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Harvard Business School Online's Business Insights Blog provides the career insights you need to achieve your goals and gain confidence in your business skills.

 
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How CORe Gave Me the Confidence to Apply for an MBA

Edward Scanlan
  • 27 Sep 2018
Edward Scanlan Author Student Bloggers
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  • CORe

I finished CORe in June 2018, and can confidently say: The program was worth every minute.

My goal is to earn an MBA and J.D., but I knew I needed to fill in my knowledge gaps first. I had run my own video production company for three years—while simultaneously working through two bachelor’s degrees and interning 20 hours a week—before transitioning into property management.

After more than a decade in the field, however, I want to pivot my career into finance and, eventually, start my own business in artificial intelligence and media. I thought CORe could help.

I explored fundamental business concepts and, voluntarily, tax and business law through CORe. I wanted to not only learn and share through the peer help model, but test myself in a more rigorous way.

Before applying to CORe, I had also discovered Harvard University's commitment to the Honor Code—a value I embraced as an Honor Council board member at my high school. I felt reassured knowing Harvard placed attention on honesty and academic integrity.

I got heavily involved in the social aspects of Harvard Business School Online, frequently participating in Peer Help, which allows students to ask and answer questions within the course platform. There is no better reinforcement for me than teaching the material I am learning and building on those ideas with others. It also enabled me to network with my peers and make new contacts and friends.

After completing CORe, I continued to build my network by joining Community as a Team Member for the Washington, D.C. Chapter. The Community features more than 20 Chapters around the world, which host events that are free and open to everyone—not just past participants of HBS Online. It’s a network of people who want to help each other and includes professionals at different stages of their career.

In an effort to start making my own career dream a reality, I attended a graduate school information session in late July. While there, I inquired about CORe's role in Harvard Business School's admissions process.

Harvard Business School offers CORe to incoming students to help them prepare for the MBA classroom experience, and Admissions encourages candidates to take CORe if they are underprepared for the graduate degree’s quantitative topics, such as financial accounting.

The quantitative edge of CORe is where I found myself most alive. While I excelled in research methods, statistics, and experimental design, that only comprised five courses between my two bachelor’s degrees in psychology and communication media. CORe's quantitative features were crucial in furthering my finance career goals and could enhance my business school application. When I choose to enroll in an MBA program, I’m confident CORe will have been a good primer.

The impact of my experience with CORe and Community has made me want to further myself both professionally and intellectually. My plan now is to do just that.

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About the Author

Edward ("Ted") Scanlan is an active Team Member for the Community Chapter in Washington, D.C. He attended North Carolina State University for Psychology and Communication Media, and started CORe in February 2018. With a background in real estate, media, and entrepreneurship, he hopes to transition into a career in financial analysis, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and venture capital.
 
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How are HBS Online courses delivered?

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We offer self-paced programs (with weekly deadlines) on the HBS Online course platform.

Our platform features short, highly produced videos of HBS faculty and guest business experts, interactive graphs and exercises, cold calls to keep you engaged, and opportunities to contribute to a vibrant online community.

Do I need to come to campus to participate in HBS Online programs?

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No, all of our programs are 100 percent online, and available to participants regardless of their location.

How do I enroll in a course?

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All programs require the completion of a brief application. The applications vary slightly from program to program, but all ask for some personal background information. You can apply for and enroll in programs here. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before starting an application for the program of your choice.

Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

After submitting your application, you should receive an email confirmation from HBS Online. If you do not receive this email, please check your junk email folders and double-check your account to make sure the application was successfully submitted.

Updates to your application and enrollment status will be shown on your Dashboard. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.

Does Harvard Business School Online offer an online MBA?

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No, Harvard Business School Online offers business certificate programs.

What are my payment options?

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We accept payments via credit card, wire transfer, Western Union, and (when available) bank loan. Some candidates may qualify for scholarships or financial aid, which will be credited against the Program Fee once eligibility is determined. Please refer to the Payment & Financial Aid page for further information.

We also allow you to split your payment across 2 separate credit card transactions or send a payment link email to another person on your behalf. If splitting your payment into 2 transactions, a minimum payment of $350 is required for the first transaction.

In all cases, net Program Fees must be paid in full (in US Dollars) to complete registration.

What are the policies for refunds and deferrals?

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After enrolling in a program, you may request a withdrawal with refund (minus a $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee) up until 24 hours after the start of your program. Please review the Program Policies page for more details on refunds and deferrals. If your employer has contracted with HBS Online for participation in a program, or if you elect to enroll in the undergraduate credit option of the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, note that policies for these options may differ.

 

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