Interview Reports
Dartmouth / Tuck
Below are MBA admissions interview questions and experiences submitted by Tuck applicants. If you interviewed at Tuck, we encourage you to submit a report detailing your experience!Tuck MBA Admissions Interview Questions: EA Round / AdCom / New Delhi
As a reapplicant, I was absolutely thrilled to receive my interview assignment during the visit of a member of the Adcom who would also be hosting a reception for interested students the night before.
Interview Questions:
- Walk me through your resume (you should know this one really well. ,make sure you cover the entire resume and not just the job part of it)
- Tell me more about your work and your company (niche industry)
- Tell me about a challenge at work and ow you navigated it
- What are your three biggest strengths that you’ll bring to Tuck
- What is one weakness that you feel hampers success at work the most
- What are your career goals and how will Tuck help you? (Answered it) follow up question: ok, whats the alternate plan? (Answered that) ok, whats the second alternative (she really drilled me on this question overall)
- Why Tuck? (This was my strongest answer)
- Any questions for me (asked her about the centers at Tuck)
Thats it. Thirty nerve wracking minutes and finally an admit
Tuck MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Off-campus / Alum
The interview went well and it seems very promising. Hope to hear back soon with good news. The interview had quite a few people and the atmosphere was very somber. She asked me question about was were my plans for the future and about my education. My experience was very enjoyable and very surprised about how calm I became as the interview went on. There was not really surprises but just a relief that things went so well.
Tuck MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 2/Second-year student/On-Campus
When I interviewed at Tuck, the school had scheduled a day full of events, including a class visit, lunch, a tour, and an information session. My interview was scheduled for the afternoon, so when it came time to have my interview I left whatever event I was in and went to the admissions office to meet my interviewer. At that point a second year student came to take me to a room he had reserved for our interview. Before the interview, I believe that he had reviewed my resume. During the interview first he asked me to walk me through my resume, and would chime in with questions about my background.
The majority of the remaining questions were primarily about how I would fit in at Dartmouth.
1) Why Dartmouth?
2) What can you bring to the school?
3) What do you know about the school?
The interview felt like a conversation, and did not seem to be very intimidating. I think that they just wanted get a sense of whether I would be a good “fit” at Tuck. Because they are such an isolated campus they really focus on fit.
Tuck MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 2 / Second-year / On-campus
Non-stressful atmosphere. Snowed day of interview. Missed class visit. Others did, too. Tour and first-year Q&A was informal and nice. Underground tunnels connecting all Tuck buildings so did not have to venture outside, although it was nice to look at the falling snow (not great to drive in, though). This was followed by another admissions Q&A by a seasoned admissions officer. Interview was last event of the day for me. Tip: highly recommend scheduling interview after at least tour and Q&A.
Interview was done by a second-year. Originally, not scheduled to interview me but last-minute switch due to illness. Turns out we had both a mutual colleague and a friend, one of whom was a Tuck alum.
Interview was blind and just off my résumé.
Questions, from what I can recall:
- walk me through your résumé (do bring a copy!). He asked for one and used it. Seemed like he was seeing it for the first time.
- example of setback
- if you attended Tuck, how would your classmates describe you?
- short-term and long-term goals post-MBA.
- why an MBA?
- greatest achievement.
- weakness
- why Tuck?
- any questions for me?
Overall, the interview was informal and more of a conversation. Not unlike how others have described it. Tuck admissions team intentionally does a great job making you feel welcome and at-ease.
Tuck MBA Admissions Interview Questions: EA/Second Year Student/Skype
I am an international applicant based in Europe. I was invited to interview via skype. My interview was conducted by a second year graduate from Tuck. It was a very formal conversation unlike what I had anticipated reading in blogs and forums. Questions were basic, not hidden traps there. Below were a few I can recall now:
1. Walk me through your resume and why did you chose this profile/Company
2. What is you most important accomplishment
3. Dug deeper into my accomplishment, team work aspect, leadership style etc
4. What kind of team player you are. How would you team perceive you (3 characteristic traits)
5. Weakness
6. Why MBA and why Tuck?
7. Goals and fit with Tuck?
8. Any questions?
I wore a suit for the interview as many suggested. Interview was blind and I think it went pretty well.
