Our Expert Answers:
What is the main issue that members of the military face in preparing for the GMAT or GRE exams and MBA applications?
Lack of time. Service members have limited study time and are subject to assignments and deployments that derail study plans. Starting preparation early is vital, and seeking expert help early on is also a wise move.
What is the main advantage that members of the military can leverage?
Veterans networks and MBA veterans clubs provide invaluable support.
My military students sometimes joke that my GMAT prep course may be tough, but hey, it’s not Ranger School, Best Sapper Competition, or Seal Team training. If you’ve taken on any of the extremely challenging environments offered by the military, then you possess the dedication and resolve to succeed in the not-always-easy pursuit of a high GMAT or GRE score. As a teacher, I am proud to serve those who serve our country.
Members of the military definitely face some unique challenges in pursuing admission to MBA programs. However, whether you’re in the military or not, I think that military-offered perspectives are of value to everyone.
Preparing for success on the GMAT or GRE exams is not a situation in which you can prepare with a few cram sessions. First, you’ve been out of school for several years. Secondly, you’re in the military! I’ve had many students deployed and trying to study for the exam in an aircraft carrier, the back of a truck, or during the odd hours between draining mission-critical assignments. Even if you are scheduled to leave the military, you may not be given the normal courtesy of a transitional role with lower tempo duties; several of my students have been given last-minute special assignments that have sucked up their study time.
"If I had to do it all over again, what would I have done differently? ... Start earlier!" – Nicole, U.S. Army veteran
What does that mean? Start preparation a year in advance in order to get the GMAT or GRE out of the way as early as you can. Your future self will thank you.
Starting early will allow you identify, evaluate, and correct your academic weaknesses prior to taking your first exam. Jamison, a U.S. Army veteran and Wharton alumnus, recalled, “Because I had started studying early enough (1.5 years prior to applications being due), I was in a position to take my time.”
Having started GMAT prep on his own, Steve, a current U.S. Army officer and alumnus of Emory University's Goizueta Business School, looked back with regret at not starting GMAT classes earlier. “The truth is that I could have discovered more of my weaknesses had I sought assistance from Dr. Amar earlier," he said.
Starting early also allows for any necessary exam first attempts and retakes to put you in a more competitive position for business school applications. Nicole, U.S. Army veteran and Yale School of Management alumnus, was forced into taking the GMAT twice on a compressed timeline. “I decided to apply for business school in May, and started studying for the GMAT in June, taking the GMAT twice in July and August, and applying first round to four schools with due dates from September 9 to October 1.” Nicole said. “It was a very busy four months, and I feel like I didn’t perform as well as I could have on the GMAT because of the rush.” Only through a great deal of planning and discipline was Nicole able to successfully do it all on an extremely tight schedule.
Of course, sometimes the plan to retake the GMAT or GRE is derailed by the military, which makes its own inconvenient plans. U.S. Army veteran and MBA student at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business Jonathan was preparing for his next GRE attempt when – surprise – his overseas deployment turned into a very high-tempo assignment. Though his GRE score was solid, Jonathan was hoping to compensate for a less-than-stellar GPA – that strategy had to be scrapped. Nonetheless, although Jonathan’s journey to Chicago Booth was an uphill slog, he had done a very wise thing. Jonathan had started studying early on and secured that solid exam score, which ultimately helped convince multiple MBA admissions committees that he was academically ready for a rigorous program, despite the GPA.
To make progress in a short window of time, you really don’t have the time to figure out new test topics, brush off the rust on unused skill sets, and waste precious hours on less effective test-taking methodologies. When he was stationed in Fort Hood, Jamison started studying with Dr. Amar in Austin. “Instead of just powering through the Official Guide problems one after another, Dr. Amar gave me a guide that outlined which problems fell into which problems fell into which math topic. … This let me see what type of GMAT math I was struggling with the most.” He relied upon expertise to start studying smarter, not harder.
Reserving time to study, distraction-free, and having the discipline to stick to it, is one of the most important things that you can do for yourself. The GMAT Plus course or Austin Elite Prep GRE course, with curriculums, study plans, and committed class times, is one way to hold yourself accountable. However, study plans obviously require that you study, which can be difficult on a military schedule.
"Protect your study time as much as possible." - Nicole
Nicole said, "I brought breakfast and lunch from home, shut the door to my office, and used those two hours to study.” During the two weeks leading up to the GMAT, Nicole used the hours used for physical training to train for the exam instead. “I had two and a half hours of uninterrupted time (where I wasn’t distracted by my family or co-workers) to study before work.”
When Steve was deployed, he set aside time every day to study a particular area that he was weak in and made sure he finished it before the day was over. He recalled, “Usually my time for this, down range, was from 9 o'clock p.m. to midnight.”
Nicole was completely open with her rater [the officer responsible for evaluating her performance], sharing her goals and plan of action, and was fortunate enough to receive complete support. “A good leader will set you up for future success,” she noted.
Victor, an Army veteran and alumnus of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, told us that working with a study group helped keep him accountable. “Those text messages at 5-6 p.m. from others who want to study act like Jiminy Cricket.”
