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I know people who have an MBA who make very good money at pretty non-soul sucking jobs.
The only problem I have with an MBA is this.
Literally every college in America offers a Masters of Business Administration because every college can offer the resources needed to teach the courses. Like EVERY single school that offers graduate degrees. Many require almost no credentials other than a bachelors in 'something' and several can be completed within one year online while working full time (I've looked into this).
So, imagine how many MBAs are awarded per year.
So, if you didn't go to a well known or top school, how do you set yourself apart from the several thousands of others who also have an MBA?
I went to U of Connecticut for my MBA. Its not a terrible school but its not a top school either. I stopped working when my kids were younger and now I work as a book keeper at a law firm, which is not that impressive. However, when I was in the corporate work world (I worked in the finance department of an ibank) I think having an MBA opened many doors for me that would not have been open had I not had the degree.
As with any degree the person who holds it is more important than the degree itself. You set yourself apart from the thousands of others with an MBA by your work product. The degree itself will not do anything to set you apart from others. However, many doors remain closed as there are a multitude of jobs where having an MBA, even from an average school, is seen as a big plus.
The problem with the top MBA schools is they have a ton of applicants and they want a balanced class. So you are going to be compared to other applicants with similiar backgrounds. A fair amount of ex-military officers with superior credential apply to top MBA schools, so your record probably isn't going to compare favorably unless you score insanely high on the GMAT and do great things at Boeing. Another thing that is going to hurt your application is that you already have a degree that is very similar to a MBA.
Honestly, the people that I know with weaker numerical credentials that are not at the executive level that get into the top schools are those that work for companies that have strong ties to a particular school (lots of alums and huge donors), that are nearby, and go part-time. Those stats aren't used as much in the rankings, if at all, so they are way more flexible in terms of admissions.
So if you are working for Boeing, you probably want to network hard with as many Kellogg and Chicago grads as possible (ideally have a senior executive that is a Kellogg/Chicago grad as your mentor), get as much exposure and promotions as you can, transfer to the HQ at some point, and then do the part time program.
Business schools that are part of the Ivy League take a large proportion of their class from Ivy Leaguers. You needed to do very well at Air Force to be considered a viable candidate, both academically and athletically. I suggest finding a school that is very good in the area that you are interested in (aeronautical management) instead of following only rankings and prestige. How about U of Washington?
My cousin played football at Air Force and had a decent but not stellar GPA. He worked all over the world doing purchasing for the AF for 5 or 6 years and then recently got accepted into every business school he applied to. He turned down three or four Ivies (including a full ride at Cornell) and is starting at Kellogg at Northwestern this fall. He said that the interviewers never asked him about college and focused 100% on his real world experience.
Business schools that are part of the Ivy League take a large proportion of their class from Ivy Leaguers. You needed to do very well at Air Force to be considered a viable candidate, both academically and athletically. I suggest finding a school that is very good in the area that you are interested in (aeronautical management) instead of following only rankings and prestige. How about U of Washington?
I have a very low undergrad GPA of 2.37 from the Air Force Academy, graduated in 2010. I am currently getting my Masters in Entrepreneurship from Oklahoma State University and have a 4.0 GPA. Currently I work as a contract manager in charge of approximately $150M in contracts, and I will be moving to Boeing to oversee the C-17 billion dollar contract. I am also currently starting my own online based business. I plan on applying to an A list MBA program for Fall 2015 and I will probably take the GMAT shortly before then. Do I even have a shot at a prestigious MBA programs? Or have I already disqualified myself with my low undergrad GPA? Thanks for your help!
A low undergrad GPA from an Academy != a low undergrad GPA from any other kind of school.
Academies are different-athletics, leadership, character development, rigor, and a 24-7 experience. You know that. ROTC, where most 'officers with superior credentials' come from is explicitly NOT an Academy. Sell the difference on the entry essay/interview. (No, I didn't graduate an Academy, but I know a fair bit about both them and ROTC).
I think you have a pretty solid shot, particularly since you have business-related experience working contracts AND the Academy experience.
"Ulysses [S Grant] graduated 21st out of 39 cadets in his class."
"[John] McCain graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1958; he was fifth from the bottom in class rank, 894th out of 899."
"George Custer—who was last in his class [June of 1861]"
"Famed Virginian and Confederate officer George Pickett was the goat of 1846"
"Edward Aloysius Murphy Jr., who formulated Murphy's Law, ended up 403rd out of 449."
Graduate of a top 20 program here. I also live in Boston and know many who are at Harvard, MIT and other area universities. One of our best friends is a researcher at Harvard Business School, I don't even want to go into her background (it's much more impresive than working at HBS). Anywhoo, problem is that none of that gives me very special insight into admissions. But I can say this - a low GPA won't stop you from getting in but realistically it's still unlikely unless there is something glaring you left out.
Top schools are looking for something special in a person. SOmeone who can add to the student body and round it out with some talent or with a particular background. Believe me, they'll have enough applicants that hit the mark with grades and experience. And I absolutely agree that what will hurt you is your MA, it's too similar. If you can get someone who is an alum and high up in the Air Force or at Boeing or wherever to make some calls for you, you increase the chances.
Don't let my words or anyone elses stop you though. Do your best and try, application fees and the time it takes are worth a strong effort. Best of luck.
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