Applying to Tuck

Whether you’re just starting out on your MBA application journey or you’re ready to apply to Tuck, we believe the following information, resources, and advice will best prepare you to submit your application with confidence. We look forward to getting to know you throughout the application process.

Preparing to Apply

Getting to Know Tuck

Before you apply, we encourage you to get to know Tuck. Explore Tuck’s many curricular, co-curricular, and career opportunities and determine what you would like your MBA experience to be. Getting to know Tuck will help you articulate how the Tuck MBA will help you reach your personal and professional goals and how your individuality will add to the fabric of Tuck. These are questions you will need to answer in your application!

Beyond the academic, career, and student life information across our website, we recommend reviewing the following pages and utilizing the below resources as you’re preparing to apply:

“I encourage prospective students to reflect on what they want to get out of their business school experience and start getting to know the distinct Tuck community. Our motto is “Your time, Your Tuck.” Every Tuckie you speak to will offer a unique perspective on this special place.”
ARLEEN CHIEN T'21 | Read her story

Application Deadlines

*Round 1 applicants who submit a complete application, including Letters of Reference and test scores, by 5:00pm ET September 1, 2022, will be guaranteed an interview invitation.
**Round 2 applicants who submit a complete application, including Letters of Reference and test scores, by 5:00pm ET December 1, 2022, will be guaranteed an interview invitation.

One week before decisions are released all applicants will receive instructions for accessing their application decision via the application portal the following week. We officially communicate all decisions via the application portal. We may also personally contact admitted applicants to share the good news.

Navigating the Application

Each component of your application maps to our admissions criteria. Your application form provides background information. Your academic transcripts and test scores demonstrate that you are smart. Your resume demonstrates that you are accomplished. Your essays demonstrate that you are aware and encouraging. The Letters of Reference are designed to provide evidence of all four criteria. Learn more about each of these components of your application:

• Application Form

  All applicants must complete and submit a Tuck application to be considered for admission. Applicants who wish to apply to Tuck through the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management should complete the Consortium application in lieu of the Tuck application.
• Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

  In the Application Specifics section of the application form, all applicants will be asked to share their short-term and long-term goals in 50 words or less. Both your short- and long-term goals should be ambitious and realistic, though on the margin, we will expect your long-term goals to tilt towards the former and your short-term goals to tilt towards the latter.

  “We want your responses to be clear, concise, and matter-of-fact. Our advice to those of you trying hard to shoehorn in a supporting narrative: save the additional details for your essays or your interview, and trust that we really, truly do want you to be factual and direct.”
  —Patricia Harrison, Director of Admissions, Evaluation and Yield

  View additional advice for sharing your goals: Tuck Admissions Insights: Your Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
• GMAT or GRE Scores

  All applicants must self-report scores and percentiles for one of the following. Note: we accept the online/at home versions of these exams.

  • Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
  • Graduate Record Examinations General Test (GRE)

  
  Details

  • We do not prefer one test over the other.
  • Self-report all valid scores taken within the last five years. Note: test scores must be valid as of the date you apply. If your test score(s) will expire prior to August 2023, you must release your official score report(s) to Tuck prior to submitting your application. Your official score report(s) must be released to Tuck at least 10 days before the test expiration date.
  • There is no minimum score required to apply or to receive admission. If you have taken the test(s) multiple times, please report all valid scores per test. We will consider your highest total score and highest sub-scores across tests taken; however, we will not combine sub-scores from different tests resulting in a new total score.
  • Applicants are not required to submit official score reports until they enroll at Tuck, unless their scores will expire prior to August 2023. Once enrolled, admitted students must have an official score report sent to Tuck within 30 days of enrolling. We will verify scores for all enrolling students.
  • To request that official test scores are sent to Tuck, please use the following school codes:
  • GMAT: Z04-NH-64
  • GRE: 4887

  
  Waivers

  GMAT/GRE test waivers may be available for eligible Round 3 (March 27, 2023) applicants in the 2022–2023 admissions cycle.
  

  To be eligible to submit a GMAT/GRE test waiver request, you must:

  • Have been laid off no earlier than August 1, 2022, regardless of industry,
  • Have a minimum of two years post-graduate professional work experience,
  • Be aligned with Tuck’s values and admissions criteria, and,
  • Qualify for our English Language Proficiency test waiver if you are a non-native English speaker.

