This post summarizes my Fall term at Tuck.
I can’t believe I’m writing about being done with Fall term. Seeing as this is my first blog post, here’s some background and what I’ve been up to the last 3+ months:
Grew up on Long Island, studied Industrial Engineering (or as the other engineers and Dave Sibley T13 call it – “Imaginary Engineering”) and played basketball at Rensselaer, spent almost three years in commercial real estate and two years in sales before coming to Tuck.
It took me a long time to get here. After being waitlisted in the last round in April ’09 and then deferring enrollment for a year, I couldn’t be happier about how my first term of business school went.
Quick sales pitch / why I chose Tuck: 1) the application process seemed to have more of a focus on leadership potential than peer schools that cared more about work experience 2) After I got waitlisted, the admissions office was extremely helpful in terms of re-submitting my application and providing feedback (I was wait listed at another school as well and they came nowhere near Tuck in terms of response and enthusiasm 3) location (yes really) – having lived in and around New York City the past 5 years, I didn’t want to go to school in a big city. Too many distractions and I really wanted to get to know my classmates. When recruiters and executives visit Tuck, they all spend at least one night in Hanover and take us out for dinner/drinks or have office hours to chat with us 4) Access to professors – no undergraduate business school and more of a focus on teaching than research versus peer schools 5) Admitted Students Weekend – if you have the opportunity, this is a MUST ATTEND event 6) the people – everyone here, from the New Englanders to the New Delhi-ites, are so genuinely nice, generous and fun. It really is a special place.
Fall was an absolute sprint, which must be why it went so quickly. At times it almost felt like pledging a fraternity or pre-season training for a sports team. Very intense and you felt a level of closeness to your classmates / study group that is tough to replicate. The finish to both fall terms (in the first year at Tuck it’s split into Fall A and Fall B) felt like a mini graduation and everyone had a LOT of fun each night.
What adds to the fun is the fact that recruiting season for summer internships is in full swing. I am recruiting mostly for strategy/management consulting, and all the top firms come to Tuck multiple times throughout the year. Tuck has a unique on campus recruiting process for internships whereby the interview slots are made up of both candidates chosen by the firm, and candidates who bid for the slots. That way, if you came from non-profit but REALLY want to work in investment banking, you have an excellent change at an opportunity to interview even if you aren’t the right fit “on paper.”
With fall being done, I’m enjoying my winter break (3 weeks!). I flew down to Florida right after my accounting final to spend 6 nights in warm weather*, then two nights in the city to meet with a few consulting firms, then headed home for Christmas before going up to Killington for 4 nights to spend New Year’s Eve in a house full of 12 Tuckies (and I’m sure a few extra visitors from Hanover).
Until next time,
Matt Zepernick T13
* side note: the weather in Hanover has been incredibly mild. We’ve barely had any snow and it’s only dipped below freezing during the day once or twice. The die-hard skiers are mad but I’m enjoying it.
** side note to the side note: I’m hoping that after saying this, I haven’t given the kiss of death and I won’t come back in two weeks to a foot of snow and -10 degrees F.