Soooooo... Do you study or do you chill like ice?

Question

Too hot to handle
Too cold to hold

That bout sums it up I'd say. I have the opportunity to take one or two classes over the summer at the GSB - say, Accounting or Statistics - both of which are good fundamentals.

So I have the following choices:

1) Take accounting during the summer.
2) Take both accounting and stats over hte summer. 
3) Take no classes during the summer, just take it off and start in the Fall.

I've pretty much decided that (2), while appealing, would cut into my "fun filled summer". That leaves 1 or 3.

Pro's to 1:
A) Get a class thats likely to be really hard (for me) out of the way early
B) Get some more flexibility for recruiting season - I could take just 2 classes that quarter instead of 3.
C) Get my brain back into student mode, re-adjust to the concept of studying

Con's to option 1: 
A) It's a weekly class, so things like going on trips are basically impossible - unless theres some way to attend a make up class. (which there might be). If some student calls me up and says "lets go to X" I probably can't. 
B) It means a little bit of work over the summer and a nice lazy summer sounds good too. 
C) Class ends right before random walk, you go on that, you have a week off, and then class starts. There's basically a two week break inbetween and thats it. 

The pro's and cons to option 3 are of course the flipsides to these - with option 3, I can travel, I dont stress out abotu a class, but I also dont get something painful out of the way, etc. 

So, what am I leaning towards:

I'll be basically broke anyway, so its not like I'd be going anywhere during the summer, even if I wanted to. The only exception would be visiting family (but I could always go for 5 days or something) or a few days down at the beach house. I'm also thinking that it's not like one class, one night a week, can really cramp my "fun filled" summer that much... can it? 

What do you guys think?

fluffydot · Answer

Did you ever take any intro accounting or statistics classes in undergrad? What was your major? 

I think it sounds like a good idea if you can take one of the courses in the summer and have some extra free time during the first term. However, are you sure they won't make you take something else in its place (to fill the schedule)?

I have taken really basic courses in ACC and Stat, so I will probably just do some reading to brush up. Cornell gave us all accounts to mbamath.com, so i will go through their online course and see how I fare.

Personally, there is no way I would give up my awesome pre-mba summer to sit in a weekly class! Good luck Rhyme!

I hope this doesn't screw up our plans to meet up in the bahamas?

kidderek · Answer

Wait a minute, you can take a class in the summer that counts towards credits you need during the fall? 

I would jump all over that. You'll have at least an extra 5-6 hours/wk for fall term and that will definitely give you an edge in recruiting. 

The downside would be having one less class with classmates and missing out on struggling together and hanging etc etc.

IMHO, small tradeoff.

rhyme · Answer

Stats I know. Accounting I do not.

No they wont. You need to take X classes to graduate, and they dont care how many classes per quarter you take.

What do you have planned?

Of course not.

rhyme · Answer

(I should also mention that I have tons of free time at work. For the last several months no one has had anything to do. Now things have picked up a bit and I figure I might have 2-3 hours of work a week.)

So many of you said no to taking the course. 

Frankly I'm surprised... can those of you that voted no explain your reasoning?

EconGirl · Answer

I want to meet in bahamas too! 

back to your question rhyme... I would proabbly take 1 class. I mean if it is a weekly class you can still do one weak trips whenever you want. And unless your friends are also going to grad school and having summers off, then they probably can't take off much more anyway and you will not miss a whole lot. 

On the other hand, it would suck if you were already planning a really long trip elsewhere - were you? In that case I would proabbly go for an awesome trip - on your deathbed, you will more likely think of that awesome summer of '07 you spent in country X than the kick-a$$ accounting class you took!

lhotseface · Answer

<img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" title="Smile" />

rhyme · Answer

The bahamas house is almost done. I'll have pictures up later tonight. 

I'm also leaning towards taking it. I can still do one week trips, and if I really want to do something longer, I can always go to a makeup class. 
I already have two big trips planned for the summer and I dont think I can afford a third or fourth - at least nothing more fancy than a few days in the bahamas or a few days visiting family. 

This is my summer schedule so far:

April: Miami 4 days
May: Fiji 10 days
June: nothing, but probably down to the bahamas for 3-4 days
July: nothing and itll stay that way given $$$
August: Galapagos 7 days

It's not the "I went to Brazil for 3 months" trip some people do, and I wish I could do that, but the reality of it is, I can't afford to anyway. With two major trips planned already - and at least 1 more small one (miami), I'll be spending my hard earned money as it is.

