Sloan Life and Traditions

A Day in the Life of a Sloan Fellow

GSB classes are scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. There are occasional classes on Wednesdays but this day is usually filled with guest speakers, study group meetings, class preparation, or meetings for Sloan events and activities.

A typical Sloan day looks like this:

6:00-8:00 a.m. Early birds get up to study before class or study group meetings. (You probably stayed up late last night too.)
8:00-10:00 a.m. Fellows meet with their study group. You go through the case that will be discussed in class and, if time remains, discuss the readings assigned for the day. This exchange helps to internalize and expand what you studied earlier on your own.
10:00-11:45 a.m. First class for the day: Organizational Behavior. The class is extremely interactive and the discussion is animated. The professor draws on the experience of each Sloan Fellow, and her energy is infectious.
Noon Fellows grab lunch from Arbuckle, and then gather in the Sloan Classroom for a Brown Bag Lunch presentation, a Top Management Seminar speaker, or a class meeting.
1:15-3:00 p.m. Financial Accounting is the second class of the day. Numbers just fly. Sloan Fellows must be alert because the pace is fast. The professor calls on you and you need to be ready. This class is engaging to the point that you lose track of time.
3:15-5:00 p.m. Modeling and Analysis. You have spent hours working up a spreadsheet and are amazed at the elegance and depth your professor brings to the discussion, and the real-world applications that emerge.
5:00-9:00 p.m. Fellows head home to study, eat, and spend time with families. Some may take some time to workout, but the night is going to be long.
9:00-2:00 a.m. Whether married or single, you use the evening and the night to study. Problems with interpreting the numbers of your case? Don’t worry. You can call a colleague. It doesn’t matter that it’s 12:30 a.m. because you know your fellow students are all awake and studying.

Our Traditions

Sloan traditions bridge generations of Fellows, providing partners and their families a common experience. Refined over the years, these activities help each class build a sense of community and set the tone for daily Sloan life. Many of these traditions are organized by Sloan Fellows and/or Sloan partners.

  • Family Barbeque -- the first Sloan event that brings together all Sloan Fellows, Sloan partners, and their children.
  • Brown Bag Lunches -- 15-minute lunchtime presentations where each Sloan Fellow shares his/her life experiences with classmates.
  • TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Friday) -- an informal gathering of Sloan Fellows and their partners to help unwind from a busy week.
  • Class Officers are elected for both Sloan Fellows and Sloan Partners to plan events and meet community needs.
  • Potluck Dinners bring together small groups of Sloan Fellow and partners to share food and conversation.
  • Sloan Parties are organized to celebrate major holidays and milestones such as graduation.
  • International Nights are hosted by international Sloan Fellows and partners to recognize and share the different cultures in the class.
  • Activities for Children: Since more than half the Sloan families have young children, events include a Halloween costume party, winter holiday events, the Easter egg hunt, and more.