Gents,
2012 Darden Grad here. I used GMAT Club a ton during my work up to taking the GMAT, applying for schools, and following up a bit with other GMAT Club Mil folk.
Feel free to PM me with any questions you guys might have regarding application process, essays, and other general questions. My
biggest advice is to reach out to the Veteran community at any school you want to apply to. More than likely, the vets at school will give you the real story, both ugly and pretty, and help you peek past the glossy advertisements the school gives you. In addition, the earlier you create a relationship with vets at school, the more likely they will be willing to endorse you to the application admin folks. I recommended 5 guys to Darden, and all 5 got in. Not that without my endorsement they wouldn't have gotten in, but I was able to provide them with insight as well as key individuals they should speak to to help them create a customized narrative that spoke to why they wanted to attend Darden and why they were a good fit for the institution.
In addition, last year I created a blog specifically for active duty military considering attending an MBA program. It was in partnership with Fidelis Education to see if they wanted to pursue a more active social media presence. It's basically a blog that asks current and alumni MBA students real, no ****, questions and get the straight scoop.
https://www.militarymbavoices.com.I've also attached a transcript that I came across from Stanford GSB regarding getting recommendations. Rule of thumb is Quality over Rank. Go to your superiors who really know who you are, the great, good, bad, and ugly characteristics. The attached transcript revolves around tips and a general talk about how to approach a potential recommender and advice to the person writing the recommendation. it's really great. I personally gave every one of my recommenders a copy of this transcript and the feedback that I've received from all of them has been very positive about its guidance.
Good luck Gents. Again, feel free to PM me with any questions you have. The Military MBA community is pretty small and we pretty much know someone in all the top schools. If I can't help you with a specific question for a specific school, I'm positive I can find someone who can. And again, make sure you use the Vet Clubs at the schools as a primary source for information and support. It's why they exist. So don't be shy. Reach out to them.