How to answer Dartmouth Tuck MBA admissions essay questions

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TUCK

also known as

The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

First, I encourage you to watch this Tuck Admissions Video

TUCK ESSAY QUESTIONS for the CLASS OF 2015

Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth MBA Program Application Academic Year 2013–14

Please respond fully but concisely to the following essay questions.
Compose each of your answers offline in separate document files and upload them individually in the appropriate spaces below.
There are no right or wrong answers. We encourage applicants to limit the length of their responses to 500 words for each essay.
Please double-space your responses.

1. Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you, and what will you uniquely contribute to the commu- nity? (If you are applying for a joint or dual degree, please explain how the additional degree will contribute to those goals.)

2. Discuss your most meaningful leadership experience. What did you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?

3. Describe a circumstance in your life in which you faced adversity, failure, or setback. What actions did you take as a result and what did you learn from this experience?

4. (Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represent- ed by this application.

5. (To be completed by all reapplicants) How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally.

(found at http://tuckschool.blogspot.jp/2012/07/tucks-new-essay-questions.html; accessed 2012/09)

NOTE: You can find Vince's Tuck Admissions Tips here ▸ http://www.vinceprep.com/schools/tuck

[VINCE HINTS]

If you plan to apply to Tuck, I suggest you write these essays first because the essay topics will apply to other schools, including HBS. Tuck also allows flexible word limits, which helps since it is often easier to write a long essay than a short one.

Essay Length and Formatting

Tuck is increasingly clear that they want essays to contain 500 words, or less. You would be wise to follow their advice.
Remember to use doube (2.0 line) spacing. Some AdCom members like to take notes as they read.
Do not crowd more than 400 - 450 words on a single page. Use 1 inch margins and 11 or 12 point font.

First, figure out why you want to attend Tuck. You need to answer that question in three different ways in three different essays.

In Essay 1 - focus on professors, classes and special academic programs that help you develop the skills you need to achieve your career goals
- How can you impact Tuck? What unique student clubs and activities can you lead? Have you spoken with any students or alumni to confirm that they want what you can offer?
In Essay 2 - how does Tuck teach leadership? What unique opportunities can you create for yourself to grow into the kind of leader you will need to be to accomplish your career goals?

Tuck AdCom wants you to show them some love in your essays. First, AdCom wants to confirm that you fit Tuck's collaborative student culture. Second, AdCom wants to confirm if you are serious about attending. They need to protect their yield (45% of applicants that are admitted to Tuck do not attend vs. 16% for HBS).

How to show love? Mention "Why Tuck" in more than one essay. Just be sure that you are mentioning different aspects of how it helps you achieve your personal and professional goals.

In Essay 1 and perhaps Essay 2, you need to tell readers who you spoke with, and what you discussed

Mention the names of Tuckies you have met
What did you discuss?
How did your conversation confirm your ability to make unique contributions to Tuck's student and alumni culture?

Here is what I mean:

In your goals essay (Essay 1), emphasize how Tuck helps you improve your hard skills (technical and analytical) e.g. finance, accounting, strategy, operations in order to execute your stated career objectives
In your "leadership" essay (Essay 2), emphasize how Tuck helps you improve your soft skills (interpersonal, leadership) e.g. motivating peers and subordinates, influencing seniors, persuading stakeholders to take smart risks in order to increase your influence and impact on your company, your industry, and society as a whole
In your "contribution" essay (Essay 4), show how you plan to impact Tuck student clubs, events, and special activities

To prove your fit with Tuck’s supportive team culture, you should mention the alumni and current students you have met.

Can you connect WHAT they told you to specific aspects of your story?

1. How does Tuck help you achieve your goals? Did one of your friends help you understand why Tuck best prepares you to achieve your goals? If so, mention your friends in Essay 1.

2. Leadership development areas: Did one of your friends confirm the ways that Tuck will help you improve your weaknesses as a leader (in order to achieve your goals)? If so, mention it at the end of Essay 2.

3. Potential contributions to Tuck: Did one of your friends confirm that Tuck students want (and don't already have) what you can contribute? If so, mention it in Essay 4.

Finally, if asked "what is your number one reason to pick Tuck above all other schools?", what will you say? Add it to your essays!

If your answer relates to hard (technical/analytical) skills, put it in Essay 1.
If it relates to soft (people/leadership) skills, it goes in Essay 2.

In closing,

In Essay 1 and perhaps Essay 2, you need to tell readers who you spoke with, and what you discussed

Mention the names of Tuckies you have met

What did you discuss?

How did your conversation confirm your ability to make unique contributions to Tuck's student and alumni culture?

ESSAY 1: goals, why MBA, why now, why Tuck (get), and how will you contribute to Tuck (give)?

Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals?
Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you?
What will you uniquely contribute to the community?

First, break the question into five components:

PART ONE: What is your career objective?
PART TWO: Why MBA?
PART THREE: Why Tuck? (what can you get from Tuck?)
PART FOUR: Why now?
PART FIVE: What will you give to Tuck (contributions)

Then, answer each one, step by step.

Your outline might fill two or more pages, but that is OK.
Once your ideas are clear, you can write a full essay draft that might be 750 - 1000 words.
Then, you can start the editing process.
Most of my clients revise their goals essays at least ten time.
As you crystalize your logic and convey your ideas with precise details, you will feel motivated to tack other essays.
You wil also be one step closer to passing your Tuck interview, since they are sure to ask about your goals, and potential contributions to Tuck.

PART ONE: What are your career objectives? (what job do you want post-MBA, and what do you hope to be doing in 2025?)

What do you want to do with your degree, in the short and long term?

The admissions committee is looking for an organized career strategy that rests on solid self-understanding. They want to know why you have made the decisions you made, how they have brought you to this point in your life, and where you are going from here. Goals can include broader, non-career and personal or community aspirations – but your first priority is to establish a clear professional path.

a. Dream and be real: You have to walk a fine line here. On the one hand you must think big. Whether you want to manage a billion dollars, or create new brain technology industries, or fix Africa – whatever it is, you should communicate high aspirations and a potential career worthy of an MBA graduate in 20 years time. On the other hand you must demonstrate career-path realism: your dreams will take a lifetime to mature, and even then they may not. You should sound like you understand how careers evolve in your field and the ways you might have to “do your time” (even if highly paid) before you become a true titan of your industry.
b. Show first steps: The best don’t wait for acceptance of their b-school application before getting on with their dreams. You raise you stock immeasurably if you can show you have already taken steps towards the goal you claim to aspire to. Have you done the certifications you need for your career move? Do you have a plan for attracting investors to the business you hope to set up? Convince the committee that you will make it happen no matter what – even if you don’t get into their school, or any school.
c. Have a worthwhile future: Faced with applicants who have equivalent grades and GMATs, the admissions committee will promote those who are on a unique, interesting, worthwhile career mission. You may have to work hard to polish up whatever dullness or omissions lurk in your past, but your aspirations are safely ahead of you where no committee can verify them. So don’t hesitate to project yourself into valuable, distinctive roles.

