Here’s a talk with Tom, a SoFi scholar and current student at Columbia Business School. Tom is a U.S. Army veteran who loves b-school so much, that’s he’s trying to extend his education and stay for another year! Read on for some excellent advice about applying to Columbia (or to b-school in general). Thanks Tom!  

Accepted: Let’s start by getting some background info: Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad?

Tom: I’m from the Bay Area in California (Newark) and went to the military academy at West Point for undergrad.

Accepted: How did your experience in the U.S. Army lead to you wanting to pursue an MBA?

Tom: I helped with development and created jobs by hiring local nationals in Afghanistan during one of my deployments. I guess that planted the seed. I was involved with the basics of monitoring cash flows, reviewing business agreements, and negotiating contracts—albeit in more simplistic, yet arduous conditions than the confines of graduate school. I also enjoyed managing people, resources, and projects. If I wanted to leave the Army and continue to do those things without taking too much of a step backwards in my career, then an MBA was crucial.

Accepted: Was the transition from military life to student life difficult?

Tom: I don’t think I had a difficult time with the transition. I fully embraced being a civilian and tried not to compare the new environment with the one in the past. Military life and civilian life is completely different—I think those who struggle with the transition often forget about that and want to resist the change as much as they can. I also laid out the foundations of my transition by being proactive with networking and reaching out to various mentors who were more than willing to help me along the way. Months before transition, I did everything I could to prepare myself for what laid ahead. It was like training for a marathon. Transition is a total mental and physical process that requires the same level of devotion.

Accepted: Can you tell us about your experience with SoFi? How did you find the organization? How have they helped you in your b-school journey?

Tom: A fellow veteran & friend of mine recommended that I check out the company. He knew I was interested in working in technology and in the startup scene. I researched SoFi and was amazed by how they were turning an inefficient and antiquated model upside-down. I got excited and after a few phone calls and e-mails, was able to help them out as a MBA student ambassador here at Columbia Business School. They’ve been so great to work with and it’s a model that I’m completely confident in—so much so that I took out a loan through them as soon as I could. This past December, they even hosted a few students at Columbia during an education-startup networking event. It was a great turnout and really started generating the conversation about disrupting outdated models and looking into working either within the social impacting sectors or with startups.

Accepted: What do you plan on doing once you receive your MBA?

Tom: Try to see if I can extend my MBA for another year .

Accepted: What was your admissions experience like as an “older” applicant? And what is your current experience like as an older student?

Tom: I don’t necessarily feel different as an older candidate. I think we reference old as being more experienced, but younger candidates/students can have or bring the same amount of experience as older ones. I know there’s a perception that older candidates will have a harder time being accepted into business school. I can’t say definitively that statement is true. But if you have relevant experience under your belt and understand your projected career demographics, age shouldn’t be an issue. If you see that it is, then you need to re-evaluate whether business school is the right thing to do based on your timeline (specifically for career changers).

Accepted: What is your favorite thing about Columbia Business School? Least favorite thing?

Tom: The people are amazing, bar none. As a veteran who puts a high standard on personal relationships like those established in the military, Columbia has exceeded my expectations. Whoever said Columbia students are cut-throat clearly never set foot on the campus here. Also, location, location, location! I can see a Broadway play on a random Wednesday night, have sushi delivered to my door in 15 minutes, or jog in Central Park. Plus, it’s pretty cool to say that you live in New York City! Least Favorite—Too many options, not enough time to do them all.

Accepted: Can you share some admissions advice for applicants who may be applying to Columbia Business School (or general advice)?

Tom: Start early! The MBA application process is a journey in itself as you reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, career goals, and personal motivations. Second, schedule on your calendar—literally—an hour or two daily, weekly, or whatever to work on your application. You’ll tend to do it if it’s actually blocked off instead of just mentally telling yourself you’ll do it. Third, Columbia has a rolling admissions policy—it’s always better to submit your application in early rather than at deadlines. Plus, nothing’s better than to have your admission’s decision in before the holiday season rolls around.

