The Application Process

Hey guys/girls,

I need a little help in the direction of where I should apply to b-school. I have been following a lot of stories and feel I need a little direction with my case.

A little about me:

I joined the Canadian Naval reserves when I was 16 (young I know) and I have been part of the reserves ever since (26 now). I have 10 years in the military already.

I went to community college for two years I received my diploma. After that, I worked full time for the Navy and my trade was logistics (Logistics Tech). I gained a lot of experience in these 4-5 years of full time work.

-I completed a tour of duty in Kandahar Afghanistan, while working the logistics systems of Leopard 2 tank parts etc (can't give to much detail)

-Worked security for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver(stationed for 6 months there). My role was procurement and warehousing of high asset equipment. I supervised lower ranking members as I was a corporal (leading seaman...same thing).

-I have completed over 6 months of logistics training at the Canadian forces School of Administration of logistics.

-I was the supervisor for my local warehouses/stores and 2IC after my boss returned.

- I attended a completed a two month military leadership course

- I was promoted to what would be a equivalent to Sgt. or Master corporal in the Canadian Forces at age 25.

- I taught for three months at the Canadian Forces School of Admin and Logistics. I was in charge out 25 students. From class prep, lesson plans, admin duties to many other duties.

These are some but not all of my experiences in the military...a lot more to list.

So basically not being an officer, but having the mindset, knowledge work experience of one, I needed a Change, so I applied to University. I went to Australia to get away for the cold and graduated with a communication degree in public relations and political science.

I graduated this year with around a 76 average.





My questions is:

What are my chances of getting into a top business school with my experience, stories, an ok but not amazing average and lets say around a 650-670GMAT score? Are there schools that look towards veterans with an advantage?

Why do I want an MBA?

I want to work in contracting/logistics/procurement for a large defense contractor like Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics etc.

Any advice or feedback will be great!!

Spectacular!!!! At 26, you already have 10 years of military experience. This is exceptional,and this alone sets you part from other candidates.

Your question :

What are my chances of getting into a top business school with my experience, stories, an ok but not amazing average and lets say around a 650-670GMAT score?

Answer: Your extraordinary leadership stories and vast military experience will offset your average GMAT score .

Your Questions: Are there schools that look towards veterans with an advantage?

Answer: Yes, veterans definitely have an advantage with B-schools.With their experience, they add a unique value to the B-schools.

However, your success with B-schools will now depend on how well you can translate your splendid experiences into engaging and memorable stories and how effectively and persuasively you can communicate your goals in your essays.

Good luck on your MBA journey.

First, thank you for your service. You have significant military experience and this is generally looked quite favorably upon by business schools. (Schools like the diversity of your experience, as well as leadership capacity.)

In terms of specific schools - with those projected GMAT scores, I'd consider: Rice University (Jones), Emory University (Goizueta), Boston University and Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper).

Let me know if you're interested in talking further about steps you can take to further enhance your chances of admission.