Tuck (Dartmouth): Class of 2017 - Calling All Applicants!

Hi all,

When can I expect an interview or rather, when can I rationally start loosing hope ?? :D

applied just before deadline in R2 .... not giving a self-invited interview.....

Just for perspective, I went for an applicant-initiated interview in December and there were four other applicants there - one flew in from Hong Kong, another from Shanghai, a third from DC, and the fourth drove up from NYC.

People are literally traveling from all over the world just to attend applicant-initiated interviews.

True. I'm from Brazil and traveled there myself for my self-initiated interview. I met a guy from South Korea and another from India who traveled for theirs. Anyway, I don't think that doing a self-initiated interview will increase your chances over a school-invitation one, but I think that it's great if you can experience Tuck and it's tight-knit community first hand.

FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: TSCS Project and Tuck for Education Club Bring Books and More to Upper Valley Children

By Emily Bartlett T'15 Emily is a second-year student at Tuck. She got her BA at Duke University in North Carolina and afterward made her way up the East Coast to Hanover, stopping in  D.C. and then Boston along the way. Emily spent four years at IBM as a consultant in D.C. and then she joined a small business analysis firm in Boston. After two winters at Tuck, Emily decided she had ventured far enough north and is moving to sunny California after graduation to work in tech. Dear Tuck friend, Thank you so much for the books. You are the best. I really liked it because the book was awesome. You are nice too, I like you. Sincerely, Taylor, Age 7 —A second grader’s response to meeting his “Tuck friend” through the ‘LUV’ program First year students at Tuck have the opportunity to participate in a Tuck Student Consulting Services program (TSCS) that pairs teams of students with businesses to help solve real world problems. When I applied to TSCS last year, I knew that I would have the opportunity to contribute my consulting skills to a local project but had no idea that it would be the catalyst for me to get involved in something much larger in the Upper Valley.  The TSCS project that I worked on was for a T’14, Eric Winn. Eric, a father himself, was concerned about the lack of books that many younger students in the rural New England area had available to them at home. Ever the entrepreneur, Eric decided to start a process to collect used books and donate them to local school children. He also saw an opportunity to get more Tuckies involved with local school districts. His vision was to have groups of Tuck students travel to elementary schools armed with a collection of books. Tuckies would spend an hour reading with the children and then send each child home with a new book. He put this vision in motion last year and had enjoyed success in venturing out to local schools. However, since Eric was graduating soon, he engaged my TSCS team to provide some structure and process to keep his vision alive at Tuck after he left.  Our team found that Eric’s project (which he had nicknamed LUV, or Literacy in the Upper Valley) had a similar premise compared to other non-profits that Tuckies were already involved with. Tuck has long standing partnerships with national non-profit organizations including Everybody Wins! and Junior Achievement, both of which engage adults with K-12 students as teachers and mentors. We felt that Eric’s concept would be appealing to a similar audience. Our idea was to form a new club at Tuck that could unite all the Tuck students who wanted to volunteer with and promote reading and education for youths in the Upper Valley. Since I felt passionate about this cause (and was already mentoring a student through Everybody Wins!) I spearheaded the club creation with the help of my co-founder and fellow EW! volunteer Ania Markiewicz T'15. This was the inaugural year of the Tuck for Education Club and we have already recruited 80 members. Some of these members volunteer on a weekly basis to read with a child at a local school through the Everybody Wins! program. Others are volunteering to teach a finance course to an elementary school classroom through the Junior Achievement program. And all of us are passionate about keeping Eric’s dream alive. We hosted our first “LUV” event just before winter break. 11 Tuck students and one Tuck partner travelled to an elementary school classroom in nearby Enfield, NH. Lucky for us, we had a great host in the form of 2nd grade teacher and Tuck partner Lauren Eggbeer TP’16. Each Tuckie paired off with a second grader to read books for an hour and, at the end of that hour, we sent each child home with their own new book. The class was so excited to have us there and we had a blast reading with the kids. Connecting with children and the Upper Valley community outside of Tuck is such a rewarding experience and we can’t wait to do it again!

