Michael graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in both 1996 with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering and in 1998 with a master of science in environmental engineering. He has served since as an officer in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps, which provides professional engineering services and management at all Navy and Marine Corps facilities worldwide.
Michael is a self-described mid-career professional who looks forward to resuming his military work but explains that his full-time—and only—job right now is to attend school and complete his MBA. He says that through his MBA program, he is learning a great many analytical skills and acquiring tools he can apply directly to his work as a member of the acquisition community when he returns to the military.
Michael believes his MBA will definitely allow him to better perform his job.
Why did you choose to get an MBA?
The MBA expands on the leadership skills we develop in the military because it gives the opportunity to team-build and lead with more diverse groups and personalities—which isn’t always the case in the military. The MBA makes the dynamics interesting and exciting, especially when it comes to group projects. It adds a different flavor to your experience. The MBA also gives you a chance to try out different leadership and decision-making styles without consequence if you find out something doesn’t work for you.
What advice do you have about choosing the right school?
You have to look at whether what the school offers—the kind of core program, the type of electives, the type of companies that recruit at the schools you’re applying to—meets your ultimate career objectives. And then, I really think it’s important to feel that you fit or are comfortable with the school and its focus, the size of the program...whether you feel you are truly a part of the school or just a number. Some schools are much more competitive and others more collaborative.
The small size of my program has really given me an opportunity to meet a majority of my classmates. I think most students there would say they know at least 90 percent, if not more, of their classmates by first name.
What other guidance can you give about deciding where to apply?
I’ll tell you what I did, which I would encourage others to do. Talk to somebody who actually goes to business school, and to particular schools, to get their view. I think if you ask people the pros and cons, most are pretty candid about what’s great and what they don’t like about their MBA programs.
Talking with recruiters and administrators to learn about a school’s program offerings is important. But talking to students is a way to find out how the program plays out in reality from firsthand experience. With a job interview it’s the same thing. You don’t just want to talk with recruiters. You want to talk with the people who work there.
How did you prepare for the GMAT®?
Standardized tests are something I’ve always had to work at. So I made a good game plan for studying and stuck to it. I strongly suggest taking a practice test well in advance of your planned test date and see how well you do. Based on what that initial score is, determine how you’ll approach the test.
If your score is below what you need for the schools you want to go to, think about taking a professional class. I did not take a course. But I did buy a study guide, and I took GMAT practice tests. I practiced as many sections and full tests as possible to simulate the exam experience and was getting in the score range I wanted.
I really recommend investing the time and energy to take the GMAT so you don’t limit the options for where you can apply.
How was your transition from the military into the school environment?
At first, I found it a little mentally exhausting until I got in the swing of things. It’s been almost 10 years since I was a full-time student, and there was a large amount of reading and problem solving that took different skills than I was used to.
I’ll tell you what really made it easy: the time management skills and self discipline from the military. You’re involved in a lot of multi-tasking in the military. You have to be able to step back and look at what needs to be done—to do the work when you need to. All the folks I personally know with a military background are doing great in the program.
How did your military background help you with the rigors of school?
In the military they have a saying—“You’re drinking from a fire hose”—because so much is being thrown at you at once and you’re adapting and learning how to overcome it all. So for me, knowing that I had had as much on my plate before was kind of reassuring. I didn’t get very stressed when a lot of schoolwork came due at once. I prioritized. I focused my energies on what needed to be done...and I got it done.
How will the MBA broaden your military career options or advance your military career?
My career...it’s a somewhat specific path, and business knowledge and experience become very important, especially when dealing with contracts and acquisitions. So, without a doubt, I already feel the education has made me a better leader and decision maker, especially in business. But also, business-based decisions are made all the time in the military. The main difference is that instead of profits, we are concerned with military readiness and capability as our bottom line. So the more senior you become in the military, the more you find out that having the kind of business knowledge and skills you get with an MBA is important.
