Any Bschool Know-Hows That You've Heard?

Question

Anyone care to share any bschool know-hows they would like to share?

For example, I was told that it is never wise to sit towards the front of the lecture hall. It is better to sit towards the middle end...

nink · Answer

I remember hearing that it was never wise to form a study group with members of your own section during the 1st yr.

This is due to the fact that after brilliant discussion from the previous night, your study member can steal your "thunder" or your insight from prev night during the next day's class.

Therefore, I was told to make friends with people from other sections and form study groups with those individuals.
This way, people won't withhold information from the study group members, fearing that another person will raise his/her hand next day and present your idea as if it was his/her's.

Also, form a study group with members from various backgrounds - such as marketing, finance, operations, sales, etc etc.

3underscore · Answer

You typically can't form groups over different sections, and it is pretty easy to avoid in class issues.

Not sitting at the front is pretty obvious, but is more a Liars Poker kind of thing. Each finds there own spot, and has a certain amount of dislike for those that don't subscribe to the same attitude in life. It is more about enjoying yourself and learning.

89nk · Answer

It might be wise not too, but this sounds like a rat race. What you posted sounds like my engineering undergrad where no one wants to share anything. I was against this mentality because the one's who know there stuff will ace the exams. I thought B-school was a 2 year break from the rat race..haha..anymore input from current student's if this is the case?

I like your last point, hopefully the school knows this piece of insight, and will diversify the groups. Aren't most groups pre-assigned?

falibay · Answer

I like seating close to front, it forces me to focus and not sleep. What are the major reasons not to?

mba07 · Answer

I guess Darden does exactly this. Each member of your study group is from a different section. You can learn from your group and use it all in class the next day!

3underscore · Answer

Everyone else in the room thinks you are over studious. Not as bad as answering way more than your fair share of questions in a class discussion though. That is a good way to find yourself a social reject. Especially if all you do is pretty much quote from the case.

falibay · Answer

Yeah, I could see that for case classes. Everytime, I seat at the back,i do something else, like browse the web... I will need to find the middle ground.

89nk · Answer

I also had this problem. Which is why I tend to sit toward the front, but this thread is making me think otherwise. :lol:

togafoot · Answer

Depends on how mature your classmates are.. Where you sit shouldn't matter, how you behave should! 
Personally, I sit in a different seat every class, because I want to sit with different people to be able to meet/experience/connect with more people. In terms of study groups, I pick people i have never worked with before for every elective or course. Forcing myself to work with different people means its good practise for the real world where you rarely get to choose all the people you work with and is a good way to practise your teamwork skills with people of different backgrounds, diversities and personalities.

As such, I don't have a core group I hang around with in my class, I'm more the type who can slot into most groups.

falibay · Answer

That's a very good point, I think I will force myself to pick different teams. Makes lot of sense for meeting new people as well.

refurb · Answer

A few of the classes I've visited (Cornell, Tuck) had assigned seating! You don't get to move!

RF

AlexMBAApply · Answer

(1) Don't be that annoying guy/gal. Most classes will have "that one annoying guy/gal". Not really the person who sits in the front of class, but that person who is so needy that he/she won't shut up. Enthusiastic people in class is great. Needy people however are the worst - and you'll find quite a number in school who are neurotic control freaks who worry about the most immaterial things - and it's these people that end up being the ones asking the really annoying questions and making the most asinine comments in class.

(2) Be patient. In the first 2 months in your first year, everyone is insecure to some extent. We all want to make friends. You will make friends. You just have to be patient. You don't need to go to every single social event possible. Be yourself, stay reasonably active but not psycho active, and you will find like minded souls.

(3) Don't be the "life of the party" in the hopes you think it will last. Some people really really hard to be the "man on campus". They will try really really hard to organize all the parties, social events, and will amp their persona/personality to an artificial 11. And people WILL gravitate to that person in the beginning because it's better than being alone. But once people start becoming friends, they will abandon that "man on campus".