Just curious, anyone driving from New York to Hanover on Friday this week for interview?

anyone has any clue when would the international applicants who have not initiated interviews may be invited for interviews?

I'm not, I've already gone but I wanted to comment - don't know if you're set on taking a car or if there are other obstacles, but have you considered the Dartmouth Coach? It picks up in midtown Manhattan and drops you off at Dartmouth. I think it costs something like $140 one way (maybe slightly more) but it's a stress-free and comfortable (nicely cushioned leather "executive" seats) way to get there. I used it and would recommend it.

EDIT: Information pamphlet - https://www.dartmouthcoach.com/images/pd ... 010715.pdf
It's $149 round-trip.
Purchase tickets - https://webstore.dartmouthcoach.com/ticketing/

FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: The Oracle of Omaha: Meeting Warren Buffett

By Jed McDonald T’15 Jed grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Middlebury College in 2008. Prior to Tuck, he worked as an investment analyst in New York, then Boston. After Tuck he hopes to work in a role that combines his interests in clean energy and entrepreneurship. On November 21, twenty Tuck students attended Warren Buffett's MBA Q&A Day in Omaha, Nebraska. The highlight of the day was a question and answer session with Mr. Buffett at Berkshire Hathaway headquarters, but the day also included tours of three local Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries (Nebraska Furniture Mart, Borsheims, and Oriental Trading Company), lunch with Mr. Buffett (his treat) at Piccolo Pete's—an iconic Omaha steakhouse—and a group photo with The Oracle himself. Fortunate to benefit from our hosts' hospitality criteria of the day—namely, an inverse relationship between distance-traveled-to-Omaha and seating order—Tuck sat front-row alongside Hong Kong University for the question and answer session. For two and a half hours—standing, no less, for almost the entire time—the 84-year-old investment legend fielded questions on any and all topics. "Throw 'em at my head," he told us.  I say "fielded" rather than "answered," because he did a lot more than answer them. A question about America’s national debt led to a discussion of spousal selection. The topic of reading led to stories about Ted Williams (who, supremely talented as he was, was limited in his approach at the plate by that pesky three strikes rule. However, Buffett reminded us that in the investment world, "There are no called strikes.” So, with a disciplined, discerning, value-based eye at his plate, Buffett only invests when he wants to, and only in the best of opportunities. All the while during our discussion, his infinite wisdom, wit, humility, quirkiness, and self-deprecating sense of humor were on full display. As our bus driver pointed out Mr. Buffett's humble home of over 56 years as we passed by it, we were reminded that Buffett does what he does because he loves it—not for any material gain, lavish luxuries, or goals of retiring to golf courses. He said he is as happy now as the world's second wealthiest person as he was when he wasstarting his career—even after losing one-tenth of his net worth as a failed gas station entrepreneur shortly after business school. However, he did admit to one guilty pleasure enabled by his wealth that he'd prefer not to part with: flying private. Apparently bypassing TSA is indeed all it’s cracked up to be. Other weekend activities in America's heartland included attending the University of Nebraska-Omaha vs. Minnesota Duluth hockey game and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln vs. University of Minnesota football game (Tuck brought no luck for the locals, as both home teams blew leads late to their northern foes), as well as shooting clay pigeons in a cornfield at chez Adam Gengler T'15.

When I was there to interview a couple of weeks ago I met a girl who was admitted without an applicant-initiated interview. It was her first time on campus and she was trying to decide whether or not to accept.

Hello fellow November Round applicants!
The wait is now down to "just" three weeks...

For those of you who visited campus whether for interview or on your own,
did you find the visit helpful in deciding that Tuck was the place to be?
I'll be in the U.S. early March to visit a different school for an admitted student event and am considering stopping by Hanover for a visit.
I have a deposit due for the said school almost immediately after the event and am now wishing that I had applied to Tuck in EA!

