Dartmouth Tuck Admissions Essay Requirements

Approaching the prompt

Tuck is giving you a big hint by the use of the word ‘critical’. They are looking for candidates who are not merely desiring, but needing the Tuck program in order to make significant career progress. What is happening in your career such that you are pursuing an MBA? Have you reached a plateau? Are you looking to make a significant shift – perhaps into an entrepreneurial venture?

Also, Tuck asks why their program is the best program for you. No need to list the virtues of the Tuck program – the admissions officers know that already. They want you to show that there is no other place you’d rather be than Tuck and that you are ready to maximize all the program has to offer.

Common pitfalls

Not heeding the recommendation of 500 words: While Tuck does not give a limit, their suggestion of creating a 500 word essay should be taken very seriously. Remember that there are four essays in the Tuck application, and you have the option of writing a supplemental essay if you feel that there are other things that still need to be covered in order for Tuck to have a comprehensive view of you and your ability to excel in Tuck’s program. Avoid submitting an essay that is longer than one single-spaced page (approximately 650 words).

Not connecting the Tuck program to both your short and long term career goals: By asking for both short and long term career goals, Tuck is looking for you to demonstrate an overarching career vision, but also an understanding that you will have to take many intermediate steps to achieve those goals. While Tuck is definitely looking for candidates who think ‘big’, they also want you to tell them how you are more than a dreamer. Show how Tuck’s offerings will be meaningful to you immediately post-MBA and throughout your career as you work step-by-step to achieve your vision.

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Approaching the prompt

The great thing about this prompt is that you can draw from a variety of environments. While most will write about a workplace experience, you have a wonderful opportunity to set yourself apart from the crowd by writing about a situation that occurred in a volunteer position, community service, or even in a group of friends.

Common pitfalls

Citing a non-weakness: Don’t present your weakness as a strength. Don’t imply that your weakness did not have a meaningful impact on the situation. If that is truly the case, pick another anecdote for this essay. Tuck is looking for candidates who can reflect meaningfully on their experiences and assess themselves accurately – and this means being able to realize that there will always be gaps in our knowledge and abilities. Remember that Tuck is a school. Therefore, the admissions officers are not looking for candidates who feel they don’t have anything to learn about leadership.

Berating yourself for your weakness: While some candidates make the mistake above and reference their weakness in a superficial way, it is important not to swing the pendulum too far the other direction and sink in the quicksand of remorse. Your Tuck essays are not journal entries or therapy sessions. Regardless of what you have done, the world did not end. Be factual about your assessment of your strengths, but demonstrate that you have insight into how you would do better in future situations, drawing on what you have learned since that time.

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Approaching the prompt

This prompt is very straightforward. Things don’t always go well in the real world, and Tuck is looking for insight into how you respond to these types of situations. Resiliency is key. Although examples where you were able to be ultimately successful are popular, don’t overlook times where you had to accept the situation as it was and move on to bigger and better things as a wiser and more competent individual.

Common pitfalls

Blaming Others: Whatever the situation was, Tuck is not interested in who was at fault. They’re not looking to sit in judgment of the situation as a whole. And even if it is true, never present yourself as a victim. If you were genuinely victimized, this is probably not the best example for this essay. Tuck admissions officers want you to show that – regardless of your circumstances – you can be proactive and grow from less than ideal situations.

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Approaching the prompt

Tuck is giving you quite a bit of leeway here, letting you draw on any or a combination of your personal history, values, or life experiences. This means that Tuck is looking for quality over quantity. Therefore, focus on meaning. Show that you are more than your resume and have taken the time to develop your personality, character, and value system. Then make direct connections to these and the Tuck culture, which values diversity within a tightly-knit community of broad-minded individuals.

Common pitfalls

Presenting a superficial list of accomplishments: Don’t expect that your living abroad experience in Singapore, volunteer experience in South America and experience working with an international team on a special project obviously demonstrate your ability to contribute to the diverse culture at Tuck. It is your responsibility to tell Tuck exactly how these experiences ensure that you will both fit in to the Tuck environment as well as be a unique asset to the Tuck culture.

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