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School Expert Q&A: The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

Sudershan Tirumala (Suds) helps answer questions about getting an MBA at The Tuck School of Business. 

Sudershan Tirumala (Suds) earned his MBA from the Tuck School of Business in 2010. He is the Key Country Representative for Tuck in India and South East Asia. He lived a lifetime of experiences in the two years he spent in the idyllic town of Hanover, NH and Upper New England, the home of Dartmouth College. 

He is focused on raising Tuck's profile in South/South East Asia and bringing to the school, its richly deserved recognition. He is also the head of Tuck Club of India, which, among other things, brings together Tuckies (as Tuck alumni are referred to) and fellow alumni from the other Ivy League business schools.

• Name of the School:  The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth
• Name of the Program:  MBA in General Management
• School Location:  Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
• Year School Started:  1900 (first graduate school of management in the US)
• The Economist: #2
• BusinessWeek: #12
• US News & World Report: #9
• Financial Times: #10
• Poets & Quants aggregate: #8
• GMAT ™ Score : Yes. The school accepts either the GMAT or the GRE General Test. Test results must not be more than five years old. Average GMAT for Class of 2015: 718. 
• Work Experience Requirement : Yes. Average years of work experience for Class of 2015: 5.
• English Proficiency Requirement : Yes. The Admissions Committee looks for quality and clarity of thought in written answers and essays. Also, non-native speakers of English must report scores from either the TOEFL, the PTE Academic, or the IELTS. Test results must not be more than two years old. This test requirement is waived for applicants who have lived for at least three years in an English-speaking country or who received a degree from an institution outside the US where instruction is in English.
• Letters of Recommendations : Yes. Two recommendations from people capable of commenting on the applicant’s professional, leadership, and intellectual capabilities.
• Interview/Group Discussion : Yes. Applicant-initiated interview if the candidate is able to visit Tuck. In case the applicant is unable to visit Tuck and the for an on-campus interview by the published deadline, the admissions committee may invite you to interview. Such invitations are made only after an initial review of the application.
• Others : Tuck does not accept applications from individuals who have already earned an MBA. If the candidate holds a similar graduate degree from another country that is not an MBA, we will consider your application; however, the candidate must provide us with an additional essay explaining why the candidate needs an MBA in addition to the current degree.
• How does one apply for the programme ? Applicants must apply via Tuck’s online application, which can be found on the Tuck website at www.tuck.dartmouth.edu . If an applicant is unable to apply online, please contact us at [email protected] or at (603) 646-3162.
• What is the application fee ? $225.00 payable by MasterCard or Visa.
• Where do I get a copy of the Application form ? See above.
• When does the application process start ? Tuck has four rounds of admission starting with Early Action round that is in early October, First round which is in early November, Second round which is in early January, and Third round which is in early April. What is the last date to apply ? Applicants are encouraged to apply whenever they feel the application is fully ready.
• What is the range of GMAT scores for accepted students ? For the class of 2015, the GMAT range for enrolled students is 530-780.
• Is there a requirement of 16 years of study prior to applying ? Yes.
• What constitutes work experience ? We consider as work experience, full-time employment the applicant has had after graduating from university.
• Is there a minimum cut off for TOEFL/IELTS/PTE test scores ? There is no cut-off as such, but if you have taken these tests multiple times, please self-report only the highest two scores for each test. If offered admission to Tuck, your self-reported scores will be verified.
• Who should letters of recommendation come from ?We have found that the most useful Confidential Statements of Qualifications (CSQs) are those from people who are able to speak with certainty about your leadership, maturity, team orientation, communication skills, intellectual ability, and interpersonal skills. If you are currently employed, we prefer that you submit CSQs from people who know you well and are in a position to judge your professional performance and leadership, such as your direct supervisor. If you are unable to provide a CSQ from a direct supervisor, please include a brief explanation as to why in the optional essay question. Generally, we do not find CSQs from professors to be helpful in our evaluations.
• When should I expect an invitation for an interview ? Tuck offers all applicants the opportunity to interview on campus in Hanover. Interviews are scheduled online on a first-come, first-served basis and must be completed by the published deadline for the application round. To schedule an on-campus interview, visit www.tuck.dartmouth.edu . Please note that all applicant-initiated interviews are conducted on campus only. If the applicant has not been able to come to Hanover for an on-campus interview by the published deadline, the admissions committee may invite the applicant for an interview. Such invitations are only made only after an initial review of the application. Unfortunately, we cannot invite all applicants to interview; therefore, we underscore the importance of taking advantage of the applicant-initiated on-campus interviews. Committee-initiated interviews will be conducted on campus, off campus, or by telephone/video call.
• Who should I contact if I have a question regarding my application status?  Please contact Tuck Admissions at [email protected] .
• What is the estimated cost for the entire program for a foreign student ? 
• What is the cost of living for the duration of the programme ? See above.
• Are there other costs to be taken into consideration ? If yes what ? See above.
• Are there any job opportunities on campus that can be pursued while the programme is on, to lower the overall cost impact ? The Tuck MBA program is a two-year immersive experience and students are not encouraged to take up part-time job opportunities; however, all students are expected to a summer internship at the end of the first year of the program which will be a paid engagement with companies after an extensive recruiting exercise.
