MBA managerial accounting class is kicking my behind

[cantdrv55]

Last quarter, I got an A in my Financial Accounting class. I thought something was fishy because accounting had never been my best subject. I transferred out of that public university and into a private college to continue in an MBA program. Maybe I should've stayed put.

Either this class is just really hard or my professor expects too much from part-time MBA students. The homework is intense, the quizzes are the same and we're given just 15 minutes to answer 10 nested questions. The class is very interesting though and I'm learning a lot. I sure hope I can pull a B out of the class or there goes my tuition reimbursement for the quarter and GPA.

Any of you MBA types have a hard time in Managerial Accounting? The analyses are fun but lots of memorization.

[VaSteve]

I can't really speak to this since I was an accountant before I got my MBA, but I don't think there was anything so complicated about anything in the MBA program. Perhaps the stats calculations I no longer remember.... Finance was all NPV and an the perfect capital model....I enjoyed that.

Managerial accounting is pretty important simply because that's how the internal folks use the information vice the required reporting for the SEC/market.

Don't sweat the GPA in MBA school, it's about getting the degree. Nobody ever asks me how my grades turned out.

[Porschephile944]

I'm not a MBA student, but did have to take a managerial accounting class during my undergrad degree. I'm remember right before the last test the teacher told us the key to the class to was understand the relationships between the different lines on the balance sheets. Basically stuff like what contributes to the difference between net and gross profit. Hope this helps you out in some way.

Good luck with the class BTW, give us an update when all is said and done.

[Don Plumley]

Truly understanding the balance sheet is the secret sauce to running a successful enterprise. Dig in and make the leap from rote memorization to getting the concepts. I wish I worked harder at it when I was in bschool; fortunately I had a patient cfo that helped me. Your ability to know when someone is snowing you or asking why they don't capitalize an expense will help your ascent and your company.

[Seahawk]

I have an undergraduate BS in economics and finance (MS in Systems Engineering...go figure [pun intended]).

What always helped me was to find someone that was willing to let me explain the problem and my answer to them...talking through difficult subjects always helped with concepts, which as Don mentioned, is key.

Good luck. I got my MS from Johns Hopkins when I was working full time so I know how hard can be. Hang in.

[LWJ]

Hello,
If it is any consolation, I found the accounting classes to be the most difficult and also the most valuable of all the course work I did in my MBA. I don't have any advice other than to hang in there. If you passed Financial Accounting, Managerial should be more than do-able. It should be a downhill run from there.

Good luck!
Larry

[Hugh R]

I struggled to get a "B" in accounting while getting my MBA. Managerial Accounting, I "got". It's all about the big picture health of the company's finances, IIRC. I saw it sort of like looking at the whole of the car, not just the engine. Don't focus on one item, look at everything. A/P, A/R, are they making buggy whips, when they should be making drive-by-wire technology.

[TechnoViking]

I have an engineering undergrad. MBA accounting and I did not get along at all. It's as if they were speaking a foreign language that only the finance undergrads could understand.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Geez, does this bring back bad memories. We got financial and managerial packed into a single one-semester undergrad class.

On top of it the professor really did speak a foreign language--he was a Belgian with a mediocre command of the English language. In retrospect he reminded me of Jacques Pepin.

Worst semester of my life. No references permitted during the 4-hour long exams.

[cantdrv55]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I really enjoy the class and am learning lots of relevant stuff. I try not to focus on GPA but to qualify for tuition reimbursement, I'd have to maintain a 3.0 throughout and cannot receive a grade less than B in any class.

[VaSteve]

Originally Posted by Martin Smith

I have an engineering undergrad. MBA accounting and I did not get along at all. It's as if they were speaking a foreign language that only the finance undergrads could understand.

LOL, in the accounting program in Undergrad, we had a make or break it semester or year. 4 hard core accounting classes. Those that couldn't hack it went to finance. If it's any consolation....there are tons of people that can't hack accounting. To me it's very machincal (as opposed to financial). Every action must balance, so look for the other side of the transaction. Look at the relationships...the relationships (current, quick ratio, a/r turn, etc) are the keys to managerial accounting.

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I really enjoy the class and am learning lots of relevant stuff. I try not to focus on GPA but to qualify for tuition reimbursement, I'd have to maintain a 3.0 throughout and cannot receive a grade less than B in any class.

They know that too, grade inflation is pretty prevalent in MBA programs. I think you really have to try to get a C.

Good luck, PM me if you want to bounce an idea or something.

[cantdrv55]

Thanks VaSteve!

[alf]

Financial Acct and Mgr Acct are 2 different beasts. The former deals mostly with the mechanics of reporting once you understand the basics it is easy, the latter focuses on making decidions and is more coneceptual.

Incremental Analysis is a difficult concept to embrace but once you do you'd make better biz decisions. The golden rule i got out of Mgr Acct is sunk cost is sunk- look forward not back.

[cantdrv55]

Grueling mid term but did pull out a 90%. As Plumley said, the key is understanding the material and not merely memorization. I have learned so much in this course.