I was picked up from a classroom where other interviewees were mingling for a bit. Highly recommend chatting with other prospective applicants prior to getting picked up because it really calms your nerves. I was totally expecting a second year student to pick me up but it was a Adcom member.
We went to a quiet classroom after a ~5 minute walk and we made small talk about how my visit was going etc. At the tail end of the walk, the interviewer asked me what other schools I was applying to.
Once in the room, the interviewer pulled out my resume that already had handwritten notes on it. Throughout the interview, he made several additional notes on the resume but nothing too significant.
Questions:
Why Tuck?
Why MBA?
Why now?
What are your short term goals?
How was X experience on your resume; how did you grow?
How do you feel about a certain international conflict and was it successful? (This was tailored to me individually since it was listed on my resume.)
Any questions for me?
Overall, every report you read and every school says that interview are just so (!) conversational. Tuck is the one where half way through the interview I forgot that I was being interviewed. The whole process was very calming and I connected with the interviewer in a very genuine way. That being said, I do think they are assessing ‘nice’ in Tuck interviews more than anything. Your posture, tone of voice, eye contact, and general excitement are the most important things.
Overall the interview was exactly like I thought it would be after speaking with Tuck students and understanding the culture. Great experience.
P.S. Know the admissions criteria inside and out. I know for a fact that interviewers are looking for if you actually know them and can speak to them. (Even though I wasn’t asked about them in the interview; I do think I mentioned at least two of them in my answer “Why Tuck”)
Preparing for an upcoming Dartmouth / Tuck MBA Interview? Check out Clear Admit’s other resources:
- Clear Admit Tuck School of Business Interview Guide: Strategic tips for approaching Tuck’s interview questions, and more.
- Interview Archive: More firsthand accounts from Tuck applicants themselves
- Understanding the MBA Admissions Interview: Open Interviews vs. Invited Interviews
- Podcast Episode 16: Admissions Director Q&A With Tuck’s Luke Anthony Peña, Part I
- Podcast Episode 17: Admissions Director Q&A With Tuck’s Luke Anthony Peña, Part 2
After your interview, be sure to add your first-hand interview report to the Clear Admit Interview Archive.
