Calling all US Military Fall 2011 Applicants!

Roll call updated.

Anybody having trouble chopping there Sloan essays down to 500 words

I haven't started Sloan essays yet, but I imagine 500 words will be tough. I'm struggling with keeping things under 750 for other schools...

hey all, i was pretty active on this thread last year, so i won't be able to put as much input, but if anyone needs help please feel free to PM me. Oh, if anyone wants to go to Darden, please PM me. I'm in pretty good with the admin staff that targets vets.

Application Fee Waivers:

So far I have had luck with free applications for MIT, Yale, UVA,

No luck with Penn (although their veterans club homepage offers app waiver, this is outdated)
Also no POC info for Georgetown yet.

I am considering applying to some more safeties until I fix this GMAT situation, looking at BU/BC as possibilities.

If anyone else is looking for help with application fee waivers, let's spitball this and find some answers

Kellogg offers waivers for vets as well:

Candidates who qualify for an application fee waiver must
submit a formal request, before submitting Part I, via e-mail to
mbaadmissions@kellogg.northwestern.edu and provide supporting
evidence of their current employment or military status. Military
applicants should submit a copy of a valid military ID card or Form
DD-214 to verify active duty status within three years of applying.

Hey All,

Soon to be former-Navy guy here that is starting up at Booth now, but I hit this thread up a bunch last year. Wanted to both offer any help and point you all to a Face Book page my buddy and I started in an effort to grow the network of military people aspiring to go to B-school. It's called MBA Pursuit (you can search it...or I can send you a link) and is serving specifically as a forum to help boost military representation at MBA Programs.

We've got a wealth of knowledge and a bunch of schools covered, so holler if you've got any questions. Good luck with your apps and thanks for your service.

Take care,

Justin

thanks very much for the info!

lakai777, best of luck with starting at Darden! To everyone posting here, feel free to reach out if you have questions about the application process in general or specifically Sloan. It's a long journey but well worth it in the end.

Do ex-enlisted members count? I was on active duty before going back to finish my degree. I've been an officer for another governmental organization for the past 3 years or so.

Also, does anyone have any insight into how enlisted experiences, e.g. Combat Arms leadership experiences, play out in the application process and how the relationship is between ex-enlisted and ex-commissioned in the programs?

I read last year's posts and it had some pretty excellent info

I'm a 1stLt, assistant logistics officer, with a reserve unit that has mobilized. I'm waiting for my bird to take me over so I can join the rest of the battalion. I have a little less than a week, so I plan on really using this time to focus on getting my apps ready, and have my products ready so I can show my references. I've chosen so far my direct supervisor (the S-4), the Battalion XO, and the Bn Air Officer (I've worked with him over 3 months during the work up, and have been working with him directly for the past 2-3 weeks).

I'm planning on applying to Stern, HBS, and Kellogg. I like the fact that 2/3 offer military waivers - more on that after I start asking. Was planning on applying to more (Columbia, USC, Haas) but feel like I don't have the time. Also, I'm torn because I heard of a billet open up with Marine Forces Africa, a 3 year accompanied tour (I have a wife and no children) in Stuttgart Germany. Sounds like an excellent opportunity to live it up in Europe before settling down and having kids, but that is why not sure what I should do. As of right now, I'm planning on applying to the MBA programs and see from there after I get my acceptances/rejections. Any thoughts out there? So far, people have been telling me to get the MBA later and go live in Europe.

Also, I do not qualify 100% for the post 9/11 Gi Bill due to me being a reservist. There is a bill in currently for reforms, and if it gets passed, then I'll qualify 100% immediately. However, the fact that I won't be able to qualify for the YR and tuitions kinda deters me from wanting to go to get my MBA now. Also, the reforms state that my reserve time will count AND all tuition for graduate programs will be paid IN FULL. That's why I'm leaning towards working for 3 years - live in Europe and wait for the new reformed GI Bill. Anyway, both MBA and Europe tour is up in the air, so always keep planning and cast your nets out wide, right?

Anyone out there good with resumes and essays? I've never done a resume, and I am not exactly sure what admission committees are looking for in a resume and essay.

Thanks and look forward to seeing all the input that this thread brings.

@mabin - I can send you my resume i am using, looks like you did some good selection of your recommenders

I think you have some great options out there, it will come down to what you and your wife truly want. I am separating some the Army because I am married now, have been through some serious combat situations, and my wife wants to be closer to home so I am applying to all northeast schools.

