This new, continuing feature will take a look at how things get done at Tuck. Here's the inside story of how our students are admitted, featuring the fictional—but otherwise charming—Lucie.
August: Lucie, 27-year-old entertainment sector analyst at MegaBanque in Paris, decides to pursue an American MBA to further her career goal in the film industry.
She visits one of several private, nonprofit, and government-sponsored educational consultants around the world who provide information about U.S. schools. Other sources are local Tuck presentations, the Graduate Management Admission Council® website, alumni, and current students.
On the Internet, Lucie reviews several schools and discovers that a few names consistently appear at the top of "best" lists—a good way to focus her research.
Lucie requests information from promising schools, including Tuck. On the Tuck website, she gives information on employment, career objectives, special interests, and, as an option, her ethnicity. This information is the foundation of a personal relationship that Tuck builds with many applicants.
Tuck receives Lucie's request via the Apply Yourself recruitment and application website and adds her information to a prospect database, the school's indispensable tool for managing the application process. The admissions office mails Lucie Tuck's viewbook and other material relating to her interests.
Lucie becomes one of approximately 220,000 to take the Graduate Management Admission Test® (GMAT®). Tuck uses lists of test takers to market itself to top-performing prospects. Students admitted to Tuck generally score within the top seven percent of test takers.
September: Lucie travels to the U.S. to visit schools. Some international students visit as many as four times before their admissions process is complete.
At Tuck, Lucie's host is a member of Tuck's Women in Business club. After attending a first-year course, Lucie has lunch with Tuck students from France and members of the Entertainment, Sports, & Media Club. She has her interview with an admissions officer and then takes a tour of the school. Students who can't visit are interviewed by a traveling Tuck staffer or local alum or by telephone.
Back in Paris, Lucie fills out her application, choosing one of Tuck's four admissions rounds. She writes four essays in English on topics in leadership, teamwork, ethics, and the decision to pursue an MBA at Tuck. She chooses two people to write letters evaluating her interpersonal skills, creativity, contributions at work, and ability to champion a cause.
Lucie's application—one of approximately 2,000—is read by two admissions officers and then by the director of admissions. A committee of admissions administrators makes the final decision. Some candidates receive "soft deny" status and are encouraged to try again after gaining more experience or education.
February: Lucie receives a personal telephone call telling her that she has been admitted, followed immediately by an email and then by the official letter of acceptance and information for admitted students. Without hesitation, she submits Tuck's online enrollment decision form, pays her deposit with her credit card—and applies for financial aid! In a few days, current Tuck students and their partners telephone with their congratulations. She visits the admitted students website to find additional information on housing, visas, and classes. And she also connects with other applicants who will be in her class.
Because top students are courted by other schools, Tuck hosts "yield events" in several cities after each round of admissions. These include social events as well as conferences for targeted cohorts. Lucie joins a small dinner in Paris attended by an admissions officer, local alumni, and other admitted students in the area. Champagne is the order of the day.
April: Lucie travels to Tuck again to attend Admitted Students Weekend. She rooms with current students, goes to special events, attends classes, has in-depth conversations with faculty members, and generally bonds with the school.
August: Her personal affairs in Paris taken care of, Lucie travels to Hanover again, this time for two years.
Bienvenue, Lucie!
Illustrations by Christina Chase
