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bevilers
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Profile Review - Military Transition, Franchisor, M7 target 07 Nov 2023, 08:49
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Hey All, seeking some advice on whether I have a compelling enough resume to get into an M7.

I have a fairly unique life/story (don't we all?) so I feel as though it's worth opening it up and hearing thoughts from those who have been through the fight or have seen admissions from the inside. I am a white, 30yr old male.

I'm a 2016 graduate from a Senior Military College where I studied business/finance. I graduated with a subpar GPA (3.2). However, while there I was an active participant in ROTC, the Corps Of Cadets (the ultimate on campus club) and I founded the Finance Club, which still exists today and has thrived. I can also get positive recommendation letters from professors - if that's even relevant at this point.

Following Graduation I reported to Flight School for the U.S. Army and became a UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter Pilot.

Being in the military for 8 years has obviously provided me with tremendous leadership experiences. Outside of being a military Aviator, I was second-in-command (Executive Officer) for a maintenance Company (over 300 people under me) and then served as a Company Commander for 36 months where I was directly responsible for over 100 civilians and service members. Recommendations from Colonels can easily be acquired..

Now - here's where it get's a bit interesting and I think what somewhat sets me apart...

In 2019, while deployed to Afghanistan, I started a service based business with a few partners - this business took off, over the next two years I grew it to 14 locations (all while full time in the Army) and then ended up franchising the business. Once the business was franchised we grew it to an additional 28 locations before I allowed my partners to buy me out this year.

While in the business I served as the CFO, but did so much more, as any startup requires all of its founders to wear multiple hats. I developed a proprietary mobile app (managed the project that is), developed marketing plans, raised venture capital, wrote operations manuals, wrote franchise disclosure documents - the list goes on and on of pretty applicable business skills I gained from building this business, especially from the franchising side - which is a pretty complex business model.

After selling out to my partners, and subsequently starting a new marketing business targeting the same service industry, I'm left with the desire to formally continue my education as I transition out of the military this year. I want to go to a top school for the challenge, but more importantly - I want to connect with a network of like-minded people and I want to continue work on a few of my passion projects, such as the lack of child care for military families and the heavy burden that creates for not just families, but for the government.

Do you believe my experiences can overcome my bad GPA?

I haven't taken the GMAT yet, but practice tests have shown I should perform okay, I'll be taking some courses to get this boosted to hopefully a very high 600, if not crossing over 700. Will this be sufficient?

Is it even worth trying for a top school?
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pintukr
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Profile Review - Military Transition, Franchisor, M7 target 07 Nov 2023, 11:02
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A GMAT score in excess of 650 will significantly boost the chances.

All the Best.
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MBAGuide
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Profile Review - Military Transition, Franchisor, M7 target 07 Nov 2023, 18:54
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bevilers
Hey All, seeking some advice on whether I have a compelling enough resume to get into an M7.

I have a fairly unique life/story (don't we all?) so I feel as though it's worth opening it up and hearing thoughts from those who have been through the fight or have seen admissions from the inside. I am a white, 30yr old male.

I'm a 2016 graduate from a Senior Military College where I studied business/finance. I graduated with a subpar GPA (3.2). However, while there I was an active participant in ROTC, the Corps Of Cadets (the ultimate on campus club) and I founded the Finance Club, which still exists today and has thrived. I can also get positive recommendation letters from professors - if that's even relevant at this point.

Following Graduation I reported to Flight School for the U.S. Army and became a UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter Pilot.

Being in the military for 8 years has obviously provided me with tremendous leadership experiences. Outside of being a military Aviator, I was second-in-command (Executive Officer) for a maintenance Company (over 300 people under me) and then served as a Company Commander for 36 months where I was directly responsible for over 100 civilians and service members. Recommendations from Colonels can easily be acquired..

Now - here's where it get's a bit interesting and I think what somewhat sets me apart...

In 2019, while deployed to Afghanistan, I started a service based business with a few partners - this business took off, over the next two years I grew it to 14 locations (all while full time in the Army) and then ended up franchising the business. Once the business was franchised we grew it to an additional 28 locations before I allowed my partners to buy me out this year.

While in the business I served as the CFO, but did so much more, as any startup requires all of its founders to wear multiple hats. I developed a proprietary mobile app (managed the project that is), developed marketing plans, raised venture capital, wrote operations manuals, wrote franchise disclosure documents - the list goes on and on of pretty applicable business skills I gained from building this business, especially from the franchising side - which is a pretty complex business model.

After selling out to my partners, and subsequently starting a new marketing business targeting the same service industry, I'm left with the desire to formally continue my education as I transition out of the military this year. I want to go to a top school for the challenge, but more importantly - I want to connect with a network of like-minded people and I want to continue work on a few of my passion projects, such as the lack of child care for military families and the heavy burden that creates for not just families, but for the government.

Do you believe my experiences can overcome my bad GPA?

I haven't taken the GMAT yet, but practice tests have shown I should perform okay, I'll be taking some courses to get this boosted to hopefully a very high 600, if not crossing over 700. Will this be sufficient?

Is it even worth trying for a top school?
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bevilers A very interesting background story indeed. I really like your profile, and I am sure the M7 schools will love it too!

Military applicants are highly sought after by top B-schools. These profiles remain unaffected by excessive character traits, by the politics of the situation, which makes them highly sought after, especially in consulting and strategy fields that require significant personal sacrifice. Military personnel are accustomed to making sacrifices during their service and have a remarkable level of commitment, which gives them a distinct advantage over other MBA applicants. While you meet the baseline criteria for the highly competitive schools within the military pool given the demanding assignments you have had, having an entrepreneurial streak with strong experience behind you takes the strength of your profile up several notches.

For military applicants, the transition to civilian life at the end of service is a major life event where a business degree can show them different opportunities, as few have concrete insight into potential employment opportunities (I am not talking about the US soldiers specifically, but military personnel worldwide). In addition to a lack of self-confidence, many transitioning veterans also lack an understanding of the roles, work practices and domain-specific expertise needed to succeed in the corporate world. For this reason, you will be seen as a high potential MBA candidate because you have been able to hustle and accomplish so much while you were still stationed in the military. And you have a clear idea of the problem you want to address progressively during and after your MBA program. Top B-schools expect no less from their protégés.

I encourage you to do your best on the GMAT and get as close to a 700 score as possible.

Best wishes

Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, former INSEAD admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message: +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com
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taylorcurran
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Profile Review - Military Transition, Franchisor, M7 target 14 Jun 2024, 02:14
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So with some focused preparation and coursework, it seems you are on the right track to achieve a GMAT score that should be sufficient for your goals, whether that's a high 600s score or crossing the 700 threshold.