Laura Ionita is an MBA candidate in the class of 2015 at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Prior to Tuck, Laura lived in the South of France and worked as a Product Marketing Manager for Amadeus IT Group, where she focused primarily on mobile e-commerce solutions for airlines. After Tuck, Laura will be joining Microsoft in Redmond WA to help shape the future of Windows as a Product Marketing Manager.
Where do you see yourself next December? You could have just finished your Personal Leadership final self-assessment and are on your way to catch a flight to San Francisco for the West Coast trek with 50 other Tuckies. Or you could be relaxing around the Christmas tree in Stell Hall, planning the next few days of skiing in Killington. Or maybe you’re planning the New Year’s party in the Bahamas with your classmates and dorm friends. All this could happen if you apply to Tuck this year!
I visited Tuck on February 19, 2013 and I fell in love with the school. I was already applying to other schools, but when I visited I knew this was the place I wanted to have my MBA experience. By waiting to visit before applying and getting to know some of the Tuckies, it allowed me to get better at writing essays and was probably the key to completing my strongest application in April. Two months later I got the call from Tuck letting me know that I was admitted. This is how one of the best periods of my life started.
There are many myths surrounding the final application round at all schools – some of them true, some not. Is it competitive? Yes, but is the January round not competitive? Are there any spots left? Again yes, the Admissions Office is prepared for great candidates that may apply later into the process. Are there any scholarships awarded? Yes, it’s still possible to receive a scholarship. Can you still get a room in the dorms? Yes, the lottery happens in June, just after results are announced. Can you still join a pre-term program with everyone else? Of course, I even did two of them.
Bottom line is that if you are determined to join Tuck, get to know the school, the culture, and the people. Then use that to put your best effort forth in the application. Don’t wait another year – we want to meet you!
Last week, we shared some advice from other Tuck students who successfully applied in the April Round. Read what they have to say here, in "Competitive, but not Impossible." Tuck's final application deadline for 2014 is April 2 - begin your application here.