Army Ranger to Business School: How pre-MBA programs helped in the transition

Veteran Pre-MBA/Transition Programs

No two veteran’s transitions are the same. We all come from different backgrounds and have different experiences. As such, I always found it useful to learn about as many different experiences as I can. I hope this blog, at the very least, will provide some perspective and transparency about making the switch as well as identify a few programs that have helped me in the process.

A year ago I was finishing up my Platoon Leader time at 2^nd Battalion, 75^th Ranger Regiment. I had been accepted to the full-time MBA program at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, the same University that I attended and commissioned from as an undergraduate. I knew McCombs was the right fit. I am from Texas and it was very important to me to be close to family and friends for the time being after having been away for the better part of five years. The course offerings at McCombs, smaller class sizes, culture, and job opportunities were all obvious draws for me. Additionally, the GI Bill stacked with the Hazlewood Act unique to the state of Texas made the program a financially attractive option. Everything was set, so now what?

Not wanting to start off at a disadvantage due to my lack of formal business education, I did a quick Google search for pre-MBA workshops. I was fortunate enough to be selected for both the Deloitte Consulting Immersion Program as well as the Proctor & Gamble Marketing MBA Summer Camp. Although these programs were not targeted specifically for veterans, both programs went a long way to reduce the mystery of how the “real” world works. Additionally, at both of these events veterans from each company sought me out and were able to talk about their transition in a way that was completely relatable. Through both of these programs, I quickly realized what my key development areas were and was also lucky enough to start the school year with a couple of internship offers in hand.

As school started, I found that the veterans in general had to work just a little bit harder on their pitch as career switchers as well as making their resume more translatable. Although the Army has their own transition process that covers these topics, the classes catered to the masses. A few months into the first semester of business school a veteran classmate of mine attended Deloitte’s CORE Leadership Program that caters specifically to veterans. He was a part of the inaugural class of a program that now runs four times a year. I decided to attend the CORE program a couple of weeks ago and was blown away.

The program is run completely by veterans from different areas within Deloitte. A given class consists of service-members who are about to separate and those that have recently separated. At the program we worked on our 30-60 second brand statement, scrubbed our resumes, conducted mock interviews, had a corporate panel with leaders from companies other than Deloitte, had a speed networking event as well as a host of other activities that I wish I would have had exposure to prior to business school.

To those many veterans out there who are about to make the transition into the civilian sector or start business school in the fall, I highly encourage you to apply to this program regardless of which industry you are seeking out. It covers all of the major topics that a veteran should know before making the switch. Although I had already been out of the service and in business school for a few months, the program reinforced many of the major topics that I have been learning at McCombs as well as sharpened many of my tools ahead of my internship this summer.

To those making the switch, best of luck and be sure to take advantage of the programs out there that will help in your transition!

---

Written by a former Army Infantry Officer and current student at UT McCombs