If there is one thing I learned during the pandemic lockdowns, that would be to invest in oneself by upskilling and enrolling in online courses.
Ready to take the plunge? 💭
Read on as I present my Harvard Business School Online Review to help you get started on your career-oriented journey.
I have always been a firm believer in having a clear goal for every year. 😊
One of the top resolutions that we are all sharing this March is that we all want to learn a skill and develop new hobbies that might jumpstart a new profitable career!
With this, I have seen lots of online platforms and websites suddenly bombarding all of the social media sites with the latest deals and price cuts on their courses.
From learning dropshipping, selling graphic designs, to even creating viral content and learning about day trading, the topics and lessons available on the internet just keep on growing at a significant rate.
That shows that most of us are willing to set aside some time each day to learn something new rather than feel stuck in the career we are in right now. 📚 🤓
Trust me, I know how it feels, which prompted me to learn more about marketing and technology!
How about you? Have you tried listing down your strengths and surfing the web for a course that might potentially help you out in the future?
If you have, then I bet one of the platforms you have encountered is the Harvard Business School Online. It isn’t every day that we get to say:
“Hey, I finished leadership training for Harvard!. 🤟
However, with all the recent developments in technology, it seems that getting your hands on a certificate or a diploma from a prestigious school is very much possible.
And what is even surprising here is that it doesn’t cost as much as a regular face-to-face crash course!
Head over to Coursera, one of the top MOOC platforms today. ✅
You will see a list of universities and companies offering niche-based courses masterfully crafted to ensure seamless learning.
Some of these universities are Imperial College London, Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, Duke, University of Michigan, and the University of Illinois.
But, be on your guard! 🛑
Before you dive in and look for other similar courses out there, let me remind you that not all platforms are actually credible, nor they’re created equally.
As much as I hate to say it, the internet is filled with traps, and some sites are masquerading themselves as legitimate when in fact, they are not regulated by any credible institutions!
Some of the famous sites you should think twice on are Shaw Academy, The International Open Academy, Almeda University, and Amstead University. ✋⚠️
If you are really interested in something that is authoritative enough and holds the name of one of the most prestigious universities in the world, then continue reading today’s post.
Before I start, let me just clarify that I am not, in any way, connected with Harvard, nor am I being compensated to write this post. What you will read here is just my honest opinion about their platform and nothing more.
At the end of this article, I will also introduce my most recommended way of earning so that you can finance enrollment to any online universities you wish to!
Now that that is out of the way, off we go! 🚀
Harvard Business School Online Review
There has to be a reason you are interested in enrolling in one of Harvard’s courses.
For some, it can be because they are opting for a promotion (like what happened with one of the respondents from Forbes), and some actually do it because they want to enrich their knowledge.
In contrast, others do it for the sake of the university’s name. 🙃
Regardless of your reason, I think we can all agree that Harvard is a leading university in the world.
Just by seeing those three little words on your resume or listed under your LinkedIn profile, you will instantly have this glittering aura that will make HR personnel love you!
But here is the thing – your success does not depend on the name of the school, whose name you will drop on your resume. Your success still depends on your skills and whether you can apply what you have learned.
Harvard is one of the most influential business schools globally, and having a certificate or a diploma under it can exponentially increase your chances of landing opportunities in various corporations.
Since not all of us have the financial capacity to pay for its high tuition fee and move to the country where it’s located, they have built the Harvard Business School Online. ⭐🏫
Not to confuse you, HBX (the rebranded name of HBS) does not offer an MBA. Instead, it capitalizes on delivering high-quality certificate courses under the field of business.
Were you interested in developing leadership skills or learning about the current role of business in society? The Harvard Business School Online has you covered with its certificate courses as well as CORe programs.
If you enroll with them, you can expect to finish the courses at your own pace. 👌
However, to give you a more unambiguous indication of how long it usually lasts, take note that depending on the course, you might see yourself finishing it comfortably at around 3-17 weeks which translates to about 3-8 hours per week.
One of the reasons it has become such a success is that the school is available for all nationalities. Additionally, suppose you are currently a grad school student or undergraduate student from the US.
In that case, you can take advantage of their scholarship opportunities for programs like the Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting courses.