(found at http://www.topmba.com/articles/admissions/what-do-admissions-directors-look-application; accessed 2011/09)

Short-term goals

The cornerstone to this essay is your “Short-Term Goal” because it guides what information you should include in your “Career Review” and highlights what you still lack to achieve your goals. Having a detailed short-term goal is also crucial to explain how this school best prepares you to achieve your goals.

Start with your direct goal on graduation.

Your readers (admissions committee members, aka AdComs) want to confirm the following:

Are you qualified (credible)?

Are you competitive (ambitious)?

Are you a good fit for their program (aware of how your own strengths and weaknesses relate to those of their program)?

AdComs want to see a goal that is both believable and ambitious.

If your goal is simply to continue what you are doing now, that is too realistic. It is a waste of an MBA. If your goal, however, is to do something radically different from what you are doing now, and there is not a clear sense of how you are going to get there, that is too ambitious. Many of my clients use MBA to change careers. Others want to lead their current industry.

Most goals fit into one or more of these three categories

1. Vertical move

2. Change career

Go into financial services
Go into consulting
Go into consumer goods / marketing
Go into technology
Go into media / entertainment
Go into non-profit / social ventures

3. Join or launch start-up (entrepreneur)

Which of these three are you pursuing?
Are you ambitious yet realistic?
What problem are you trying to solve?

Long-term goals

Outline your long term goal. This is your mission in life. Try to show that you are confident to achieve these goals with or without business school (though earning your MBA from their school certainly increases the scale and scope of your future success)

Your long term goal can be general, but should still express your visions and insights about the industry you would like to work in, perhaps in 10 years.
A good LTG = the logical next step after your STG
For example: "After growing Tokyo operations to 200-300 staff within 5-10 years, I will expand my service into other parts of Asia."

PART TWO: Why MBA?

Why an MBA at all? (Why not another kind of Masters, or a PhD?)

First - identify what skills you need from your MBA:

I need technical skills such as: finance and accounting

I need analytical skills: corporate strategy, strategic planning (long-term thinking)

I need interpersonal skills: to lead cross-cultural and cross-functional team (organizational behavior) to motivate experts in finance, accounting, sales, marketing, engineering, and operations....

Second - chose majors / focus areas at your target schools by studying actual MBA curriculum at the programs to which you plan apply

Can you create a skills-based argument?

For example

Still, I need an MBA from X to create the right partnership model, secure and manage the JV funding and scale my new venture to cover demand in Japan and eventually other parts of Asia. To capitalize on my idea, I plan to use my time at X to explore the right JV partnership, funding and profit sharing schemes, and develop supply-demand optimizing models.

[VINCE HINTS]

A client recently asked me to explain the difference between technical skills and analytical skills.

Technical skills can be tested (CPA, CMA, language certifications) because they involve facts and formulas that one can memorize.

Analytical skills can also be tested (GMAT critical reasoning) and they involve technical skills (finance and and accounting knowledge) but they are more complex. Sometimes, they involve creativity and intuition. For example, strategy consultants display analytical skills when they form (and test) a business hypothesis.

Business schools teach technical skills like finance and accounting so that students can apply these skills when analyzing business cases.

PART THREE: Why Tuck? (what can you get from Tuck?)

Clients often ask me, “How can I differentiate between all these top schools that seem similar?”

I encourage you to use a process of elimination. Start by making a complete list of all the things that can help you achieve your short and long-term goals. Many MBA programs offer the same things (classes, internships, connections, consulting projects, etc.), so only by being specific in your goals can you connect with what the school offers.

Use "BEST / ONLY" logic: "I could confirm my interest in School X through my ongoing conversations with Mr. FirstName LastName (Class of '07), who told me about (specific aspect of school). This perfectly fits my (specific goal /learning objective) because..."

Use a combination of logic and emotion to convince them of your “fit” with the school

Passion is SHOWN through detailed examples that prove you have done your homework.

Tuck’s unique combination of

Curriculum / professor(s)
Special programs

...best prepares me to (restate goals)...

I suggest you focus on “people", such as a particular professor, current students and/or alumni. For example: "I have known Mr. A before, during, and after he attending School X's MBA program. I saw how it impacted him in terms of (specific hard and soft skills). I have also seen how he applied those new skills and perspectives in his career. I hope to have a similar transformative experience that only (this program) can provide."

Next, be sure to show that you have done your homework by reaching out to current students and alumni. Just be careful not to waste their time. They are busy and receive many such inquiries. Instead, ask if they agree with an idea you have, and ask for any suggestions or tips to help you make your idea better.

Finally, synthesize your findings into a few sentences that prove your “fit” with your target program.

For example

"I could confirm my interest in Tuck through my ongoing conversations with Mr. FirstName LastName (Class of '10), who told me about (specific aspect of school). This perfectly fits my (specific goal /learning objective) because..."

PART FOUR: Why now?

Why an MBA right now, at this point in your career?
Why do you need an MBA now? Why is this the ideal timing to pursue formal management training in a full-time program?

You need to answer this question directly, but your answer can be short (two sentences).

Think about:

Internal factors (pushing you to get an MBA now): I have mastered certain technical, analytical and/or interpersonal skills; I am now ready to develop my skills and knowledge in new (specific) areas as stated above
External factors (pulling you to get an MBA now): what makes this the ideal market timing for implementing your great business idea after you earn your MBA from this particular school?

PART FIVE: What will you uniquely contribute to the (Tuck) community?

Tuck seeks candidates of various backgrounds who can bring new perspectives to our community.
How will your unique personal history, values, and/or life experiences contribute to the culture at Tuck?

AdCom wants to confirm that you understand two points:

What do they want?
What can you offer?

Most of you will claim you have "passion" for Tuck. You will say you love the school's teamwork culture. Talk is cheap. The only way to demonstrate true passion is to do your homework. Actions speak louder than words. Have you contacted alumni and current students? It is not too late!

Q: WHY DO THEY ASK THIS QUESTION?

