MBA Preparation: 4 Pre-MBA Courses Essential for Success
Every MBA Program will require that students possess, right from the beginning, core skills in accounting, finance, math and analytics. While you may have brushed up on your skills to prepare for the GMAT, there’s probably room for further study in order to be ready for the inevitably daunting first three months of your MBA program. While you’re adjusting to a rigorous new schedule that includes extensive nightly reading and lecture preparation, the last thing you want to have to do is go back to the drawing board on quantitative math or data analysis. You don’t want to experience the sinking feeling of listening to a lecture and drawing a complete blank on linear regression analysis while everyone else in the room seems totally at ease.
Fortunately, there is a free online MBA preparation program from Imperial College Business School in London designed to help you get fully up to speed and ready to go on day 1 of your MBA. These 4 courses offer a 6-week MBA bootcamp that you can complete online, on your own time and in any order. All courses are available starting October 17, 2016 and you can enroll and start them all at once or take them in sequence. An ideal scenario is to take the courses alongside your GMAT prep, but they are also great to take during the months just prior to starting your MBA program.
The Essential MBA Preparation
1. Accounting
Read income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements like a pro and learn how to turn financial data into well-informed business decisions.
2. Finance
Understand the core concepts of finance including capital budgeting, asset allocation, company valuation and the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM).
3. Math
Learn and practice the various types of linear equations used throughout an MBA program and how to use calculus to optimize profit. Understand net present value, compound interest and other key mathematical concepts.
4. Data Analysis
Skills in statistics and data analysis are essential for business. With the amount of data collected growing exponentially due to the Internet of Things (IoT), it’s more important than ever to know how to process, interpret and make key decisions from data.
Don’t stop here. Find many more courses on edX that dive deeper into accounting, finance, free cash flow, math and data analysis. Enroll now and take courses from top universities and institutions worldwide.
Last updated: September 2016