• What are the scholarship options available for the students ? Need- and Merit-based Scholarships: Tuck offers scholarships to US and international students based on a combination of need and merit. These scholarships range anywhere from $5000 to full tuition. In assessing merit, Tuck considers a variety of factors, including exceptional academic performance, leadership, professional accomplishments, service, and ability to contribute to the diversity of the Tuck community.  Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Fellowship: As a member of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, Tuck awards scholarships to students selected via the consortium.  Forte Foundation: Each year, the Tuck Admissions Committee selects several exceptional women candidates as Forte Fellows who receive a Tuck scholarship in addition to the other Forte Fellow benefits as outlined on their website. Center for Business and Society: The Tuck Nonprofit Fellowship program provides financial assistance, mentoring, and networking support to graduating Tuck students who take a position working with a qualifying nonprofit or public sector organization. It can be compared to a loan forgiveness program. Recipients have used it to pay off loans as well as provide needed cash to transition to their new job. Post-9/11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon Program: The Yellow Ribbon Program (YRP) is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. The program allows institutions to enter into a voluntary agreement with the VA to fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the annual VA cap of $19,198.31 at private institutions for individuals eligible for the 100% payment tier. The institution can contribute up to 50% of those expenses and VA will match the same amount as the institution. Tuck participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program (YRP) without limitation on the number of veterans enrolled and at a maximum level of $18,000 in funding for the 2013-14 academic year.
• What are the criteria for determining scholarship applications ? See above for a description of the scholarships at Tuck. Criteria is based on eligibility, need, and merit. Tuck scholarship awards are made possible through the generosity of Tuck alumni, corporations, and nonprofit foundations. Recipients will be notified at the time of their offer of admission. Students who do not receive scholarships in their first year should not expect to receive scholarship in their second year. All applicants who wish to be considered for scholarship must complete an application for Tuck School of Business Scholarships by the specified deadlines.
• What are the options of availing a loan ? An overview of available loan programs is given below. The full details on each of the loan programs will be available upon your admission to Tuck. DERAL DIRECT LOAN PROGRAMS. 1. Direct Unsubsidized Loan Under the Direct Loan program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, graduate students who are U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents may qualify for $20,500 per academic year from the Direct Unsubsidized Loan. Effective for loans made on or after July 1, 2012, graduate and professional students are no longer eligible to receive Federal Direct Subsidized Loans. 2. Direct Graduate PLUS Graduate students are eligible to borrow through the federal Graduate PLUS loan program up to the cost of attendance minus other estimated financial assistance. INSTITUTIONAL LOANS There are a number of institutional loans available in limited amounts from Tuck. All loans are need-based, and eligibility is determined based on a financial needs analysis performed using the information you provide. Many require positive credit history in the U.S. and may require a guarantor. Some are reserved for those with the most demonstrated need. Students who qualify for federal loans are strongly encouraged to borrow those funds prior to institutional loans. INTERNATIONAL LOANS Tuck offers funding options for international citizens attending Tuck. The programs do not require a U.S. co-borrower and offer very competitive terms. The maximum amount is determined by a needs analysis using the information provided by the student and may vary by individual. International students can borrow up to the cost of tuition and mandatory fees less other aid for the two years at Tuck. Our goal in providing the programs is to supplement the student’s others financial resources. International students should also investigate all sources of funding from within their home country including government and private scholarships and loans. International students may also be eligible for other types of loans if they have a U.S. cosigner with positive credit history PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL LOANS   Private educational loans are available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have positive credit history, and to international students with a creditworthy U.S. cosigner. A student’s current aggregate indebtedness may also be considered when determining eligibility. If you decide to pursue a private loan, you must apply directly through the lender. Loan terms may vary widely between lenders and loan programs. Students have the right to borrow from any lender who participates in student lending. International students borrowing private educational loans in their country will have different terms and requirements.
• What is the amount of loan that a student is eligible for and what are the documents required?  This depends on the student’s need, the institution that is giving the loan, and the requirements set by that institution.
• At what rate of interest is the loan available? What is the date from which loan repayment begins? What is the maximum period in which a loan is to be repaid?  Again, this is specific to the institution that is disbursing the loan
• Does the Institute/School help in getting loan ? The enrolled student is ultimately responsible for the amount of loan taken, the source, and repayment. Tuck’s assistance will be limited to helping the student identify the various loan options and educating the student regarding the expenses involved and the sources available.
• How many intakes in a year ? Tuck is a full-time two-year MBA program and starts in the fall quarter every academic year.
• Size of the intake ? Tuck’s class size is around 270 students per year. The class of 2013 (the latest graduating class) had 277 students.
• What is the percent of foreign students in an average class/intake ? International students comprise approximately a third of the class
• What are the specializations available ? Tuck MBA is a General Management program and the diploma does not come with a specialization.
• What percent of the batch finds jobs within 3 months of graduation ? In the Class of 2013 (the latest graduating class), 95% of the graduates had job offers within 3 months of graduation
• What is the mean starting salary of a class after graduation ?
• What are the key sectors represented in recruiters for this programme?  Tuck is known for its personal approach to management education and its best-in-class career services. Tuck has active recruiting relationships with more than 900 organizations across a breadth of industries worldwide, and fosters and develops new and existing partnerships with leading companies. A sample of the top employers of Tuck graduates and interns in 2012-13 is below.