Do you want to be featured in Accepted.com’s blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your MBA/EMBA journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at mbabloggers@accepted.com.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Here’s a talk with Cassandra Pittman, a former admissions committee member at INSEAD and recent graduate of Columbia Business School. Thank you Cassandra for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us!

This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring interviews with current MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top MBA programs. We hope to offer you a candid picture of student life, and what you should consider as you prepare your MBA application.

Accepted: First, can you tell us a little about yourself – where are you from? What and where did you study as an undergraduate and when did you graduate?

Cassandra: I grew up mostly in California, but moved to London when I was 18 to attend Richmond: The American University in London. I graduated in 2002 with a degree in International Relations and then moved to Brussels to pursue my MA in European Integration and Development at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. I completed that program in 2003 and moved back to London.

Accepted: I see from your LI profile that you’ve worked at INSEAD and London Business School (and studied at INSEAD). Can you talk about your experience with these European business schools?

Cassandra: My experience with both schools was absolutely fantastic. Both have great programs and communities, and a true commitment to developing truly global business leaders.

I had the special opportunity to attend one of INSEAD’s Management Acceleration Program while I was working there. It was this program that first got me seriously thinking about pursuing an MBA. I already knew the INSEAD community was fantastic, and with the opportunity to experience it first hand, I was also overwhelmingly impressed with the quality of the teaching and thought leadership. It is also one of the few executive education programs in which graduates are granted alumni status.

I owe so much of where I am now to my experience at both schools. Not only did I learn and grow professionally, I also met and worked with amazing people from all over the world. I met many of my best friends through work I did at LBS and INSEAD – friendships which now span literally every corner of the globe.

Accepted: Why did you decide to attend Columbia Business School? 

Cassandra: I felt I had reached a crossroads in my career; I had learned enough about my role that I didn’t feel challenged on a daily basis and I knew that if I took one more step up in the education industry, it would be difficult to ever try anything else. I also knew that if I was going to go to business school in the US, Columbia was the only school I’d want to attend. Quality – in teaching, in rankings, etc. – was obviously a top priority, but equally important to me was the diversity in the class. I joined Columbia’s January term, which is about 50% international.

Accepted: What were some of your favorite things about Columbia? Are there any things you wish would have been different about the program?

Top three best things about Columbia:

1) The people, especially my fellow classmates.

2) The location. For professional, personal, and social reasons New York City simply can’t be beat.

3) The University. The CBS experience extends beyond CBS to the knowledge, resources and network of one of the best university’s in the world.

I started the program in January 2011. At the time, CBS did not have grade non-disclosure. I believe strongly that GND helps to foster a strong, more collaborative community and allows students to stretch themselves in challenging electives that cover unfamiliar subject matter. While I was a student, we voted to adopt GND, which was a welcome change. In my perfect world, we would have had it from our first semester (in time for Corporate Finance!), but, thankfully, future classes won’t have the same problem.

Accepted: I see you are now working at Capgemini Consulting. Can you tell us about the role Columbia played in securing that position?

Cassandra: There is no way I’d be at Capgemini now if it weren’t for having gone to CBS. Career Services provided the gateway and structure for the career search, but at least as important were my classmates. I can’t tell you how many hours we spent giving each other mock cases, and the student run clubs also provided invaluable information for interview preparation.

Accepted: Do you have any advice for some of our applicants who will be applying to Columbia?

Cassandra: Do well on your tests, of course, but know that that is not going to make you stand out. Identify what your story is and tell it in a compelling way. Oh, and don’t freak out in week two of Corporate Finance. Although it won’t seem this way at the time, I promise you will know your stuff by the time final exams roll around.

For one-on-one guidance on the Columbia application, please see our Columbia Business School packages. For specific advice on how to create the best application for CBS see Linda’s Columbia 2013 Essay Questions, Deadlines, and Tips.

 Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best