Calling all US Military Fall 2010 Applicants!

I recently had my interview with a Kellogg alumnus as well. It also went long, 1 hour 30 minutes. It was in his office after the work day.

Extremely small world. He works for a small consulting firm that works with the USMC regularly about command and control. I'm a communications officer. So explaining what I do was not an issue since he knows a lot about my MOS, the Marine Corps, etc.

Mostly interview focused in on why Kellogg, why MBA, why now. Asked a few what if questions: what if I know I'm right on a case but my team doesn't agree, what's my approach to get the group to follow my idea. Why Kellogg if want to do finance, is it just to get rich? what makes me different from the other 8-9 people he will interview, why should I be the one to get in, they're usually just as smart, just as accomplished.

So a few tough questions but the interview was very conversational in tone. Went well, hopefully he submits a "recommend" to the adcom. We'll see.

No other updates... still waiting on Sloan (please please please)... waiting on invite from Chicago.

Hey guys, throwing my hat into the ring on this thread. Former grunt in the Army, but I got out in '03, finished my education and been working in inv mngt since then. Hoping to get in and use the new GI Bill to pay for it all. I'm short on the Yellow Ribbon program, though, most schools require 36 months post-9-11 (I think) and I've only got 24.

Looking at HBS/Columbia/Stern/Fuqua/UNC - would love to go to any of 'em.

Tip of the hat to anyone still serving.

Welcome! Those are all great, military friendly schools. Best of luck!

Good evening fellow patriots. Writing a quick note to update you on my situation.

Accepted to MIT Sloan. Done with applications and withdrawing all the rest that are active.

Still coping with this newfound reality. Amazing feeling.

Awesome! Congrats, gregarious and I were interviewing for LGO today and Sloan is an incredible place!

CommO,
Congrats to you!

I guess I should probably introduce myself: I have been lurking around this thread for a while--more for my husband than myself. I left AD in 2004 and I seriously doubt adcoms would even consider me in the same category as you all. Anyways, my husband is a Marine looking to get out and start an MBA next year.

Out Fricken Standing.

Congrats Devil Dog.

CommO, congratulations!

HERM3S, great to meet you in Boston and good luck with waiting for the rest of your R2 results.

Hey everyone. Fun thread. There are quite a few more applicants from the military out there than I thought!

I applied round 1 to HBS, Wharton, and Chicago. Got dinged w/o interview at Wharton, interviewed and dinged at Booth, and interviewed and admitted to HBS.

Nice to be done with applications. If anyone has questions, concerns, please shoot them my way. I can only talk interview at Booth and HBS, and I've visited all three campuses.

Good luck everyone on your applications.

I have a question - I applied to Round 2 for a few schools ... am I going to be competing with other military applicants or all others with non-traditional backgrounds? Either way, I'm pretty worried since everyone seems to have such illustrious military careers and I've only been in ~4 years.

Good luck to everyone applying!

Pudge - the schools I've researched and applied to typically have a small contingent of military folks (HBS has ~3%, others aren't too far off). I believe that we are competing against other military folks to fill that small quota (for lack of a better term) at each prominent B-school.

Good luck with everything.

-Justin

Yeah, you're not competing directly with ibanking/consulting, however, Booth said they don't treat the military guys as a separate small group. Whether that's true or not, I couldn't say. HBS takes about 3%, as mentioned, which works out to about 36. I want to guess no more than about 10-15 military guys in round one.

As far as work, the average USMA guy will be applying with 5 years of service, so not too far off. I had a bit more because of career choice, but as long as you have strong stories, time isn't a big deal. That and there is the nagging feeling that adcoms only vaguely understand how impressive a job in the army is vs. what the resume looks like. I wouldn't describe my career as illustrious, but they made good examples and stories.

Oh, and this should be common knowledge, but UVA ad Cornell are extremely military friendly. UVA would be a definite backup school if you need one.

Of the top three, I would shoot for HBS over the other two if you were taking a long shot. Their focus tends to fit much closer with the skill-set that military officers bring to the table.