A: TO SEE CHECK YOUR "FIT" WITH THEIR SCHOOL

Q: WHAT IS FIT?

A: YOUR ABILITY TO BENEFIT FROM AND ADD TO TUCK'S UNIQUE STUDENT CULTURE

To quote Lou Gerstner, “Culture isn’t just one aspect of the game - it is the game”.

Read more about "fit" here (found at http://chicagogsb-dsac.blogspot.com/2008/12/school-culture-fit-in-application.html; accessed 11/2010)

How much do you understand Tuck's student culture?
Have your done your homework and due diligence?
Have you identified what Tuck needs?
- What do your future classmates need that only you can provide?
- What needs can you fill? Be as specific as possible.

AdCom wants you to take an active role in all areas of student life because doing so will increase your love for the school (and perhaps motivate you to donate once you graduate ;-)

How much do you know about student groups at Tuck? Tuck lists nearly 40 campus groups on their website ▸ http://www.tuck.dartmouth.edu/mba/life-at-tuck/clubs-and-activities/

Tuck campus groups are organized into categories

Career
Event-Focused
Cultural Affinity
Sports
Social, Service, Special Interest

Most Tuck students are active in multiple campus groups, but their level of activity varies.

You should be the leader of one of them (your industry or culture or social / hobby) expert level
You should be an active member in a few more (strong knowledge but know an expert or natural leader)
You should challenge yourself to become a novice in an area outside of your comfort zone - build your network with peers from a different industry or cultural group

I encourage you to watch this Tuck Video ▸

Personality → Contribution Matrix

Version A

To organize your answer, you might want to fill out this first matrix (Version A) to help clarify how your contributions add value to you and others.

	What skill, quality, personal characteristic, and/or strength are you trying to show with this example?	How does this example imply your ability to contribute to enrich the experience of your Tuck peers? What SPECIFICALLY will you do at Tuck that builds on what you have done in the past?	Why is this unique?	How will your actions help you achieve your future goals?	How will your actions benefit others?
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4

Personality → Contribution Matrix

Version B

Aspect	Keywords: Verbs and Adjectives	Professional Example(s)	Personal Example(s)	Application to Tuck Life: Daily	Application to Tuck Life: Special	Application to alumni community
CONTEXT Where? When?				Class Study group	Special Project Team Case Study Competition Business Plan Competition Marketing Competition Event Conference Study Trip	Alumni network Recruiting activities for school (school-specific events, MBA Tour, School Panels)
What? Role				Expert / Leader Organizer / Facilitator Enthusiastic Beginner	Expert / Leader Organizer / Facilitator Enthusiastic Beginner	Expert / Leader Organizer / Facilitator Enthusiastic Beginner
Strengths
analytical (head)					how strength helps you contribute to classmates
technical (hands)
interpersonal (heart)

NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY?

Dig deeper into Tuck’s student culture to find a specific area where you make a concrete and lasting impact.
You can use a SWOT framework to analyze what Tuck needs and how ONLY YOU can provide it.

BE SURE TO USE MECE LOGIC

MECE principle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The MECE principle, pronounced 'meesee', mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive, is a grouping principle. It says that when data from a category is desired to be broken into subcategories, the choice of subcategories should be

collectively exhaustive -- i.e., the set of all subcategories, taken together, should fully characterize the larger category of which the data are part ("no gaps"),[1]
mutually exclusive -- i.e., no subcategory should represent any other subcategory ("no overlaps")[1]

The MECE principle is useful in the business mapping process. If information can be arranged exhaustively and without double counting in each level of the hierarchy, the way of arrangement is ideal.

Examples of MECE categorization would include categorizing people by year of birth (assuming all years are known). A non-MECE example would be categorization by nationality, because nationalities are neither mutually exclusive (some people have dual nationality) nor collectively exhaustive (some people have none).

(found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MECE_principle; accessed 2011/10)

MORE HINTS HERE

http://delicious.com/admissions/brainstorming_contribution

REMEMBER:

Before hitting the submit button, re-read your Tuck essays. As you read, ask yourself, "Could anyone else write this sentence?" If the answer is yes, make it better. Or cut it.
Prove that you have researched your ideas by speaking to current and former Tuck students. When you mention the real names of people you contacted, be sure to include first names and last names. If you just write "Mr. Tanaka told me...." your reader might not recognize the name. Tuck is a casual school where students and AdCom members know everyone on a first-name basis.
Show love for Tuck by mentioning your plans to make the school better.
Tie every potential contribution to an existing club or activity (use proper nouns as written on Tuck's club list website).
Show love with details.

ESSAY 2: leadership

Discuss your most meaningful leadership experience.
What did you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?

WHAT IT MEANS

Tuck AdCom wants you to tell them what kind of leader you are and why.

What is your most significant leadership experience?
How did the experience help you identify your leadership strengths?
What leadership weaknesses limit your ability to achieve your future career plans (as outlined in Essay 1)?

Here is one possible structure for E2

STORY	LENGTH	VALUE / KEYWORD	IMPLICATION for MBA LIFE	IMPLICATION for FUTURE GOALS
Your “most meaningful" leadership experience (and why you view it as such)	~400 words
Analysis of your leadership weaknesses
Leadership weakness one - and how you will improve it at Tuck	~100 words
Leadership weakness two - and how you will improve it at Tuck	~100 words

VINCE’S METHOD

Divide the question into two parts

Part A: Decide your "most meaningful" leadership experience.

Be ready to prove why you think it is the most significant leadership example of your entire life.

Please list 3 or 4 options. For each option, tell Vince

What you did
What you learned about yourself
What this example says about your ability to contribute to Tuck
What this example says about your ability to be successful in your future career.

Vince will help you pick the best example that shows your ability to motivate others and deliver results.

KEY STORYTELLING POINT

Leadership often involves persuading other people to do things they do not want to do. Too often, my clients send me first drafts of leadership essays that leave out the most exciting part - the turning point.

Focus on one person.
Who resisted you at first?
Why did she change her mind?
How did you persuade your supervisor to take a risk?
- She said “no” three times. Why did she finally say “yes”?
How did you convince your colleagues to try a new method?

Persuading someone to change her mind and support your idea is leadership in action. Show every small step that led to the final breakthrough.

Think of a typical "sports" team movie or TV show (or book) - would you believe the story if the worst team suddenly won the World Series in the next scene? We only believe in turnarounds when we see the small steps that made them possible.

Do not skip the turning point! Show the drama.