Tuck MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 3 (January Round) / On Campus / Student-initiated
I was interviewed by a T’12 student; I visited campus on Jan 25 for the campus tour and the interview. The interview was fairly straightforward and relaxed – nothing unexpected. I was admitted! Here are the questions I was asked, in no particular order:
- Walk me through your resume/Tell me about how you got to this point
- Why did you attend your undergraduate institution?
- How did you go from neuroscience (my undergrad major) to management consulting?
- A question about work style – how I approach working with people. This was a decidedly vague question, and I guess I had to do what I could with it – I talked about how I manage people by making them feel like they own a part of an assignment’s output. But I could have just as easily talked about how I deal with difficult bosses.
- My extracurricular interests, and how I got involved with them
- Why Tuck. Long/short term professional goals. Some more incisive questions about these.
- If the admissions office asked me to use three, and only three adjectives to describe you, what would they be (and why)
Be confident, and be yourself. And be visibly excited to be there.
Tuck MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 3 (January Round) / On Campus / Student
I was interviewed for 40 minutes as opposed to 30 minutes. My interviewer right away said that it was a 45 minute interview. Although one of the persons I was waiting with had a 1 hour interview and the other had only a half hour interview. I guess the duration was not strictly 30 minutes.
The questions were standard but asked in a different style. He asked all those questions using the resume.
Questions asked:
- Walk me through your resume. Don’t worry about the time.
- Tell me about your undergrad experiences. What were your leadership roles and what were the challenges.
- Why did you choose this College.
- Why did you choose to pursue a Masters ?
- Was your choice of work in line with what you studied ? Explain
- Tell me about your work experiences ?
- What were the challenges you faced in your work. How did you resolve it.
- Given that you have a decent career at current company, why MBA & Why now ?
- What are your short term and long term goals ?
- Do you know that there are similar initiatives like your long term goals already ? How different is your idea ?
- Why do you want to do your MBA in Tuck ?
- What are your other interest ?
- Do you have any questions for me ?
Tuck MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Consortium/Round 1 (November) / Video Interview over Skype / Adcom
Interview questions:
- Where are you from?
- How was your undergraduate experience?
- Why an MBA?
- What do you want to do after your MBA? (long-term and short-term goals)
- What do you want to do during your internship?
- What is the most difficult piece of feedback that you received?
- What is your greatest accomplishment that you are most proud of?
- Tell me about a difficult team experience.
- Why did you apply through Consortium?
- Why Tuck? What made you apply to Tuck?
- Have you been to Hanover?
- What would you like to get involved in at Tuck?
- Are there any questions that you wished I asked?
- Are there any questions for me (the Ad com)?
Commentary:
- Very conversational
- Video skype was a little difficult; while it was good, it still was difficult to read the Adcom, etc.
- It would have been better if I had attended Tuck in person to get a better feel for the school
Tuck MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 3 (January Round) / On Campus / Second-year Student
Interview type: applicant-initiated, blind
My visit to campus began with my interview with a second-year. Hanover just received 6 inches of snow the day before so the logical first question was ‘how was the trip’? From discussions with students and alumni, this question is more geared to understanding whether you are comfortable coming all the way out to Hanover, so I would advise to answer back accordingly even if there is 20 inches of snow on the ground. The rest of the interview was relaxed, but not quite as relaxing as expected. There were one or two questions thrown out from the interviewers list that were not expected, but the interview ultimately became more of a conversation as we talked about why he decided on Tuck and the impact on his wife and family (I am engaged so the Partners club became a hot topic for us). After the interview, I went into town to grab coffee with my fiancee and we ran into friends of hers from college. After they left, another couple from Tuck asked me if I was visiting campus and how things were going and they were extremely friendly. This was a reoccurring theme through the lunch and student tours as friendly faces met us wherever we went. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, which left me with higher impressions of Tuck than I had anticipated.
List of interview questions
- How was the trip?
- Will your fiancée be coming with you if you attend here?