  To request a GMAT/GRE test waiver, please fill out this form. Note: GMAT/GRE test waiver requests are due by March 1, 2023, at 5:00 PM ET and before submitting the application. We will ask for your resume, an unofficial copy of your degree-granting undergraduate transcript, and, as applicable, an unofficial copy of your degree-granting graduate transcript and/or any proof of professional certifications, designations, or non-degree coursework to evaluate your academic readiness for the rigors of the Tuck MBA. For more information, please visit the GMAT/GRE Test Waiver Request section of our FAQs.

  “Standardized tests are not one-size-fits-all. Though test scores are required of all Tuck applicants, remember that you have choices when it comes to testing. We encourage you to lean into the test(s) that work best for you.”
  —Tim Neil, Assistant Director of Admissions, Recruitment

  Explore your testing options: Tuck Admissions Insights: Test Scores
• English Language Proficiency Scores

  If you are a non-native English speaker, submit scores for one of the following to demonstrate English language proficiency. Note: we accept the online/at home versions of these exams.

  • Duolingo English Test (DET)
  • International English Language Testing System Academic (IELTS)
  • Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE)
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language iBT (TOEFL)

  
  Details

  • We do not prefer one test over the others.
  • Self-report all valid scores taken within the last two years. Note: test scores must be valid as of the date you apply. If your test scores will expire prior to August 2023, you must release your official score report(s) to Tuck prior to submitting your application. Your official score report(s) must be released to Tuck at least 10 days before the test expiration date. Also, if you’re reporting an IELTS score we will ask for your IELTS Academic Test Result Form (TRF) number. This number can be found on your hard-copy results document.
  • If you choose to submit a DET score you must send Tuck your certified test results through your Duolingo account before you submit your application; otherwise your application will be considered incomplete. We must receive certified DET results at the time of application because of the video interview section of the test. If your Duolingo account email address doesn’t match your Tuck account email address, please email us so that we can match your scores to your application.
  • Applicants are not required to submit official score reports for the IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL until they enroll at Tuck, unless their scores will expire prior to August 2023. Once enrolled, admitted students must have an official score report sent to Tuck within 30 days of enrolling. We will verify scores for all enrolling students.
  • To request that official test scores are sent to Tuck, please use the following school codes:
  • DET: Dartmouth College - Tuck School of Business
  • IELTS: Dartmouth College, Tuck School of Business
  • PTE: Dartmouth College
  • TOEFL: 3351

  
  Waivers

  • You qualify for a waiver if you have recently lived for at least three years in an English-speaking country or if you received an undergraduate or graduate degree from an institution where instruction is in English.
  • You do not need to seek our approval or submit documentation to prove eligibility for this waiver. You should indicate eligibility with the check box in the education section of your application.
• Education Information

  In the Undergraduate Degree section of the application, all applicants will be asked to share the primary undergraduate school from which they received a degree. In the Other Schools section, applicants will be asked to create an entry for each additional undergraduate and graduate school they have attended, including transfer schools, if applicable. You should not create entries specifically for study abroad programs or postgraduate non-degree coursework. In these sections you will transcribe your education information, e.g., institution, degree, major, and GPA.

  In the Other Education Information section, applicants will have the opportunity to share additional education information such as completion or enrollment in postgraduate non-degree courses and professional certifications.

  “The admissions committee is well versed in different grading schemes from around the world and we calibrate and assess your grades within the context of your school’s grading scale and rigor, and we are mindful of trends within degree programs and across your academic history.”
  —Megan Creeden, Associate Director of Admissions, Yield

  Delve deeper into how to share your academic experience within the application: Tuck Admissions Insights: Education Information
• Transcripts

  Upload a copy of your academic transcript for every undergraduate and graduate school you attended in the Undergraduate Degree and Other Schools sections of the application. Submit all available pages of each transcript, including any pages that detail your school’s grading scale.

  
  Details

  • If your transcripts are not in English, upload both the original transcript and a certified translation.
  • If you transferred from another school, you must also submit a transcript from that school.
  • It is not necessary to provide transcripts for postgraduate non-degree courses or from study abroad institutions if your study abroad course(s) are listed on your undergraduate or graduate school transcripts. However, you will be asked to provide details (institution, term/year, course title, and grade) for any postgraduate non-degree courses in the Other Education Information section of the application.
  • Tuck works with Re Vera Services LLC to verify the accuracy of all matriculating students’ applications. After enrollment, Re Vera will request official transcripts from each school you attended.
• Employment History

  List your post-undergraduate employment history for your last four employers. In addition to general employer information, you will be asked about compensation and other details like your responsibilities and reason for leaving, if applicable.

