Top business schools see the value of having veterans in their program. Many are also recognizing that veterans have unique needs, especially in the transition process out of the military. While we as vets usually have a great set of skills and experiences when it comes to leadership, teamwork, and planning, we typically lack the hard skills like accounting finance or marketing. And so how and what we need to learn can be different.
We usually lack a good network of resources as well. Most of the people we know are either still in the military or also spent a significant chunk of time there and are just getting started building their own network. Our access to mentors who can help us with business-related problems or career questions is constrained compared to those of our peers who went straight into the civilian world.
These schools recognize the unique challenges of educating veterans, but see that if done correctly, there can be enormous benefits by bringing our experiences and skills into the business world.
Stanford Ignite
Stanford is the gold standard for entrepreneurship and innovation. Nestled in the hub of silicon valley, the Graduate School of Business is filled with professors who are both knowledgable and have the entrepreneurial credentials to back up what they are teaching. They have been there, done that, and are looking to help a new cohort of entrepreneurs succeed.
The Ignite program has two formats: one for veterans and one for everyone else. My take is that this wasn’t meant to be “charity” move. From what I’ve gathered, they saw that veterans who came into the program might feel intimidated or have impostor syndrome. Many of the students in the non-veteran class already had entrepreneurial business experience, and veterans could feel intimidated by that. The veteran-only class allowed veterans to be with people of a similar background and set of professional experiences — to which graduates from the program seems to thrive.
The program is designed to both expose you to an entrepreneurial and innovative ecosystem, as well as give you the tools to refine your own ideas and grow them. Given the GSB’s access and influence, you will get to visit top local companies, speak with top thinkers, and network with seasoned investors.
You will work in small teams of 5–6 to develop a new product, or refine one from a fellow team member. With this, you can arrive at Ignite with nothing more than an idea or have something already in the works that you are trying to refine. Or you can show up just wanting to learn.
The faculty will guide you through developing the idea and using hard business skills to make it a viable venture. The culminating event is to present a pitch to a group of investors and mentors who are ready to help you grow and learn.
After graduation, you will receive a Professional Certificate from the GSB.
While the cost of the traditional program is $14,950 the school has a generous scholarship offer for veterans, bringing the Post-9/11 option down to $2,500.
Dartmouth Next Step
Dartmouth’s Tuck school of business is a fantastic program. The school’s remote location creates a deeply intense community, demonstrated by their notably high rate of alumni donations.
The Next Step program brings together two groups of people who are in a significant transition period of life: military veterans and ex-elite athletes. Both are ending a period of their lives where they were intensely dedicated and focused on something. Veterans, along with elite athletes did not just participate in the military or our sport: it was our all-encompassing identity. And while we are both known for discipline, teamwork, and focus, we lack the hard skills necessary in business.
From what I’ve gathered in looking at their site and speaking with a few alumni, the program is structured to be a mini-MBA. It provides some broad strokes on the topics that you would cover over the course of a graduate business program, with the added benefit of having a group of people who are all more or less on the same level experience-wise.
Also included is a career day, where companies come to network and speak. Having visited Tuck myself, I know that it’s not easy to visit. Unlike most business schools, Tuck is over 2 hours from the nearest city (Boston): it’s in the middle of nowhere. This can provide a serious benefit, however. If someone is willing to make the trek out to visit the school, then that means they really want to be there. There’s also really not much to do in the town, and so when people are there…they are there. At big-city schools, it’s much easier for speakers or companies to just pop in and out, but the location of Dartmouth makes this a challenge. And so you can get someone’s undivided attention a lot easier here than compared to some other schools.
Next Step can serve you in a few purposes. If you are interested in applying to Tuck, attending the program before you apply can be a good way to signal to the admissions committee that you are really interested in Tuck. The school really places value on creating a deep connection with students and alumni and places a premium on people who show a willingness to engage with their school.
If you are interested in working in Boston or the New England market, having Tuck credentials can be a great resume boost. And the access provided to potential employers can help. Tuck professors are also known for creating intimate relationships with the students, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they extended their help to Next Step members as well.
The program can also be good if you are unsure about business school and want to just get a taste before committing time and resources to the idea. Next Step can give you a good glimpse of what life would be like as an MBA student way beyond what a 1 or 2-day campus visit ever could.
The program has two costs. If you have an AGI over $70,000, it costs $5,000. If less, the costs are $2,500. You can also use your GI Bill benefits, using 1 month of benefits to attend the program.
NYU’s Fertitta Veterans Program
Although only open for those who get accepted into New York University’s Stern School of Business, the Fertitta Veterans program is an effort by a top school to work towards a successful integration of Veterans into their business program. The program is funded through a $15 million endowment from two Stern alumni who are also brothers. For those accepted, you can expect to not only participate in the program, but attend Stern at little to no cost.
The program is a 6-week course in the summer prior to classes. You will take core courses like statistics, data analysis, and accounting. Like Stanford’s and Tuck’s programs, there will also be networking and career opportunities. For anyone looking to work in NYC, Stern is a great option and the Fertitta program is a fantastic way to get started on your MBA.
USC’s Master of Business for Veterans
USC’s MBV program is different in that it actually provided an accredited graduate degree. The program is 10 months long, with classes held on Fridays and Saturdays. Designed to leverage the management and leadership experience you gained during military service, the MBV seeks to develop your formal business knowledge, as well as the ability to launch your own venture.
The program is still relatively new so there isn’t much information out there about it. If you are already living and working in the area, the MBV can be a good way to boost your business credentials. For those who already are in a career they enjoy, or are working on their own company, the MBV provides a more flexible option than a full-time MBA program.
You have options. Great ones. Lots of top MBA programs are working to bring more veterans to their schools, and are willing to offer generous benefit packages and scholarships to entice them. Having the additional options of these programs can help you transition more successfully out of the military and into the business world.
To learn more about opportunities for Veterans seeking meaningful work, visit my site at www.theveteranpro.com