MBA Admissions Consultant
Joined: 18 Apr 2013
Posts: 2226
Given Kudos: 3
Location: Chicago, IL
Re: Profile Evaluation
[#permalink]
26 Jun 2014, 09:28
Hey there,
Thanks for the post and for your service! What you've provided is a great place to start the conversation but, as you'll see, there are a few questions from my end as well. We'll keep the conversation organic and that way we can get somewhere you find useful and helpful. Sound good? So, let's get into things:
Academics
You went to a great institution and you did ok. A 3.2 puts you below the median for most of the programs you've listed but within the range. So you're in play! As for your GRE, do you have the raw score in each section? It seems you took it a few years ago so that'll help us convert it to the new scale. Do you have any plans on taking the GMAT or are you going forward with the GRE score? If so, any plans to retake the GRE?
Professional Experience
Active deployments, especially in support of OEF, are amazing experiences. It puts you in a tier of applicants that business schools really like. The themes and skills you can convey with deployment experiences can really cement your position as a leader of consequence. Also, your work in the Gulf, while it may seem more routine than OEF, provide an interesting set of challenges. Your first deployment, given the size of the crew and nature of the mission, was a destroyer? Also, what was your billet aside from being Officer of the Deck? Anything you can share here that helps me understand the impact and scope of your positions will help me better gauge your experiences compared to that of your peer set.
Involvement
I definitely understand that being deployed and a dad (difficult job for anyone) can put a crimp in your involvement activities. However, that's where your professional involvement will become key. So things like mentoring sailors as well as other activities you're a part of that you might not think of yet will be important. The question to you, then, is what do you do outside the requirements of your station? Think along the lines of mentoring sailors. Anything else you do as a part of the ship as a whole or as a member of the group of officers?
Goals & Schools
Your goals, for most applicants, wouldn't really be realistic. Because for most people, not having any leverageable experiences can really hinder their stories. However, as a sailor and an officer, you have to make the transition sometime and bschool is a great time to do that. However, what will be important is conveying WHY marketing for a nonconsumer company? What about it captures your interest? What skills do you have that will transition well? If you've spoken to others who were in your shoes that made the transition, that will be really helpful. Chatting with on campus groups will be useful as well to figure out how to navigate that process. The key is helping the adcom understand that this isn't coming clear out of the blue. As a side note, you mentioned non-CPG and then list Nike? Are there specific subsets or brands that buck the non-CPG statement?
From a school perspective, some of the schools you've listed make a lot of sense. Ross, McCombs, Kellogg are all great for what you're trying to get into. MIT - eh, what's the thought process here? Same goes for Wharton? Tuck is a fantastic program but from a marketing perspective they're pretty average. Any particular reason for this school? A program that's conspicuously absent is Haas. If you're vying for a shot with any tech company, then being in the bay area and from Haas will help!
You have a nice range of schools but before we get into chances or where is better to apply, I'd really like to understand a bit more about your work experience as well as what your plans are for the GMAT / GRE (as well as the raw GRE scores).
Hopefully this gets the convo started - looking forward to hearing back!
Bhavik