• Business Bridge
• Faculty & Research
• Tuck School of Business
• Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital

Mission & Vision

• Courses & Electives
• Experiential Learning
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• Virtual Summit on Ag & Food Tech

CPEVC helps support Tuck students by providing programming and other experiential learning opportunities that enhances both their curricular and co-curricular experience and connects them with the broader community of PE and VC professionals.

The private equity and venture capital industries play integral roles in the U.S. and global economies. While some Tuck graduates will become private equity practitioners or venture capitalists, even more alumni will work for companies sponsored by private equity or venture capital. A robust background and knowledge of private equity and venture capital is essential to an MBA education. 

The Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital was the first center created at Tuck over 25 years ago.  Today it includes faculty, students, alumni, and professionals from the private equity and venture capital fields.  Together we are committed to advancing knowledge about these industries through experiential learning opportunities.

From elective courses and independent study work exploring the themes of PE and VC to the Center’s Fellows program and other co-curricular events and programs, Tuck students can individualize their program of study based on their own interests.  Students also receive guidance and one-on-one support from CPEVC staff, faculty, Advisory Board members, and alumni in developing their knowledge and expertise in the field, how to shape their post-Tuck career paths, and further build their knowledge and skills.

To inspire the next generation of private equity investors and venture capitalists through experiential engagement and academic excellence.

To build a community of thriving private equity investors and venture capitalists, committed to transforming the world through value creation and thought leadership.

100 Tuck Hall Hanover, NH 03755 USA

• Center for Business, Government & Society
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Expanding Access to Business Education

Building capabilities of tomorrow’s leaders, guiding career journeys.

The Tuck Difference

About the campaign, we believe the world needs a special kind of leadership — the kind that only tuck creates..

To secure our place as a leader in the world of graduate management education, we are targeting historic investments to expand access to business education , build capabilities of tomorrow’s leaders , and guide career journeys.

This is our moment. Join us.

Ways to Give

Your gift to support our campaign priorities and initiatives can take a variety of forms. our team is excited to help you choose the giving opportunity that is the best fit for what is important to you., leadership giving.

Securing our competitive advantage depends on significant philanthropic investments in Tuck’s long-term financial stability. Donors considering making a major gift may direct their support toward any area that matches their personal interests with the needs and priorities of the school. Tuck’s Leadership Giving team is looking forward to helping you shape the gift opportunity that is right for you. Email 603-646-9186

Tuck Annual Giving

TAG is a powerful means to make immediate impact. Annual funds provide flexible current- and future-use support for everything from Tuck’s core operation to our most cutting-edge innovations and strategic priorities. Donors can designate their gift to highest priorities, student scholarship support, faculty support, or inclusive leadership and are encouraged to make an annual commitment. Members of the TAG team are available to help decide what level is appropriate for you. Give online Email 800-228-1769 or 603-646-3621

Legacy Giving

Including Tuck in your estate plans is a wonderful way to make a lasting gift to Tuck. These legacy gifts ensure that future generations of Tuck graduates will have the same transformative educational experience you did and provide stability for Tuck’s long-term planning.

To learn more about the various ways to include Tuck in your estate plans, contact Tara Goodman, Senior Associate Director, Gift Planning. Email 603-646-8842

Corporate Giving

Alliances with corporate donors build upon complementary strengths and the objectives of each partner, including access to our talented students. Corporate donors provide funding for facilities, endowed professorships, and student financial aid. These gifts have proven to be indispensable for the school, which offers recognition opportunities for donors.