The HBX was launched in 2014. 🎉
The primary reason for its existence is to provide an online avenue where committed learners can learn about business concepts while leading their own lives without being physically present in a classroom.
It has reached over 100k learners in 175 countries and has allowed students to collaborate and learn about the business field without the hassle.
Everything is 100% delivered online, but please note that getting a certificate of completion will still depend on whether you have passed all your reports and the assessments.
Everything is self-paced except for the assessments, which have weekly deadlines to motivate them to give their best when studying.
In terms of technical requirements, you only need an internet connection to play the videos and answer the interactive assessments.
Here’s my take on this. You see, the program is something that you should try on.
Unlike other online courses, which you are not sure whether they are accredited or follow a specific module or set of competencies, renowned educators developed the HBX so that it remains to be a premium type of course to try out.
Since the courses’ price is a bit on the higher end of the spectrum, it does not have much following on social media.
If you check out their Facebook page, you will be surprised to know that only 296k people follow this than the official Harvard University profile with 6 million followers.
If you ask me, I think you are paying for two things when you enroll with HBX: the school’s name and the quality of education.
I mean, you can go and do a quick search on Google, where you will instantly find courses that have the same name but are hosted by other educational platforms or universities.
But then again, you need to check whether these are accredited at all!
With HBX, you do not need to spend time researching because the name says it all.
We are talking about Harvard, and their courses are tailored not just by instructors (no offense) but by professionals who have years of experience in that same field.
What better way to learn but by merely joining a class from someone who has a business and has had real encounters with what they are teaching, right?
Harvard Business School Online Free Courses
As you can see, the HBX has two types of courses: ⬇️
- The CORe – the most intense program of the series. Once you complete it, you can request an actual transcript.
- The Regular Business Certificate Courses – are built around the trends in society. Please expect the content and examples from the lessons to differ from time to time.
Let me just clarify now that there are no free online courses under the HBX. However, suppose you are interested in taking other business-related courses at Harvard.
In that case, you might want to check out their catalog and take advantage of their free business courses that can be accomplished within 2-5 weeks!
As of writing, they have seven categories for courses under their platform. ⬇️
• The Business Essential – holds the CORe ✓
• Leadership & Management – 4 courses ✓
• Analytics – 3 courses ✓
• Enteprenusership & Innovation – 3 courses ✓
• Strategy – 5 courses ✓
• Finance & Accounting – 3 courses ✓
• Business in Society – 2 courses ✓
Once you are done with any of these, you can instantly download your certificate of completion, which has your full name, the professor’s signature, the official letterhead of HBX, and the seal on the right side.
You can use this certificate in your resume or directly add it to your LinkedIn page.
Please note that each of the courses mentioned above follows three critical characteristics in terms of actual teaching.
Each of them is interactive, meaning that you should expect checkpoint activities every three to five minutes.
Additionally, they will have engaging activities where you will need to connect with learners’ online community. Each lesson will be case-based to understand the issues and solutions thoroughly.
The fact that they’re case-based already made my heart leap! 💗
I mean, if you visit other courses, you might see repetitive slides where the instructor is just talking and talking about definitions and theories without actually teaching you how to apply them in real-world situations.
In HBX, each lesson is anchored on experience! 👍
Please note that it depends on the type that you will choose as for the prices for each course. But to give you a number, the lowest price that I found is around $1,050 while the highest one is $2,250!
Again, if you live in the US and are still a student, I invite you to take advantage of their scholarship programs.
Is Harvard Business School Online A Scam?
The Harvard Business School Online is definitely not a scam, and it can help you achieve your goals, especially if you are transitioning and trying to build a career in business.
However, if you are just starting out and still unsure whether this is the path for you, shelling out thousands of dollars is never a solid choice.
If you ask me, joining other courses through Coursera is still the practical choice given that you are just starting.
But of course, if you are a professional and if your company can subsidize your enrollment fee, then nothing should stop you from joining this high-ranking institution. 🏆✅
At the end of the day, it is only you who can assess if this is an opportunity that must be seized or not.
For me, I have nothing against their CORe program and business certifications since these can indeed be used for your resume.
However, the price is not pocket-friendly for everyone. 😬
If you are hell-bent on enrolling with them, then maybe you should consider upgrading your finances.
