The Application Process

Hi. I am targeting "Statistics" for my MBA, but have no background in finances, accounting, or math. Would it be helpful if I have some basic classes from a local community college before applying for an MBA? If so, what classes do you recommend? such as Principles of Accounting I or Elementary Statistics?

Hi Yumi,

Congrats to you for being so proactive about taking supplementary coursework. I find that to be the thorn in the side of many of my clients who wait until the last minute to think about this.

When I applied to HBS myself, I was conditionally accepted (a rare, if not nonexistent anymore, occurrence). I had to take supplementary coursework to prove I was REALLY ready for the Harvard classroom. Additionally, I have recommended that some of my clients who have low GPAs (under 3.6) or little quant experience to take supplementary coursework as well. I recommend you take the following courses if you have not yet taken them and earn a B+ or better in them (in order of importance):

1) Accounting
2) Finance
3) Statistics
4) Microeconomics
5) Calculus

You are right that it is completely fine to take them at a community college. Don't pay a lot more money to take these courses at a fancy institution unless you really just want to do that.

I took Corporate Finance through BYU Independent Study and recommend them if you're interested in online learning. However, a community college is just fine as well.

Good luck with your process!
Kaneisha

As a former journalist and speech writer, I had very few quantitative courses on my previous transcripts. So, after I was admitted to business school, I looked into taking various courses in finance, accounting, statistics and economics...so I could keep up with my fellow classmates who were engineers, CPAs, financial analysts, etc. It wasn't a requirement, but like you, I wanted to be proactive in my course preparation.

I only took accounting and finance, which I would highly recommend. But I would also recommend you take statistics and microeconomics. I wish you all the best.

Hi Yumi2012 -

I'm so glad to hear that you are being proactive in your preparations for business school! Your initiative will serve you well in the future.

I worked for 15 years as the Director of MBA Admissions at a Top-30 MBA program. As part of the preparations for incoming students, we required them to take courses through the Harvard Business Publishing group. (https://hbsp.harvard.edu/)

They have several very good self-paced, online courses that provide excellent preparation for someone like you. The cost is reasonable. And, you'll be able to do more than 1-2 courses (as compared to taking courses at a community college).

I recommend the courses in Statistics, Accounting and Finance.

Continue being proactive! Best wishes for a productive summer!

Wendy Flynn
MBA Admissions Coach

Hi Yumi2012

If you are looking for experiences to enhance your resume so that you can better maximize your upcoming educational and career opportunities, please consider participating in a professional volunteer program in advance of you MBA.

Organizations such as SCORE, Net Impact, USALC, or Taproot can be great resources for locating challenging and professionally-rewarding volunteer opportunities. These organizations solve meaningful strategy challenges of nonprofits and small businesses in need.

Thank you & good luck,

Maxwell Roper
Outreach Director
USA Leadership Corps (USALC)
www usaLeadershipCorps org

Firstly thanks to all of you for this very valuable information.

I was considering the HBS business review corses as I from a medical background and hae absolutely no background in maths. But the prblem is that they do not provide any credits. Do you think it would still be fine to go ahead with it? It seems more cost effective than other courses.

Please guide me.

Thanks