My Chance with Tuck

[bigjoe]

Hi Stacey

Thanks in advance for your time!

My dream school is Tuck because I have noticed myself thriving in small communities. Below is my profile. Please provide some pointers. Thanks a lot!

Age at matriculation :
- 28
- Will apply in Early Decision round this year.

Undergraduate :
- A UC school
- Engineering Degree
- 3.28 GPA (Grade dropped in Junior and Senior years. I was just being lazy and stupid. No real good explanation there.)

GMAT :
- 710/760

Other School Works :
- Enrolled in 3 classes after college. Received As.
- Took no-grade personal development classes (public speaking/etc).

WE :
- Undergrad researcher for 6 months. Developed a special software.
- Spent 2 years in a start up company. Managed a lab and 2 interns. During this time period I also took a side project from another company to develop test program to increase computing efficiency. (Is my loyalty in question?)
- Now I have spent 2 years in a silicon valley based company. Job title is electrical engineer. Job functions include technical marketing and project management. I brought in 1 new customer from Canada. Successfully managed 50+ projects. Company has factories throughout Asia. I work daily (conf calls) with teams in China, Malaysia, Philippine, and Korea.
- All in all, I have a lot of project management experience, and extensive global experience. Companies are completely unknown though.

E/C :
- While in school, I founded a tutoring program. I personally tutored a Mexican immigrant, who later on received the school's Whitted Award for outstanding academic improvement (failing grades to Bs).
- After graduation, I was inactive for 2 years. Then I started volunteering as a tutor at a local elementary school. I tutored totally 6 Mexican immigrant students, and their reading and writing skills improved from 1st grade level to 4th grade level in 6-months periods.

I understand you are very familiar with Tuck. Please help evaluate my chance.

Thanks again!

[Stacey Oyler]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for your post. It sounds to me like you have a solid profile. Your professional experience and international exposure and project management are certainly worth noting in your resume and essays.

The one area you may wish to consider improving is your GMAT score. Given you GPA is a bit lower than the average (even though you did have a challenging major) the adcom would likely appreciate a higher GMAT score. It's also important to note that most applicants with backgrounds in engineering tend to have high GMAT scores of 730+, and so your score of 710 puts you a bit below average as compared to your peers. I don't see your score as a "deal breaker," but a higher score might indeed boost your chances of success.

Lastly, Tuck is a school that truly emphasizes "fit" with their culture and community. Take time (if you haven't already), to reach out to current students to learn more about the school and club offerings. You will also want to be sure you schedule your visit to the school early so that you can mention highlights from the visit in your essays.

Best,

Stacey

[bigjoe]

Hi Stacey

Thanks for your kind reply!

My current GMAT is 760. 710 was from my first attempt. Is 760 good enough to balance my GPA?

Also, I have been contacting with Tuck Alums, and made one unofficial campus visit during interview season, because the admin office was too busy to arrange real campus visit. So far, I think Tuck is an ideal school for me.

Thank you!

[Stacey Oyler]

Sorry Joe! I didn't see the 760 only the 710. You must have thought I was crazy to suggest you retake the exam! Yes, the 760 will certainly help balance out the low GPA. You will also want to write an optional essay explaining why it was low (even just admitting you were lazy is important). Reaching out to alums is great, in particular if you can find someone in the industry you wish you to join post MBA.

Best,

Stacey