Interestingly enough, the obstacles you face almost always revolve around resistance from colleagues or superiors, and so your solutions need to detail how you overcame that resistance. To admissions committees, these persuasive abilities are a crucial component of leadership and a vital tool during your MBA where you will be negotiating on a daily basis in an environment where no one is “boss”.

Turning Point should include:
- Problems - what obstacles did you encounter that threatened your project and kept you from achieving your task? Did colleagues or supervisors resist your efforts?
- Solutions - decisions you made and actions you took to overcome the resistance of others

I know what you are thinking: “What about the word limit?”

Word limits kill creativity. Ignore them for now and just tell your story. Trust me. We can cut words later.

Part B: What did you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?

The second part of the question is more important than the first. Everyone has leadership experiences. Only self-aware leaders can identify how they need to grow.

Save 200 words for the critical analysis section where you identify specific aspects of Tucks program that offer you the best opportunity to address your leadership weaknesses.

First, ask yourself:

What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?

If you need help answering that question, please read this post

http://www.vinceprep.com/interviews/strengthsweaknesses

What leadership areas do you need to enhance in order to realize your goals?
What are the gaps between the kind of leader you are now and the kind of leader you need to be?
Why are you currently unable to achieve the career plans that you explained in essay one?
How do you compensate for your weakness?
- Vince's stupid weakness example: I have no hair. How I compensate: I wear a hat in winter

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

My favorite leadership model is Blanchard and Hersey's Situational Leadership. A friend of mine attended an MBA program a few years ago. I was directing an educational non-profit at the time. We were chatting on the phone one day, and I asked him the best thing he had learned at school so far. He hit me with the "Situational Leadership" model. I found it immediately useful to help manage my staff, who ranged in age and experience from 15 to 50 years old. I could not possibly be the same leader for everyone on my team. I offer this model to you the MBA applicant not as a "perfect answer", but simply as one more tool to help you dig deeper into your own strengths and weaknesses.

SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP MODEL

In the 1950s, management theorists from Ohio State University and the University of Michigan published a series of studies to determine whether leaders should be more task or relationship (people) oriented.

Leaders tend to have a dominant leadership style they use in a wide variety of situations.
The research discovered that there is no one best style: leaders must adjust their leadership style to the situation as well as to the people being led.

Situational Leadership is a term that can be applied generically to a style of leadership, but that also refers to a recognized, and useful, leadership model. In simple terms, a situational leader is one who can adopt different leadership styles depending on the situation. Most of us do this anyway in our dealings with other people: we try not to get angry with a nervous colleague on their first day, we chase up tasks with some people more than others because we know they'll forget otherwise.

Ken Blanchard, the management guru best known for the "One Minute Manager" series, and Paul Hersey created a model for Situational Leadership in the late 1960's that allows you to analyze the needs of the situation you're dealing with, and then adopt the most appropriate leadership style. It's proved popular with managers over the years because it passes the two basic tests of such models: it's simple to understand, and it works in most environments for most people. The model doesn't just apply to people in leadership or management positions: we all lead others at work and at home.

click to enlarge

(found at http://www.12manage.com/methods_blanchard_situational_leadership.html; accessed 2010/08)

LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOR

Blanchard and Hersey characterized leadership style in terms of the amount of direction and of support that the leader gives to his or her followers.

They created a simple grid:

Directing Leaders define the roles and tasks of the 'follower', and supervise them closely. Decisions are made by the leader and announced, so communication is largely one-way.
Coaching Leaders still define roles and tasks, but seeks ideas and suggestions from the follower. Decisions remain the leader's prerogative, but communication is much more two-way.
Supporting Leaders pass day-to-day decisions, such as task allocation and processes, to the follower. The leader facilitates and takes part in decisions, but control is with the follower.
Delegating Leaders are still involved in decisions and problem-solving, but control is with the follower. The follower decides when and how the leader will be involved.

Effective leaders are versatile in being able to move around the grid according to the situation, so there is no one right style. However, we tend to have a preferred style, and in applying Situational Leadership you need to know which one that is for you.

Blanchard and Hersey said that the Leadership Style (S1 - S4) of the leader must correspond to the Development level (D1 - D4) of the follower - and it's the leader who adapts.

For example, a new person joins your team and you're asked to help them through the first few days. You sit them in front of a PC, show them a pile of invoices that need to be processed today, and push off to a meeting. They're at level D1, and you've adopted S4. Everyone loses because the new person feels helpless and demotivated, and you don't get the invoices processed.
On the other hand, you're handing over to an experienced colleague before you leave for a holiday. You've listed all the tasks that need to be done, and a set of instructions on how to carry out each one. They're at level D4, and you've adopted S1. The work will probably get done, but not the way you expected, and your colleague despises you for treating him like an idiot.
But swap the situations and things get better. Leave detailed instructions and a checklist for the new person, and they'll thank you for it. Give your colleague a quick chat and a few notes before you go on holiday, and everything will be fine.

By adopting the right style to suit the follower's development level, work gets done, relationships are built up, and most importantly, the follower's development level will rise toD4, to everyone's benefit.

(found at http://www.chimaeraconsulting.com/sitleader.htm: accessed 2009/10)

DEVELOPMENT LEVEL

The right leadership style will depend very much on the person being led - the follower - and Blanchard and Hersey extended their model to include the Development Level of the follower. They said that the leader's style should be driven by the Competence and Commitment of the follower, and came up with four levels:

D4	High Competence High Commitment	Experienced at the job, and comfortable with their own ability to do it well. May even be more skilled than the leader.
D3	High Competence Variable Commitment	Experienced and capable, but may lack the confidence to go it alone, or the motivation to do it well / quickly
D2	Some Competence Low Commitment	May have some relevant skills, but won't be able to do the job without help. The task or the situation may be new to them.
D1	Low Competence Low Commitment	Generally lacking the specific skills required for the job in hand, and lacks any confidence and / or motivation to tackle it.

Development Levels are also situational. I might be generally skilled, confident and motivated in my job, but would still drop into Level D1 when faced, say, with a task requiring skills I don't possess. For example, lots of managers are D4 when dealing with the day-to-day running of their department, but move to D1 or D2 when dealing with a sensitive employee issue.

(found at http://www.chimaeraconsulting.com/sitleader.htm; accessed 2010/09)

[BONUS HINT:

GO BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE QUESTION

TO PROVE YOUR PASSION FOR TUCK]

The question only asks what you learned "about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience."
Vince's successful clients also add specific leadership activities they plan to pursue at Tuck.
They explain how Tuck's "supportive but constructively critical" team environment encourages them to become better leaders.