To learn more about partnering with Tuck, contact Katherine R. Norton, Director, Dartmouth Office for Corporate and Foundation Relations , Dartmouth College. Email 603-646-2865

WATCH OUR CAMPAIGN LAUNCH VIDEO

​everything depends on the excellence of our community. our vision is to support talent and diversity throughout all of tuck’s programs and open new avenues to business education..

Strategic Initiatives

• Student Scholarships
• Tuck-Dartmouth Joint Programs
• Tuck Diversity Business & Next Step Programs

Everything depends on the excellence of our community. Our vision is to support talent and diversity throughout all of Tuck’s programs and open new avenues to business education.

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS*

Competition for the very best MBA students has never been so fierce. Top schools are offering more and larger scholarships to admits than ever before. Expanding our financial support is critical to recruiting smart, accomplished students who continue our traditions of excellence and will help take Tuck to new heights.

TUCK-DARTMOUTH JOINT PROGRAMS

Investment is needed to capitalize on the immense potential for joint programs that exists across the Dartmouth College campus. Strategic investments can generate new curricular offerings, entrepreneurship programs, and social impact initiatives that will leverage research, knowledge and methodologies across disciplines and promote a shared sense of community.

• Student Scholarships: Demand for Tuck’s Business Bridge program has soared amid the pandemic, but so too has the financial need of undergraduate students hoping to participate in Bridge and similar Tuck-Dartmouth programs.
• MBA Program Associates: Tuck MBA students serving as program associates are instrumental to the success of undergraduate students enrolled in programs like Bridge and TuckLAB. MBA students manage study groups, provide highly valued academic support, and in partnership with Tuck’s Career Services Office, career mentoring.
• Program Innovation: Opportunities abound for Tuck to tap into growing interest among Dartmouth undergraduates for practical business studies through new programs like specialized TuckLAB for E-Ship or Athletes and pilot programs for Engineering and Computer Science.

TUCK DIVERSITY BUSINESS & NEXT STEP PROGRAMS

Visionary leaders and firms play an essential role in creating jobs, championing innovation, growing wealth and improving the conditions for a flourishing society. The advantage and potential for lasting impact lies with those leaders and firms that step to the forefront and take action to meaningfully move the needle on equity and representation in business. Investments to support participant scholarships for Tuck’s Diversity Business and Next Step Programs, the MBA associates who help run these offerings, and innovations to take these pioneering programs to the next level will fundamentally change lives, advance career trajectories, and improve representation in industry leadership.

• Participant Scholarships: Scholarship or sponsorship support plays a critical role in expanding access to business education, advancing the career trajectories of program participants, and improving representation in industry leadership.
• MBA Associates: Tuck MBA students serving as program associates provide mentorship, consult on real-life business issues, offer highly valued academic support, and in partnership with Tuck’s Career Services Office, career guidance.
• Program Innovation: Tuck has the opportunity to leverage its pioneering Diversity Business Programs, Next Step, and executive education offerings for women to increase the scale of its social impact like no other top school. Critical to expanding our impact is the development of online programs and post-program career support for participants.

To learn more about these initiatives and the impactful opportunities therein, please contact Tuck Advancement .

“You have to choose a good environment to be most effective in learning. From that perspective, no other business school can match what Tuck offers. A smaller environment where everyone is learning from and alongside each other, that is the best situation for long-term success.” Kinya Seto T’96, CEO of LIXIL Corporation

The world needs more Tuck. We seek the most impactful ways to endow students with the necessary soft and hard skills to solve critical societal and business challenges.

• Learning & Development Initiative
• Inclusive Leadership Initiative
• Data Analytics Initiative

The world needs more Tuck. We are finding the most impactful ways to endow students with the necessary soft and hard skills to solve critical societal and business challenges.

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE*

As the needs of learners and the learning environment itself continue to evolve, it is essential that Tuck has the resources to promote effective and innovative teaching in all settings towards our goal of being the best full-time MBA program in the world. Increased funding for personal and professional development will ensure the Tuck community is a place where all are widely supported and encouraged to reach their full potential as people and leaders.

• Teaching Infrastructure: Upgraded classrooms allow for seamless digital learning and the introduction of new technologies such as with virtual and augmented reality. Skilled business writers would support faculty to ensure that cases, readings, exercises and all teaching materials are timely and relevant.
• Faculty Recruitment and Retention: Tuck has long distinguished itself among top business schools by the quality and commitment of its faculty educators. High quality faculty are essential to the success of our students’ learning experience and to the reputation of our school as a whole. It is imperative that Tuck recruit and develop the distinguished scholar-researchers of the future and retain and support an accomplished faculty at the forefront of their respective fields.
• Personal and Professional Development: Tuck approaches the development of each student holistically and helps them to achieve both their personal and professional potential. A Leadership Coaching Suite would provide a centralized space, resources and activities for professional development while a comprehensive mental health initiative would help students develop practices for their personal well-being, ensuring their ability to thrive when facing modern day challenges.

INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE

Critical to fulfilling our school’s mission is fostering a culture that honors diversity in all its forms, welcomes each person as they are, and provides opportunities to engage in respectful, growth-oriented discussion and learning. The world needs leaders that are empathetic to the life experiences and ideas of others, and proactive in addressing social inequity and injustice. Inclusive leaders promote collaboration and bring people together, creating a sense of shared mission.

• Development of Course Materials: Students' academic experience should honor who they are and reflect the composition of today's board rooms, C-suites and organizations as a whole. Updating course materials so that Tuck students are getting the best and most salient cases and lessons is immensely important.
• Faculty Recruitment and Retention: Recruitment and retention of faculty with deep expertise in inclusive leadership and/or management is critical to preparing tomorrow’s leaders to recognize barriers and biases, to lead diverse teams, and to work across cultures. Students need access to faculty who are at the forefront of inclusive management studies.
• Talent Development: Just as the world’s best firms must invest in talent development, so too must Tuck. To develop inclusive leaders, Tuck needs to enhance its DEI initiatives as an institution and empower the personal development of faculty and staff through cultural competence assessments, opportunities for applied leadership experiences, and personalized coaching.

DATA ANALYTICS INITIATIVE

There is tremendous opportunity for business leaders to harness and leverage data more effectively, but success requires familiarity in using the latest analytical tools and the wisdom to apply data effectively and purposefully. By integrating data analytics across the MBA experience, Tuck is deepening students’ understanding and readiness to embrace the critical role of data analytics in strategic decision-making.

• Data Infrastructure: Students and faculty need access to data that will promote learning, facilitate research and aid career development. From the popular Bloomberg terminals and subscriptions to more specialized data resources, Tuck needs to be able to purchase, properly store and facilitate all needed data sets.
• Workshop Series, Conferences, or Case Competitions: The specialized nature of data analytics benefits from individual development of basic skills and advanced applications. Foundational workshops can teach coding and analytics fundamentals, while conferences, case competitions and other activities can promote deeper explorations.
• Faculty Fellowships: The art and science of data analytics is ever-changing. To stay on the leading edge requires close faculty and industry interactions. Funding is needed to support visiting faculty or skilled practitioners coming to Tuck to teach and be part of the intellectual community. On the flip side, funding is also need to support opportunities for tenure-track faculty to do focused work in data analytics or take on internships or fellowships in industry.

To learn more about the initiatives above and the impactful opportunities therein, please contact Tuck Advancement .

“Tuck has been a lesson in possibility. I’m leaving emboldened to keep dreaming, confident that I can do anything I set my heart on.” Tolulope Kehinde T’19, Geisel ’19

Student needs and objectives are varied and often evolve during and after their time at Tuck. The transformative impact of a Tuck education should be manifested over the life and career of all of our students and graduates.

• Tuck Alumni Life-Long Learning
• Tuck Centers of Learning, Growth & Impact

Student career objectives are varied and often evolve during and after their time at Tuck. The transformative impact of a Tuck education should be manifested over the life and career of all of our students and graduates.

TUCK ALUMNI LIFE-LONG LEARNING*

Great leaders are great learners, and it is critical that our alumni stay up-to-date on the latest management thinking and practical applications. Tuck Alumni Lifelong Learning (TALL) strengthens the value of a Tuck education over time by keeping alumni at the forefront of developments in the academic and business worlds.

• Infrastructure: TALL would greatly benefit from improved infrastructure and program-delivery platforms, better videography for online offerings, and more interactive options.
• Program Innovation and Content Development: Focused and specialized programming can be developed to reflect alumni areas of interest and address post-graduation interval needs, e.g. the development of courses and events for alumni five years out, 10 years out, 15 years out, and beyond.
• Alumni-Sponsored Networking Opportunities: Tuck alumni connect to each other and the school in meaningful, potentially career-enhancing ways. Opportunities for individuals and firms to support these networking events abound.

TUCK CENTERS OF LEARNING, GROWTH AND IMPACT

Tuck’s centers forge pathways of learning and application for MBA students in industry areas relevant to students, faculty, alumni, and companies alike. The current portfolio of centers provides valuable insight and experiences into digital strategies, energy, healthcare, private equity and venture capital, entrepreneurship, and business, government and society.

Centers echo, amplify, and complement Tuck’s core and elective offerings with a variety of cutting-edge events, activities and content. Centers support students in discovering new industries and career paths, offering opportunities outside of the classroom to gain first-hand exposure to various sectors and the timely issues or trends happening therein.