  “Our goal is to better understand your professional progression as we assess how you demonstrate the accomplished criterion.”
  —Kristin Roth, Associate Director of Admissions, Evaluation

  Review tactical guidance on what information to provide in this section: Tuck Admissions Insights: Employment History, Common Applicant Questions
• Resume

  Upload a resume outlining your professional, academic, and other relevant experience. We encourage you to limit your resume to one-page and to activities and experiences occurring during and after your undergraduate studies.

  

  Tuck Admissions Insights: Resume Writing Guide

  This guide is an introduction to resume writing and formatting principles. Our goal is to...

  

  Tuck Admissions Insights: Make Your Resume Shine

  Advice on format, content, and more to help you craft a resume that closely reflects...

• Essays

  All applicants must respond to the following essay prompts:

  1. Tuck students can articulate how the distinctive Tuck MBA will advance their aspirations. Why are you pursuing an MBA and why Tuck? (300 words)
  2. Tuck students recognize how their individuality adds to the fabric of Tuck. Tell us who you are. (300 words)
  3. Tuck students are encouraging, collaborative, and empathetic, even when it is not convenient or easy. Describe a meaningful experience in which you exemplified one or more of these attributes. (300 words)

  “There are many sources of advice and essay guidance from outside influencers and websites; however, my colleagues and I want you to hear directly from those of us who are reading and evaluating your essays.”
  —Patricia Harrison, Director of Admissions, Evaluation and Yield

  Dive into advice for each essay prompt: Tuck Admissions Insights: 2022-2023 Application Essays

  All reapplicants must respond to an additional essay prompt:

  • How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally. (300 words)
    
    

  The following essay prompt is optional:

  • Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere (e.g., atypical choice of evaluators, factors affecting academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application. (300 words)

  “Rest assured, this is not a test. We will not think less of you if you do not submit an extra essay here. Most of you will likely not need to use this section at all, and for those of you who do—own your past.”
  —Patricia Harrison, Director of Admissions, Evaluation and Yield

  Review guidance on how this section is best used and when to refrain from using it altogether: Tuck Admissions Insights: Optional Information Section

  The best responses to essay prompts are clear, succinct, forthright, thoughtful, genuine, and so distinctly personal that only you could have written them. We expect that your essays are completely accurate and exclusively your own. Use of essay writing services violates Tuck’s admissions policies and Academic Honor Principle.
• Letters of Reference (LORs)

  You must submit two LORs unless you are a reapplicant who applied during the most recent admissions cycle. Reapplicants who applied during the most recent admissions cycle need to submit only one new LOR from a reference who did not write to Tuck on your behalf last year.

  Details

  • In the application, you will be asked to enter your reference’s information. We will email each reference a unique link to our LOR form. All LORs must be submitted virtually by your reference(s) via this process.
  • References who cannot write in English should write in their native language and have the LOR translated by an outside translation service. Do not translate the LOR into English for your reference.
  • Your reference must be the sole author of your LOR. Drafting, writing, translating, or submitting your own LOR, even if asked to do so by your reference, violates Tuck’s admissions policies and Academic Honor Principle. You are responsible for informing your references of this policy.
  • You are also responsible for notifying your references of your application deadline and ensuring your LORs are submitted on time. We review your application only if all required LORs are received by your application deadline. Otherwise, we will move your application to the next admission round. If your application is not complete by the final deadline it will be evaluated as is. If you would like to make changes to your list of references, please contact us.

  
  What We Ask

  Tuck has adopted the Recommendation Questions posed by GMAC’s Common Letter of Recommendation.

  1. Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization. (50 words)
  2. How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) (500 words)
  3. Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (500 words)
  4. Optional: Is there anything else we should know?

  
  Selecting Your References

  • Request LORs from people who can demonstrate that you are smart, accomplished, aware, and encouraging.
  • If possible, your current direct supervisor should write one of your LORs. You will be asked to provide a brief explanation in the Other Employment Information section of your application if you cannot provide an LOR from a direct supervisor. If more than a brief explanation of recommender choice is needed, you may further clarify your choice with a few sentences in the Optional Information section of the application.
  • LORs from professors who did not supervise professional work, from friends, family members, or coaches, do not enhance your candidacy.

  “Once you have identified who you would like to write for you, ask them these three questions: 1) Do you have the knowledge of my outcomes and behaviors to write a compelling LOR? 2) Do you have the desire to write a positive LOR? and 3) Do you have the time to write a detailed LOR? If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” find someone else.”
  —Patricia Harrison, Director of Admissions, Evaluation and Yield

  Explore additional suggestions for selecting and preparing your references: Tuck Admissions Insights: Letters of Reference
• Application Fee

  A non-refundable application fee of $250 USD payable by Visa, MasterCard, or American Express is due upon application submission.