If you are interested in creating a passive income that will just keep on growing even if you have another full-time job, then maybe my most recommended way of earning is the perfect one for you!
Through it, I was able to finance the life that I have dreamed of and create a digital business profitable enough to sustain my day-to-day needs without actually spending that much time looking after it.
Are you interested in finding out more? Just keep reading below. 👇
How I Make A Living Online (And How You Too Can!)
The fact that you landed on my Harvard Business School Online review suggests that you have a burning desire to move beyond where you are right now.
Perhaps the recent months have made you realize that the current world situation does not guarantee how long your career will last. I mean, don’t get me wrong, but most of the careers these days are slowly starting to get replaced by technology.
I want to help you get ahead of the curve by introducing you to this fantastic opportunity of mine that can assist you in establishing your very own online business.
I’m not sure if you’ve heard of it before, but this opportunity I’m referring to goes by the name of affiliate marketing. 😎
It represents a very straightforward business model in which you get paid to promote other people’s products and services in exchange for a predetermined commission.
One of the reasons why AM is so lucrative is because the commissions are relatively high, and more often than not, surpass the %40 marks.
Another reason is that its straightforwardness makes it very suitable for beginners and anyone willing to put in the time and effort to make it happen.
I’m an affiliate marketer myself, and the site you’re on now is my brainchild. It may sound too good to be true, but my baby earned me a rewarding four figures last month. ($4.376 to be exact)
With that being said, I would like to take this chance to show you how I did it, and more importantly, how you can do it too.
However, before I do that, I would like to share a few more reasons why affiliate marketing is so tempting.
- It doesn’t require any previous knowledge or expertise.
- It becomes passive with time.
- You don’t own any of the products or services.
- There are thousands of various products to choose from.
- It’s reliable, steady, and infinitely scalable.
- AM has a high-income potential.
- Compared to other business models, the risk is significantly lower.
- Anyone can do it, including yourself. (see a list of success stories) 👈
Trust me when I say that I can go on for days to try and get you to understand why going down this path is a wise choice.
Still, it might be better to save us both some time and have you read my ultimate affiliate marketing guide instead.
Inside, you will find everything you need to know as a rookie, including what it is, how it works, the income potential surrounding it, and lastly, all the things you need to get started properly.
Meanwhile, I need to warn you about something. 🙂
While the blueprint to success works just fine, you need to understand that this is a real business you’ll be building, meaning that a dream won’t become a reality through magic.
Same as any other business, this one will also require you to invest yourself fully, break a sweat, work hard, and only then will you be able to reap the benefits that AM has to offer.
In other words, please don’t expect to become an overnight success story. I promise that it will eventually happen, but only if you put in the required time.
As I like to joke around – I’m a great believer in luck. The more I dedicate myself, the more I have of it.
It’s not that big of a secret that the only way to grow is if we change. And we can only change if we commit to learning something new every day. 💡🤩
Like any other business, AM will also require you to learn a thing or two about the process, and I think that right now would be the best time to introduce you to the platform that helped me get to where I am today.
Wealthy Affiliate has been the leading educational platform for affiliate marketers of all levels, and inside, you’ll get the chance to communicate with some of the world’s top affiliates and pick up a part of their brain without actually paying a dime.
You also get access to some of the industry’s best tools and the much-needed pieces of training to go out there and crush it as an affiliate.
On top of that, you’ll have top-notch support every step of the way, and I’m even willing to mentor you personally until you surpass the ‘1k a month’ mark.
At the moment, WA deals with a unique freemium membership model that lets you test out the platform before actually paying for it.
With it, you’ll be able to participate in the first few lessons of the course, giving you more than enough time to find out whether an affiliate marketer lies within you and if such a career is one worthy of pursuing.
As I end this post, I hope to give you a comprehensive look at what Harvard Business School Online has to offer for those interested in their courses.
I would appreciate it if you could share your thoughts on this and whether you will pursue it despite the high-priced tuition fee.
If you enjoyed this post, please help spread the word out by sharing it on social media and feel free to leave a comment down below if there’s something you would like to ask me.
Same as you, I’m an easygoing person and would love to help you out. 👋
The name Harvard always looks good on a resume. I also noticed how many more courses had been made available online since the pandemic. I was even thinking of learning an additional language.
