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Admissions Directorへのインタビュー

Dawna ClarkeはTuckのAdmissions Directorです。TuckのAdmissionsの手続きや考えについて、日本人在校生がinterviewを行いました。本interviewが出願予定者の方々の参考になれば幸いです。

 


Q. Why did you start to work for Tuck?
  I have worked for four universities and colleges in the US., one undergraduate school and three graduate schools of business. Tuck and Dartmouth have a phenomenally prestigious reputation. I also knew several colleagues at Tuck, all of whom were very impressive people. I sensed a lot of positive momentum at Tuck which attracted me and I liked the fact that the leadership at the school has been both strong and stable for over a decade.
 
  Q. What are the strengths of Tuck?
  There are so many. First, the leadership at Tuck is strong and stable. The average tenure of a business school dean is 3 years. Tuck’s dean has been in place for almost 12 and has been instrumental in Tuck’s high rankings and positive momentum.

Tuck has a unique and personalized leadership development program that helps all students significantly strengthen their ability to lead at the highest levels of business.

Tuck’s faculty are expected to excel in both classroom teaching and research. The caliber of the faculty and Tuck’s general management curriculum are phenomenally strong.

Tuck’s size and scale are a huge advantage. Tuck is one of only a few top MBA programs that remains focused on the two-year full-time program. Many others are offering part-time, evening, executive and global programs. Tuck students get the full attention of our faculty and administration.

Finally, I’d emphasize Tuck’s school spirit and strong alumni network once again.
   
  Q. Tell me about the selection process. Also, tell me if you have changed any selection criteria from the previous year.
  The selection process is a holistic one in that we emphasize a wide variety of factors. The admissions process is not formulaic at all. We look at undergraduate grades, the TOEFL score, the GMAT score, work experience, work-related recommendation, interviews, essays, extra-curricular activities, leadership skills, communication skills and interpersonal skills. We’d rather see an applicant who is solid in all or most of these areas as opposed to one that only offers strong academic experience without evidence of other skills necessary to succeed in business.

Every application is read by two members of the admissions committee independently before I review it. Each reader spends roughly 45 minutes reviewing the application. Again the process is a holistic one, therefore we take notes on everything from academic credentials to the essays to the letters of recommendation.

In terms of changes to the process, we’re encouraging applicants more than ever to visit Tuck. The visit enables you to have a personal interview, visit a class with a first year student host, tour Tuck, sit in on an information session with a member of admissions and have lunch with students. It gives us the opportunity to get to know more about you and for you to market yourself. It also gives you the opportunity to learn about Tuck in a manner that goes deeper than what you can acquire simply reading our material or website. The Hanover area is gorgeous so be sure to tack on time to explore New England while you’re here.

   
  Q. What kind of person do you think he/she fits in Tuck?
  The common theme we’re going to look for are people who are bright, have strong interpersonal and communication skills and have the ability to excel in both team and leadership situations. Because Tuck is a general management program, we intentionally compile a class that is comprised of students from a wide variety of functional areas and industries. This makes classrooms discussions far more interesting.
   
  Q. It seems that the average GMAT score is on the rise among top b-schools. Given the situation, tell me how Tuck positions GMAT.
  Within the past two years, Tuck’s average GMAT has been in the 699-710 range. However, if you look at last year’s range of accepted GMAT scores, the range was 570-780. This proves that it is possible to be admitted with a GMAT score that is well below the average if you have strengths that compensate for it. Tuck’s GMAT average is comparable to the averages at most of the top 10 schools.
   
  Q. Do you have any advice for essays?
  The best piece of advice I can give you is that before you start your essays, do some self analysis about the elements of your background, accomplishments, skills and experiences that you most want to convey. There’s not room in the essays to tell us everything you want to know so you must prioritize the factors that you feel are the most compelling. Another piece of advice is to give the essays to someone who knows you well to ensure that they sound like you and that your personality is coming through accurately.
   
  Q. Do you have any advice for interviews?
  A lot of the advice I gave regarding the essays applies to preparing for the interview. Prioritize 3-4 themes or points that you most want to convey. Try to provide examples that illustrate your point. For example, rather than saying you’re a strong team player, provide an anecdote that demonstrates team skills.

Practice your English in advance of the interview. An important criteria for international students is your grasp of written and spoken English.

Try your best to visit Tuck for your interview. I know that this is a big expense coming from Japan but it is a competitive process and the interview gives you a chance to market yourself in a different way than the written application. If you are coming, let me know in advance and I’d love to meet you.
   
  Q. Do you have any advice for the people on the waiting list?
  We always have someone assigned to manage the waiting list. Last year it was Heather Stinson who most likely will manage it again this year. When you are wait listed, you will be sent a letter with suggestions on who to contact to gain feedback on what you can do to strengthen your chances of being admitted.
   
  Q. Could you give any advice for the re-applicants?
  The first piece of the advice is to take advantage of what we call a “feedback call”. Tuck offers feedback to applicants who were denied who are seeking advice or insight on the strengths and weaknesses of their application.

Once you are given this feedback, it’s important to work on the elements of your application that weren’t as strong. I think there are two types of the re-applicants. One group makes significant strides to strengthen their application and have a greater chance of being admitted. The second group chooses to submit a similar application to last year’s without significant improvements.
   
  Q. What do you expect from Japanese students?
  Japan is the important country for Tuck. Recruiting the brightest students from Japan is definitely a priority for us.

We understand that the education system is very different in many Asian countries where students are not expected to participate in classroom discussions. Although the transition to a more interactive classroom environment can be a difficult one, we expect our Japanese students to fully participate. Doing so is a skill that will help you throughout your career. The ability to state your opinion in a compelling way is critical in business. Having international students in the Tuck classroom is an important part of the Tuck experience. You have the ability to share insight regarding the Japanese culture, economic and political system as well as advice on doing business in Japan. Likewise, you’ll hear experiences from students from over 30 countries.
   
  Q. Tell us a little bit about Tuck’s Ambassador Program.
  The ambassador program was started by two second year students. Its objective is to improve Tuck’s brand throughout the world. It’s a student-run organization that helps plan worldwide events for Tuck admissions and public relations. Last summer our Japanese students hosted a successful event in Tokyo and I’m sure there will be other events there in the future. It’s a testament to the Tuck experience that students are so involved in helping us market Tuck to their home countries.
   
  Q. Could you give a few words to Japanese applicants?
  We really look forward to working with you through application process. Tuck is very interested in making sure we have a good representation of Japanese students. I have been to Japan four times in my career and I’m a big fan of both Japan and of our Japanese students. I know many of my colleagues at Tuck are equally enthusiastic as well. If you plan to visit Tuck, please stop by and introduce yourself. I hope to have the opportunity to meet you. Thank you very much!!
     
200610月更新
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