I'm thinking I'll just do one class...

fluffydot · Answer

Go ahead and take ACC then. You will most likely hate it as much as I did :lol:

I just know that if you "test out" of basic courses, you will have to replace them with some equivalent credit (usually adv course) In terms of summer plans, it's loosely like this: April: Jury Duty (WTF??), Johnson weekend 13th - 15th May: quit work early or mid month, chillax June: Open (chillax, workout, read, meet Rhyme in Bahamas) July: spend most of this month in Hong Kong, China, maybe a week in thailand August: get all packed up and move to Ithaca School starts pretty early for me - orientation starts on the 6th-19th, classes start 21st. I'll spend 1 month in HK to re-establish my "citizenship" and lookup family/friends for networking. I'm really hoping to find an IB job there for intern/post grad. Other than that, I will use to rest of my time to study a bit and get mentally prepared for my new life ahead.

3underscore · Answer

Today I chill. That is possibly partly due to the sunny yet baltic weather conditions in this d@mn city.

Who would have though Illinois would remind me of Scotland?

rhyme · Answer

Not quite... this fulfills a specific requirement - I'm not just placing out of something, I'm actually taking the course. https://programs.chicagogsb.edu/curricul ... ments.html I have to take one from each row, so I figure knock out Financial Accounting 30000. woot

3underscore · Answer

Oh, and Rhyme. I would take the Stats class over the accountancy class.

Same way I would choose anything over accountancy (including physical violence unto me)

rhyme · Answer

I think I'll manage fine in stats... its accounting that scares me. hence why i want to get it out of the way right from the get go.

johnnyx9 · Answer

I wouldn't bother w/ any classes if you think you can discipline yourself to just learn it on your own w/ an "Accounting For Dummies" type of book. I think accounting sounds like a much more intimidating subject than it actually is.

bulishona · Answer

you asked for explanations from those who voted no...

i'm not going to be travelling almost at all this summer but i still wouldn't take the class. mostly because i wouldn't want to "ease" back in to school. i want to enjoy my summer just hanging out and not worrying about gmat or apps or classes or anything. just relaxing. but that's just me 8-)

i'm confused about your logic for not taking stats now. if accounting is the one you're worried about, wouldn't you want to take that with the rest of your class for the support?

i'm confused about your logic for not taking stats now. if accounting is the one you're worried about, wouldn't you want to take that with the rest of your class for the support?

rhyme · Answer

Well, first off - just to make sure it's clear: Accounting is a required course at the GSB. I have to take it at some point. I don't really have a choice between Accounting and Stats - at some point, I have to take them both. 

Of course, there are two trains of thought here - option A) you take something you think will be (relatively) easy over the summer to ensure you don't get too bogged down. This would be stats.

Option B) You take something you think will be hard for you so that you get it out of the way at a point when, arguably, you have plenty of time to make sure you pass. At the very least, it'll be easier on you than when you have to handle 3 other classes and a recruiting schedule on top. This would, of course be Accounting. 

As for support, I'll have support - it'll just a study group of PT folk instead of FT folk.

I spose you could make an argument for A - say economics (though im not sure the GSB's version of econ would be easy) or stats - but part of hte point of taking something that I thought would be harder was to make sure I wouldn't have to cope with that class during recruiting. Seems like the value of B > value of A.

standard · Answer

Accounting class, and a summer full of joy... It's a pickle.

I don't know, for me, accounting is the single most undesirable thing to study, even if it's crucial.

I think throughout your MBA, you will learn accounting as well. Why start early? A good summer will make you better prepared and relaxed for the first season. That's my opinion.

klong009 · Answer

Have you looked into who is teaching these classes over the summer? Does Chicago offer prof. reviews or anything like that? 

Keep in mind, too, that fewer PTs start in the summer, and we don't like taking summer classes any more than you do! That may impact the size of the class/availability of study group members. Still, Accounting really isn't that hard. Boring and tedious, perhaps, but it's not difficult math-wise. If it looks like the prof for the class is good, and you want to get it out of the way, I'd go for it.

aaudetat · Answer

you live in the midwest, rhyme. i understand your Mediterranean proclivities, but you must understand that an entire of summer of goofing around will only harm you. that much pleasure is more than you should have. there should be suffering, and there must always be work to do. you must do the work. if you are goofing around, you should be filled with guilt.

perhaps the big city has diluted the chin-up, get-it-done, no-complaining attitude that is the bedrock of the midwestern landscape, but you must understand that being miserable is for your own good. 

isn't it fun to have grown up in the rural midwest? is anyone with me on that?

Ozmba · Answer

Thats awesome ..Chill as much as you can...who cares about some goddamn course work..one can always pull it off in the school with the team mates.... How about adding "Bangkok" to your holiday list ??

Soooooo... Do you study or do you chill like ice?

What should rhyme do?

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