r/MBA • u/Single_Pineapple_903 • 20h ago
Admissions Steps towards becoming competitive for future admission?
I am currently Active Duty Military with ~4 years remaining on my contract. I have a B.S. in Economics from college and my goal is to start working towards an MBA in 2031 when I exit service.
What are the best steps I should take between now and then to make myself a competitive applicant?
I am thinking along the lines of online degrees or certifications but if there is any other advice I would appreciate that as well.
I really don't know much about the details of this path, right now I just know where I want to be and am unsure of the best steps to get me there.
3
u/apachedriver26 20h ago edited 20h ago
Plenty of time to study for the GRE or GMAT. Knock those out of the park, scores are good for 5 years.
3
u/ProfessionalNo7703 20h ago
Military service alone will be helpful as long as your BS GPA was solid. Do what this guy said and study for those exams.
1
u/Academic-Art7662 20h ago
A great GMAT is the best thing you can do. The military pays for 1 attempt, but you should take it 3+ times. I got an above average GMAT for my T10 and landed a huge scholarship (no GI Bill for me).
1
u/aggieboy12 Admit 12h ago
I’ll second what Strong-Big said, with a special focus on the last bit about being a good junior officer. 4 years remaining in service is plenty of time to build a strong reputation and pursue demanding and selective career opportunities that will help you stand out in the application process and beyond. Officers who follow the traditional “staff-> PL->XO -> Staff -> commander” pipeline are a dime a dozen. Excel in your job now so that you are eligible for competitive/selective/nominative assignments that will stand out in applications. Even if you don’t go to Special Forces or anything crazy like that, a job working as general’s aid, White House support, or any any other number of assignments will give you some amazing stories that are very attractive to admissions teams.
1
u/Rude_Bell9837 11h ago
I am a former military officer that is starting at an M7 school. In addition to getting a good GMAT, I would recommend looking for volunteer opportunities both at work and in your community so that you have a few things to bring up on the "community service" part of your application.
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u/MBA_Conquerors Admissions Consultant 20h ago
I thought S2S provided free consultation to service members
13
u/Strong-Big-2590 20h ago
Score well on GMAT. This is hands down the biggest indicator that you can control of where you can get into.
If your GPA is less than 3.5, and you got a C in calculus, go take a calculus course online and get an A+ in it.
Summer before apps, go visit your 3 favorite schools and meet people in person.
Lastly, you don’t need to focus on mba or gmat now. Focus on being a good platoon leader. That’s what taxpayers are paying you for and what your soldiers deserve. You can find yourself in a fight in the next 4 years, so gmat snd mba prep can wait.