(4) Avoid jargon. People who speak in too much jargon sound like tools. And your classmates will play buzzword bingo behind your back. If you are that buzzword guy, no one is laughing with you, they are laughing at you.

(5) If you ever get cold called in class and you are caught off guard and don't know what to say, just respond "me no speak Engrish, MBA school making mistake."

(6) Expect people to gossip about you. Everyone seems to gossip about everyone else. Can't avoid it. News travels fast, even if it only "allegedly" happened.

FairPlay · Answer

Wow, I'm surprised to hear a lot of these things.

Here's what I've experienced so far during my first year:
-Assigned seating. It does not even vary per class. It is the same seating across all
-Fixed study groups for the whole of first year
-All laptops closed policy once lecture begins
-Attendance policy. Two lates = 1 absence. Too many absences = fail the class

That might sound horrendously restrictive, but I don't mind it in the slightest. Sounds like it removes a lot of the silly posturing that would otherwise inflict the marginally insecure.

Here's my contribution to the know-how bank: If you're obliged to sit in class anyway, you might as well pay attention. I don't see how daydreaming or falling asleep can be a more conducive activity. You don't need to make a show of it, you don't need to vocalize how smart you are, and you sure as heck don't need to redeem your nerdy undergrad years by pretending you're too cool for school. Everyone sees through the false laissez-faire attitude and your credibility as a reliable, mature adult suffers.

ncp · Answer

Priceless!Cant wait to try it.

terry12 · Answer

Does this actually happen? If so, I'm stunned. Everyone I've ever encountered in any study group (or more informal study setting) has been incredibly willing to help his/her classmates. We're assigned study groups from our own section in the first quarter, then can free-lance after that. Regardless, I haven't seen any one-upmanship among group members. With respect to seating... a fair number of our classes have "assigned" seating (it's not truly assigned, the prof passes around a seating chart during the second or third class session). In those classes, the people in front are usually the ones who showed up last to class on the day the seating chart was created :-D

Otherwise, totally agree with what Alex says, all of his points are great. Haven't had the chance to try #5, though, I'll have to find the right moment.

One more thing, and this is something I've been told by virtually every GSB alum I've spoken with. You certainly need to be prepared for classes and be able to pass your exams. But don't sacrifice the social stuff. This doesn't mean going to every big party; it can mean getting in on a pickup game of football, having dinner with your friends, or sitting down for a chat in someone's room. You can always look stuff up in a book later, if need be. But you'll never have the opportunity to take two years off with such amazing people again.

bsd_lover · Answer

Hey FairPlay - this closed laptop business seems specific to LBS. I have heard of open laptops and folks on facebook during lectures in some other programs. I like the sound of it - its terribly distracting when a dude behind you is typing away virtual hearts to his e-girlfriend because he already knows what NPV means ..... "you sure as heck don't need to redeem your nerdy undergrad years by pretending you're too cool for school" <--That hit real close to home haha :lol:

Toubab · Answer

Fuqua doesn't allow laptops open in class, either. The more I think about it, I agree that it's a great idea.

nink · Answer

Very true. I didn't get a thing done every time I took my laptop to class back in college. Either I was busy on AIM or I was surfing the web.

Audio · Answer

Spot on as usual, especially the first point, so true! The great thing about BS is that it attracts a lot of smart people. The bad thing is that a larger chunk than usual of these people are control freaks or alpha females / guys. It's weird to see how a smart person can be such a nutcase in terms of teamwork. Fortunately I have managed to avoid being in the same workgroups with the nutters of my year (my learning team is great). Otherwise, to respond to the "rat race" comment, I have never ever seen such behaviour in class. I might be naive but I reckon that as much as there are very smart people competing for grades (not all of them though), there is a general sense of fair-play among the students, combined with a lot of mutual help. Even during job search (which was incredibly competitive this year), I didn't really perceive a rat race atmosphere. But again, I do tend to be a bit naive on that perspective :-D

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