Based on your school selections it looks like you guys are up for anything which is cool.

I think als you have to do some opportunity calculation, Germany might be awesome but will you be doing alot in Africa such as doing short deployments or TDY and leaving your wife in another country where you may or may not have made any decent friends yet etc. it is a huge choice.

The GI Bill is really only good for people who go 36 months beyond their initial committment. I went to West Point and I am serving for 3 additional months so I can be covered for 40% GI Bill which will only be helpful for the partial BAH.

I decided the three year, time, and potential death in a job I was no longer happy were not worth the other 60% of the bill. Hundreds of thousands of our peers take out and pay off loans, we will make it back fairly quickly.

@ deechi, in my opinion NCOs / EM definitely count, you guys are the backbone of the Army. As a combat arms officer (Infantry / Army Ranger), I feel combat experiences will have the depth, emotion, and pressure to captivate admissions personnel. I think leading through an IED ambush or leading your men through the loss of beloved Soldiers is true leadership. Managing a forward operating base dining facility is a major managerial responsibility (well in my opinion it can be spin that way but we both know KBR runs that place and contracts everything out) but it lacks the raw emotion of combat and true down to your bones leadership.

i am going to visit several programs and see what i can find out on NCO/officer relationships in the program, if it is like my experience the past 5 years on active duty, then it should be a good relationship with less drama since we are no longer in the army.

the biggest thing is not to undersell your NCO leadership experience. You guys make so much happen and are such brave and values-driven people

Appreciate the kind words. Please let me know if you find anything out. I'm currently in Afghanistan myself and unable to get to any admissions events.

I'm also curious as to how they approach this in regards to calculating work experience. On one application it asks for "Number of months of post graduation work experience and military service". It's unclear if the post graduate modifier applies to both or just work experience. That's a solid 5 year swing for me.

Either way I'll just go with it.

For the OP: Booth and Kellogg, both R1, assuming I can fly into the US in October, take the GMAT the next day and not completely tank it.

Just scanned my military ID and sent it off to Kellogg and NYU. They both said I'm G2G (just had to provide my home address and something else, pretty easy). I think for Kellogg I got an e-mail stating that I'm G2G, and NYU said go ahead and pay for it, and they'll reimburse me. Anyway, saving $500 is always a good thing, right?

Awesome, I just sent you a resume example as well to your email address.

One thing I got yesterday was some good advice some my buddy, a former Army officer, who is starting at MIT Sloan this year.

I have been stressing over thiss Why MBA? Why Now that some schools (Columbia, Wharton) push like crazy(especialyl with the WHY WHARTON MBA?etc) and then you get one these forums and in my opinion there are some very stuck up, i know everything people on here.
Basically, people seem to just go through and pick out one or two specific things like Why Darden? Case method, community feel or Why Wharton? Cliche reason 1&2 blah blah...

I understand answering these questions is important, I am not completely retarded but at the same time it seems like people can kind of make them fit any school, so I sought more advice from my friend.

He said not to over-think it and gave me the stat that 85-90% of his class at MIT is a career changer. Army guys transitioning are also career changers so that seems a decent point ot focus on as a transitioning Army guy -
Why MBA? We want to gain the skills we need to pursue new options / just completed service obligation - wanted to serve our country before moving onto the next phase / are interested in industry X Y Z

Why Now? End of committment, lots of leadership/combat skills but want to work to improve ourselves, become better leaders, problem-solvers before transitioning into a new field

Some people on this forum think I am a simpleton. Believe me, I know answering the question is important at least to get through essays/interviews but at the core of it, we are not much different than other applicants looking for a change of pace and a career switch.

WP06,

I like that. The transitional phase, and it's simple and true. I'm currently fine tuning my resume. Man, I hate fluffing, but to put your life on a couple lines of paper is difficult to say the least.

I called Harvard concerned that I didn't have the transcript for Yonsei University, a college I studied abroad at during my junior year in Korea. They said that I didn't have to worry about it because I only took 2 courses there, and if I needed to, I can get it later down the line. WHEW! Now, if I can only finish up my resume, get my letters of recommendation, and finish the essays, I have a shot at R1 Harvard. Maybe I should wait till R2? As for NYU, I'm going R1, and Kellogg R2.

Fun times. At least I'm not alone in this battle...