EssaySnark

  • about
  • contact
  • help
  • sign up
  • login
CLICK FOR MORE!
  • Essay Questions
    • Harvard
    • Stanford
    • Wharton
    • Chicago Booth
    • Kellogg
    • MIT Sloan
    • Tuck
    • NYU Stern
    • Columbia
    • Yale SOM
    • Berkeley Haas
    • UVA Darden
    • Duke Fuqua
    • Michigan Ross
    • UCLA Anderson
    • Cornell
  • Strategy Guides
    • MBA Interviewing Guide
    • Getting Off the Waitlist
    • Applying in Round 3 mini-guide
    • Applying to European Business Schools
    • School-Specific MBA Application Guides
      • Columbia 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Harvard 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Kellogg 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • MIT Sloan 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Chicago Booth 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • *MORE SCHOOL-SPECIFIC GUIDES HERE*
  • MBA Consulting
    • Free essay reviews
    • What stage are you in?
    • Military MBA
    • BIPOC Program
    • Testimonials & Reviews
    • Guest Posts
  • My SnarkCenter
    • My Strategy Guides
    • My Favorite Posts
    • Discounts & Offers

($) Tuck’s unfortunately too-short essay questions

July 15, 2019 by EssaySnark - Discusses Dartmouth Tuck Leave a Comment

When Tuck’s MBA essay questions came out last year, at the beginning of the admissions cycle, we thought they were kinda awesome. They were novel. They were focused on Tuck’s culture.

And then we started trying to support BSers in writing their apps for Tuck.

And that’s what inspired this:

Wish we didn't have to say this but…. The @TuckSchool essays this year kinda suck. ☹️They are REALLY hard for applicants to execute on well. Tuck has always been a school that gave applicants a chance to share themselves. That doesn't feel like it's happening much this year.

— Essay Snark (@EssaySnark) January 3, 2019

By the end of the admissions season, we were hoping and praying that Tuck would be making changes to their app. And they did! They actually implemented quite a few applicant-friendly switcheroos, including moving their Round 1 deadline out, and putting it on a Monday which seems like it would benefit all the scramblers (though it may cause stress for those who run into problems and want to talk to someone in admissions over the weekend while trying to put their apps together).

Anyway, Tuck this year has nearly the same questions as last year, though they did modify them somewhat in terms of just making them slightly more clear and simplifying the way they’re presented to you and what they’re asking for. For example, they have an actual prompt for Essay 1 on “why Tuck” instead of an extremely difficult combination of short-answer questions that essentially asked for the same thing.

And they did make one specific change…. They reduced the word count to 300 words each.

That’s three essays. Three hundred words each. Nine hundred words total.

Can you say “Ugh”??

(Don’t worry, we won’t be changing our name to MathematicsSnark anytime soon – that’s about the extent of our skillz in this area.)

We’ve now published our SnarkStrategies Guide for Tuck for the year to help you get started, and we do still like the questions themselves — but darn it, 300 words is short!! We’re not sure how you folks are gonna do with this, based on what makes for a standout essay. Yes it’s possible to do what they’re asking for within these paltry 900 words, but it won’t be easy. Nope, not at all.

Oh wait! Yes we do know how you’ll do it! We’ve included an entire methodology to walk you step by step in a structured process of ideation, evaluation, and development of topics within this year’s Tuck guide. Because you’re gonna be pulling your hair out.

Here’s some additional commentary about the essays themselves that we are not including in the essay guide. We’re posting them here today so that everyone can get a sense of the types of things we tend to talk about. Hopefully this type of preview content will help you both figuring out your Tuck content, and also getting some ideas for whether you want to pick up this or any of our other essay guides or not. (Also, wanted to mention a weird issue on our site – when you hover the Strategy Guides menu, then hover the School Specific MBA Application Guides, apparently on the Chrome browser especially, it doesn’t let you scroll to the bottom of the list of guides that are supposed to be displayed in that submenu. We’ve got it kludged now to hopefully let you see the full list. If you are having trouble navigating that way, you can just click on the topmost Strategy Guides menu and it’ll take you to a one-stop-shopping page that lists all available titles in our bookstore. Sorry for any troubles! We’re looking for another way to display this stuff to you all.)