  
  Waivers

  The application fee is automatically waived for first-generation college graduates, Tuck Business Bridge graduates, active members of the U.S. military, and U.S. military veterans. The application fee is waived upon request for:

  • Need-based – Those experiencing hardship with an explanation of their current financial situation.
  • Access Members
  • AmeriCorp Members (within the last 5 years)
  • Citizens of countries on the United Nation’s list of “Least Developed Countries”
  • Forté MBALaunch Program Participants
  • Fulbright Scholars
  • Alumni (within the last 5 years) and Current Graduate Students of Dartmouth College
  • Alumni (within the last 5 years) and Current Graduate Students of Historically Black Colleges or Universities
  • Alumni (within the last 5 years) and Current Graduate Students of Women’s College Coalition Member Schools
  • Alumni (within the last 5 years) and Current Graduate Students of Tribal Colleges and Universities
  • Alumni (within the last 5 years) and Current Graduate Students of Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Member Schools
  • JumpStart Network Members
  • Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) MBA Prep Fellows
  • Peace Corps Volunteers (within the last 5 years)
  • Posse Scholars
  • Rhodes Scholars
  • Riordan MBA Fellows
  • Toigo MBA Program Participants
  • Teach For America Alumni (within the last 5 years)

  To request an application fee waiver, please fill out this form. Note: you must have an open application to access the form and we will not guarantee processing of requests made within 2 business days of an application deadline.

Information for International Applicants

In addition to the transcript and reference translations and English Language Proficiency application policies above, please note that international applicants may apply in any round.

U.S. visa eligibility forms will be made available to all accepted international students after they have paid their enrollment deposit. The Dartmouth Office of Visa and Immigration Services (OVIS) will assist enrolling students with the U.S. visa process.

Information for Consortium Applicants

Tuck is a proud member of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. Applicants who wish to apply to Tuck through the Consortium should complete the Consortium application in lieu of the Tuck application.

Consortium Application Deadlines

*Consortium 1 applicants who submit a complete application to the Consortium by 5:00pm ET October 1, 2022, will be guaranteed an interview.
**Consortium 2 applicants who submit a complete application to the Consortium by 5:00pm ET December 1, 2022, will be guaranteed an interview.

One week before decisions are released all applicants will receive instructions for accessing their application decision via the application portal the following week. We officially communicate all decisions via the application portal. We may also personally contact admitted applicants to share the good news.

“You may have heard about the Consortium, been to a Consortium MAPS event, or perhaps you are in the process of putting the finishing touches on your Consortium application to Tuck. You may also have no idea what I am referring to! Wherever you find yourself, let this application journey be your own and know that you are in the right place.”
—Amy Mitson, Director of Admissions, Recruitment and Marketing
 

Keep reading if you are curious about applying to Tuck through the Consortium or need guidance on your application in progress: Applying to Tuck through the Consortium?

Information for Reapplicants

As a reapplicant, you must submit a new application. Procedurally, applying as a reapplicant is almost exactly the same as the previous time you applied albeit for an additional reapplicant essay and, depending on when you previously applied, you may only need to submit one new Letter of Reference. Please reference the application policies above for details.

We will consider only one application per academic year. You are welcome to reapply to Tuck in the next application cycle and we look favorably upon reapplicants who have strengthened their candidacy across our four admissions criteria.

“The fact that you remain enthusiastic about Tuck and want to contribute to our community shows us that you sincerely want to be here—we appreciate that! That said, strong reapplicants take action to strengthen their candidacy, and go beyond simply resubmitting their previous application.”
—Amy Mitson, Director of Admissions. Recruitment and Marketing
 

Discover what the reapplication process entails and what steps you can take to strengthen your application: Reapplying to Tuck

“My advice to prospective students is to tell your authentic story, reflect on how you can uniquely contribute to the Tuck community, and not to give up if things don’t work out the first time around. I am a waitlister and reapplicant. I knew Tuck was the right fit for me and persisting through the application process was unequivocally worth it.”
MARK NOBLE T'21 | Read his story

Understanding Next Steps

Each of us appreciates the trust and faith you place in us to evaluate your candidacy. We enjoy getting to know you better through your application, and we take great care to conduct our assessment with fairness, equity, humanity, and positivity. We’re proud of our open and transparent admissions process and invite you to review the following to ensure you understand next steps:

Questions?

We wish you the best of luck during the admissions process. If you have any questions, please explore our Admissions FAQs and do not hesitate to contact us at +1 603 646 3162 or by email.