The Second Round Ding Report

Patriotic soldier salute

Mr. West Point (dinged from HBS without interview)

 

  • 670 GMAT (44Q/38V)
  • 2.96 GPA
  • Undergraduate degree in engineering management from West Point
  • Work experience includes five years in the U.S. Army, :consistently rated top junior officer in the battalion (out of 20-30); spent last year commanding 80 soldiers (far ahead of normal timeline, usually eight years until command in my branch)
  • “I didn’t decide I was leaving the Army until late November, and only gave myself a month to cram for the GMAT and apply, so I’m sure my apps weren’t well-polished, although they weren’t sloppy, and my essays talked about relevant experiences. I understand the ding at Harvard, but I was also not invited to Fuqua, which surprised me because I thought I clearly demonstrated fit (seems like a school where many military members would fit in well). My question is what should I do now?”
  • “Recs were very strong, virtually no extracurriculars, although I’ve read that’s normal for military”
  • Goal: To work in consulting for McKinsey, Bain or BCG
  • 27-year-old white American male

Sandy’s Analysis: You were asking schools to blink twice, at the GPA and the GMAT. You should really re-take the GMAT, and keep retaking it until you get near 80 percent on both sides. A solid 710-720 GMAT and any solid job should put you in the running for military-friendly schools like Duke and Darden. Also, start lobbying. Find out if you can speak to someone at Fuqua, just to make nice and to make a friend.

As to job next year, any well-known outfit will do. A lot of big companies, even tech giants like Google and Microsoft, have programs for vets, and West Point is a great brand, no matter what the GPA. Look into that or maybe some poster can help us out.

I would seriously think about getting a solid job and then reapplying in Round 2 next year, for entry in September 2015.

That may require burning some small bridges, but  . .  . . Also, not a tragedy if you enter in 2016. Another reason to focus like a laser on the GMAT is because Big 3 consulting firms sometime ask your score.

As to jobs, I assume you know that many Wall Street firms have special programs for vets as well.

http://www.gijobs.com/wall-street-warriors.aspx

A trading firm would be a good place from which to apply to Duke, Darden, and other vet friendly MBA programs.

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