Going from the Military to the MBA - A Student's Perspective

"Once you combine the leadership and management experience of a military member with the formal business training you get out of an MBA program, that person is a powerful and valuable resource for the corporation. So it's a really great value proposition for the student, as well as for the company, and therefore for the school."
That statement comes from an Air Force veteran who served six years as an intelligence officer. Tremain "Trey" Wheatley is now in his second year at Darden School of Business. Trey is one of more than a dozen interviews I did for the two shows Military MBA: From the Military to Corporate America: Getting In and Fitting In.
Trey told me he was initially drawn to getting his MBA to enhance his skill set to expand his foundation. He had a lot to say to other military about how to make the transition. He says he first reached out to two members of the Darden Military Association -- a strong group on campus. He says since they understand the same language, they know that the new guys and women are going to need to know where to buy suits, how to interview, and how to craft their essays for their application. Trey says the second year MBA students -- who were former military -- are the best resources.
As for choice of MBA school, Trey suggests military look for schools with a military association, and see if those schools waive application fees for military.
He also says Darden appealed to him because it seemed well-suited for the military mind, given its general management focus. Trey likes how everyone in the program is trained to think like a CEO.
We'll let you know when the two Military MBA shows post on MBA Podcaster.