For those who have completed your MBA's, what advice would you give to those about to embark upon the journey? What would have made you more successful in the quest? What would have prepared you better beforehand? I am taking the Business Fundamentals Certificate (which is a blend of accounting, finance, operations management and marketing classes) through Coursera and Wharton Business School right now as I finish up my TESC capstone class. I do not have a business education background and I am trying to lay the groundwork for an expedited and fruitful experience in the WGU MBA program this fall.
By completing that course, you're doing more prep work than most of your classmates who will come to b-school without an undergrad in business. Most MBA programs teach a core curriculum in the first year that IMHO basically bootstraps you with the knowledge you would gain earning an undergrad degree in business. It's taught more quickly, and at an advanced level, but it's the same subjects. In your second year, you branch out into electives that let you dive deeper in the areas of interest. To get ahead of the game, I would walk in the door familiar with managerial and financial accounting, basic principles of finance including time value of money, and I would do as hardcore a review/reteach of mathematics as you're willing to do. If you can walk in feeling comfortable with the concepts taught in first and second semester calculus classes, you will be extremely comfortable with the level of math you'll be working with in b-school. Best of luck!
As Fortunato said, by taking those classes you are more prepared then most. One thing I have recommended to others with minimal business experience is to read the "Ten Day MBA" I keep one at work and one at home as a great reference. For most I would say the accounting and finance piece would be most challenging without the proper background.
Here is The Ten Day MBA pdf via SlideShare: 10+day+mba MBA In A Day (2004) by Steven Stralser http://resource.1st.ir/PortalImageDb/ScientificContent/855d70d9-125e-4316-814e-e8cc2ad829f6/MBA%20In%20A%20Day.pdf The Portable MBA (2002) The portable mba