The prices for a Harvard course are a little high, but – as you say – you pay for the name and prestige.
On the other hand, it seems harder to find work nowadays, and many students who graduate from University find themselves unemployed.
Affiliate marketing is expected to rise considerably, especially now.
I like it because it is your own business, but I think that many give up because they expect to make money with it right away, and it is something that you need to build up, like with any business.
It’s like you’re reading my mind. Unfortunately, that’s the sad truth about getting started online.
People are advertising courses and all kinds of programs as get-rich-quick schemes, which leaves most people to wonder why they’re not making money in their first week of starting.
The truth is – the internet offers unlimited possibilities, but only to those that are willing to push through and invest themselves fully.
Thanks for the comment, Christine. I hope you liked my review!
Online training platforms are all the rage nowadays and a great way of studying, but you have to do your research first because many are just not worth bothering with.
Anything associated with the name Harvard is going to command a pretty high price tag.
The courses are pretty short, and it concerns me how much you can learn on an eight-week course with some at four weeks.
I assume these courses are structured so that students can move up levels after the initial course is completed?
I came across another e-learning platform created by Harvard graduates called EDX. Have you come across this on your travels?
I’m happy with using these e-learning platforms for some background knowledge, as I often use Udemy myself.
Thank you for sharing.
I haven’t done a review on eDX, but I’m most certainly familiar with the platform.
The studies they offer are quite different from those you can find in Harvard’s online school, but that doesn’t mean they’re lower in quality.
I had no idea that Harvard graduates created eDX, so thanks for the info. I’ll try to find out whether it’s really true or not and include it in my review when the time comes.
A wise choice for choosing Udemy, btw. I’ve found some really high-quality courses there!
I must admit that having qualifications from Harvard sounds amazing. I really like the fact that they have leveraged the online world to offer their services to folks who cannot visit their physical premises.
I hold a B.pharm degree.
And while I do not have anything against achieving a diploma or degree from a University, I can tell you from personal experience that one can be very successful without a formal qualification.
Don’t get me wrong, I like what the Harvard Online Business offers, and if someone can afford it, they should go for it.
I’m also a part of Wealthy Affiliate, and I joined this platform five years ago. My hearing went down, and my job as a pharmacist was at stake.
I learned a new skill with WA, but I also learned how to build a business with passive income potential.
I did it at a fraction of the price that Harvard Online Business offered.
Sure the topic is different from the courses offered at Harvard, but I managed to build a business that sustains myself and the family, and to me, that is the most important part.
A lovely review of Harvard’s online business school.
Kind regards,
Roopesh
I’ve said it times and times again, but I’ll repeat it one more time just in case someone missed it.
Having a formal education has many benefits, but it’s unnecessary to achieve your goals and success in life.
You won’t become automatically successful just because you hold a diploma from a prestigious university, and I know you’ll agree on that.
Success requires ambition, perseverance, discipline, and only then do the obstacles become irrelevant.
I’m always delighted to see a WA member on my blog. How’s your business doing now, and is there any way I can help you out with it?
Feel free to reach out to me inside WA, Roopesh, and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
It means a lot.
I agree with you. Your success depends on you and your abilities and not on the university’s name that stands next to your name on a diploma.
Even though Harward is a prestigious and well-respected university worldwide, some of the most successful people have never even gotten close to finishing high school, let alone a university like Harvard.
On the other hand, I do like education, and I’m always looking for something new to learn that could improve my life quality.
Harvard Business School seems like a great place to do so.
I like the fact that they have a few free courses for those of us who are not dead-set on starting and finishing a class but would rather like to dip in a toe and see whether it is the right one for me or not.
I would hardly associate the word scam with Harvard, but you never know.
There are many scams these days that use the credibility of those big names to scam people. It’s good to see that this one is not a scam. All in all, it seems like interesting material.
Thanks for sharing your review!
Believe it or not, the word scam gets thrown around very casually. I write my posts based on what people are searching for, and I assure you that doubt exists.
I understand that sometimes it’s hard to believe that such a university like Harvard would be involved in shady promotions, but I’ve seen it before, and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit.
I genuinely hope you found my review helpful, and thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with the other readers of this blog and me. I highly appreciate it!