Pro Tip: When you come up with an idea for your essay — any essay, not just one for Tuck — you’ll want to step back and evaluate what value it’s bringing in the overall context of the application. Sometimes we get a story in, say, Tuck Essay 2 that asks you to share how you are, and it delivers a message of teamwork. And we say “Hmm.” Does that really hit on the exact question that the adcom is asking? Or even if it is, is this the best place to be using that story?

As a reminder, Tuck Essay 2 is:

Tuck students recognize how their individuality adds to the fabric of Tuck. Tell us who you are.

Here’s what we wrote to a Brave Supplicant last year in an Essay Decimator critique when we perceived that issue surfacing in their Tuck materials:

The entire story in this essay is only reinforcing the same exact message that the reader will get when they pick up the resume. It does nothing to go beyond what you’re already conveying to them on that single page. Sure, you could (potentially) be demonstrating key skills or actual strengths if (BIG IF) the accomplishment stories were well executed. But this question is an invitation to go beyond the professional realm, so that’s not even the first objective to be met with what you choose to present. Leaving gobs of money on the table with this. The Tuck adcom cares about culture and wants to meet its candidates as people. That’s the whole point of this question.The content here could potentially work in some form or fashion (with proper execution) in some MBA essay somewhere. But why is it HERE? What purpose is each story intended to serve in support of THIS essay?

 

These Tuck essays are so direct that they might fool you. What we’ve suggested before and will say it again: ANSWER THE QUESTION.

Here’s the prompt for Tuck Essay 2: WHO ARE YOU?

What is the answer?

It’s a simple assignment. Don’t overthink it. Who are you?

Write down a handful of words – nouns or adjectives.

As an example: “Guy who works in consulting” is not who are you. Or, maybe it is, but not the entirety of that – and as a strategic exercise, limiting all content to ONLY that is really not serving you here. Especially not for Tuck.

What will likely need to happen for 99% of you is, you’ll write gobs and gobs of stuff, and you’ll end up throwing it away. There may not be another way to do it. When the essays are so short, they force you to focus, and almost definitely, your first ideas will be crap.

That’s why it’s so awesome that you’re here now, thinking about essays, thinking about getting started. (You are thinking about getting started, right?) You’ll need to dig, and dig, and dig some more before the good stuff starts to come out.

The Tuck essays for the Class of 2022 are streamlined in terms of the question, but they also streamlined them in terms of how much you can say in response — yet there’s a lot you’ll need to include. Which means there will be longer first drafts, and maybe starting over with a new set of first drafts that are still long, and then finally you’ll start to find the actual answer that will work for you percolating up from the depths. And then you’ll be able to focus and trim and find the real essence of what you want to say.

It’s gonna be a process, BSer.

We love Tuck. Total fave around here. We’re not so crazy about these too-short essays. It’s gonna be a tall order to do well. Cutting your teeth on some other school probably makes sense, given the constraints of these Tuck requirements. Once you get the hang of presenting your stories in a different school’s app, then these will not be as daunting.

Want more insights and a fuller discussion of what needs to go into these answers for Tuck?

Filed Under: writing tips Bschools: Dartmouth Tuck

« Previous: ($) If there is a secret to getting into a top MBA program, this is it.
Next: What’s wrong with this picture? »

So who the heck is EssaySnark, anyway?!

We're the snarky experts in MBA admissions!

Sometimes amused and often appalled by what candidates write in their MBA applications to top bschools, EssaySnark created this little blahg to share common mistakes. Learn from them and avoid making admissions directors laugh (or want to hurl) when they read your essays. If you are hoping to have your essay reviewed anonymously on the blahg for free, submit it for consideration.

Want EssaySnark's personal assistance with your MBA applications? Start with our menu of consulting services and please read the Help FAQ to learn how we operate. Still have questions after doing all that? Email Team EssaySnark at gethelpnow at essaysnark dot com.

Good luck on your apps, Brave Supplicant!

Tell us what you think. Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign up for the 'Snark via email

Enter your address to get weekday blahg posts by email.

UPCOMING MBA APP DEADLINES

  • INSEAD Jan '22 Intake Rd 2
    in 1 month, 2 weeks, 0 days, 20 hours
  • (expected) HBS Class of 2024 app requirements released
    in 1 month, 4 weeks, 0 days, 21 hours
  • (expected) Columbia J-Term/ED app to open
    in 2 months, 3 weeks, 5 days, 21 hours
  • INSEAD Jan '22 Intake Rd 3
    in 3 months, 1 week, 2 days, 20 hours
   
From a BSer January 2020:
"love the guide books!"


