2 down, 1 to go
It is midterms week here in the RC class at HBS. We have three exams, one each on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Monday’s exam was in FRC (Financial Reporting and Control – aka Accounting). It was multiple choice, fairly straightforward, and only worth 10% of our grade. Nevertheless, there was still plenty of anxiety around the first real knowledge test of the HBS experience. The exam was proctored, in our section room, and was given a 2 hour time limit.
After that, we had 48 hours to work on 4 cases and prep for today’s midterm in LEAD (Leadership and Organizational Behavior). This exam was given in three hours, was a case writeup (1200 word essay), and was administered virtually, so we could take it from anywhere (as such, it was also open book). I should also mention that the exam was worth 0% of our grade. That’s right, zero. It was more an exercise in administered case write-ups (prep for finals and a good check of framework understanding). And nevertheless, there was still some anxiety surrounding the exam.
Friday we’ll have our exam in TOM (Technology and Operations Management). This is the exam which is causing the most indigestion in my section, but after a productive review session with our Prof today, I think that I’m less worried about it than I was.
All of these exams happen whilst we still have 2 cases a day to prepare, so nerves are a little frayed this week (also the tremors for the imminently approaching job hunt season started this week, so there was that too). Logically, the school has given us the weekend free from ANY official events so that the sections can go on retreat for the weekend. My section is going to Killington Vermont. I am passing in order to be in a friend’s wedding in Chicago (which will also be a nice break from the insanity of this week). Next week is the last “normal” week before recruiting kicks into full swing, will be nice to only have cases to focus on for a few days (as weird as that sounds).
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