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Dec 08, 2015

Hit Submit with Gusto: Your Finishing Touches Checklist

At this time of the year, your to-do list is likely to include baking, shopping, and holiday parties. But if you're submitting an application as part of Tuck's January Round, the January 6 deadline is right around the corner. Don't let your hectic schedule prevent you from submitting the strongest application possible. To make things just a little bit easier, we've created your finishing touches checklist. Good luck as you continue to work on your application and we look forward to meeting you soon!

1. If you are able to visit and take advantage of our open interview policybook yours soon. The interview deadline for the January application round is January 29th. Of course, we understand that circumstances sometimes prevent applicants from a visit to Tuck, and that’s OK!  An interview is not required in order to apply and Tuck does offer interviews by invitation.

2. Check-in on your recommenders to be sure they are on track to submit their recommendation on time. Be sure to do this at least two weeks prior to the application deadline to ensure that they have time to comply with the deadline, or, if necessary, you have time to find a new recommender.

3. Don’t procrastinate on tackling the essays! This is often an element of the application that many prospective students leave as the final step in the application process, and many are surprised by how challenging they can be. Remember, the suggested word count for each essay is around 500 words, so a great deal of introspection is often needed to ensure that you present the most clear, concise and well-presented essays you can.

4. Proofread. Proofread. Proofread. We can’t say this enough. You may be surprised to know how often we see mistakes that are so easy to avoid with a little attention to detail (remember, Spellcheck is not foolproof, nor is “find and replace”). Focus on good grammar and clear, focused writing.

5. Strive to submit your application prior to the January 6th deadline. Not only will this allow you to troubleshoot if the unexpected happens, it also ensures that you don’t have to experience the last-minute rush of getting everything in on time.

6. Be sure to submit your official GMAT score. The turnaround time for official GMAT scores is down to just 5 or 6 days, so you have some additional leeway in terms of how close to the January deadline you take the test and still have time to get it submitted.

7. Continue to be introspective and explore programs you think would be a good fit. We invite you to take advantage of the many tools, resources and opportunities available to you.