accounting. kablamo.
I just took my accounting final. Everyone wonders why I am taking exams/classes even though I haven’t started school yet (let alone moved out of new york yet)…
In addition to the accounting, finance, and quantitative analysis online-tutorials that all incoming HBS students have to take, I was required to take actual CLASSES in accounting and finance before matriculating. (I am also required to attend “analytics” on campus in August, before classes start, but we’ll save that for another post.) This was a requirement for me because I am a non-traditional MBA student (read: non-finance, non-consulting). I’ve had some people react negatively when I’ve said to people that HBS labels me “non-traditional” but I don’t mind it, and because of the nature of the MBA program, it’s a statistical fact – I am non-traditional.
So, I set out to find classes to take. Realizing that NYU’s class schedules would not mesh with my moving out of NY schedule, I asked HBS to recommend online classes – and they recommended BYU.
I took the accounting class. It was interesting. I learned things I wish I’d better understood before: like the financial implications of renting/buying/leasing houses and cars, the financial implications of tax-withholding, etc. The structure of the class was compelling. A 3 hour computer based lecture for every lesson (16 lessons) followed by an online quiz. Plus 3 exams (non-comprehensive… the best kind). So I just completed my “final” (non-comprehensive) exam. It went well – the last question on the exam was to the effect of “What is the best way to succeed at life? A)challenge yourself B)learn new things C)be a good person D)all of the above.” I liked that they asked something like this at the end. Not only because it’s obviously an slam-dunk question (if you miss this, you should fail the class), but also because it put everything into perspective, forced me to stop saying “must get an A, must get an A” and just appreciate the fact I’d learned something new.
