This past weekend I finalized my classes for the Spring term. In this seemingly simple decision there are a few caveats I was not aware of when I was choosing my classes for the Fall term, and was still learning during this registration period.
In summer I just picked whatever classes did not have other prerequisites and were still available at the time I finally realized that I needed to register for classes. I had to register for at least 7.5 credits in order:
- to take full advantage of my scholarship
- to try not to get overwhelmed in the very first term of graduate studies
- to set the pace for the whole program so I could try to complete it within 3 years
- and, finally, not to take on too much debt in students’ loan.
During the first term at GWSB part-time MBA program I learned a few things that were important and instrumental in my selection process for the second term:
- Not all professors are made equal. I had some rather discouraging experience in one of my classes. But from talking to some students who took other classes, I realized that it could be even worse. The main complaint from them was not that the subject matter was too hard, which it was, but that the professor did not really teach much, though required a lot. Now I have that professor on my “watchlist”, so I could try to avoid his class in the future, if at all possible.
- I should not take 2 quantitative courses simalteneously. I did this in the second half-term with Decision Making and Financial Accounting-II. I will try not to get into this trap again, if at all possible. On the other hand, one of my left-brained classmates was seemingly enjoying having these two classes with me, and from what I could tell he succeeded in them much better than I did. He said that he was trying to make his grade before getting to verbal courses that require a lot of writing.
- Three classes at the same time in one half-term is the maximum load I should take. Regardless whether it is quants or qualititative subjects, it is still a lot of work, if you try to learn at least something. Plus work, plus family, plus one needs to have some time to relax and recover. I know one classmate who was taking 4 classes at a time. This is practically a full-time MBA program workload while having a full-time job. I would not survive that. I am glad that person kept her sanity.
So, these were the major lessons I learned from the Fall term about selection of classes and choosing the workload. Next post will be on the actual classes I registered for in my second term of part-time MBA at GWU School of Business.
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