Any thoughts or recommendations?

I applied in January Rd and thought that the visit was extremely helpful. I saw both the bad and the good - I'm still not sure if it was net good or net bad, though. I'll worry about it if I get accepted.

May I ask what the bad & the good were from your experience?

FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: The Journey to Your MBA: Getting Started

Congratulations!  An MBA is a great way to advance your current career or make a career switch. Though it may seem like you have a long journey ahead, you’re already on the right track by starting the process early.  Use this list to frame your next steps.  While some tips are more straightforward than others, all are incredibly important.  Don't sell yourself short.  When you hit submit, feel confident that you are presenting your best possible application.  Good luck - we look forward to getting to know you along the way!     1) Develop a system to keep everything organized. 2) Get the GMAT out of the way. Spend the necessary time studying for it, and then take it as soon as you can and well in advance of your application.  That way if you aren’t happy with your score and need to take it again, you will have plenty of time.  Each year we have applicants who put if off until right before they are submitting their application, don’t do well and then they are stuck.  Plus, once you know your GMAT score, you will have a better sense of what schools are within your reach and what schools might be more of a stretch to get into.  Tuck, like most schools, does not require a minimum GMAT score, and we accept a wide range of scores, so if you are below the average GMAT, don’t write the school off.  But if your GMAT score is significantly below the school’s average, you might want to think about retaking it or adjusting your list of target schools.  Once the GMAT is behind you, you can focus your energy on the next steps of finding the right school and preparing your application. 3) Assess your quantitative background. 4) Start researching schools. Do your homework to figure out which schools best meet your needs.  There are lots of ways to do this, and we caution you against just relying on the rankings.  That can be a great way to start, but there are much better ways to learn about each school.  Dig deep into school websites for information about the program.  Attend school informational events in your city – Tuck will be travelling around the world in the fall, hosting events for applicants to learn about our program and meet some of our alums.  A list of events and dates is posted on our website.  You can also meet school representatives at various MBA fairs.  Talk to alums from as many schools as you can to learn about their experiences.  You can go to the “Tuck Connections” section on our website, and we will put you in touch with a Tuckie.  Finally, we really encourage you to visit the schools you are applying to.  Yes, the travel can be a little expensive, but when you put it into perspective by comparing it to the overall cost of an MBA, it is very little.  An MBA is a big investment in terms of money and time, so you want to make sure that you have picked the right school for you.  While on campus, sit in on a class and be sure to talk to the students.  As you look at schools, don’t ignore your gut.  That intangible “fit” is important. Think about how you will fit into the program.  What’s the culture like?  What will you contribute?  Can you see yourself actually being a part of the community? 5) Take the time to do some major self-reflection. Successful applicants can clearly and articulately communicate why they want an MBA, how it will help them reach their goals, and why this is the right time to pursue it.  Furthermore, they know the school they’re applying to.  All elite b-schools have top-notch faculty, rigorous curriculum, and access to jobs with the world’s leading companies and organizations. Successful applicants know what sets the programs they are applying to apart.  They are also able to talk about what excites them, how they hope to make an impact while they are at school (and beyond), and they have great questions that delve deeper into the essence of each school. They have a high level of self-awareness and can talk confidently about their strengths and weaknesses, their short-and long-term goals, and the unique talents and experiences they will bring to the classroom and the community.  They have taken the time to be introspective, enabling them to know definitively what they’re looking for in an MBA-program, and why.  They know the community they’re looking for, and why a particular culture works best with their circumstances and personality. 6) Assure you have the kind of relationships with your supervisors you’ll need for a great recommendation. 7) Start thinking about your finances. 8) Follow your passions – don’t start doing things just because you think the Admissions Committee will be impressed.

