Peek has changed a lot since its founding in 2015! Please visit the Peek website for the most up to date information on dates, registration, and program events.
I was incredibly excited when I learned about Peek Weekend, which offers an authentic look into the MBA program at Harvard Business School for undergraduate students from a variety of different backgrounds.
I was a member of the Women's College cohort, and it wasn’t without a sense of apprehension that I stepped into the first class of the weekend. During class we were to use the case method to analyze a real case the way we would in an MBA course. I was afraid that my lack of technical knowledge would hinder my ability to understand my peers or to provide meaningful contributions, and that fear lingered until our first class discussion took off and the true value of the case method of teaching began to reveal itself.
As we debated about the relative values of different managerial approaches, my peers and I began to realize how nuanced and subjective decision-making could be in the business world. During these debates, some of the most enlightening comments came from my cohort peers who offered points of consideration stemming from their own personal experiences and areas of expertise. It became clear to me that the wealth of ideas that we, as a cohort, developed over the weekend could only have emerged from the respectful and enthusiastic engagement of perspectives from a group diverse not only in academic interests, but also in culture, experiences, and personalities.
The amazing people that I met at the Peek program were from all sorts of backgrounds with many different stories to tell. What united all of us was the passion for learning and a shared interest in understanding the business world.
Getting to know my Women’s College cohort not only showed me what amazing kinds of people I would get to meet in the HBS MBA program, but also helped me to realize that having interests and knowledge in areas outside of economic and business theory not only does not hinder your ability to succeed in studying business, but in fact enrichens your experience and allows you to shape your unique perspective on complex problems, which can in turn, inspire your peers. This final lesson was one that I treasured the most from my experiences in the Peek program, and because of the confidence it gave me, I am now currently completing my certificate in the fundamentals of business through the HBX Core program, and I am loving it.
Studying at a women’s college really taught me to value my own thoughts and opinions, and to not be afraid to add my voice to an exchange of ideas. This was a quality that I found all my peers in the Women’s College cohort shared, and it was certainly a crucial element to the success of the weekend’s activities. The eagerness to share and respect for each other’s views that every member of the cohort brought to the classroom led to insightful discussions in each session, and helped make the entire weekend an incredible experience.
This program is not just for people who have already made up their mind about pursuing an MBA – it is really for everyone, even for those who just want to get an idea about what studying business is like. Go ahead and apply, you won’t regret it.