CLASS OF 2023 MBA APPLICATION STRATEGY GUIDES

     
    The 2020 Berkeley-Haas MBA Application Guide - updated for the Class of 2023 application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Berkeley Haas - refreshed and updated, with brainstorming exercises and structured maps to help you focus your stories!
   
    The 2020-2021 NYU Stern MBA Application Guide that covers the main essay, the EQ Endorsement and Pick Six!
SnarkStrategies Guide for NYU - discusses your requirements for the Class of 2023 essays!
   
    The 2020-2021 Columbia MBA Application Guide
SnarkStrategies Guide for Columbia Business School for 2020-2021 applications
   
    The 2020 Harvard MBA Application Guide - completely overhauled and updated for the coronavirus era!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Harvard Business School!
   
    The 2020-2021 Duke Essay Guide - covers the 25 Random Things essay and all the rest too!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Duke Fuqua - up to date for the current season!
   
    The 2020-2021 MIT Essay Guide covers the org chart, the contacts for two references, and additional tips for the cover letter and 'introduce yourself' video -- and everything else you need to know!
SnarkStrategies Guide for MIT Sloan MBA - totally revised for the Class of 2023!
   
    The 2020-2021 Tuck Essay Guide has been refreshed with latest insights and advice for your essays about "investing generously" and "why Tuck"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for the Dartmouth Tuck MBA - completely overhauled for 2020, to help you demonstrate how you are nice, aware, etc stuff!
   
    The Yale SOM MBA Application Guide for Class of 2023 candidates!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Yale SOM - updated for 2020-2021
   
    The 2020-2021 Chicago Booth MBA Application Guide - ready to go to support your Class of 2023 essay strategy!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Chicago Booth for this year's MBA app!
   
    The 2020 Wharton MBA Application Guide - even more advice on how to get to a win with those essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for The Wharton School - with new tips for 2020!
   
    The 2020 Kellogg Essay Guide - with a full methodology to identify your 'lasting impact' and your 'values' -- plus tips on 2020 world events and applicability to your essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Kellogg MBA - updated and revised for the new realities of 2020!    
      The 2020 Stanford MBA Application Guide - for "what matters most" in your MBA application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Stanford GSB for the Class of 2023
   
    The 2020-2021 UCLA Anderson MBA Application Guide - updated for Class of 2023 on "impact"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for 
UCLA
   
   

Brave Supplicants' latest reviews on The 'Snark


Feb 11, 2021
by hopeful on MBA Interview Prep: Custom Practice Questions
Helpful

Just wanted to say thank you for these questions! A lot of them were really tailored to my profile, ... Read more

Apr 10, 2020
by George on EssaySnark
Great Starting Point

I thought getting over the GRE/GMAT hurdle was fairly straightforward--disciplined study then test execution... Read more

Apr 10, 2020
by George on Single Shot Express MBA Essay Review
Worth Every Penny

I used the Single Shot Express to decimate essay #1 at my first-choice school. Paired with the school... Read more






Not sure where to begin with EssaySnark?
Our Snark Selector
will tell you!



What were we snarking about at this time in past years?

  • 2020: "What should I do with my summer?"
  • 2019: ($) Got a glitch with your grades? TAKE ACTION NOW!
  • 2018: Should you care who the dean is?
  • 2018: Does it matter who the dean is? 2018 edition
  • 2017: If you really want to go to Harvard...
  • 2016: Another little quiz
  • 2016: ($) When your safety school is actually a stretch school.
  • 2015: ($) Deciding on a school: Does location matter?
  • 2013: Success Story! "It's complicated..."
  • 2012: "School X, or School Y with $$$?" (Part who knows)
My Tweets

See the Top U.S. Business Schools on a Map!


EssaySnark is currently available! We're accepting new clients! Standard turnarounds apply. If you're in a hurry, Speedy Review is available!

EssaySnark® is a registered trademark. All content copyright © 2010–2021 Snarkolicious Press · Privacy Policy

Where should you start with EssaySnark?

Which EssaySnark service is right for you? Answer a few questions to find out!

This field must be set to Everyone - then in the Settings -> HTML -> After Fields screen there's JavaScript to hide it.
Sending