MBA Admissions Mashup: Veterans Day Edition
Every Wednesday, we share a round-up of the latest news from admissions blogs at the top business schools. As today (in the United States) is Veterans Day, several business school blogs are paying homage to our veterans. This week’s MBA Admissions Mashup highlights those posts, in addition to a look at a women’s week and a roadmap to the application process.
UC Berkeley / Haas MBAs, Kelly Deutermann and Mike Christman reflect on why getting one’s MBA post-military service is a natural next step. For Deutermann, business school is a way to ease one’s self back into civilian life — a civilian bootcamp, if you will. “I’ve seen too many senior officers leave the military only to feel lost in the civilian world. I think of business school as a professional incubator. It gives you two years to explore your options and try new things while you’re learning a whole new skill set. This is a no-threat environment to test your wings.” While Christman agrees, he adds that “the skills and knowledge you gain will set you apart from other returning veterans, and you leave with an entirely new network to rely on.”
At Dartmouth / Tuck, Dan Linge T’16 at first didn’t see the natural connection between military life and a business career. By obtaining one’s MBA “veterans are presented with unique opportunities to develop skills and perspectives that encourage examining problems with an eye on the greater good. They are willing to make hard decisions and personal sacrifices to ensure the success of the task at hand” just like in the business world.
Many top business schools see the benefits of supporting our veterans. In fact, Georgetown / McDonough even has its own club for former service members. The McDonough Military Association (MMA) aims to “accelerate the transition of its members from military service to new careers through internal membership, integration into the MBA Admissions and Career Center activities, and promotion of veterans to the McDonough School of Business student population at large.” Robert Baker, vice president of admissions for the MMA, explains the challenges that the group hopes to address: “With the help of [current MMA members] I was effectively able to translate my military experiences into something easily understood by the Admissions team. They also helped focus my career goals and guided me to better understand my target industry, consulting.”
This week at NYU / Stern, the Military Veterans Club is hosting its inaugural NYU Stern Veterans Week, which will include a “variety of events for the Stern community such as an MBA veterans Q&A panel where Sternies can ask us about our military experiences, a bootcamp workout session, and a guest speaker event featuring a retired two-star general officer.”
Speaking of campus events, U. Chicago / Booth hosted over 600 women comprised of influential alumnae, distinguished faculty, current and prospective students, and staff for its fifth annual Booth Women’s Connect Conference. One of the sessions, Building Your Personal Brand, really resonated with Michelle Moore, Booth Director of Admissions Outreach. “It takes work to really understand what makes a good leader, how you are perceived, or how to create your own personal brand…” This correlates with the application process in that business schools want to know what sets you, the applicant, apart from everyone else. “When you sit down to prepare your application, you have to have to think about the reasons why you want an MBA, why now, and why Booth. You also have to think about what makes you, you! What is YOUR personal brand? “
And, finally, with their Round 2 deadline less than two months away, Yale SOM’s Bruce Delmonico provides prospective Yale MBA’s an application roadmap to guide them along the process. He invites applicants to join him for an Online Reception, on Wednesday, November 18, where he “will give an overview of our MBA program and a panel of current students will discuss life at Yale.” In the meantime, consider the following: “Embrace the process of self-discovery. Applying to business school involves a great deal of introspection and thoughtfulness. Invariably, students tell me that they learn a great deal about themselves during the admissions process. The outcome is important, but enjoy and embrace the process itself.”
That’s all for this week! Join us next week for the latest edition of MBA Admissions Mashup.
About the Author
Marianne Mondt
Featured Schools
Lauder Institute of Management & International Studies
| Class Size | 75 |
| % Women | 43% |
| % International or Dual Citizens | 64% |
