re: LSUS Online MBA Reviews

FIN 701 – Choi

In one phrase – “Finance made… not easy… but easier”
Difficulty – 4

Comments – Finance is tough. It’s boring, there are a ton of numbers and weird theories, and no one really likes it. That said, Choi does a decent job of forcibly drilling a bit of Finance knowledge into your brain. I’m actually only halfway through the class as I write this and have already used some of the information I’ve learned. The class consists of reading 2 extensive PowerPoints a week, 5 weekly discussion posts that requires you to dig into one of the course topics in more detail (200 word min), 2 sizeable case analyses (500 word min, but you’ll probably do MUCH more), and 3 closed-book (Half page notecard allowed for formulas only), Proctorio exams covering two modules each. There is a HIGHLY active Q&A board and he’s extremely responsive. You get a “problem set” each week for practice that you don’t actually have to do or turn in. DO NOT SKIP THESE. They’re essentially practice exams and the vast majority of the test will come directly from the problem sets. They’re big and time consuming, but very good practice. If you didn’t catch it earlier, I said there are 3 exams covering 2 modules each. This was not a typo. The class is 6 modules with the last module spanning the last two weeks. It will probably be a bear, but at the same time it also means you could potentially finish a week earlier if you want to push yourself. That’s not to say that the class is easy, the very first thing I said is that Finance is tough. However, if you do the work and put in the time, you should be able to earn yourself an A. The case analyses are a lot of research, but at the end of the day you will learn quite a bit while doing them and that knowledge will probably be your biggest takeaways from the class. As for the actual financial calculations, it’s pretty archaic but all the math is done on financial calculators NOT Excel… TI BAII Plus is recommended. At this point, it’s practically Jurassic to use a calculator so that’s a bit odd. This is something to keep in mind as you will essentially be learning a highly outdated process that lost relevance nearly 3 decades ago.
Update: The first test is easy, but the second two can be TOUGH. The mistake that many people seemed to have made was that they memorized the problem sets without actually learning how to solve the problems. DO the problem sets, don’t just memorize the answers.

“A” Strategy – Choi gives you ALL of the tools you need to earn an A. The class is extremely straightforward with no tricks (unlike some other professors). There is literally an easy, albeit extremely time-consuming “A” strategy and that is to do the problem sets as many times as you need to until you basically can get them 100% without your notes. However, don’t just memorize the problem sets, you need to understand how to actually work the problems out. He gives you a separate file with the answers and how to solve them so you can check. Also check the Q&A board for any problems you have issues with or ask on the boards. He’s highly responsive with how to solve the any question. He isn’t going to just hand you an A, but if you really put in the time and effort it is straightforward to earn one. The first test is dramatically easier than the second and third, so you need to STUDY. You get to make a single “formula sheet”. Write down every formula you use to solve the problem sets, even if it is a variation of an existing formula. This will save you time and effort. Convert all of his answers from the problem sets into their respective formulas. Also utilize any formulas he uses on the discussion boards, as they are sometimes easier to understand. You literally get EVERY tool you need and the rest is just effort (a lot of it).

Time Commitment – 20-40 hours/week. Honestly, this one really has the potential to be a real bear for some. Others may be gifted enough to handle the material easily so there’s going to be a huge range in time required. The two case analyses are time consuming due to the amount of research involved, don’t be misled by the “500 word minimum”. If you don’t study and prepare extensively for the tests, you will probably fail them. That said, you can actually have a failing average score on your tests and still get a B in the class.

Acct 701 with Huang was a good class. She explained most concepts very clearly in her notes. I wish she would’ve included transcripts with the videos because they were difficult to understand. I didn’t bother with the chapter readings unless I needed additional clarification. The homework problems were helpful in preparing for the test. Start the final project as soon as possible to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the directions. It is simple as soon as you start completing the sections. I had pare down some of the information that I had so it would not be too long.