The Acton MBA Class of 2011 is now in the third week of pre-matriculation (Premat).
On May 24, they started this intensive summer session. For the thirteen weeks leading up to the beginning of the fall semester (classes start Monday, August 30), they will prepare for the year ahead.
The students participate in five online courses. Preparation for the Entrepreneurial Journey and Preparation for a Life of Meaning introduce the students to the concepts that they’ll be covering in the Entrepreneurial Journey and Life of Meaning courses in the fall, while Customers Tools Online, Cash and Valuation Tools Online, and Operations Tools Online give them a taste of the tools, skills, and frameworks they’ll use in the coming year. This is more than just summer reading: the students complete accounting and quantitative exercises, play a variety of sim games, practice sales techniques, and take stock of their lives and their callings — in addition to reading a number of great books on business and life. In order to enroll in fall classes, the students must pass a test at the end of Premat. It all adds up to 40+ hours of work a week. In other words, it’s a full time job.
“Premat is a big time commitment and helps our students work up to the 90 to 100-hour workweeks they have ahead of them. When they walk into the classroom in August, they’ll also be facing the Socratic Method and the Case Method for the first time. Premat lets them come in with some knowledge under their belts, making the transition a little easier,” says Susie Hall, Director of Outreach and Enrollment.
Premat is also a great way for the students to get to know each other. They work together in study groups over Skype — members are currently working on the coursework around the globe — and form close bonds as they discuss Life of Meaning topics and work through Cash and Valuation problem sets together.
It may be tough, but Acton students aren’t the types who shy away from long hours and hard work. Many came to Acton looking for a challenge, and Premat will help them get the most out of the extraordinary year they spend in Austin. Good luck, Class of 2011!
Students and alumni: share your Premat experiences in the comments section
Photo courtesy of Chapendra.
Tags: Class of 2011, Premat
Posted in Announcements, Blog, Students
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