Hi there! Thanks for reaching out. I agree you have a unique resume. B-schools also tend to love applicants with military backgrounds and your role in particular sounds like a great mix of operational and managerial experience.
Your GPA is great, and your GMAT is solid too, not a standout score though but the uniqueness in your work background should offset that for most schools. Harvard / Stanford / Wharton in particular will be tough, so you could try to retake your GMAT to improve your chances there. If not, you might want to add in another "Texas level" school. Darden perhaps? I've heard it's very military friendly and good for consulting.
Other than that, make sure you have done your research about consulting and can speak to why it's a good fit for you, what transferable skills you'll bring, what type of consulting, why those firms, what your long-term goals are, etc. You might want to check out our free consulting career primer as you continue to research:
https://shop.mbamission.com/products/co ... eer-primerGood luck, and keep us posted if we can help with anything else!
Kate
alex13usa wrote:
I think I have a fairly unique resume! I'd love to hear what you think about an US Air Force officer who is not a pilot.
Age/sex/ethnicity: 25 male caucasian
Career: 3 years as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer -- First Lieutenant
Degree: 3.55 (Magna Cum Laude) in Finance from a average state school (think U Houston/Mizzou/U South Florida)
Commissioning source: ROTC
GMAT: 700 -- 48Q, 38V, 6IR, 6AWA
I'm always told, even by pilots, that there's no better opportunity in the Air Force to lead at a young age than as an Aircraft Maintenance officer. (Anecdote: a General who was a pilot told me it took him 15 years to get the leadership opportunity I had on day one) I am the Officer In Charge of an Aircraft Maintenance Unit that contains 100+ maintainers. Technically this is a job for Captains. In the Air Force, it is the Maintenance Group that owns the Aircraft. It is my job to negotiate and generate the flying program and manage the triage and the chaos that that entails. On a daily basis I have to grapple with bureaucracy and resource shortfalls. I believe I can sell the process oriented/outside the box thinking mentality I developed here to convey why I can become a successful business consultant. I have 4 Company Grade Officer of the Quarter and 1 Company Grade Officer of the Year awards. I have stellar letters of recommendation from my senior leaders.
Extra curriculars: my senior year of college (3 years ago) I volunteered twice a week at a children's hospital. Last year I managed a base wide fundraising campaign that raised $14,000 for 4 charities supporting Airmen and their families. I have been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters for just over a year.
Goals: I want to be a consultant at Bain/McKinsey/BCG
Target schools: Harvard, Stanford, Dartmouth, Wharton, Columbia, Texas (safe school)
If you'd be willing to give me odds for these schools I'd be incredibly grateful!
_________________
Kate Richardson
mbaMission Senior Admissions Consultant
Chicago Booth Alum, over 80 5-star reviews on GMAT Club
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