Linda Abraham of Accepted kindly hosted a webinar which included members of Tuck admissions. I'm going to regurgitate what I recall from the webinar. I had to rush through my lunch to write this up, so pardon any typos.
Information Relating to Tuck Applications and the Review ProcessThe Tuck admissions professionals conveyed a general theme in their comments relating to the importance of having a clear explanation of your story in your application. An example cited relates to job hopping. If you switch jobs, have a clear explanation of why you switched jobs whether it is for reasons relating to career progression /development or a reason as simple as your boss leaving to another firm and bringing you with them. This relates somewhat to employment prospects, but the Tuck folks note that most of the firms that recruit at Tuck don’t like too much job hopping; what too much encompasses wasn’t elaborated on as other questions needed to be answered (form the audience).
Although the general theme of a story above relates to job switching, other aspects of the application should also have a clear and reasonable explanation. As an anecdote, one prospective applicant asked about applying in the April round. One quotation I remember revolved around that fact that if you apply in round 3 and it is your first preference, clearly explain why you applied so late. For candidates considering the April round, the Tuck folks stated that people are admitted in the April round every year but it is significantly more competitive.
For applicants who submitted in the January round, Tuck admission states that they are roughly halfway done reviewing applications. They further note that the January round is the largest batch in general of the four rounds. Decisions made for January round applicants is not based on outgoing offers to November round applicants. However, it should be noted that the Tuck admissions folks are a little more conservative with giving out offers due to the high yield from last year’s admissions cycle.
For re-applicants, or potential re-applicants, the Tuck folks state that it would behoove candidates to get feedback on the application somehow (how was not stated). After getting feedback, it is strongly encouraged that potential re-applicants act on recommendations made from Tuck. The Tuck folks also note that re-applicants should reread their old essays. Essays for re-applicants (which they already wrote about in previous years) should add color “along the margins” of what has changed to improve the candidate’s candidacy. My interpretation is that you don’t need to necessarily rewrite everything, but if something has changed that relates to the essay, it should be reflected in some manner (this is my perspective though and not something explicitly stated). The Tuck folks will look at your old application as a reference point for re-applicants. *As an aside, this process seems incredibly time consuming and I’m starting to understand why it is so expensive to apply to business schools.
Before diving into employment prospects, it should be noted that Tuck has a preference for applicants with work experience. For people with exceptional experiences, two years may be a sufficient amount. The Tuck folks noted that they believe it is important for candidates to bring their experiences to the table within Tuck’s learning environment. They are standing “firm” on this. Tuck admissions personnel also note that recruiters at Tuck also have indicated a liking to the experience of Tuck students (through their interactions with the career development professionals at Tuck). Coinciding with having experience, it is also important to candidates to show that they are capable of communicating their experiences in an enlightening manner. So through essays and the interview process, it is important to demonstrate a capacity to inform classmates and members of the Tuck community of your experiences in a manner which is beneficial/ interesting.
Also going to add a quick note about grades/GMAT(or GRE)/undergraduate experience. The Tuck folks noted that GMAT will be reviewed holistically (thankfully for me, although I still might have to retake it if I get dinged for the January round). For instance, if your background or education included analytical topics, the adcoms will be a little more generous when considering your GMAT quant scores. Also school attended isn't as important as your experience and what you did/took out of your undergraduate experience.
Tuck Employment Prospects77% of current students already have job offers. 90% of students had offers within three months after graduation last year. These figures were the highest (or among the highest) of Tuck’s peer group. The admissions members cited quotations relating to employment opportunities after Tuck. Examples included statements regarding general management programs having a strong view of former military personnel. Other examples included private equity firms indicating a preference for candidates with prior PE experience. These examples were in response to a question from the audience (which I don’t recall). Somewhat relating to this, the admissions committee noted that they do interact with the career development personnel (in order to receive feedback to what recruiters/firms are looking for). The Tuck folks also noted that they do consider the capacity of students to achieve “success.” Part of this definition of success includes the ability to reasonably achieve their career goals based on their backgrounds. As a caveat, it should be noted that “success” includes other aspects of Tuck as well (including contributing and succeeding in the academic environment).
The Tuck folks don’t believe that location adversely affects recruiting. On the contrary they find that most executives and recruiters welcome the diversion that the quaint environment of Dartmouth and the surrounding environments. Anecdotes were made relating to many people enjoying the skiing opportunities near Tuck and opportunities to see the foliage change (in the autumn).
Overall, the Tucks adcoms seemed really considerate about the entire admissions process. Hopefully, I won't have to call them to get feedback for a ding though ::sadface:: cross my fingers
09 Feb 2011, 04:15