How does Tuck teach leadership?

[VINCE HINTS]

Please watch this video to learn about Tuck's Approach to Leadership Training

ESSAY INSIGHTS

Leadership at Tuck

Leadership is inspiring others to strive and enabling them to accomplish great things.

THE COHEN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The Jonathan L. Cohen D’60, T’61 Leadership Development Program was first implemented in the fall of 2003 to provide specific avenues for students to explore and expand their potential as leaders.

Through coursework, periodic self- and peer assessments, one-on-one coaching, career counseling, and the creation of an individualized leadership development plan, Tuck students are expected to develop their own, unique leadership goals and to create a plan to achieve them.

PRINCIPLES

Leadership development is central to Tuck’s mission. We believe it is our responsibility to ensure that each graduating student be capable of exercising leadership and feel responsible for being a leader in the world.
Each organization for which you work will probably have its own criteria for identifying and developing leaders. The purpose of Tuck’s model is to provide a common, overarching framework around which you can build your own personal leadership model.
You will inspire and enable others by first focusing on your own leadership skills. Tuck will help you to improve these skills by developing certain leadership competencies. These competencies will focus on who you are, what you know, and what you do.

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY MODEL

WHO YOU ARE

Integrity
Self-Awareness
Courage
Responsibility
Commitment to Lifelong Learning
Tolerance for Ambiguity

WHAT YOU KNOW

How to Apply Business Theories and Skills
How to Demonstrate Intellectual Curiosity

WHAT YOU DO

Motivate and Develop Others
Create and Articulate a Vision
Communicate Effectively
Balance Multiple Constituencies
Be Proactively Alert to Opportunity
Envision New Approaches and Possibilities

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY DEFINED

WHO YOU ARE

• INTEGRITY: to make ethical decisions, model moral courage, communicate moral reasoning, and hold moral intentions
• SELF-AWARENESS: to learn about and manage your skills and behaviors, both as an individual and a member of an organization
• COURAGE: to do what your inner compass tells you is right, regardless of the risk
• RESPONSIBILITY: to assume responsibility for the decisions and actions of yourself, others, and the organization and to understand the importance of individual citizenship
• COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS LEARNING: to seek learning and development throughout your life
• TOLERANCE FOR AMBIGUITY: to recognize and explore multiple possibilities, solutions, and outcomes

WHAT YOU KNOW

• HOW TO APPLY BUSINESS THEORIES AND SKILLS: to understand and apply theories, principles, concepts, and models for all functional areas and disciplines
• HOW TO DEMONSTRATE INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY: to cultivate an intrinsic eagerness to learn for the sake of learning and to display both imagination and creativity

WHAT YOU DO

• MOTIVATE AND DEVELOP OTHERS: to create conditions that elicit others’ passion, commitment, and best work
• CREATE AND ARTICULATE A VISION: to create and articulate a vision for the future and rally support for it
• COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY: to communicate effectively, both in oral and written form, across multiple situations and audiences
• BALANCE MULTIPLE CONSTITUENCIES: to balance the interests of multiple constituencies—financial, organizational, political, societal, and global
• BE PROACTIVELY ALERT TO OPPORTUNITY: to display entrepreneurial spirit and initiative, constantly look for opportunities, and measure and take risks
• ENVISION NEW APPROACHES AND POSSIBILITIES: to transform a problem by looking at it from multiple points of view, and elicit strategic creativity from both self and others

LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT TUCK

The topic of leadership is very important at Tuck. You will find it woven through your coursework, co-curricular activities, job searches, and conversations. We invite you to take advantage of all that we offer!

COURSES

• All courses at Tuck play a part in developing leadership potential.
• Numerous courses in organizational behavior, effective teamwork, management skills, management communications, and corporate and global governance focus on more specific aspects of the leadership development process.

VISITORS AND EVENTS

• Hearing from and interacting with senior business leaders through Beacon Capital Partners Leadership Speaker Series
• Leadership Lunches with leaders across multiple industry sectors
• Periodic leadership conferences and seminars
• Annual second-year leadership summit with high-profile executives

INDIVIDUALIZED LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

• Individual leadership coaching sessions with trained staff and faculty members
• Interview training, through the Career Development Office, in the art of talking about your leadership skills and potential in a job interview
• Six-person learning teams
• Online self- and peer assessments
• Individualized feedback reports based on peer assessments
• Creation of a personalized Leadership Development Plan
• Second-year Study Group Leadership Fellows
• Leadership positions on the student board, the judicial board, and all student-run clubs and organizations

(found at www.tuck.dartmouth.edu/pdf/leadership_model.pdf; accessed 2010/09)

Learning how to lead from beside

One of the unique opportunities provided at Tuck is personalized leadership development. In addition to a seminar course taken as part of Fall A, there is the opportunity to complete a leadership self assessment, have each of your study group members complete a peer feedback assessment form (and you do likewise for them), development of a personal action plan and one on one coaching from a member of the faculty and staff to help you progress against your plan.
I have to admit, I was skeptical about the entire process. I was late turning in my personal assessment, struggled on how “truthful” to be regarding my peer feedback forms and until just a few days ago, I didn’t see the need for a personal action plan and coaching. The difficulty of all this was compounded when I received the summary of my study group members’ assessments of me – they were PERFECTLY aligned with mine…
…so what do you do when how you see yourself is PERFECTLY aligned with how others see you? It may sound like an excuse to cease participation in this process, but it actually was the starting point for me to tackle my leadership development.
The inspiration for my personal development plan comes from two sources. One i my Fall A study group. Amongst the vast number of possible study group assignments available, I have to say, I was very fortunate. My group is absolutely talented and we have very similar work ethics. Couple this with respect for one another and you have a great study group. I just wish I had more influence with them – I always want to have impact among strong peers and this group is no exception.
Then there was a conversation I had with someone a few months ago. He relayed a story about being on jury duty, where everyone is peers and everyone has an equal vote. I had never dissected the jury process in this way before, but after our conversation I began thinking it is among one of the most difficult situations to find one’s self.
I don’t think study group and jury duty are that much different. You bring a group of people together to accomplish a task none of the participants initiate or choose. Further, no one has “demonstrated” expertise or accountability for the final result and there is no hierarchy. By far this is the toughest leadership position I have ever found myself in.
I think to be successful in the situation, you have to learn to lead from “beside”. I had never considered this as a possible leadership development area, because my career to date had focused on leading others or influencing people above me. When you strip away positions and make it about influencing your peers it becomes more challenging, but I would also argue, more rewarding,
There is no feeling like being surrounded by your intellectual peers and being able to contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way. I also think that finding a strategy which enables this type of influence could be the most powerful leadership tools available. It’s the type of leadership that comes from what you have inside of you, without the assistance of position or pre-determined role.