- Walk me through your resume?
- What do you hope to do with your time here?
- What are your long term goals?
- What are you three greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- It’s 5pm on a Friday, what’s your plan for the weekend?
- What clubs do you hope to participate in?
- If I’m the admissions officer and you can tell me 3 things that you can bring to Tuck, what would they be?
- What questions do you have for me?
I wish I attended the campus tour and student lunch prior to my interview. It would have given me better talking point about connections with the community and the culture of tuck, while giving me the confidence to talk freely about personal interests at Tuck. It was clear that my student was interested in a classmate who wasn’t just in the classroom, but a friend in the community and I found myself wavering on whether to discuss his involvement in things like the Hockey club, or Tuesday nights with the Whiskey club. I feel that these can be traps to see whether you are looking for 2 years off from work, or to really achieve professional growth from your MBA experience, but I definitely got the impression that the social scene at Tuck is a very important part of the experience there and wish I had opened up a bit more.
Tuck MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Early Action (Accepted) / On Campus (applicant-initiated) / Second-year Student
I interviewed on campus in conjunction with a campus visit. My visit day began with the interview. I checked in at the admissions office and waited with other students as second years came in to meet their assigned interviewee. Once I met my interviewer we walked to our assigned room. There were many students interviewing that day so we walked to one of the on campus dorms and sat in a study room. It took us about five minutes to walk to the room so we had some time to talk casually before the interview actually began. I had driven to Hanover the day before so I was able to mention that I had seen some of the town and campus the day before and had dinner with a few current students that night. My interviewer was very friendly and the interview, while consisting of structured questions, had a somewhat casual/conversational feel. After my interview I attended a class (Managerial Economics), had lunch with other applicants and current students, and went on a tour of the campus.
As Tuck allows applicants to interview prior to submitting an application, my interview was only based on my resume. If you have not yet submitted your application however, be sure to keep everything consistent between what you say in your interview and what you include in your essays, especially with regards to career goals.
Interview questions:
- Tell me about yourself
- What are your short and long term career goals
- Why an MBA and why Tuck
- What kind of leader are you
- Tell me about a time when you worked with a challenging team member and how did you handle that
- What would your three biggest contributions to your study group be
- What ways do you plan to get involved with the Tuck community
- What other questions do you have
Overall I had a good experience with the interview although I have heard from current students who work with admissions that Tuck generally tries to make sure everyone has a great experience visiting campus so I don’t think many people have a bad interview. The student I interviewed with was very friendly and as the interview progressed it became more conversational. He took quick notes during some responses but was generally very engaged. After asking him questions about what he is involved with on campus we ended up having a quick conversation about running and books we had both recently read. This is certainly a school that values applicants who do their research, so be prepared to name specific course in which you are interested or research certain professors have done that is of particular interest to you. Also be prepared to discuss what organizations you want to join and even the specific role you would like to take on. Also, mention names of current student you have connected with (if you don’t know any current student, email student leaders in the organizations that you would join, email addresses are listed online and I found everyone was very responsive and enthusiastic about connecting with potential applicants). With the small size of the program, your interviewer will likely know these people so it gives you a stronger connection to the program. If you are going to campus and participating in any other activities (such as a class visit) I think it is best to schedule your interview last. This way you have more things to discuss in how you have tried to learn about the program and you can mention specifics about the class you sat in on or what you thought of the tour or lunch with students.
Interview length: 45 minutes
Tuck MBA Admissions Interview Questions: Round 3 / On-Campus / Student-Initiated Interview w/2nd year student
45 minute interview
- Walk me through your resume
- Why MBA?
- Why Tuck?
- Leadership style
- Time you dealt with difficult team.
- Strengths
- What are you most proud of?
- Any questions for me?
Took notes on my resume. Very friendly and interactive interviewer. Great campus visit
Dartmouth / Tuck
| MEAN GMAT | 718 |
| MEAN GPA | 3.5 |
| CLASS SIZE | 250 |
| % FEMALE | 33% |
The Round 4 deadline passed on April 2nd, 2013. Applicants w...
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