Army Reserve to MBA/Banking
Ok, so, I'm at a non-target and I plan on graduating with a degree in accounting. I chose accounting because an MBA in finance wouldn't be redundant b/w undergrad and grad. Upon graduation, I'd like to get a job with one of the big 4 firms working in either Boston or NY.
Is this transition from accounting big 4 --> military --> mba --> finance a viable one?
If anyone has taken a similar path I'd really like to hear your story.
Thanks in advance.
MBA’s and the military
There are a good amount of veterans on wall street. Most of them got there through making a transition with anMBA. There are integration programs at top banks and they are usually looked upon favorably.
You can highlight leadership skills your decision-making abilities and any other valuable skills learned in the military. It is the ultimate brotherhood so reaching out to other veterans who have gone through the same process should be a priority.
from certified user @FormerHornetDriver"
A good gmat score, combined with military experience will serve you well. Write good essays and do well in your interviews and you will be okay.
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Yes, the military is viewed favorably for undergrad, graduate admissions, and jobs.
Yes, you will most likely get deployed, but I don't understand if you think it'll be fore the entire 4 years or if you'll be on call 4 years. I can't speak for the Army, but I believe you can be on either a 6 month deployment and a 12 month deployment. You will NEVER be deployed for the entire time.
If I were you, I'd go: undergrad --> officer in military --> top 10 MBA --> finance.
I haven't taken your direct path. I did the military and then undergrad, but I'm still early in my stages. No stories yet.
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@ ekimlacks: Were you an NCO in the military? If so, how did they view officers out of college?
@ hungryman1: I understand it's easier said than done, however, I'm sure I have the capacity to be able to reach that goal and if I can't, a top 20 school won't hurt either (and if I can't do that, then I suck). Also, do you have any knowledge on the big 4 with regards to their job prospects when looking at a potential candidate and seeing that he may be called to the military at any time? Also would other companies react the same way to a prospective employee who may be called upon at any time?
Do you guys think an economics major would suit my situation better? There's no doubt I want to serve before I get too old.
Would it be better to just go undergrad --> OCS --> full time army --> MBA? Could that hurt your career long-term?
Thanks for your inputs
Thanks for your inputs
Try Navy ROTC, if available where you are, commitment out of school is only 4 years as far as I know from some college buddies of mine. If you want to serve, then serve for that reason, not because it will make your application look better. If you do it for the right reason, it will be looked on favorably no matter what the outcome down the road. Good luck
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@ George87: Thank you for your response. I'm not sure about Navy, I love swimming, but the idea of being in the ocean for an extended period of time is not what I want to do. I think army or air force is where I'd go, my dad was in the air force during desert storm. And yes I am serving for the purpose of serving. I immigrated to America when I was very young and the opportunities here have been endless compared to Ukraine. I am grateful and I would like to return the favor, thus my reason for joining. I only ask because I do not anticipate (but never know) negative affects of military service, I just want to understand how it would affect my career and whether or not it would put be behind my peers in terms of career advancement and opportunity.
I never spent any time in the military, but every ex-military guy I ever worked with (basically those that made it into top colleges or MBA programs) wasn't in the reserves. They either enlisted and then went to a top college and started as analysts, or they went to a top MBA and started as associates. I've never come across an ex-reserves, but I'm not exactly an expert. Maybe someone else will have a more exact answer than annecdotal evidence.
From my perspective, if you want to serve, go in full time. I came very close to joining after college, but life took another course. Sometimes I wish I would have just joined up...my life stories would have been much cooler by now.
Don't know about banking, but myself and all the other ex-military on the trading floor were either active officers or enlisted in special operations. The reserves/NG are looked down upon by the active guys. Even though being a reservist won't carry as much weight on your resume/application/networking, it's still a plus (obviously).
If I were you, I'd go active officer/enlisted special ops or not do it at all. Like the guy above me pointed out, we did some fun shit overseas that were once in a lifetime experiences.
If you commission just to go to a good bschool then 1) you're a fucking idiot and 2) someone will probably kill you. my money is on the exit wound being in the front of your head
Happypantsmcgee, that was shitty and cruel response to a simple question. Depressed much? He never said the military is the reason he wants to go to b-school. All he asked was if it's a "viable" path... You should learn to read for your signature does not apply well to you all.
At OP, I say go for it. Serving is honorable and it will not hinder your career. You'll grow as a person and came out stronger both mentally and physically than when you went in. I think the military should be mandatory for all people kind of like in Israel. The IDF fucks shit up.
Good luck.
Haha it's almost sad to hear your rant. Who ever said I was in the military? I completely respect it and those that serve in it. I've had multiple family members serve and not only in the American military. You're just too pussy for it, it's a good thing people like you are the lowly E-1's not leading people and are complaining/crying in the back. Also, I'm not sure the OP ever mentioned being in a community college either. Again you assume things that aren't there. Seems to be a pattern with you. People have aspirations and goals that they want to acheive with a little help along the way. There's nothing wrong with that... clearly you've an angry man, let me know once you've become half the man many military men are.
Peace
happy is right it more and more sounds like kids are thinking of OCS as a path to HSW
nd if you did rotc then you wouldnt need your parents to pay for school
but your family is okay with you going reserves n getting deployed with same possibility of being blown up as if you were active?
i know that when i had thought of doing naval ROTC or doing OCS for naval aviator it wasnt for the exit opps to b school nor was it when i was being recruited for nuke training in high school.. im pretty sure anyone that truly thinks about doing military full time doesnt have any inkling about doing it for b school later
I agree. I would join the military to fuck shit up...oh and serve my country and all that stuff, but mostly fuck shit up.
The only reason I didn't do marines OCS was because of my mom begging me not to. Not because she feared for her baby boy but because she knew I would be trigger happy and she wanted to spare the middle east.
Before you start bashing enlisted you should hopefully know that the officers who get the most respect are the ones who go from green to gold, an happy has a much better job now than you will hopefully getting your fancy big 4 job that any lower class state school kid can get if you really want to talk shit about prestige and the like
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