Hi Everyone, Take a look at summary and transcript of recent live chat Tuck's Admissions Director, Patricia Harrison.
I checked on school website that teamwork and leadership are important behaviors regarded by Tuck. How these attributes evaluated by school during the application process?Tuck_Patricia: We are able to assess your leadership and teamwork based on the roles you have held at work and in your community/extracurricular involvement, as well as from your answers to the essays and in the interview. Perhaps it would be helpful to give you an overview of how we evaluate candidates; We use a very holistic process and look at academics, work experience, leadership, involvement, interpersonal skills and diversity of experiences. No one factor is more important than another.
Do the essay questions change from year to year? When will the application for the class of 2019 be available?Tuck_Patricia: Our essay questions have remained relatively the same over the past few years. I do not know what we will be asking next year. I would expect the new application to go live sometime this summer.
Even though Tuck does not have a specific major in marketing and adheres to a general management approach, what type of focus is put on marketing at Tuck and what response have you noticed from marketing focused students that go to Tuck?Tuck_Patricia: We have a lot of marketing electives in the program, and students will be able to get quite a bit of exposure in the industry. Students can also do independent study to tailor the curriculum even more specifically if they like. Students interested in marketing careers do well in job placement. One of our career counselors came from a CPG background. You also have some marketing industry experts like Kevin Keller.
How many applicants does Tuck typically waitlist every year? Could you share the number for the number of applicants on the waitlist this year? Also, what is the acceptance rate off of the waitlist?Tuck_Patricia: The number of applicants on the waitlist varies every year. I do not know how many we have on the waitlist from our Early Action round. The number admitted from the waitlist varies every year and depends on how much space we have available in the late spring/summer. It is very tied to how many admitted students enroll.
How diversity influence on candidate choice? Does any nationality have advantage of others?Tuck_Patricia: We are looking for a diverse student body in terms of work experience, educational background, gender, ethnicity, nationality, etc. Having a wide variety of perspectives in the classroom provides a richer learning environment.
After submission of an application, lets say in R2, are there still aspects of the the application that can be updated after? for example, the GMAT score? and if so, how does that affect the application?Tuck_Patricia: If you have a new GMAT score, promotion, or other change in your profile, please send us the update. We will do everything we can to make sure it is included in our evaluation.
As applicants, what can we do with our applications to make life in the admissions office easier for staff?Tuck_Patricia: I am thrilled to hear you want to make our life easier! Thank you! Things like double spacing your answers, sticking with the word limits, answering all of the questions are easy ones. It is also really helpful if you are sure to address things we might have a question about, like a job gap or unusual career moves.
Do you consider the applicant-initiated interviews a significant indicator of interest to the program? Does it reflect negatively on an applicant if he/she is unable to go to an applicant initiated interview if he/she lives in the US/ in the East Coast?Tuck_Patricia: We recognize that not everyone is able to make it to campus to interview, and that is why we still invite applicants to interview if they haven't initiated one in advance. Applicants can show their interest in Tuck in other ways too. Such as attending events hosted around the world, connecting with students and alums, doing their research on the web, etc.
Suggested length of the resume? Tuck_Patricia: It should be one page.
Objective information such as GPA and GMAT scores provide easy comparative material from one applicant to another. What are some concrete elements that separate applicants in the more subjective essay and letters of recommendation?Tuck_Patricia: It's hard to give concrete examples of the subjective elements that separate applicants because those are going to be different for every applicant. We want to see people who are self aware, who have a good sense of their future plans and how an MBA from Tuck fits into them. We like to see people who have made an impact at work, school and/or their community. We are looking for people who are excited about Tuck and looking forward to engaging with the community, getting involved, learning from others and sharing their own experiences.
how many veterans on average are in a typical MBA class? Do you see many challenges with veterans transitioning from the military to the business world through an MBA program like Tuck? Are there any special recommendations you would make to a veteran looking to apply to Tuck's MBA program?Tuck_Patricia: We tend to have around 15 veterans per class. We find that our veteran students do extremely well at Tuck, and the supportive close-knit community really helps with the transition to civilian life. Tuck is very supportive through the Yellow Ribbon program, and an active veterans club. We also host a Veterans visit day each spring.
What is the deadline for interviews by invitation?Tuck_Patricia: We do not have an invitational interview deadline. Invites can go out at any time up to the decision date.
Current MBB looking to go into a start-up, what types of resources (faculty, centers, etc.) does tuck have as it relates to entrepreneurship?Tuck_Patricia: Tuck's Entrepreneurship Initiative and the Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network provide lots of resources for students including electives, mentorship, speakers series, a business incubator. Students can get an early start on starting a business during the First Year Project which can be either a consulting project for an existing company, or an e'ship project.
What is the grading policy like? Is there a grade non-disclosure policy?Tuck_Patricia: We have a non-disclosure policy. Grading is honors, pass, low-pass and fail. We do not calculate GPA or rank.
