Networking: The Power of Peers
MBA Student Military Associations and Armed Forces Clubs
Each year military veterans typically make up around 3-5% of the incoming classes as top MBA programs in the U.S., making veterans an important demographic for business schools. There can be a wide variety of representation between top programs. For example, at the University of Virginia, Darden School of Business military students make up 8% of each year’s class while veterans at Stanford historically represent only 3% of the class (the good news is veterans will make up 5% of the 2023 Stanford GSB class!).
Prospective military applicants have a secret weapon for business school applications not available to applicants from other industries: military clubs (referred to as Armed Forces Associations, Military Associations or Veterans Clubs). These extracurricular organizations made up of current students are a great way to learn more about individual programs in addition to providing a wealth of insider information. Whether you are just beginning your b-school research or planning on submitting applications this season, one of the first things we recommend to all military applicants is to reach out to these clubs. Some schools have a central contact point while others, like Fuqua and Tuck, go as far as listing the names of all their current students who are veterans, along with their contact information. Regardless of how you connect with these clubs and their members, you’ll find they are more than willing to help you answer questions and chat about their experience as veterans. You will also get a sense of what programs may be the best fit for you as a result of interacting with members of the current class.
If your schedule allows, go one step further and take advantage of the military prospective student events being held around the country at business schools each fall. While the pandemic put many of these in-person events on hold, many schools are bringing back in person events or have moved to a virtual event. Military visit days are typically daylong sessions (in person or virtual) complete with admissions FAQ sessions, campus tours, class visits and the opportunity to network with current students. Of the top ten MBA programs in the U.S., most hold a yearly military day event (of the top programs Stanford is the notable exception). While the majority of these days happen between September and November, several schools host spring events as well. Please find below a rundown of the military veterans clubs at top programs and military preview events. I recommend checking with each website for the most current information.
HBS Armed Forces Alumni Association, Military Prospective Student Day held in early Fall
Wharton Veterans Club, Military Visit Day in April and September
Chicago Booth Armed Forces Group, Veterans Seminar in November
MIT Sloan Veterans Club, Veterans Visit Day held in the Fall
NYU Stern Military Veterans Club, Military Veterans Event held in the Fall
Duke Armed Forces Association, Veteran’s Symposium for Military held in mid-October
Kellogg Veterans Association, Military Visit Day held in May and October
Columbia Military in Business Association, Veterans Symposium in the Fall
Cornell Veterans Club, Military Preview Day Held in November
Michigan Ross Armed Forces Association, Military Preview Day held in November
Tuck Veterans Club, Military Preview Day held in the Fall
UC Berkeley Haas Veterans Club, Vets Visit Day in the Fall and Spring semesters
University of Virginia Darden Military Association, Fall Military Open House
Georgetown McDonough Military Association
UCLA Anderson Association of Veterans
Peer Networking Resources
In addition to communicating and building relationships with current students, the following organizations provide important opportunities and connections to build your post-military network and facilitate the transition from the military to your MBA and eventually to the private sector.
With All These Resources, Do I Really Need an Admissions Consultant?
While student clubs and their representatives are an amazing wealth of resources, admissions decisions are made by admissions teams (not student clubs) and those decisions involve a variety of unique factors each year as they strive to create and admit their best class. As consultants we focus on helping you translate your skill set and building your personal narrative and we do that based on honed expertise and experience in admissions, career development, military transitions and storytelling. In addition, we understand the special factors that individual programs look for when it comes to military veterans and help you discover how you can differentiate yourself. The MBA admissions process is not formulaic. Everyone has a story to tell and what works for one applicant does not translate to someone else. Our team’s strength is first and foremost helping you navigate the transition from military to business. Along the way we coach you to discover the story only you can tell- a story that translates into MBA applications that differentiate you from your peers.