"Super Round" for 2nd Year Electives: What is it?
Adam Favero, MBA1, GSB Student Academic Committee
Issue date: 5/2/05 Section: News
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All of you will now have had some experience in selecting electives at some point during your time at the GSB. Most of you will now have also experienced some form of anxiety while hoping that you got your first choice electives - that subject you just really wanted to or felt you needed to take. Over the years at the GSB there have been numerous variations in the method in which electives have been allocated to students. The Student Academic Committee (AC) is modifying the Super Round this year by adding a "Round Zero". The purpose of this article is to provide an understanding of what Super Round is, to explain how Round Zero fits into the process, and to offer advice regarding how to make educated choices.
It is an inevitable and unfortunate fact that there is excess demand for certain GSB courses, as well as particular professors. Consequently some form of mechanism must exist to allocate seats in electives to students. In forming such a mechanism, the GSB and AC have always had two main objectives: (a) The mechanism should be equitable to all students; and (b) The mechanism should allocate seats to students who value those seats most highly. A further objective is that the system be straightforward and, finally, that the system shouldn't raise any eyebrows when described publicly. If you'd like to read a memo from Dean Kreps on the philosophy and history of the allocation process at the GSB, please go to the student site (mygsb.stanford.edu).
'So what is Super Round?'
The Super Round is the process through which students are allocated two electives for their entire second year, and this takes place in May each year. The point of the Super Round is to enable students to think about the two electives that they want, or need, the most during their second year, instead of thinking of elective classes on a quarter-by-quarter basis. Super Round provides them with an opportunity to rank preferences for allocation in two high-demand elective courses.
In Super Round, every student is randomly allocated a computer generated number between 1 and 380. Electives are then allocated to students following a basic algorithm in which students are placed, in order from student #1 to student #380, in their highest ranked class that is (a) still available, and (b) does not conflict with previous choices. After allocating one elective to each student (Round One), the sequence is reversed (Round Two) and each student beginning with student #380 and ending with student #1 is allocated a second class using the same logic. Based on your submitted preferences, you will be allocated two high-demand classes as part of Super Round.
'Then what is this Round Zero?'
The change this year is that prior to Super Round, students may elect to trade those two class choices for one class choice, in Round Zero.
You may be asking 'why would I trade my two choices for one?'. Under this system, fewer students are expected to use both their choices for a single elective choice. Given that Round Zero occurs before Super Round this gives students who give up their two choices for one during Round Zero a better chance of getting into that class that they just had to take, before it fills. This would provide you with the opportunity to indicate your even stronger preference for that single course you really want. However, the cost of giving up a second high-demand elective by participating in Round Zero may be underestimated. You should consider not only the value of your second choice but also the demand for it after Super Round finishes - just because it may not fill in Super Round does not mean it would not consequently fill during regular registration prior to your allocation of a place in that class.
Some caveats and advice
As mentioned earlier, there are several very high-demand electives offered at the GSB, with more demand for places than are available. In deciding whether or not to participate in Round Zero, you need to ask yourself how badly you really want to do that elective. Is it critical to your career that you do that elective? Could you otherwise benefit more from taking two other relatively high-demand electives as part of the regular Super Round? In answering this question you need to ask yourself why it is you feel you really want to do that elective. This goes back to asking reflecting on why you came to the GSB, and what you now want to get out of your academic experience and learn here.
If the answer is that you feel you have a genuine passion for that one class and feel you really need it for your career, then perhaps the answer is yes - use both your choices during Round Zero. However if you only think that it just sounds like a good class you should take, then perhaps you should look further at other choices and perhaps defer to Super Round where you would have two choices. Be very cautious of the herd mentality in deciding on what electives to take, and be aware of statements from other students that 'you just have to take that elective from Professor "X"'. Do you really need to do it, or are you considering it because everyone else is? At the end of the day, the best advice we can offer to you is to conduct very thorough research before making your choice. Talk to second-year students, research the course descriptions, attend the Elective BBL hosted by the AC, and importantly talk to the faculty and staff. We offer you some quotes from some seasoned second years:
"It is easy to get distracted by what sold out quickly last year, and to somewhat blindly put those as your first choices"
"Research is definitely an important part of the process, but make sure that you are really, genuinely, picking subjects that you are excited about!"