(found at http://tuckschool.blogspot.com/2008/12/learning-how-to-lead-from-beside.html; accessed 2011/07)

By contrast, how do other top schools teach leadership?

You can click here ▸ http://bit.ly/leaderships to compare and contrast initiatives at top MBA programs including Stanford, Wharton, Chicago, Kellogg and INSEAD.

Need help brainstorming your weaknesses? Please see this post.

ESSAY 3: adversity, failure, or setback

Describe a circumstance in your life in which you faced adversity, failure, or setback.
What actions did you take as a result and what did you learn from this experience?

Failure, mistake, and setback stories are among the hardest admissions essays to write. My clients struggle to find the right stories that showcase their ability to survive and thrive in the face of obstacles and frustration. They also wonder how much responsibility to take for what happened, and how to prove that they have learned their lessons well.

Did you lose a job, a business deal, an important competition, or a loved one? How did you regain your confidence?

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
'You have learned something. That always feels at first as if you have lost something.' - George Bernard Shaw

In general, adcoms ask about failures, mistakes, and setbacks in order to assess the applicant's maturity and teamwork skills. The Harvard MBA experience requires you to work alongside the same 90 peers for an entire year. Your cohort becomes your family. The group self-regulates. If you are rude or inconsiderate to others, the group will ostracize you.

Adcoms act as gatekeepers. They need to select students who will contribute their ideas without intimidating others.

How do you react when you do not get what you want?
Can you remain flexible and optimistic when you face unexpected obstacles?
Can you maintain a gracious attitude as you watch your best laid plans come to nothing?

What is a setback?

Some dictionaries define a setback as an unanticipated or sudden reversal or check in progress. The word “setback” implies a change from better to worse. It usually involves an unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes. Setbacks often cause us to feel frustrated or defeated.

Is a setback your fault? Not always. We encounter setbacks at the hands forces beyond our control: disease, natural disasters, and acts of war. Other times, we are intentionally or unintentionally blocked by others. Worst of all, we sometimes get in our own way. Did you hinder your progress due to your own misjudgment, carelessness, or forgetfulness? Did you fail to consider some outcome that others could have seen? Were you overly optimistic about your ability, or the ability of others?

Whether the setback was due to your error, or whether it was no one’s fault, your outlook matters most. Can you view setbacks as opportunities for learning? If you view setbacks as insurmountable failures, you can become paralyzed. Can you change your mind set? Are you ready to move forward?

When I read a failure, setback or mistake essays, I ask myself:

1. Do I believe? Did this example truly cause pain to the writer? Is she sharing a real setback story, or using an accomplishment story she wrote for some other school?
2. Do I care? Were others affected? Was something damaged? (loss of money, loss of time, loss of reputation, loss of business)
3. Do I want to work with this person on a project or study team? Did she learn something real about herself because of this experience? Did she deepen her understanding about herself, or others? In the process of recovering from this setback, did she gain new hard or soft skills? Is she resilient? Can she prove her learning by sharing another example to show how she applied the lessons she learned from this setback?

Many good setback stories involve personal transformation. Did you change your role (external change) and/or your attitude toward people or problems (internal change)? Did you become more aware of your self-limiting tendencies or bad habits that hold you back from achieving your full potential? Are you now more able to recognize and compensate for personal limitations that might otherwise lead to future mistakes or setbacks?

To show personal transformation, try adding details that display a clear "before" and "after".

BEFORE - how you were
AFTER - how you changed
IMPACT - how does this accomplishment prepare to contribute to MBA life and achieve your career goals?

Here are some questions to get you started.

Did you face setbacks when working as a team member?
Did you encounter significant challenges when working cross-functionally?
Did you face setbacks when working cross-culturally?
Did you struggle to manage your time, or the time of others?
Did details overwhelm you?
Did you fail to consider the larger context of your actions?
Did you face a setback because you were afraid to present bad news to others?
Did you face a setback because you were afraid to confront others about some important issue?
Did you procrastinate beginning new tasks?
Did you lose energy in the middle of an important project?
Did you face a setback because you were impatient?
Did you encounter a setback because you were unable to persuade your subordinates?
Did you lose valuable time or fail to achieve a desired result because you could not influence your seniors?
Did you fail to close an important project or deal because of your lack of technical, analytical or interpersonal skills?

Business and self-help books are full of other cliches, like “Winners never quit and quitters never win”, and “If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.” While they seem over-used, these aphorisms contain wisdom.

A popular motivational speaker named Willie Jolley recently wrote a best-selling book called “A setback is a setup for a comeback.” He emphasizes “faith, focus, and follow-through." Here is an edited excerpt that might help you organize your ideas and write your “three setbacks” essay for HBS.

How to Survive and Thrive Through any Business Setback: The four-step Process of Turning a Setback into a Comeback by Willie Jolley

Has your business ever had a setback? Of course it has. Perhaps your right-hand person left to work for your biggest competitor. Maybe your top sales person quit without notice and took a few key accounts away. Even worse, perhaps you lost everything because of a bad business decision.

Whatever happened, whether it was a large or small setback, how you dealt with the issue most likely determined where you are today. Those who realize the setbacks are simply part of the business process usually thrive, while those who dwell on the problems of setbacks routinely falter.

A setback is a change that needs to occur in order to move forward. No matter what industry you're in, you're bound to have things change. The key is to remember that these temporary setbacks can empower you to reach greater levels of future business success. No matter what obstacle has plagued your business, following this four-step process can help you survive and thrive.

1. Focus Your Vision

Where you focus your energy determines where you will go.
If you focus on the setbacks and challenges it brought you, your business can't move forward.
However, when you focus on what you want your business to become, then you are using the setback as a transition.

2. Make a Decision

Both success and failure are decisions.
Once your vision is in place, you have to decide you're going to win despite the setback.
The truth is, successful business people choose to be successful.
They understand that decision and choice are integral parts of the success formula.

3. Take Action

A decision without action is simply an illusion, and an action without a vision is mere confusion. Yet, a vision plus decisive action can change the world.
Unfortunately, many business people never act on their decisions. While they have the best of intentions, they lack the determination and persistence that comes with taking action.
By taking action on a decision, you're also taking responsibility for the setback. Once you take responsibility for your actions, you're ready to move forward and attain your next goal.

