About one month ago, I embarked on a new professional journey—I joined the April cohort of CORe. Even though it was a no-brainer decision for me to participate in the program once I was accepted, it has certainly been a sacrifice to participate in the program. In addition to the financial sacrifice to pay the $1,500 tuition, CORe is a serious time commitment. These two things are at the front of my mind every time I log in to the platform.
I am now about 20% through the program, according to my dashboard, and am amazed at how much I have learned in such a short time. Here are a few of my thoughts on the CORe program thus far:
- One of a kind learning opportunity
CORe is the first online course I have ever taken. Since graduating college, I have considered registering for a few MOOCs but thought, “Can I really learn anything of value through a computer screen?” After completing the first two modules in all three sections, I can honestly say that I am loving the CORe platform! It has debunked everything I had previously thought about online learning. Of course, there is still room for improvement, but HBX has designed a truly interactive platform that facilitates teaching and learning on par with my previous academic experiences.
- A unique community
Despite CORe and HBX being based entirely online, I have found the CORe program to foster a strong sense of community. With Peer Help, you are able to communicate and collaborate with your cohort members to support the understanding and application of concepts discussed in the course. The CORe staff also moderates a Facebook group that people use to engage in more light hearted conversations and organize meetups.
- Time management is key
If you’ve read other posts by the CORe student bloggers, you probably have noticed that time management is a recurring theme. I’d like to reiterate everyone’s sentiments—CORe is a serious time commitment. It is definitely a challenge to balance taking CORe with a full time job, but blocking off time on my Google calendar, and sticking to my schedule, has helped me manage the time commitment.
Last Saturday, I celebrated my 25th birthday. As I enter the second quarter of my life (that is, if I’m lucky enough to live to be 100), I strongly believe that my participation in CORe is helping me to build the foundations for the rest of my academic and professional career. Every time I log in to my course dashboard, begin a new module, complete a knowledge check, or answer a question on Peer Help, I know the sacrifice is worth it.
