When I was in high school – a junior, I think – my mother took me to meet with the grandfather of one of her gymnastics students, a very intelligent man who did cancer research at the National Institute of Health. I was starting to think about where to go to college and my mother, a very smart lady who has, I think, always regretted not completing more than one semester of college herself, wanted me to think big. This man told me that I should apply to Ivy League schools, that I was capable of that, and that it didn’t matter that we couldn’t afford it, that those colleges had money to give to students that had the talent. I didn’t believe him and I was too young to realize that, because he’d been there before, he could have helped me.
Ultimately, I ended up attending Tulane University – often referred to as “the Harvard of the South” and an excellent college in its own right – but sometimes I wonder how my life would have been different if I would have believed in myself and taken advantage of what this man had to offer. If attending one of the top schools in the country is something you want to do, then you need to seek out people who have been there and can help you get there, too, and you can start with Military to Business.
Military to Business, whose goal is to help transitioning servicemembers and other non-traditional students get into top business and law schools and go on to obtain highly-coveted, top-paying jobs, was founded in 2009 by former military officers. Not just any former military officers – we’re talking “top block” kind of guys. The list of their team players includes more than a few Academy graduates, former Special Forces members, and even the Co-founder and current CEO of RallyPoint – ALL of whom are also either Harvard Business or Harvard Law graduates.
Military to Business is primarily a consulting firm, which means there are fees associated with some of their services. (Don’t stop reading! I said some of their services.) They offer MBA and/or Law school application assistance – resume feedback, interview prep, comprehensive application review – at a variety of prices, from $90 for “Letter of Recommendation Strategy and Management” to $825 for a “Squared Away” full application review within 24 hours. And, if you’re gonna pay someone to review your materials, these are the guys to pay – according to their website, every single one of their 2012-2013 military clients got into one of their top three schools and 1 in 4 of those military members admitted to Stanford’s 2015 class used their services.
If $825 is a little rich for your blood or you’re not quite sure if business school is really for you, don’t despair. Military to Business has a range of services, some of which are completely free, for individuals who aren’t ready for that kind of monetary commitment yet. Here are a few:
- Every client gets a FREE applicant assessment to determine what your chances are. (Be sure to read their “Am I Competitive for Harvard Business School?” article first, though.)
- Business school applicants can find digital guidebooks (available for purchase on their website) on the application process for $19-$99.
- For potential entrepreneurs, or those whose business is still in startup mode, they offer a FREE business plan mentorship program. Open to active duty, Guard and Reserve (on Active Duty orders only), and those veterans who have separated within the last six months, this program offers a review of your business plan (executive summary only), a viability assessment, suggestions for where to go next, and even, in some cases, an introduction into the venture capital community.
- Their blog and Facebook page offer key information, primarily business-related, including military-targeted recruiting events, and useful articles such as “Army Ranger to Business School: How pre-MBA programs helped in the transition” and “Should I stay in for Company Command?”
If you think business or law school might be for you, don’t try reinventing the wheel. Instead, take advantage of the “military fraternity” you’ve earned a place in and leverage it you to get the tools you need to successfully complete your civilian mission. You can check out Military to Business yourself here.
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