Calling all US Military Fall 2019 Applicants!

Question

This year's application cycle is complete so it's now time to move on to the military guys/gals who are applying this fall and winter for matriculation in Fall 2019.

Copied/pasted from last year's thread:

And for my only bit of self-promotion in this thread: if you haven't already, check out the MilitaryToBusiness blog for all kinds of valuable (and free) information geared towards military applicants: https://blog.militarytobusiness.com/

We offer everything from a la carte resume reviews to comprehensive package deals that cover overall application strategy, picking target schools, personal branding, career goals, managing recommenders, essay strategy, resume/essay edits, and interview prep -- and we do so at prices that are very competitive relative to other options out there.

RoyMastang · Answer

Greetings!

I will be applying for U.S. full time MBA programs the coming academic year for September 2019 admission. Unfortunately I complete my military services in August 2019 and I saw in many Universities websites that for International Students the program starts from Mid-August.

Can I still apply and enroll even if I don't attend some of the ''August Manadatory'' orientation events/week for International Students? Do they give exceptions in these cases or I will be forced to miss the entire academic year?(I hope not, fingers crossed)

Thank you

Narenn · Answer

Merged your topic into a discussion thread dedicated for Military applicants. Hope you will get answers to your questions here.

EBM · Answer

That's the sort of thing that will vary from school to school based on their start date and whether their "mandatory" orientation events are truly mandatory.

My guess is that most schools would be flexible in a situation like yours -- best bet is to ask current students or someone on adcom at the schools you're targeting.

cowsertm1 · Answer

Hi Fellow Student Veterans,

My name is Matthew Cowsert. I recently graduated from NYU Stern's full-time MBA program, and I'm headed to work for Amazon as a Technical Product Manager in Seattle in July.

Before Stern, I worked in the U.S. Army for seven years. While I’ve been in school for the last two years, I did pro-bono admissions consulting for veterans through the non-profit Service to School. I realized through this process that there is a gap in the pre-transition process for military veterans. I was inspired to write a book to help other veterans successfully transition from their military service to their next career.

The book, What’s Next? A Military Veteran’s Guide to Maximizing Your MBA  https://smile.amazon.com/Whats-Next-Military-Veterans-Maximizing/dp/1732431213/  is available online from Amazon. I’ve also launched a companion site called Next Vets at  https://www.nextvets.com  for the downloadable resources discussed in the book.

If you are interested, check out the book and website. Best of luck, you are all going to crush it.

Best,

Matt Cowsert

swbluedevil · Answer

When in August would you complete your military service?

I would imagine schools would have some flexibility here (especially for military service), but it probably depends on each school, so it's a bit hard to give you a blanket answer.

From a networking / making friends perspective, the orientation weeks are really great opportunities to meet your classmates and form connections with your class. Many friendships are formed during those initial events and it's possible (not saying it will happen) that you might feel a bit left out if you end up missing the mandatory events.

Eric8923 · Answer

I've followed two iterations of this thread, finally getting to participate. I will be using S2S and applying in round 2 through The Consortium.

29 years old
Hispanic Male
6 years enlisted
3.0 GPA, Big 12 public school in Texas
Taking the GMAT in August.

swbluedevil · Answer

Hey all - this is a bit early for folks here, but wanted to put it on your radar. Google has been hosting the "Google Student Veteran Summit" for about 4 years now for newly-admitted MBAs: https://buildyourfuture.withgoogle.com/ ... ew-content

Great to keep on your radar as you are thinking about career goals - I found Google to be incredibly supportive of vets while I interned and worked there.

touchmba · Answer

Very cool to see all the resources being posted here. I'd like to add one more - I interviewed a former navy intelligence officer turned Harvard MBA turned management consultant, to try to distill his lessons learned.

https://touchmba.com/military-to-mba-to- ... rvard-mba/

Hope you find it helpful!

tringuyen0243 · Answer

Hello, I'm currently serving as a company commander in Fort Benning, GA. I'm looking at applying to the MBA@UNC online MBA program since they offer an application & GMAT Waiver based on my years of service (7+ years)

I was wondering if anyone would be able to review my resume and essay questions and provide some feedback/advice. I don't think it is necessary to pay thousands of dollars for a consulting service when we have this forum to help people with their applications. Please let me know if anyone can assist and message me directly.

EBM · Answer

New blog post from MTB about handling the highs of an early admission offer vs. the lows of being strung along through the spring:

https://blog.militarytobusiness.com/201 ... sions.html

Additionally, we're considering launching a podcast series along the lines of what Neil Patel and Eric Siu do with Marketing School — a 5-6 minute episode released 3-4 days per week covering topics that are easy to digest and take action on. That way our audience could easily bank up a week's worth of them and listen to them during a commute or whatever.

If you've got suggestions about topics you'd like us to cover, post them here and we'll consider them.

bb · Answer

Thanks and good to see you around and good to know you are going strong!
Thanks for your help to all of the veterans out there!

BB.

