – which is really a journey of self-exporation and identification. Too many people get caught up in the herd mentality here at HBS (something to definitely avoid) and the two years fly by without much personal growth and progress. The purpose of these writings and posts is to just “keep it real” for everyone attending or considering Harvard Business School.
1. Admissions advice (when I feel like recounting the good old application process days) – interviews, essays, reccs, etc.
2. Tips on life once you get to HBS – gleaned from my experiences, my friends during this experience, and many graduates of HBS that I keep in touch with from many different fields.
3. General thoughts on HBS alums doing different things in the world
4. Stories / occasional videos / pics from HBS events and from around campus here in Cambridge
5. Answers to your questions. Feel free to email me at hbstips1@gmail.com if you have any personal questions relating to HBS. If you grant me permission I may elect to publish an answer to your question, if I feel it is relevant to the reader base.
Generally, I am writing this because I feel that HBS is a place that is really dynamic, awesome, intellectual etc – but without proper guidance, it’s easy to get lost and confused about what the experience is meant to be – which is really a journey of self-exporation and identification. Too many people get caught up in the herd mentality here at HBS (something to definitely avoid) and the two years fly by without much personal growth and progress. The purpose of these writings and posts is to just “keep it real” for everyone attending or considering Harvard Business School.
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