"Find 2-3 others to study with who are equally motivated and willing to set forth the time." – Steve, U.S. Army officer
Steve recommended, "Working in small groups not only allowed me to stay focused and accomplish more, but it also was an opportunity to discover different ways to approach problems that I might not have been able to figure out on my own. Not only was this one of the best ways to learn, but I was also able to build lifetime friendships from this.” He continued, “I received interview help from my peers and also discussed with them which MBA programs they were looking at and why. One year later, when all of us received our MBA acceptance letters, it was an exciting time for us to celebrate.”
Classes taught by Austin GMAT Review and Austin Elite Prep (for GRE prep) meet regularly twice a week, and oftentimes, students meet to study on the days that classes aren’t in session. This gives them a support system and helps keep them on track when the going gets tough.
Make no mistake, the top score coupled with your military service does swing open doors.
That said, it’s easy to underestimate the time that you will spend researching and applying to business schools.
Before you start business school applications, you should identify what you want from your MBA. Then you will need to work to find the business school that best meets your requirements.
The first time your name appears in front the MBA admissions teams should not be on your application. For this reason, plan to attend official MBA admissions events and information sessions, be it online or in person. Nicole recommended attending the school information sessions in person, if at all possible. “For those of you who are stationed at Fort Hood, it is so easy to attend information sessions because you are close to Austin, Dallas, and Houston, which are all hubs for business schools to visit,” she said.
As a service member, you have one huge advantage: veterans networks and MBA veterans clubs that are ready to support you. “I reached out to a lot of friends who are currently in business school, and to each school’s various clubs in order to talk to current students – veterans, women in business, and non-profit MBA candidates. It was great to hear about their experiences,” Nicole said.
Steve was unexpectedly deployed overseas while he was in the midst of the application process. He aggressively pursued new connections within the schools, emailing and setting up video calls with MBA students and school representatives. He also sought expert advice, including help from Austin GMAT Review. After gathering intelligence on many schools, he felt that “the MBA programs I have applied to really valued the leadership that military officers had and what they could contribute to the classroom.”
Expand your horizons. Look beyond the business schools where your friends landed, because your interests may be better met by other MBA programs. Joe, a U.S. Army veteran and alumnus of MIT Sloan School of Management, said that only after connecting with the veterans club did he consider MIT Sloan to be a viable option. “I almost did not apply to MIT Sloan because my original perception was that it was not military friendly – thankfully, I changed my thinking on that one.”
Get ready to spend time writing school essays and making videos. Be aware that each MBA program has some common elements (such as the resume and recommendation letters) but also very different application requirements. If you’re pressed for time, you may find yourself falling short of both the quality of how you wish to present yourself and the number of schools to which you hoped to apply.
Perhaps you have heard that you can just use AI to write your essays. Ahhhhhhhh…….. no. AI is a shortcut to rejection. AI essays are noted for their impersonal, bland tone; AI cannot help you identify what unique aspects of yourself of greatest interest to the business schools; and AI cannot help you highlight those aspects in your essay sets.
If you’re thinking that you might need help with this aspect of the application, we’re here to help with MBA admissions consulting services discounted for our students.
A severe disadvantage for military applicants is the limited personal travel, a fact of which MBA admissions committees are aware. You will be offered opportunities for video interviews and online interactions with students, and you will not be judged for not visiting campus in person. For that reason, if you are able to visit the business school, you will automatically be placed in a positive light – it becomes a strategic advantage. In addition, you will be able to better evaluate the “fit” of the school and its location.
“I highly recommend conducting your interview on campus and attending veteran recruiting events, if possible.” - Nicole
Nicole was invited to interview at several schools, and although the schools offered her off-campus interview options, she traveled to interview on campus for all. “Yale fit my three requirements – top school for non-profit MBAs, small class size, and a Top 10 business school. Also, it felt right. From information sessions to the Veterans Preview Weekend to my interview, I felt like the Yale community is somewhere I would thrive. I didn’t have that same feeling towards the other schools I applied for so it made my decision fairly simple."
Back in the U.S. again, Steve also traveled to interview at several schools, and in Emory’s business school he found what he sought: “Emory invited me to interview, and once I visited the campus and spoke with current students, I knew that Emory was the right fit for me. … Emory met every goal of mine for a MBA program – and it didn’t hurt that my family was also looking forward to living in the Atlanta area.”
MBA application deadlines are typically in September/October and January time frames. Start your preparation for the GMAT and/or GRE exams about a year in advance, and if you don’t have the luxury of time, then do not waste it. Lock in now. The military has taught you to improvise, adapt, and overcome, which can take you far, but you should also seek support from veterans and expert assistance from us with both your exam and MBA applications. Let’s do this!
Austin GMAT Review is the premier GMAT test prep company in Central Texas. Offering strategic, expert guidance to help you attain an elite score, we cater to busy professionals who seek personalized coaching and don't have the time to sort through masses of generic study materials. Austin GMAT offers excellent GMAT preparation for military personnel, including a military discount. Travel from Fort Hood / Killeen to take our weekend class in Austin, Texas, or join us online.
If you seek top-notch expert help with the GRE test, we recommend our affiliate Austin Elite Prep for GRE preparation.