USNavy13 · Answer

I'm hoping you all can assist. I'm currently 29 and a LT in the USN. I plan on applying during Round 1 this upcoming fall, but don't have a set of target schools selected yet. Given the limited info below, would you be able to provide 2-3 reach, match, and safety schools each?

GMAT: 710
Undergraduate - Middlebury
-2.92 GPA (Government and Legal Studies)
-Varsity Athlete

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

GMAT: 710
Undergraduate - Middlebury
-2.92 GPA (Government and Legal Studies)
-Varsity Athlete

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

bb · Answer

Your GPA is a tad on the low side and your school list will depend on the quality of your resume/recommendations and distinctions.

There’s also a question about time To apply to about 10 schools. It is a pretty substantial effort to get it done with one school and 10 will take a while.

Judging based on only your GMAT score, and that you have an excellent profile, and you have a good reason for a sub 3.0 GPA, I think you can target the top 20 schools (anything in the top 20 to Top 11).

For stretch you can try Tuck, Fuqua or Ross.

Safety, I would look at where you want to be long term and apply to a few Top 30 schools in those states.

Once you settle on your list at least somewhat, one thing I would recommend for you to start doing now is reaching out to admissions and getting connected with veteran students within MBA programs. That will help figure out your chances and give you an idea of how you compare. Depending on who you get connected with, it may determine which schools you are more likely to apply in the first or second round. Also if you get connected with a super helpful person, your chances of admission will likely be much much higher For that program at least. As an FYI, most folks recommend applying to your choice schools in the first round but you should definitely plan on applying in both rounds to adjust your trajectory so to speak.

Good luck!

Posted from my mobile device

USNavy13 · Answer

BB - Thanks for the quick and detailed reply! Your insight will definitely help me out as I begin the application process. Thanks again!

PaulLanzillotti · Answer

Hey USNavy13:

I responded to your question in the Ask Paul Lanzillotti thread as well. There I cover many of the points I do here as well. 
Let's see if I can do your profile a solid! Here goes ...

Bottom line assessment – from what I've seen in the past - personally - you should be aiming a bit higher than you are now. And yes, I know you have a 2.92 GPA. At first glance, you may appear to be a long shot. Totally understandable. But, my Spidey sense tells me something might be tingling.

With all due respect to the Lou and Wash U, you could (probably) show up to Owen and waltz right in. Out of all the schools you listed, common sense tells me Owen is your backup school, and it's definitely a solid one. Right now, I don't think you'll get to the point where you will actually need that lifeline.
 Based on my prior experience with military candidates - who have been mostly of the oceangoing variety - you will not have a problem at Darden, McCombs, or Cornell Johnson. The last sailor I worked with ended up on the good ship Dartmouth Tuck. 
 Basically, they're not looking to you for some monster GMAT score or even a 3.999999999 GPA. You fill out their incoming MBA class by checking all the leadership boxes. Additionally (and most likely), you'll have international work experience with other partner organizations – whether managing coordinated training operations as an EOD tech or NATO attaché, or being stationed somewhere overseas and having to deal with locals as a contracting officer.
 You'll have responsibility for men and machines on a level that others won't be able to match. Of course, this includes significant mentorship and coaching opportunities for those just getting their sea legs. That bodes well for your leadership stories and any other essay that requires you to describe how you overcame an obstacle to achieve a result. There will be an essay that asks about your personal motivations and convictions, you should be able to knock that one out of the park as well. Schools like HBS and Stanford tend to ask these types of "introspective" essay questions. Simply put, you joined the Navy out of a sense of selflessness AKA "serving your country." Of course, there's probably a few other reasons perhaps. Maybe, you needed the money for college or maybe you just like white uniforms. But when you strip away all the bells and whistles, it all boils down to putting your money where your mouth is. You believed in something so much that you were willing to pursue it as a "career." Very few people can say that. Frankly, that's what I've seen separate the groupies from the rock stars. And just like all dogs go to heaven, quite a few rock stars end up at HBS and Stanford.
 I bet you're thinking, "Is this bozo (me) actually telling me (you) to apply to HBS or Stanford GSB?" Maybe. Okay, so I definitely think you should shoot a bit higher by applying to a school like Northwestern or even Wharton. But should you have a very compelling personal story about overcoming obstacles and perhaps learning about how they are in fact opportunities to push beyond your comfort zone, I do think you should apply to HBS or Stanford. Correct me if I am wrong, but Middlebury does  not  seem like a traditional feeder school into any one of the US military services. Was this the game plan - to join ROTC or its equivalent - when you got to campus? What did the family say about this? A few years back, I had a Marine officer who went to another small liberal arts school in the Northeast and well, his family wanted him to be an accountant. So when he joined the Marines, they weren't as gung ho. In fact, they flipped their ****. Regardless, it ended up establishing a pattern where he constantly went against the grain – which is not something you would expect from someone signing up to be part of a regimented military machine. That's the beauty of the story. It's much harder to be the voice of dissent when tradition and everyone else around you tells you to march in a specific direction. This individual ended up going to HBS. Does this type of story resonate with anything you've experienced?
 The other aspects of your background – the sheer number of officers you managed, NCAA athlete, your political campaigning – reinforce your "theme." Basically, from what I tell right now, this provides evidence that equates to "icing on the cake." It's a deal sealer.
 Before I go any further, don't think you're off the hook with respect to that low GPA. You will have to use some real estate – i.e. Optional Essay - to explain. Do not waste the reader's time giving them any lame excuse, nor would you beat around the bush. Just jump right into it. If it was a maturity issue, then state so. Just get through the reason why quickly so you can get to the important part - i.e. how you improved your grades and what you learned about yourself. Lessons learned could include things like – in order of complexity - 1) better prioritization for all your heavy workload in and out of class 2) greater interest in more complicated subjects that lay within your major 3) greater commitment to what really matters – contributing to campus as an athlete, scholar and leader 4) ultimately, realizing that you could and would leave campus better than you found through some sort of contribution 5) ultimately, you could say you learn something like challenges forced to grow up and made you a more mature, responsible person across all aspects of your life. And you have carried this forward with you as a professional and military officer. 
 You'll do well when recruiting at any of the top consulting firms. with respect to the "story", you could talk about joining a top strategy firm and eventually focusing on operations. And then you could bring that operating experience back to your family's PE firm. That must be nice by the way. Ha. I'm sure there's a few stories floating around about managing the dynamics of a fund, as well as the intricacies of a family-owned operation!
 Finally, and to answer your initial question about school selection – give Harvard BS and Stanford GSB a shot, especially HBS, but also look at schools like Columbia and NYU Stern. I would also give Kellogg a closer look. It's a great school for management consulting, and it doesn't get the credit it's finance program deserves in my opinion. Michigan Ross is also another school you need to check out as well. BTW, the next thing you should do is take a look at each one of these school's career center employment report. That's where you will find out what firms are hiring what flavor of pleb. You can tailor your goals (within mgmt consulting) to what you see. For example, if McKinsey, Bain, and BCG don't come to campus to recruit, then move onto a new school or find a firm that does recruit at the school in question. You can also get on LinkedIn and check to what consulting firms hired military from MBA program XYZ or ABC and for what industries/roles. You gotta kick the tires on this one because you are a "career switcher" and the admissions committee needs to know you know what the hell you're getting into.

