If you could go back and go through the MBA all over again, what would you do differently?

I would do two things differently if I were to repeat the MBA application process: reach out to other veterans at MBA programs and learn more about different private sector careers.

First, I wish I would have gotten more veteran perspectives going through the application process. I had two friends from ROTC that were enrolled in top MBA programs when I did the application process. They were truly critical to getting my resume translated and learning the basics about the application process. However, that was just two perspectives. Unless the veteran network at a school reached out to me, I did not know that I should reach out to them. The humility and the team-focused approach you learn in the military can get in the way of being successful in the private sector in instances like this. People, especially other veterans, want to help you navigate the application process. If you have specific questions about the school, then reach out!

Secondly, I wish I would have learned more specifically about what are MBA careers. I read the necessary blogs and books preparing myself for the MBA world, but they focus on the basics to make the information more digestible: consulting, banking, marketing. There are many cool MBA careers I did not learn about until I had accepted an internship offer during my first year at B-school. I think a better approach to learning about careers is to think about what work energizes you, and then look for careers that might have that type of work – rather than looking at a certain company or broad career function.

Branch: Army
MBA: Darden (University of Virginia)
Year: 2012
Industry: Logistics