section, my section
The section experience is one of the cornerstones of the MBA program at HBS. In the first year of school (the RC, or required curriculum year), the class is divided into 10 groups of 90, called sections. Each section is given a letter, A through J, and its own classroom which it the occupies for the entire year. That group of 90 spends the first semester in the same seats, its five professors cycling in and out of the classroom; and then changes seats and professors before repeating the same exercise in the second semester.
The group elects its own leadership, develops its own norms (rules governing behavior within the section), and basically becomes the nucleus for all school activity in the first year. It’s likely that the section experience was borne out of an examination of the case method of teaching and a need for best practices which would engender more substantive debate. But there are social benefits to the section experience, too.
Given that the whole class is about 900 students, it would be pretty overwhelming to have to build strong friendships while floating in that sea in the first year. The section acts as a microcosm of the rest of the school, mirroring the diversity of background, origin, gender, age, etc. The benefit is that first year students can grow with the group around them, before endeavoring to meet people elsewhere in the class with similar career interests, etc in the second year.
But the section experience doesn’t stop there. It (according to those who came before me) is a lifelong bond – an extended family if you will.
I’ll pause my high-level view there, because I can’t honestly say more without falsely projecting the future.
What I can say is that my section was the best section. I was in Section C (notable alumni include George W Bush). We were in Aldrich 009 all year. We nicknamed ourselves Sec-C (sounds like sexy). While everything that happened in that room stays in that room, I’m pretty comfortable saying that my experience with this group of people was among the more incredible ones I’ve had in my life. A group of 90 of the most intelligent, compassionate, challenging people I’ve ever met: now counted among my friends.
To illustrate the type of bond that develops in the section, I’d share what we’re doing this summer. Whereas one might expect connection to fall off for the summer while everyone goes off to interships, our section is updating the section on their lives, one person a day, all summer long. It’s been a blast keeping up with people all summer and I really can’t wait to reunite with this group in September and share learnings from the summer (and also reconvene wine and scotch tastings).
