Rady Welcomes our Active-Duty Military and Veterans

Discounted GMAT or GRE Prep

Active-duty personnel and veterans are eligible for a Military-affiliated discount code on GMAT and GRE prep courses offered through UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies. For more information, please email RadyGradAdmissions@ucsd.edu.

GMAT and GRE are optional for Full-Time, FlexEvening, and Executive MBA programs; the Master of Science in Business Analytics program; and the Master of Professional Accountancy program. A valid GMAT or GRE is required for admission to the Master of Quantitative Finance program.

Application fee waivers

Application fee waivers are available to prospective applicants who attend select in-person or virtual recruitment events. Military-affiliated prospective students are encouraged to participate in any admissions events that align with their interests.

The Rady Graduate Admissions team welcomes current and former members of the military to contact RadyGradAdmissions@ucsd.edu for information about upcoming events that offer application fee waivers for attendees. Please note that application fees paid before a waiver has been approved and applied are non-refundable.

Scholarship Support

The Rady School of Management is committed to supporting veterans and active-duty military students with scholarship support. Learn more about our military support through our admissions team at RadyGradAdmissions@ucsd.edu.

Yellow-Ribbon

The Yellow Ribbon Program is inapplicable for students at UC San Diego because 1) out-of-state charges can be waived with use of Chapters 33, 35, or 31 benefits or 2) because the degree program does not have out-of-state tuition charges. More information can be found on the “Non-Resident Students” page of the UCSD Veteran Benefits website.

All questions regarding the Yellow Ribbon Program or VA benefits should be directed to the UC San Diego VA office at vao@ucsd.edu.

Academic advising

Dedicated advisors help veterans and active-duty military during their transition into a Rady graduate program, develop educational plans to meet their academic goals and monitor progress toward program and degree completion.

Flexible schedule

Students have the option of pursuing the Rady MBA on a full-time or part-time basis. Part-time students attend classes evenings and weekends while they are employed and graduate from the program in two years or less.

The following programs are offered only as full-time in-person modalities: Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA), Master of Quantitative Finance (MQF), and Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc). Veterans and active-duty military interested in a full-time specialized masters program should be aware that classes are schedule M-F between 8AM – 5PM with little flexibility.

Career coaching

Expert career coaches at the Rady Career Management Center help veterans assess their interests in various career pathways, identify opportunities that align with their interests and provide advice on leveraging their military experience.

Peer support

Find a welcoming, supportive and tight knit community of fellow veterans in the UC San Diego Student Veterans Resource Center (SVRC). This group is dedicated to providing opportunities for veterans to network, share experiences, exchange ideas, discuss concerns and promote their interests as they transition to a Rady graduate degree program and civilian life. Rady also has partnerships with local organizations such as the San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC).

Jesus Gonzalez, MSBA ’24

• Before Rady: Eight years in the U.S. Air Force
• Previous education: United States Naval Academy, BS Economics
• Current Role: Senior Engineering Program Manager at Apple

Primarily stationed in Germany with the 1st Combat Communications Squadron, Jesus focused on deploying secure communications across the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Africa. As a non-commissioned officer, Gonzalez led teams in high-pressure environments — an experience that honed his leadership, communication and organizational skills.

“I developed a lot of expertise in the military,” Gonzalez shares. “Handling complex operations in remote environments required strategic thinking and efficient resource management. These skills translated well when I transitioned to a civilian career.” Read more

Nick Shuckerow, MSBA ’22

• Before Rady: Six years in the U.S. Marines
• Current Role: Principal Systems Engineer at Pratt and Whitney

In late 2022, Nick Shuckerow was ready for a new adventure. To support his career transition, he researched master’s programs with a specific emphasis on data analytics. Shuckerow wanted a technical and data-driven education — not just an MBA. He wanted to understand the processes, algorithms, and calculations behind business decisions, rather than simply focusing on business strategies. That’s when he discovered the MSBA program at Rady, which offered the perfect blend of technical rigor and business context.

“The MSBA program has definitely set a solid foundation for my future,” says Nick. “The flexibility, the depth of the content, and the ability to apply everything in real-world scenarios have made this journey incredibly valuable. I’m excited about where this degree will take me. ” Read more

Christopher Schubert, MBA ’23

• Hometown: Rye, NY
• Before Rady: Nine years in the Navy as a Naval Flight Officer and Admiral's Aide at the Pentagon
• Previous education: United States Naval Academy, BS Economics
• Post-MBA career goal: Vice President, international supply chain

“I appreciated every day in the military where I was entrusted to solve multidimensional problems or adapt my unit’s training to resolve a new challenge. That ethos continues here at Rady where I am adding to my tool belt by better understanding fields like supply chain optimization, negotiation strategies and intelligent business design. I believe that these skills, combined with a strong sense of servant leadership, will be an incredibly powerful force in the business world of today and tomorrow.”

Ted Pease, MBA ’21

• Hometown: West Chester, Pa
• Before Rady and during Rady: Active Duty, United States Navy
• Previous education: BS in Economics, The Pennsylvania State University
• Current position: Underwriting Specialist for the Defense Base Act at AIG

“Rady provides as much support as anyone can ask for. The career transition from active duty to the civilian world is very hard and daunting, especially with a family. Rady has created an incredible support system, network and program to help you navigate that transition and land in a great new career. Nobody at Rady will do the work for you, but they will help, guide and support you the whole way through. You really can do almost anything you want there as long as you're willing to do the work.”

Mark Wernig, MBA ’18

• Hometown: Akron, Ohio
• Before Rady and during Rady: 11 years active duty, United States Navy
• Previous education: Political Science, U.S. Naval Academy

“Rady provided a strong foundation for me to accept increased management responsibilities at the firm. The school did a phenomenal job of setting up a foundation of knowledge. The faculty were overwhelmingly generous with their time. The office hours they afforded us were limitless. I would jump into the car in the middle of the workday to see if I could get some help and they were always available.” Read More

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