So I was on this forum last fall when I thought I was going to apply, and glad to be back. I was recalled from the IRR for an OEF deployment and reported in January. This caused me to push off plans for B school until Fall 2011. When I was down there, despite filing the necessary paperwork for exemption prior to, I was released for medical reasons. Now that Im back, I am thinking school is not out of the question, but I am concerned about the downward trends in acceptance rates as the admissions season progresses. Thank goodness for the March application rounds or I would be out of luck, but I have no vacation or time off to visit schools and worry that this may hurt me as well.

Given my situation, and my profile below, can I get some of your opinions on whether I should wait until October and apply for Fall 2011, or continue with my applications now. I have started several yet submitted none. I am additionally taking the "shotgun" approach I have seen mentioned here before. With my questionable GPA, average GMAT, and late applications, I am looking for that diamond in the rough.

WE: Currently Health Care IT Consultant with excellent evaluations, high responsibility, many clients, and 3 promotions in 23 months.
WE: 1LT Air defense Officer with outstanding evaluations and positions (Japan)
GMAT: 690
GPA: 2.9, Initially in Doctor of Pharmacy program but switched to BS Pharm Science from state univ.
Extra Curric - 2 Non-Profit orgs volunteer, soccer, church, rock band

Schools with Apps started:
Extreme Longshots (Kellogg, Tuck) Due to Tucks Yellow Ribbon Participation I would regret never giving this a chance even though more than unlikely.
Longshots (Fuqua, Tepper)
Closer to realistic (Vanderbilt Owen, WashU Olin, ND)
Safer bet (Iowa Tippie, Georgie Tech????)

Might need to find some safer bets to ensure admission. I first need some advice on whether the benefit of starting now outweighs waiting for maybe a better school in the fall. On the other hand, I dont want to wait if my chances are equally good now.

Appreciate your thoughts.

GrantChap, happy to have you back on the forum. Here's my quick take on what you wrote:

Your overall profile seems pretty competitive for Top-15 schools, which would be your first two categories. GMAT is in the 80% band so I wouldn't worry too much about not being 700+. Your GPA is on the lower side for the top schools but hopefully an otherwise strong application could offset that. IMHO, your biggest obstacle is going to be applying in the R3/R4 if you are committed to starting school this fall. Most school websites indicate that it is definitely much harder to get in after the first or second admissions round. With that in mind, on one hand, you might want to decide to apply anyways and see what happens. The downside of that might be if you don't get in and then want to be a reapplicant for R1 in the next cycle in terms of career progression and growth.

That being said, you probably have a much better chance at schools outside the Top 15 in the late admissions round. Depending on your post-MBA professional goals, that might work out well if you certain you want to apply now.

Bottom line: If you want to start an MBA program and aren't as concerned with ranking/brand, then you've still got time. If you want to have the best possible chance at a top program, then waiting might make sense.

i completely concur with what gregolicious is saying.

i'd add more, but he took the words right out of my typing fingers. apply now if you just want to get a drumstick and be done with it, wait if you want the turkey breast with all it's cranberry chutney/cornbread stuffing/candied yams/creamed corn/greenbean casserole trimmings.

Thanks guys. I slightly disagree that I am "competitive" for a top 15, but you have made some valid points that I will take into consideration. I think if my GPA was maybe .3 points higher at 3.2 and my GMAT maybe a 700-710 (which irritates me because I never scored lower than 750 on a practice test). Im having a hard time accepting not applying as that would push off school another 1.5 years and I would be getting into old man territory then. At that point I would also be nearly 3 years out of the Army and it starts to lose its impact.

Has anyone had or heard of any experiences with re-application? Im not accepting defeat, but I am honest with myself about the statistics.If I had to, Im sure I could raise my GMAT 10-20 points, take a Business class and get an A, and get more community involvement. Just thinking aloud (or on a message board) and hoping to get some opinions.

Thanks