Veteran with Interest in Blockchain Admitted at Kellogg’s MBAi

West Point graduate and Infantry Captain Nick wanted to transition into tech, with a keen interest in exploring civilian blockchain applications. An MBA would round off his impressive leadership skills while providing a robust general management foundation to support his goals. From the outset, Kellogg’s newly launched MBAi, designed for AI enthusiasts, seemed like a perfect fit. 

Nick’s Challenges

#1: Navigating the process

Aside from a part-time internship at a start-up, Nick had no work experience outside the military. Despite having a number of friends and fellow vets attending business school, Nick, stationed overseas with a family, needed specific pointers as to how to move through the process. Helping Nick expand his understanding of the MBA landscape allowed for a sound school selection, ultimately leading to multiple offers, including a full ride and living stipend at a top 10 school.

#2: Finding his MBA applicant voice | crafting his story

One of Nick’s primary objectives when enrolling with Menlo Coaching was to partner with someone who would allow him to identify what in his background would be compelling to the AdComs. This included drafting a resume translating his impressive military achievements into business-relevant, impact-oriented statements. Crafting his personal story was both challenging and rewarding, as it brought to the fore character traits, abilities, and interests that a resume would never capture.

#3: Figuring out his career goals

Nick started out the MBA journey with a general idea of where he wanted to go, but no specifics. While his interest in technology—blockchain specifically—was longstanding, Nick was unclear as to how specific his career statements would have to be. Further, he was even unsure as to whether his goals were realistic. Over the course of his coaching with Menlo Coaching, Nick managed to first clarify his career goals to himself, and then format them into statements right in the sweet spot of being both ambitious and realistic.

Want to hear more admissions case studies from real MBA candidates? Check out our collection of Applicant Stories.