4. Keep the Desire

Desire is the degree of energy you're willing to exert in order to reach your goal. Many business people give up because their desire falters.
Either a new idea strikes them and they lose focus, or they encounter another minor setback and become discouraged.
In order to reach the new business goal you have set for yourself, you must have the desire to follow through with every action, even if it involves a degree of risk.
While taking a risk might be intimidating, especially after a setback, it's a necessary ingredient to reaching your new business goal.

All successful business people have had setbacks. If you view a setback as a chance for future growth, you can bring every challenge to a positive outcome, and make a stunning comeback.

(found at http://www.allbusiness.com/management/786751-1.html; accessed 2011/07)

Need a break?

If you get stuck while brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, or editing your setback essay, you might find it helpful to watch one of these famous “setback” movies.

Rocky I (1976) and Rocky II (1979)
Chariots of Fire (1981)
Cars (2006)

In each of these films, the characters encounter and overcome significant setbacks, and emerge stronger.

Still stuck? Here are some good brainstorming sites ▸ http://del.icio.us/admissions/brainstorming_failure

ESSAY 4: optional (not recommended)

(Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.

http://www.vinceprep.com/essays/optional-vs-supplemental-essays

ESSAY 5: reapplicant

(To be completed by all reapplicants) How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally.

Please start by challenging every assumption you have about yourself and the MBA application process.

Try to look at your denial as a gift. Being rejected by a school gives you an incredible opportunity to learn from experience, but only if you are willing to re-examine all of your assumptions.

Should I reapply?
Can I improve my profile?
Can I create a better MBA application?
Can I choose schools that best reflect my needs and wants?
Can I submit my application an earlier round to further increase my chances of acceptance?

My successful repplicant clients followed these six reapplication steps

Assess your results
Improve your profile
Reconsider your target schools
Confirm each school's application requirements
Create a better application
Invest more time, and apply earlier, if possible

1. ASSESS YOUR RESULTS

WHY WERE YOU DENIED?

Nothing apparent was wrong
Applicant pool was competitive and others were a little stronger
Admissions needed to look at diversity issues (gender, functional background, and/or cultural background)

Some aspect of the application was weak

Errors in application
Admissions could not see the fit [LINK: WHAT IS FIT?]
Applicant did not show sufficient qualifications (academics: GPA, GMAT, TOEFL if required; career performance, leadership ability, leadership potential, community involvement)
Applicant did not make strong enough presentation (no "selling points," weak "storytelling," flat or "boring" writing style lacking details)

Here is a handy table of common suggestions that might fit your case

Potential Weaknesses	Recommended Strategies for Improvements
GMAT or TOEFL score below the median	Retake the exam and send an updated score report
Limited exposure to quantitative coursework or tasks / Low GMAT quantitative score (below 65%)	Improve your GMAT quantitative score and/or complete quantitative coursework
Communication skills	Join Toastmasters or a similar public speaking group
Planning a significant career transition without prior preparation	Network with individuals in your desired industry and consider refining your goals
Limited career experience	Demonstrate significant achievements and leadership successes by sending updates and/or obtaining an additional recommendation
Fit and commitment to this program	Contact current students, faculty, staff, and/or alumni to learn about your target school and how you could contribute Provide an updated statement about why this school is the best MBA program for you

2. IMPROVE YOUR PROFILE

Should you reapply?

Yes, if you can significantly improve your performance in one or more of the following

1. scholastic ability

GPA was at, or above, the average scores of my top choice schools
TOEFL score was at, or above, the average scores of my top choice schools
GMAT scores were at, or above, the average scores of my top choice schools

2. personal character

Can you demonstrate growth or maturity that allows you to build trustful, mutually beneficial relationships among your peers, juniors, and seniors?

3. motivation

Have you deepened your knowledge of your target program by speaking with current students and recent alumni?

4. leadership ability

Have you received special training or mentorship from recognized thought leaders within your organization, community, or professional field?

5. interpersonal skills

Have you joined Toastmasters or some other program that emphasizes communication and presentation skills?

6. career performance

Have you secured a promotion?
Have you started mentoring or supervising others?

7. management potential

Have you taken on leadership assignments beyond those expected of you?

Other questios to ask yourself

Were you qualified for the programs that you applied to?
How does your GPA compare to the expected minimum GPA [LINK: ] of accepted candidates at the schools of your choice? NOTE: The average GPA for admitted candidates at most of the top MBA programs is around 3.5.
How do your test scores compare with the average scores [LINK: ] of people who were accepted to the schools of your choice? NOTE: The average GMAT for admitted candidates at most of the top MBA programs is around 710.
Did you demonstrate leadership at work and in your extracurricular activities?

What is in your control?

Identify the things you can and cannot change. Put emphasis where it matters most.
Reassess your future goals.
Do you still need an MBA?
Share my story
- First time denied by NYU's ITP (rivals MIT Media Lab).
- After being denied, I expanded my research on programs that fit me better.
- I changed the degree that I pursued because I'd my goals had evolved to media design for education. That is what I studied
- Then, I reapplied and was admitted to ITP, plus five top media / education programs, including Harvard, Columbia, & Northwestern
- I chose NYU because it focused on production and marketing

Show how you have improved yourself in one or more of the following ways:

How have you taken more leadership and responsibility in your projects?
How have you grown as a manager? ... as a team member?
What new insights have you gained into your future goals?
What new insights have you gained into what you seek from an MBA program? ... from this school in particular?
What, if anything, have you been doing in your private life?
- Have you increased your involvement and/or leadership in any activities outside of your job?

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Do you have experiences that show leadership ability and potential?
Have you been involved in projects that led to some significant contributions [http://www.vinceprep.com/blog/2010/contributions] or changes in your company, a client's company, your industry, your country, etc.?
Have you been the "first," or the "only," or the "youngest" to accomplish something? [http://www.vinceprep.com/interviews/accomplishments_leadership_teamwork]

My proudest achievements

How long ago?
Why am I proud of this?

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

Do you have any work experience outside of your career - for example, volunteer work or extracurricular activities during university?
Have you gained any teamwork or leadership experience from activities outside of your full-time job?
What organization do you support?
How do you add value to these organizations?
What have you accomplished?

SCHOOL RESEARCH AND NETWORKING

Did you do sufficient research and information gathering before you applied to schools?
Did you attend any business school information sessions or MBA fairs? [http://www.vinceprep.com/blog/networking]
Did you visit any business school campuses? [http://www.vinceprep.com/blog/networking]
Did you contact current students or alumni? [http://www.vinceprep.com/essays/how-can-you-contribute]
Did you participate in any other activities that allowed you to learn more about business schools and the application process?

