Alex and Graham, I am a weekly podcast listener and your insights have helped me greatly going into the application process!

I am an Army artillery officer who graduated from West Point. I have earned high enumerations in each position I have held and am confident that my letters of recommendation will be extremely strong. I will be participating in the R1 application cycle this fall to matriculate fall of 2022. To bolster my chances at R1 acceptance I am utilizing Service to School as well as getting in contact with the veterans clubs of the programs I am interested in.

My current goal is to utilize an MBA to gain technical skills and connections within the industries I am interested in. Immediately following graduation I want to end up in a general manager development program or at an LDP at companies such as Amazon or Danaher.

I understand my low GPA is a major hurdle. My 680 GMAT (44Q/39V) is below my target of 730 but it was my first time taking it and I intend to retake. I also am planning on taking MBA math. In undergrad I struggled with maturity and time management. However, I demonstrated an upward trend and made the dean's list my final semester. At the same time during undergrad I was elected by ~60 peers to serve as the president of my extracurricular club I was part of. I intend to explain in my optional essay that I am no longer a young 18 year old struggling at a service academy, but a mature husband and father.

Do either of you have any advice going into round 1 or any advice regarding school selection? It is important to end up somewhere in the Midwest during school and post-graduation. Looking forward to hearing your opinions. Thank you!