Enlisted to MBA
Hello everyone. I’m looking for perspectives from enlisted veterans who successfully transitioned into MBA programs. I’m currently an active duty Marine Corps Battalion Operations Chief with 18.5 years of service, planning to retire next year. Over the past several months, I’ve been seriously researching MBA programs and preparing to take the GMAT in January.
I’ve noticed is that most veteran MBA candidates I see at my target schools seem to come from officer backgrounds. I’m trying to understand whether that’s mostly a cultural issue or whether admissions committees tend to value officer experience differently.
For context, I did not attend a brick and mortar university.
A couple of questions I’ve been thinking about.
- How are senior enlisted leadership roles viewed in MBA admissions?
- Are there particular aspects of an enlisted career that need to be translated differently for admissions committees?
Thank you for any feedback.