Aviator to Finance

[Hopeful Hoya]

Can't (and probably never will) be able to buy a F-18 or S-60 and fly it off a carrier.

I think @Uncle Fester said it best - You have the rest of your life to make money, but only ~10 years to fly a grey aircraft off of a CVN.

Talked to a recruiter yesterday, I think I'm convinced that the Navy is for me.

 

[haimehhh]

I'm not going to lie the financial security afforded by finance would be a huge weight off my shoulders, especially as someone who was extremely fortunate and never had to worry about money and thus never really developed good financial planning skills.

develop the financial planning skills. if you recognize yours are not currently good, then you know what you need to do to make them better. do that or you won't find financial security in anything. i have friends in investment banking who spend like they're rock stars or NFL players. that is not financial security. i have a buddy who is almost to 9 years Navy intel officer with two homes, a beautiful family, about to purchase a third home and has a solid short and long term investment portfolio that makes his navy retirement completely moot. when he retires he will be on two incomes alone from fixed-income investment vehicles and whatever his navy retirement adds up to.

go read this thread and ask what most of these guys would suggest to you:
Why it's good to be in naval aviation

the financial sector isn't going to be gone when you're done flying with an MBA and some amazing life experiences. flying planes or helps for the navy you will age out of. ask yourself which one you ABSOLUTELY would have 0 chance of doing in 10 years.

 

[WildcatAlumni]

I am curious to hear stories from aviators who did their commitment and left and how it helped them in the job market.

I did not get any decent job offers compared to Marine Corps OCS so Im in a different position than OP but my logic was still the same when deciding to commit. Even if I do get a desirable desk job, Ill be bored out of my mind in weeks and wondering what my life could have been like if I went aviation instead. I was an accounting major at Villanova (2.4 gpa) and Ive passed 2 of the CPA exams since graduating last September. Im due in Quantico June 1st and I plan on finishing up the CPA while in the marines, hopefully before I get into the fleet. Has anybody else heard of this? Getting their private sector qualifications done while serving? I dont want to appear like Im already planning my life after aviation before I start it to my peers and instructors.

OP, are you sure you could get a job in IB? Georgetown is a lower target school for that line of work. Keep in mind the kids coming out of Yale that you will be competing against for those interviews. My old roomate is working for Citigroup right now and he is the only Villanova alumni he knows there and all his coworkers are Ivy league alums. 100% start the application procress to go to OCS, you dont know what bullshit might hold you up and if you'll even be accepted. Just keep the option open in case your private sector plans dont come through.

Also, your basketball program is amateur and what the hell is a Hoya?

 

[haimehhh]

with a 2.4 gpa, i would focus on one thing at a time

pretty sure that, depending on timing, some navy pilot guys go to a-pool (between ocs and IFS) if there is a backlog. sometimes it's a couple weeks sometimes it's a few months. i would imagine you could probably knock out the last 2 tests if your timeline is anything like that.

 

[WildcatAlumni]

with a 2.4 gpa, i would focus on one thing at a time

pretty sure that, depending on timing, some navy pilot guys go to a-pool (between ocs and IFS) if there is a backlog. sometimes it's a couple weeks sometimes it's a few months. i would imagine you could probably knock out the last 2 tests if your timeline is anything like that.

Was too busy having a blast in college to be concerned with GPA and since accounting is a field where only the CPA matters, I didnt study much for anything not involving the CPA haha.

And any word on the timing between OCS and TBS to API? I heard aviation contracts get pushed through quickly since they have such a long commitment. The gorund guys however sometimes are waiting for a year+.

 

[haimehhh]

haha having gone to an acclaimed CA party school, i understand the sentiment. congrats on the docs bid regardless. my best buddy was an acct major and is at E&Y and let's just say i don't envy him even a little.

for the OCS-TBS-API info i'm definitely not your guy

 

[whitesoxnation]

Was too busy having a blast in college to be concerned with GPA and since accounting is a field where only the CPA matters, I didnt study much for anything not involving the CPA haha.

And any word on the timing between OCS and TBS to API? I heard aviation contracts get pushed through quickly since they have such a long commitment. The gorund guys however sometimes are waiting for a year+.

It depends. I'm not sure how the CPA exams work, but the best time to start is probably when you start getting fed the excuse matrix about why you're going to be stashed somewhere for a couple months to indefinitely, and what a great opportunity it will be.

 

[Hopeful Hoya]

OP, are you sure you could get a job in IB? Georgetown is a lower target school for that line of work. Keep in mind the kids coming out of Yale that you will be competing against for those interviews. My old roomate is working for Citigroup right now and he is the only Villanova alumni he knows there and all his coworkers are Ivy league alums. 100% start the application procress to go to OCS, you dont know what bullshit might hold you up and if you'll even be accepted. Just keep the option open in case your private sector plans dont come through.

Also, your basketball program is amateur and what the hell is a Hoya?

Not worried too much, barring another 2008 episode. Gtown is ranked right up there with the Ivies when it comes to finance/banking, and Linkedin ranked us #1 in IB for undergrads a few months ago. Not gonna pretend everyone goes BB, but if you're a top student here you definitely have options in banking and even PE.

Current plan is to crush my summer internship, and get a FT offer while applying to OCS.

And much as I despise Nova I gotta respect how you run your program up there, just wish we would take a cue and hire a coach who is actually focused on winning and not PR or his family history.

 

[ben4prez]

I have received a lot of PM replies to my earlier post, and please keep them coming. In the meantime, I'd like to share a very good resource for those of you considering getting your MBA.

I highly recommend checking out the rankings at militarymba.net. They created a composite ranking combining academic reputation and value for Active Duty and Veterans using the Post 9-11 GI Bill and/or Yellow Ribbon benefits:

http://militarymba.net/schools-and-programs/study-top50.html

I have very good contacts in the Admissions departments of Michigan Ross and UCLA Anderson, but I can certainly help you navigate the seemingly impossible task of getting started no matter which school might be your dream destination. As Military leaders armed with substantial educational benefits, you are much more attractive candidates than you even imagine, so let me know if I can help.

Happy to answer any questions as well about the transition after aviation service. Just finished the MBA application process and got accepted to three of the top schools in the country. Headed to Stanford GSB next fall...been mentoring a few folks on the process, happy to help anybody else out too...heaven knows I got a lot of help myself!

 

[PhrogLoop]

Congrats Ben! Damn fine choice school, too.