"Don't miss the deadline! Seriously! Put a reminder on your Outlook. Write it in bold on your Beefcakes calendar. Tape it to your forehead. Whatever it takes!"
In comparison to the Super Round, we hope the new Round Zero choice offers you a better, although not guaranteed, chance of getting into one elective that you really want. But it does come at a cost, and the AC wishes you the best in making your choice.
It is an inevitable and unfortunate fact that there is excess demand for certain GSB courses, as well as particular professors. Consequently some form of mechanism must exist to allocate seats in electives to students. In forming such a mechanism, the GSB and AC have always had two main objectives: (a) The mechanism should be equitable to all students; and (b) The mechanism should allocate seats to students who value those seats most highly. A further objective is that the system be straightforward and, finally, that the system shouldn't raise any eyebrows when described publicly. If you'd like to read a memo from Dean Kreps on the philosophy and history of the allocation process at the GSB, please go to the student site (mygsb.stanford.edu).
'So what is Super Round?'
The Super Round is the process through which students are allocated two electives for their entire second year, and this takes place in May each year. The point of the Super Round is to enable students to think about the two electives that they want, or need, the most during their second year, instead of thinking of elective classes on a quarter-by-quarter basis. Super Round provides them with an opportunity to rank preferences for allocation in two high-demand elective courses.
In Super Round, every student is randomly allocated a computer generated number between 1 and 380. Electives are then allocated to students following a basic algorithm in which students are placed, in order from student #1 to student #380, in their highest ranked class that is (a) still available, and (b) does not conflict with previous choices. After allocating one elective to each student (Round One), the sequence is reversed (Round Two) and each student beginning with student #380 and ending with student #1 is allocated a second class using the same logic. Based on your submitted preferences, you will be allocated two high-demand classes as part of Super Round.
'Then what is this Round Zero?'
The change this year is that prior to Super Round, students may elect to trade those two class choices for one class choice, in Round Zero.
You may be asking 'why would I trade my two choices for one?'. Under this system, fewer students are expected to use both their choices for a single elective choice. Given that Round Zero occurs before Super Round this gives students who give up their two choices for one during Round Zero a better chance of getting into that class that they just had to take, before it fills. This would provide you with the opportunity to indicate your even stronger preference for that single course you really want. However, the cost of giving up a second high-demand elective by participating in Round Zero may be underestimated. You should consider not only the value of your second choice but also the demand for it after Super Round finishes - just because it may not fill in Super Round does not mean it would not consequently fill during regular registration prior to your allocation of a place in that class.
Some caveats and advice
As mentioned earlier, there are several very high-demand electives offered at the GSB, with more demand for places than are available. In deciding whether or not to participate in Round Zero, you need to ask yourself how badly you really want to do that elective. Is it critical to your career that you do that elective? Could you otherwise benefit more from taking two other relatively high-demand electives as part of the regular Super Round? In answering this question you need to ask yourself why it is you feel you really want to do that elective. This goes back to asking reflecting on why you came to the GSB, and what you now want to get out of your academic experience and learn here.
If the answer is that you feel you have a genuine passion for that one class and feel you really need it for your career, then perhaps the answer is yes - use both your choices during Round Zero. However if you only think that it just sounds like a good class you should take, then perhaps you should look further at other choices and perhaps defer to Super Round where you would have two choices. Be very cautious of the herd mentality in deciding on what electives to take, and be aware of statements from other students that 'you just have to take that elective from Professor "X"'. Do you really need to do it, or are you considering it because everyone else is? At the end of the day, the best advice we can offer to you is to conduct very thorough research before making your choice. Talk to second-year students, research the course descriptions, attend the Elective BBL hosted by the AC, and importantly talk to the faculty and staff. We offer you some quotes from some seasoned second years:
"It is easy to get distracted by what sold out quickly last year, and to somewhat blindly put those as your first choices"
"Research is definitely an important part of the process, but make sure that you are really, genuinely, picking subjects that you are excited about!"
"Don't miss the deadline! Seriously! Put a reminder on your Outlook. Write it in bold on your Beefcakes calendar. Tape it to your forehead. Whatever it takes!"
In comparison to the Super Round, we hope the new Round Zero choice offers you a better, although not guaranteed, chance of getting into one elective that you really want. But it does come at a cost, and the AC wishes you the best in making your choice.