The first week of the course was dedicated to creating a resume and portfolio. These documents were then used to place students with firms on a competitive basis. The firms assessed the students' capabilities from these documents as the first cut of the evaluation process. A firm could hire the student based completely on this review or schedule interviews with a short list of candidates. After placement with a firm, students worked out a schedule and reported directly to the firm. Students produced research papers through the semester that were designed to help them better understand the experience, increase their knowledge and contribute more effectively to the firm.