Harbus

Issue date: 2/17/09 Section: Features

HBS is filled with support at the doctoral level as well. For instance, HBS doctoral students in Strategy and Finance are resources available on campus that are often willing to help MBAs think through tough issues in their field. For instance, a fourth year doctoral student in Finance may be willing to lend time to discuss the nuances of tricky capital structure material raised in FIN 2. While it might be difficult to find out who these doctoral students are, professors and Ed Reps often can help. Some of these doctoral students lead review sessions for MBAs but others would also be willing to lend an ear and help a fellow MBA student to increase understanding as well. Doctoral students' offices are usually close to the faculty of their unit.

Finally, the role of the faculty itself cannot be understated. Professors hold office hours because they want to speak with students and are happy to field questions, no matter how small. HBS is somewhat rare among business schools in that professors wholly devote one semester per year to teaching and look forward to establishing relationships with their students throughout the semester. Perhaps one of the easiest ways to "break the ice" with a professor is to visit the professor during office hours or available times and introduce yourself. It's a simple act that can often go a long way to improving comfort level with the professors and the class materials.

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