Let me know what other questions you may have.

Respectfully,
Paul Lanzillotti

PaulLanzillotti · Answer

One more thing - start reaching out to your target school's Vets clubs. it varies from school to school, but in general they are a huge asset to prospective applicants.
 
For example: HBS 
 https://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/student-diversity/Pages/military.aspx  HBS Vets Club
 https://www.hbs.edu/about/video.aspx?v=1_63jimolq  Military Webinar 
 https://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/student-diversity/Documents/10%20Application%20Tips%20for%20Members%20of%20the%20Military.pdf  Somewhat Useful PDF

- Paul Lanzillotti

PaulLanzillotti · Answer

Hey Tri:

Just my two cents, so please take it for what it's worth.

If you are transitioning out of the military and into the business world, you want to take a much closer look at full-time MBA programs.  Why?

One of your biggest obstacles is going to be recruiting, especially since you will be viewed by recruiters as a "career changer." So you are a bit behind the 8 ball as its highly likely you will be competing against candidates who have more business experience and prior experience in the industry you wish to enter. This means you want to leverage the power of personal relationships in getting the shiny new job you want. As a general rule, you never want to rely on the career center to land you a job. They can hold your hand a bit, but you have to do the humping.

In my experience, you can only take full advantage of all necessary MBA resources  by being physically present on campus . You simply cannot do that effectively by dialing in remotely. In theory (i.e. according to any online program's glossy sales brochure) you may be able to get 95% of the benefit (online vs. in-person), but in practice it's going to be rather difficult. For example, if you want to be a management consultant, you have to attend all the alcohol-fueled, suit-n-tie networking events. When it comes to prepping for the case interview, you need your fellow consulting club members to help you out,  bigly . This is especially true because all of this "consultingese" -  frameworking, powerpointing and synergizing  - will be new territory for you. Will you be able to come up the curve?  Certainly.  But Himyou gotta have the team around you to do this - in my experience,  this means  physically  around you.

I hope I don't come across as flippant, nor disrespectful.  I don't mean to be at all.  Three years ago, I had a similar situation with a military client. I had to walk him back from the plank. I feel strongly - very strongly - that you should look into full-time, in-the-flesh MBA programs.

Respectfully,
Paul Lanzillotti

EBM · Answer

I just published a new blog post covering all things related to school visits. Feel free to pass it on to non-vets as well, since most of the information is useful across the board.

It may not be very helpful while school is out for the summer, but for those of you who want to plan fall visits — or who are another year or two out from applying — you should find plenty of helpful advice.

Check it out here: https://blog.militarytobusiness.com/201 ... isits.html

EBM · Answer

2019-2020 thread now open here: https://gmatclub.com/forum/calling-all- ... 97022.html

Calling all US Military Fall 2019 Applicants!

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