I plan to pursue a Healthcare pathway and was wondering if and how the Tuck program partners with the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center?Tuck_Patricia: If you are looking at healthcare, please explore Tuck's Healthcare Initiative. Tuck partners with DHMC, as well as the medical school, the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and the engineering school. In the past, students have done first year projects and independent study with the hospital.
Does Tuck's location make it difficult for on-campus recruiting or getting to interviews?Tuck_Patricia: The location does not negatively impact recruiting. Our placement stats clearly show that Tuck students are in demand and recruiters make the effort to get up here. Once they are here, they are a captive audience. They stay longer on campus and don't have other distractions while they are in town. So a trip to Hanover will also include taking small groups of students to lunch or dinner, networking over office hours. You get much more personal access to recruiters and execs when they come up. We also facilitate opportunities for students to network with recruiters off-campus with treks for particular industries or to particular locations.
As someone who is going to be interviewing on-campus in a couple of days...any advice for the campus interview?Tuck_Patricia: Be yourself. It is not meant to be a high pressure interview. We want to have a conversation to learn more about you and vice-versa. Be sure to prepare by thinking about the kinds of questions you are likely going to get and have an answer with an illustrative anecdote ready for each.
I'm a non-us applicant and couldn't find a interview slot in India. Will tuck invite for Skype interview?Tuck_Patricia: We do not offer applicant-initiated interviews in any locations other than on-campus. If you are not able to come to Hanover, we switch to an invitational policy. Invitational interviews are on campus, with a remote admissions representative or via Skype.
Does round of application affect chances of success? Is it better apply for the school on first round than last one?Tuck_Patricia: You should apply when you are ready and have the strongest application possible. Rushing to get it in an earlier round won't help if it isn't the best you can put forward. That said, once you are good to go, the earlier the better. I have 280 seats available in October, and each round I have fewer available to offer. We do not have a set number of offers to make in each round. We are looking for the strongest applicants and if we see them early, we are going to admit them then. The last round tends to be the most competitive, but if you are a strong applicant, you are still able to get in.
Patricia, what would you say you have observed in your time at Tuck as the number one thing that sets the type of student at Tuck apart that draws them into the smaller tight-knit atmosphere versus say a Harvard or Kellogg size program?Tuck_Patricia: I think what sets Tuck apart is the supportive community. That community is the result of a lot of factors: the small student body where you will get to know everyone in your class; the residential program where everyone lives on campus or very nearby, meaning people are together all day and into the evening.
Do we need to use the optional essay to explain the reason/motivation for applying in round 3 and could you please share some insight on the acceptance rate for the last round applicants?Tuck_Patricia: If you want to provide an optional essay on why you have applied in the April round, that can sometimes be helpful. I don't have an acceptance rate to share because it differs every year.
I have read quite a few good things about the TuckGO program. However, I found the experience specific to business/geography. Do the students get a chance to learn in and interact with the various cultures, essentially more than one, while studying at Tuck?Tuck_Patricia: You absolutely get the opportunity to interact with a variety of cultures. The student body is 1/3 international, and the living and learning environment at Tuck facilitates the opportunity to really get to know your fellow classmates from around the world quite well. Classes include international cases and topics. There are multiple opportunities for travel. You are not limited to just one GO experience.
Do most graduates end up in a certain area/region, or is there a wide geographic dispersion post-graduation?Tuck_Patricia: Our graduates are not limited to a particular geographic area. A large number do go to New York and Boston, but we sent 20% or more to the west coast last year and others go elsewhere in the US and the world.
Are the applicant initiated interviews weighed or evaluated differently than the invitational interviews? Tuck_Patricia: Applicant-initiated and invitational interviews are evaluated equally.
I am waitlisted for an interview next week. Should I go to New Hampshire regardless of whether I am notified that I am scheduled?Tuck_Patricia: Please do not come up to campus if you are only on the waitlist for an interview. We have a limited number of people we can accommodate each day.
It is wellknown that Tuck attracts a lot of Indian applicants with engineering backgrounds and IT professionals... what are the differentiating elements Tuck is looking for in such a cliched profile?Tuck_Patricia: Applicants are much more than just their job title. Several applicants may have similar jobs but the experiences in them and other life experiences are different. Every applicant should talk about what makes them unique, what they will contribute to Tuck.
Patricia, you told about strong profile. Could you say in few words what makes a strong candidate for Tuck?Tuck_Patricia: A strong candidate is different for every student. People shine for different reasons and strengths in one area(s) can balance out weaknesses in another. As I mentioned above, we want people who are self-aware, know where they are going. We are looking for people who are going to be team oriented, and looking to learn from their classmates and share their own experiences.
Chat TranscriptAttachment:
19 Jan 2016, 09:40
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