Enlisted Nuke to Consulting Path

Hello, I’m currently active duty nuclear field sailor with around 5 years left on my contract depending on my shore tour. I’m trying to transition into consulting when I get out. I have a few questions and no one I know seems to know anything about this field.

If I have enough time to finish an undergraduate degree while I’m in, does it matter where I get it from? I was looking at UPenn’s LPS BAAS program in leadership or individualized studies. Would that be better than getting a Nuclear Engineering Technology degree from Thomas Edison State or an Accounting Degree from Umaryland Global? I just want to finish my undergrad, but understand school prestige sometimes matters (yes, I know online programs don’t hold the same weight as in person, but it’s my only option while I’m in).


I’m currently working towards my PMP certification and was looking at getting the FMVA certification and maybe finishing some finance certifications online as well. Do these matter if my major isn’t in business? Or should I be doing other things in my spare time?
 

Finally, if I’m enlisted, should I aim to work 1-2 years as an analyst and then go for an MBA or shoot straight for an MBA and try and go associate? I’m looking at Duke, Ross, ASU, and Fordham.


I would be around 30 when I get out. I know this is a few years out, but I want to plan this out exactly.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.



 
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Are you looking to break into top tier firms or just any firm in general? Lots of 'consulting' work for government side in the ever-revolving defense industrial complex revolving door. If you're not trying to be super exclusive you can probably get away with average undergrads/online programs. You can just put on civvies and go right back to your old job in many cases as a 'consultant'.  If you're talking about M7/MBB that's very different. 

In general though as a fellow vet / good post-service MBA I would advise you to shoot for the moon on undergrad brands because of the doors it opens and the people you're going to associate with (and the employers who target those schools).  There's now a decent vet network at these top undergrad schools too so you may get hooked up with yellow ribbon/scholarships etc. I would advise against doing online programs because if you really want to make a complete transition from military to civilian employment, you're better off actually going to those schools in person and making the transformation. This isn't like a military school where you're just checking boxes for your training jacket, it's about meeting people and having a good base from which to meet with employers and explore career opportunities. If you're shooting for top MBAs and top consulting gigs, you'll need strong summer internships where again, much harder to get if you're not at a target school. Staying reserves is fine and could be helpful for continued work experience. The certifications are meh- I don't really know FMVA and if you want to see some fun arguments google 'CFA vs MBA'.  PMP is helpful but usually more for technical folks in engineering/construction, having a general understanding of project management is always good though. 

You also mentioned getting a top MBA (Duke/Ross are pretty strong)- this is going to be much harder IMO if you go to a clown online program. You're going to be evaluated on the rigor and performance of your undergrad experience as part of your MBA and competing with ivy league grads (and other vets, some of whom will also have stellar backgrounds)- so would you rather try to compete with a degree from an ivy or an unknown online program?  

IMO if I were in your shoes my 'dream' path would be- start targeting ivy or MBB target schools, especially vet-friendly transition ones (I think Columbia has one). Matriculate full time, be laser focused on either impactful club activities or finishing coursework to make space in your schedule for additional work experience during school. Get competitive summer internships in either consulting or banking, apply to one of those 2+2 programs like HBS where you can get accepted out of undergrad but have 2 years to get work experience.  Alternatively you could look to go straight from undergrad to MBA but this could be tough.  You could just convert your summer offers to solid full time role, 2 years then MBA, then back to consulting.  

Also for a 5 year contract- a lot can change in 5 years. You may be able to take a sabbatical, or even request early release from the Navy. A fellow unit member of mine actually did it because he got his HBS offer but still had several months remaining by his start date, and I was stunned when they let him go. Sometimes the forces are just looking to shed bodies.

Applaud your long-term vision but remember no plan survives 1st contact with the enemy!

 

I'm looking at MBB hopefully. I have a handful of friends from HS that work there now. I also have HS friends at Deloitte, Accenture, and Booz Allen Hamilton. The thing I was worried about was if I go to an in person undergrad, it would make me 36 vs 33 after finishing an MBA, That's why I was looking at UPenn's online program and then working my ass off with the GMAT.  Do you think taking the time to go to Columbia GS is worth those 2-3 extra years? I'm very sure I can get in.

Also, I'm also trying to build a network beyond childhood friends and its hard getting to know non coworkers. Should I just try and connect to vets and send a personalized message on LinkedIn?

I really appreciate the help.

 

the 36 vs 33 I'm not sure- coincidentally I finished my MBA at 33 and I found you pretty much hit the 'reset' button after your MBA, and your comp/responsibility will be very similar to any MBA grad- whether 44 or 24 years old, which can be somewhat frustrating. Exceptions might be guys who networked their ass off and did banking internships and then leveraged that into PE firms with fellow vets.  You may want to ask older candidates whether they feel the 3 years make a big difference- either way you are definitely going to be on the 'older' side of the spectrum, as was I, although I generally found it an asset from a maturity perspective. Just don't expect to make VP/Partner in 1-2 years just because you're a decade older than your peers with real-world experience.

I do know some vets who actually got MBB jobs WITHOUT the MBA, and then leveraged that to get to a top MBA, giving them the choice to return or step off to something else. However those were SF officers with strong undergrad track record. So that could be an option for you as well, but again that seems to point to getting into the best undergrad you can vs. just doing it online. I'm not saying a partial online at an ivy can't fill that gap, but you specifically mentioned wanting to build your network and nothing's better than in-person. You may also find you can just kill it without the MBA and just skip it- there are those people out there as well, although the MBA for me was a game changer even with a strong undergrad because it's so networking and career-focused. Undergrad you're gonna get a predominant mix of HS kids trying to 'figure out life', although this might not be true at business-oriented undergrad programs. 

For MBB there's a pretty strong vet network- I have been interviewing with MBB and with just one or two cold linkedin emails I was connected to 4-5 folks who were willing to help with case practice, feedback, etc. as well as referrals. I don't think it hurts to start talking to them, getting invites for interested candidate days and start talking with recruiters about your situation and get their POV. 

 

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