Beginning with this year’s class of 2010, the words “Yuan” “Ruppee” and “Pound” will carry added meaning for Wharton freshmen. These, along with six other currencies, are a part of the new cohort system that begins this academic year. Each cohort is a group of freshmen who, if everything goes according to plan, will “share academic and social experiences throughout their four years at Penn.” Wharton Undergraduate has launched this new system loosely based on Wharton MBA’s cohort system. 

Several recent changes to the freshman curriculum have made possible this addition to the Undergraduate Program. Instead of taking Econ 001 and 002 in their first two semesters, Wharton freshmen will take a condensed version of the two courses in the fall semester, and an intermediate microeconomics course in the spring. All Wharton freshmen will take these classes within their cohorts. After the freshman year ends, the cohorts will exist as a social concept only.

Thus far, the closest Penn has come to placing students into cohorts is the Huntsman Program. In addition to taking classes together, Huntsman students all live on the same floor in Kings Court during their freshman year. After so much time spent together in academic and social contexts, it is no surprise that many Huntsman students exhibit care and loyalty to their program and its incoming freshmen. The new cohort program attempts to capture some of this shared understanding and apply it on a larger scale.

Beth Hagovsky, Direct of Student Life at Wharton, hopes the new program will foster a student unity that lasts far longer than two shared freshman courses. However, if the Wharton Undergrad Division truly wants these cohorts to leave a lasting impression on students, the cohort program must also have a strongly emphasized social aspect. As with any group, a sense of belonging is nurtured through shared downtime — the casual moments when members can actually relax and get to know their peers.

As it stands, what Wharton has in terms of “professional development” — networking receptions, industry speakers, and leadership workshops — it lacks on a social scale. Outdoor adventures are leadership ventures; Wharton clubs typically are professional in orientation; Wharton-sponsored events offer students a chance to either network or enhance their business skills.  A competition between cohorts to finish building a Habitat for Humanity home creates a chance for bonding; a race to be the first to shake the recruiter’s hand after a company presentation does not. While the sheer number and quality of professional events is otherwise unheard of at the undergraduate level, no-strings-attached socializing also has a place in Wharton-sponsored programming.

The ideal thus is and should be a program that fosters good times with good friends — and when it comes time to write a check to the Penn Fund, perhaps students will fondly recall the good times they spent bonding with their cohorts.  It’s inherently satisfying to feel you’re a part of something, and if done right, the cohorts can provide a setting for that feeling within Wharton.  The cohorts are “not going to be an overnight success,” says Hagovsky. “It will be a number of years before we start seeing real success.”

To make the program a success, activities within cohorts should take place each semester and extend into senior year. From cohort-specific study breaks to inter-cohort competitions (such as 3 on 3 basketball tournaments), the Wharton Council should incorporate cohorts into the many activities it already sponsors. And to borrow from the MBAs once more, senior cohort Pub (read: pizza and beer) events would be a great way to brand that cohort spirit into all participants before their time at Penn ends. The Undergraduate division should keep in mind that students don’t need another competitive or professional outlet. Providing the opportunity for students to step back and relax with friends is equally important.