We just finished our first round of exams, and I can’t think of a better time for self-reflection.
One of the best parts of Wharton’s large student body is that it is easy to find someone whose approach to exams matches yours; people here run the gamut from super stressed (though these people are few in number) to very lax (arguably, me). I have been in an academic environment for the past seven years, and I consequently view Wharton as one giant learning opportunity rather than a must-have shot at Director’s List. This attitude has helped take the stress out of exams and made school a much more enjoyable experience.
In particular, I have come to really appreciate Wharton’s practical approach to classroom-based learning. In microeconomics, we use real-life examples such as Uber and Philadelphia liquor laws to illustrate the concepts of the day. In statistics, we apply lessons on outliers and confidence intervals to prior classes’ GMAT scores and current CEOs’ salaries. All of this makes for an extremely active learning environment that I have truly come to value. Now, when I read the newspaper, I find that I understand what’s going on in the world much more than I ever have. I guess I learned a thing or two in the past couple months, huh? Needless to say, with Q1 behind us, I am very excited to see what Q2 will bring.