Saturday, June 20, 2020
Is a Military Background an Advantage in MBA Admissions
Do MBA applicants with military backgrounds have an advantage? The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article entitled ââ¬Å"MBAs Attract Current and Former Soldiers.â⬠à Like many such articles Iââ¬â¢ve read in my decade of MBA admissions consulting, it promotes the benefits of business schools to former military personnel and vice versa, so no surprises there.à However, I did find the reaction posted by readers interesting. The comments centered on what happens to former military personnel after they receive their MBA and enter the business world (which was not a focus of the article).à Most said the article painted too rosy a picture for veterans about the benefits of business school: one ââ¬Å"did not see [his] military experience as either helpful or harmful,â⬠another pointed out that a military background proves no guarantee of leadership ability in the corporate world, and a third stated that ââ¬Å"in most first jobs post MBA, you start as a lowly associate, not leading hundreds, or even a couple.â⬠à Others took issue with the values of corporate America, wondering why it ââ¬Å"has a hard time understanding how to use ex-military peopleâ⬠and ââ¬Å"cant figure out a way to tap our strength of making decisions in uncertainty.â⬠I want to make two quick points in response.à Firstââ¬âand more to the theme of the articleââ¬âmilitary experience does help candidates get into business school.à Military personnel hold positions of high responsibility and leadership earlier than most people, and they develop a strong sense of discipline and teamwork as well, giving them traits sought by all business schools.à Military service is definitely a plus for MBA applicants; no doubt it played a role in my own acceptance to MIT Sloan. But that ââ¬Å"plusâ⬠does not mean that veterans are going to receive any special treatment once they reach business school or the corporate world after.à Thatââ¬â¢s my second point.à Business school studentsââ¬âwhether they fought an enemy to win for their country, or fought a technology competitor to win a larger market share, or fought a government to win justice for its impoverished, or fought a rival investment firm to win a clientââ¬â¢s businessââ¬âall come from unique backgrounds and all bring their own strengths to bear on their new environment.à Every one of them, placed in business school and then in the corporate world after, must adapt and overcome; they must prove themselves once again; there is no entitlement.à Military experience will give some advantages in making this adjustment, but that experience is no guarantee. For 25 years, Accepted has helped business school applicants gain acceptance to top programs. Our outstanding team of MBA admissions consultants features former business school admissions directors and professional writers who have guided our clients to admission at top MBA, EMBA, and other graduate business programs worldwide including Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth, INSEAD, London Business School, and many more.à Want an MBA admissions expertà to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! ;
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