“Tuck students get an amazing education and receive personalized career support while on campus. We continue our service to them as alumni by providing learning opportunities and custom career resources at every age, every stage—no matter where they are in life.” Heather Law, Associate Director of Alumni Career Services, Alumni Engagement

Accelerating Innovation and Impact

Contributions to TAG directly support the priorities of The Tuck Difference campaign: expanding access to business education by supporting talent and diversity across Tuck programs; building capabilities of tomorrow’s leaders through initiatives focused on hard and soft skills—from data analytics to inclusive leadership; and guiding rewarding career journeys for students and alumni alike.

The Case for TAG

$10 Million

Tuck Concludes Record-Setting Campaign

Raising more than $416 million in new gifts and commitments, The Tuck Difference campaign closed on June 30, marking the end of the largest capital campaign in the history of the school.

Second to None

The Tuck alumni network is the best in the world, with a remarkable record of annual support to back up the claim.

“It is our commitment to innovation—to dynamic change rooted in historic strength—that has allowed Tuck to thrive and continues to guide and ground us as we look to the future.” —Dean Matthew J. Slaughter

April 28, 2018

To the Tuck Community:

At Tuck we believe the world today calls for a special kind of leadership: confident yet humble, empathetic, courageous. This belief animated our founders more than a century ago and drives us still. But just as the world has changed so too has the means by which we bring our mission to life. It is this commitment to innovation—to dynamic change rooted in historic strength—that has allowed Tuck to thrive and continues to guide and ground us as we look to the future.

I am writing at this moment because we are at an important inflection point in our work. Today marks the launch of The Tuck Difference: The Campaign for Tomorrow’s Wise Leaders, a $250-million philanthropic endeavor to secure Tuck’s distinctive leadership and ready tomorrow’s wise leaders to take on the world’s most pressing challenges.

It is an ambitious goal—part of Dartmouth’s $3-billion comprehensive campaign—but Tuck is an ambitious place. To achieve it we must invigorate our historic commitment to the people, programs, and places that make Tuck unique.

The order of these priorities —people, programs, places—is important. Our most cherished asset is talent. The dynamism and diversity of our students and our faculty are why Tuck thrives. They are the reason increasing our ability to attract the very best students and scholar-educators to sustain a world-class learning community comes first.

Tuck’s success also rests on our ability to anticipate and adapt to the changing world. This is the innovative spirit that has kept Tuck at the forefront of business education for generations. To ensure we remain there, we must secure the excellence of our MBA program and seek out innovative new opportunities for pre- and post-MBA learners.

Ensuring the vibrancy of our physical spaces is critical to our distinctive learning community. And today we find ourselves at an important moment for the places we hold dear. The coming years will see the Dartmouth College campus enriched by the creation of the new Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society and an expanded Thayer School of Engineering that will also house the college’s Department of Computer Science. Strategic investments in new and technologically advanced spaces for research, teaching, and learning at Tuck will be essential for us to thrive within the heart of this vibrant new crossroads of opportunity.

We greet the future from a position of strength. Through the reach and vitality of an extraordinarily loyal and generous alumni network, our graduates are a powerful part of our success. They are today’s wise leaders forging the path for tomorrow’s. In fact, as of this moment Tuck’s alumni and friends have already given $132 million toward our campaign goal, proving they are the force that advances our mission and quickens our steps. I am greatly inspired by this campaign progress thus far, which has already surpassed the total of Tuck’s previous campaign.

For Tuck and for the world, the stakes are great. But so are the opportunities. With your help, together we can deliver on our promise to the world and secure our legacy as the preeminent business school that creates, teaches, and applies life-changing knowledge.

That is The Tuck Difference, and at this moment we invite everyone in the Tuck community around the world to join us.

Campaign Leadership Committee

David F. Craver T’97

Vicki U. Craver T’97

Peter A. Kadas T’90

Yu-San Kan T’86

Andre L. Roberts Koester T’98

Michael E. Koester T’99

Roger J. Lynch T’95, TP’18

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Advice, tips and insights from the admissions dream team., table of contents, dartmouth tuck essays: tips & strategy.

• By Jonathan Masland

Dartmouth Tuck released its MBA essays for the 2023–24, with small but significant changes designed to let candidates explore their identity and experience with inclusion.

Tuck continues to rely on three essays, plus an optional prompt, but with a hard cut-off at 300 words each, this offers scant real estate to convey your story. It’s important to know that the Tuck Admissions Committee uses a set of four criteria to assess an applicant’s fit with the Tuck community, and they will judge each piece of your application.