Some of it depends on your perspective (are you a big people person or not, etc.). But I was very unimpressed with the professor whose class I sat in on. I almost fell asleep, which was in stark contrast to some of the other schools' professors. Also, I realized what an "old boys" club Dartmouth and Tuck are. Very sports and outdoorsy and you're forced into it. Going along with that it seems like a fraternity. Location - 2 hours from Boston, in.the.middle.of.nowhere. Seriously. This place is secluded. My student guide was very scatter-brained and not very helpful at all. At other schools my guides have been great.

Hi, I saw some queries regarding interviews - applicant-initiated or otherwise, and thought I could be of some help.
- Yes, one does get accepted without an applicant-initiated interview - I did. I am from India and was in no position to travel to Hanover. But thankfully I was invited for an interview.
- I don't think anyone gets accepted without an interview. If one doesn't initiate it Tuck will invite, provided, of course, they like the profile. That by extension means, if one gets invited for an interview chances of getting in are that much more higher!
- I got the interview invitation almost a month after the EA deadline and got about 2 weeks for scheduling my interview. But the dates vary - the previous pages may give some idea.

All the best

FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Tuck Students Cross the Atlantic for the London Banking Summit

By Francisco Riederer T'16 Francisco is a first-year student at Tuck who previously worked in investment banking and private equity in Brazil, spending most of his time in the investment boutique arena. Born and raised in Brazil, he graduated with a BA in business administration from FAAP. He now wants to expand his horizons and pursue a career in investment banking outside of his home country. A former amateur horse rider (jumper), Francisco enjoys exploring the Upper Valley, promoting social events, and he recently became addicted to skiing. Recruiting for banking starts very early during the fall term. After all the pre-term activities that last at least 10 days before classes begin, when everyone is fresh and still adapting to their new lives here at Tuck, you realize that if you are serious about recruiting for banking you should quickly decide, since banks will soon start to come to campus one after the other to launch the initial recruiting phase. It happens even before the first month of class. But, usually the on-campus recruiting for investment banking is related to positions in the U.S. being that all the other international locations set apart from that process, are usually off-campus. Nevertheless, due to the importance of the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, banks in London promote an organized way for MBA students from top schools in the U.S. to network with them, learn more about them, and apply for positions in the region through a formal process. If you are interested in the EMEA region, whether because you want international exposure, because you have roots in Europe, or just because you may be attracted to the region for some reason, you should consider applying for positions in London—a market similar to New York in terms of size, development, diversity, complexity, and sophistication. This was exactly my case—I was interested in these two markets. Both cities are the most important cities in the world and where the financial market gets its pulse from. I would be able to achieve my goal of launching a successful career outside of Brazil and explore my full intellectual capacity. The London Banking Summit is a formal trek organized by seven of the leading investment banks in the world with offices in London, where generally the investment banking activity for all the EMEA region is concentrated. The 2014 event happened during Thanksgiving and was open to eight schools only: Tuck was one of them. Through a series of back-to-back sessions at each one of these banks, students could meet and interact with alumni from all the selected schools and participate in informational interviews. The trek lasted three days (bank sessions on Thursday and Friday, and a happy hour on Saturday). Below is the schedule of the trek and the banks we visited:  Thursday Goldman Sachs Bank of America Merrill Lynch Morgan Stanley Credit Suisse Friday Citibank Deutsche Bank HSBC Saturday Happy Hour with Credit Suisse Six students from Tuck attended the summit this year: one from the U.S., one from Australia, one from South Korea, two from India, and myself, which demonstrates how truly global the opportunities at Tuck are. I believe that this trek was very successful because none of us were born or raised in Europe and most of us were invited for interviews with those banks after coming back and applying for the summer associate positions there. I am sure that attending the London Banking Summit was a great experience for all of us because it showed us that the world is much bigger, complex, and fascinating than the one we see when looking at it through on-campus lenses. You would be surprised by how well some of the off-campus recruiting processes are organized and compelling, bringing some of the most amazing career opportunities to Tuck students.

Just got invited to interview!