3. CREATE A BETTER APPLICATION

Did you effectively present your qualifications?
Were your application essays well written and persuasive?
Did you interview well?
If these aspects of your application were okay, then what went wrong?

RESUME

Did you write a powerful and eye-catching resume? [http://www.vinceprep.com/blog/resumes]
Does your resume include your professional and university experiences?
Did you highlight your most impressive accomplishments?
Did you use strong "power verbs" to describe your work? [LINK: ]
Did you use details and quantifiers (such as numbers, percentages, etc.) to demonstrate your accomplishments and results?

ESSAYS

Were there any essay questions [http://www.vinceprep.com/essays] whose meaning you were not sure of?
Is it possible that you had not understood any questions correctly, and used inappropriate examples in your responses?
What "selling point(s)" did you convey throughout your essays?
What qualities and strengths [LINK: ] did you highlight the most?
Did you demonstrate your leadership ability [LINK: ] in your essays?
Do any of your examples show that you had made an impact on someone or something?
Did you give examples of teamwork ability and ability to work with diverse people?
Did you show any examples of experiences with different cultures, styles, people, etc.?
Did you use many examples, details and descriptions when writing your essays?
Did you tell a "story" or did you list facts?
Do your essays show balance? Did you use different examples and thus show different aspects of your background and strengths?
Did any of your essays (for one school) overlap or use similar-sounding examples?
How did you describe your future goals? [http://www.vinceprep.com/essays/ymba]
Did you sound clear?
Did you use details?
Are your goals realistic?
Did you explain why there is a need in society for your goals and why you are the right person to carry them out?
Did you describe in detail EXACTLY why you want to go to that particular program?
Did you use details that connect your needs to the school's resources?
Did you copy anything from the school brochure or website?
Did you include any information that would have cast doubt on your abilities? For example, did you mention any weaknesses without providing an example of how you have minimized its negative impact?

Reapplicant essays often follow this logic:

Since my previous application, I have improved my application in four ways.

First, I advanced my career.
Second, I took on increased leadership roles outside of work.
Third, I clarified my career goals.
Fourth, I confirmed my fit with [SCHOOL X] by [MEETING ALUMNI AND/OR CURRENT STUDENTS / VISITING CAMPUS / MEETING ADMISSIONS OFFICERS]

REFERENCES

Were your references [http://www.vinceprep.com/lors] detailed and enthusiastic?
Who wrote your letters?
Did you include a recommendation from your current, direct supervisor?
If no, did you include a note in your application explaining why?
If you did not get a direct supervisor letter, did you include another letter detailing your recent accomplishments and managerial potential?
Do your letters look similar to one another, in either format or content? [http://www.vinceprep.com/lors/tips]

and what qualities/abilities did they write about?

Title
Relationship: How long s/he has known you
Describe your relationship. Is / was s/he your direct supervisor? If not, what is the nature of your relationship? How frequent is/was your interaction?
Specific project where s/he saw you show leadership potential
Specific project where s/he saw you show teamwork skills
Weaknesses / areas you need to develop further (with examples)
Most important piece of constructive feedback s/he gave you (including the circumstances and your response)

INTERVIEWS

Did you take advantage of every interview opportunity? If no, why not?
How often did you practice?
If you interviewed, what do you think your strengths were? What do you think your weaknesses were?
Were there any questions that you were not able to answer?
Did you express strong interest in the school?
Did you give the impression that the school was your first choice?
What questions did you ask at the end of the interview? [http://www.vinceprep.com/interviews/question11]
Did you write a follow-up thank you letter? [http://delicious.com/admissions/thankyouletter]
http://www.vinceprep.com/blog/email

4. INVEST MORE TIME AND APPLY EARLIER, IF POSSIBLE

Determine if you applied at the right time.
For some top MBA programs, the earlier you apply the better.
It could be that spots for students with your background and/or qualifications had already filled up by the time you applied.

TIME MANAGEMENT

Did you give yourself enough time to complete your applications without rushing?
How much time did you spend thinking deeply about your past and about your goals?
How many hours did you spend preparing for essays?
How many hours did you spend preparing for interviews?

"Applicants spend 71 hrs preparing for GMAT, but just 28 hrs writing their essays and 9 hrs preparing for interviews" ▸ http://t.co/YXBK9tl7

Need a break?

First, read my favorite quotes to motivate reaplicants:

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
'You have learned something. That always feels at first as if you have lost something.' - George Bernard Shaw

Second, memorize these lyrics and consdier making this song your reapplicant theme song:

Third, you might find it helpful to watch one of these famous “setback” movies.

Rocky I (1976) and Rocky II (1979)
Chariots of Fire (1981)

In each of these films, the characters encounter and overcome significant setbacks, and emerge stronger.

Still stuck? Here are some good brainstorming sites ▸ http://delicious.com/admissions/reapplicants

DO NOT FORGET TUCK'S

APPLICATION DATA FORM SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

If you have not scheduled or completed an admissions interview, please explain why: (250 character limit including spaces)

In the spaces provided below, list your employment history for your last four employers, beginning with your current or most recent position. Include military experience, if applicable. If you have changed positions with the same employer, resulting in significant changes in responsibility, please complete a separate entry for each position.

Description of employer's business and/or the business unit within which you work, including size of organization (300 character limit including spaces):

Briefly describe your responsibilities: (Do not add paragraph breaks in the text. Please be brief in your comments as we will be referring to your resume as the primary reference for your job responsibilities.) 150 words or less (650 character limit including spaces)

Description of employer's business and/or the business unit within which you work, including size of organization (300 character limit including spaces):

Please list any other languages you know and rate your proficiency on a scale of 1 - 5, with 1=novice and 5=fluent.

Please check if applicable:

I have worked in a nation other than my nations(s) of citizenship.
I have studied in a nation other than my nation(s) of citizenship.
I have traveled in a nation other than my nation(s) of citizenship.

Briefly describe any experiences you have working, studying, living, or traveling outside your home county. Include the location, purpose, and length of stay. If relevant, reflect on how these experiences have shaped your world view. (Limit 250 words )

Please list your current and/or postcollegiate activities (community involvement, clubs, athletics, hobbies, or other personal interests) in order of their importance to you. Provide a brief description, including the nature of the organization, your responsibilities, any leadership positions held, and time commitment (in terms of hours per week, month, or year).

1.
Dates (mm/yy - mm/yy):