Essay 1 ties the classic “Why an MBA and why Tuck?” question directly to your career aspirations. Question 2 and Question 3 explore how your background contributes to the diverse Tuck culture and community and probes your commitment to and experience with inclusion.

Read on for the Fortuna team’s best advice on how to use this year’s essays build a laser-focused narrative for Dartmouth Tuck that inspires the admissions committee to want to learn more.

Dartmouth Tuck MBA Essay Tips

Required essay 1: why are you pursuing an mba and why now how will the distinct tuck mba contribute to achieving your career goals and aspirations (300 words).

We suggest structuring the essay into the three components of the question:

• Anchor the essay with your career goals and aspirations;
• Answer why an MBA fits into the career goals and why now, and then
• Answer Why the Tuck MBA specifically will help you achieve these goals and aspirations.

Your career goals and aspirations

The essence of an MBA is career transformation – the learning, experience, credentials, access to job opportunities, and the professional network (students and alumni) weave together to help realize your career goals. Briefly and clearly introduce this essay by describing what these career goals and aspirations are. You should capture both your immediate goals post-MBA and your mid to long term goals too. Make sure that your answers here reinforce but do not exactly repeat information you supply about your short- and long-term career goals in short-answer questions on the application.

Why an MBA & why now

Describe the reason (or reasons, but not more than three) for “Why an MBA.” Tie your professional, educational, and even personal experiences together with your career goals as you shape your answer. The reasons should make sense to Tuck Admissions, to yourself and to future employers.

Also include in your answer to “Why now?”. With tight word limits in mind, be direct: “ I am pursuing an MBA now because…” ).

The MBA is a tremendous commitment and sacrifice that brings even greater potential rewards, Tuck wants to be sure you are ready for this commitment and that you have a compelling motivation to make it now. Also, you will be asked these questions in admissions interviews and in job interviews as you complete your degree. Being able to craft a compelling answer in your application will benefit you throughout your MBA journey.

The “Why Tuck?” part of your answer is what will make or break this essay, because Tuck is truly a unique MBA experience. Tuck’s admissions team seeks applicants that both understand its uniqueness and can also explain why and how your background, career goals and aspirations fit within their ecosystem..

We strongly encourage that you speak to multiple current students and alumni and ask them why they chose Tuck and why they think you should. From their answers, identify that resonate with yourself and then include them in your own response.

Below are some insights that will help you craft your answer to this question:

• Tuck’s mission, vision and strategy . Tuck takes its mission very seriously and it is therefore part of how the admissions team evaluates applicants: “Tuck develops wise, decisive leaders who better the world through business.” Your answer should connect with the Tuck mission. This shows that you understand Tuck, a signal that can help with your admissions evaluation.
• General management focus and strong core. The first year of the program is very intense. It is a mix of case and traditional teaching methods structured around its core curriculum.
• Tight-knit community. Tuck is a small, rural school that only offers an MBA degree. You get to know all your classmates, faculty, administration, and alumni.
• Passionate alumni network. Each year more than 65 percent of alumni donate to the school (the highest share of any MBA program in the world, according to Tuck). These alumni support you as students by answering networking calls and visiting campus to teach and recruit. They will help you in your summer internship to get the full-time offer and will support your post-Tuck career. Supporting students and fellow Tuck alumni is both the expectation and the norm.
• Access to top recruiters. The MBBs, Wall Street, top tech firms in the Bay and East Coast, leadership development firms recruit and hire Tuck students.
• Unique programs and offerings. Before applying, research and understand the First Year Project (FYP) and the Bakala TuckGO international requirement, and get to know the research centers (Energy, PE, Health Care, etc.). See which resonate with you and reference them in your essay.
• Clubs, student activities and special events. Incorporating references to student activities and Tuck-specific experiences (i.e., Tripod Hockey, conferences, etc.). can also help show that you understand and appreciate the unique Tuck experience.

Finally, as for the level of detail, it’s always tough to balance the need to be practical, concrete, and achievable with an overall career vision that is inspiring, impactful, and imaginative. Tuck wants students who are focused and realistic, but they also like applicants with ambition and vision. Aiming for a particular industry or function is a legitimate goal; the key will be to make sure the dots connect coherently with your previous experience and current motivations.

Required Essay 2. Tell us who you are. How have your values and experiences shaped your identity and character? How will your background contribute to the diverse Tuck culture and community?  ( 300 words)

Tuck — as with so many top schools — values diversity and uniqueness. In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling that ended Affirmative Action in admissions, this question has been revised slightly from last year’s to allow you to highlight facets of your identity and experiences that have shaped you as a person

Every student adds something different and valuable, and Tuck, like many schools, is trying to admit candidates who will contribute broad perspectives to the class. Here, it’s important to try and get your true character across. The school is genuinely interested in who you are and what makes you unique. It will be better to focus on a couple of aspects and illustrate these in some depth. Given the tight word limit, trying to cover too much ground may lead to a superficial essay that fails to offer much insight into who you are as a person.

Three important points to consider when answering this question are the following:

• Be authentic. Show who you are; do not share what you think they may want to hear that is not true to yourself.
• Be memorable, different and interesting; you do this by showing and sharing details and stories of your life so that when the admissions team evaluates you, there are anecdotes and stories that stick in reviewers’ minds and help admissions remember and choose you.
• Tuck asks who you are in relation to your values, experiences and character. Keeping the greater purpose of your application in mind, it’s useful to show how these facets relate to your career goal, and what your experience will bring to discussions in business classes.

To answer this question in a structured way, consider answering each section in sequence and then refine your response into a coherent and compelling essay. Here are the components with some context:

• Tell us who you are. Don’t let this broad, wide-open lead you into the weeds of self-description. Just be direct. Starting with a strong simple statement such as, “I am an entrepreneur who thrives in solving problems” or “I am a leader who is passionate about solving environmental problems,” gives your essay focus and clarity.
• How have your values and experiences shaped your identity and character? Describe relevant and important values and experiences that define you and direct your path through life.
• How will your background contribute to the diverse Tuck culture and community? Be specific; mapping your traits to ways you will contribute to Tuck’s culture and ecosystem, both within and beyond the classroom. This is a place where underrepresented minorities can share how their background and experience will benefit their peers.

Required Essay 3: Describe a time you meaningfully contributed to someone else’s sense of inclusion in your professional or personal community.  (hard cut-off at 300 words)

This is a “tell me about a time” question — one where you are asked to tell a story that helps admissions to better understand you, your priorities and experiences as a good fit in the Tuck community. This essay is a proxy for how you might behave within the Tuck community. It will help admissions reviewers imagine you as part of the MBA class. The question also reflects Tuck’s commitment to inclusiveness; they are looking for evidence that you share that value and have put it into action.

It’s important to choose the right story to tell. We suggest considering multiple stories before selecting one to develop and submit. To choose the best story, consider the language of this question to understand what the admissions committee is trying to learn and evaluate:

• Inclusion : This is the key to the essay. They are looking for a story where you helped others feel and be included, as evidence of how you relate to others.
• Meaningfully : The story you choose should have impact and substance, rather than a minor event that makes a small impact.
• Community : Here, they are looking for scale. The experience should be one where you cultivated inclusion in a community — a group or a team, not just one or two people or an interaction with an individual.

After choosing the right story to share, it is critical to deliver it in a clear and structured manner. A structure you might consider when delivering the story is using the STAR method — a useful approach to answering “Tell me about a time” questions during admissions and recruiting interviews. In the STAR method you outline:

• Situation : Provide context on the situation you were in and describe the community.
• Task : Explain what needed to be done. What was the problem that you faced where inclusion was required?
• Action : What did you do? What action did you take that led to the inclusion of the individual?
• Result : What happened? What was the outcome or impact? this is the punchline of the story.

Final Considerations for your Tuck Essays

A few concluding pieces of advice and considerations for your Tuck essays:

• Self-awareness is important . Understanding yourself, your priorities and what motivates you is the most important trait you can bring to your MBA application and your career journey.
• Speak to students and alumni before you write the essays . These conversations will save you time and significantly help your essays. Listen to their responses, learn about the Tuck MBA and then use what you learn in your responses.
• Be structured when answering the questions . Admissions readers have many applications to read, so help them out by doing all you can to answer the entire question clearly and in a structured way.
• Speak in your distinctive voice . Make sure that admissions can hear you and your voice in your responses. Have someone who knows you and your background review and confirm that they hear you.
• Show that you have done your research. Readers can tell if this is a ‘copy and paste’ job, where you took essays from another MBA program and reworked them. Regardless of how great of applicant you are, Tuck admissions will penalize you if you have not taken the time to consider the uniqueness of the Tuck MBA and then reflect that in your essays.
• Be interesting (in a good and relevant way). In your responses, you are marketing yourself to admissions, with the goal of getting them to seriously consider you for the Tuck MBA program. Do what you can to promote your true, authentic self, so that you are considered.
• Essays complement each other. Make sure the answers work together to collectively present the best picture of yourself.

For more expert essay advice for the other schools on your target list, view Fortuna’s Essay Tips .

Fortuna Expert Coach Jonathan Masland is a former executive director of Career Services at the Tuck of Business and an alumna of the dual degree Wharton MBA and Lauder Institute program   For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up for a free consultation .

• Posted on August 13, 2023

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