Tell us who you are. How have your values and experiences shaped your identity and character? How will your background contribute to the diverse Tuck culture and community? (300 words)

Let’s talk about Tuck’s second MBA essay: It's an open invitation to showcase your authentic self. But, to nail it, you’ve got to do more than just talk about your life story—you've gotta connect it with what Tuck truly cares about.

So, Who Are You, Really?

Tuck is looking for people who align with its values—smart, encouraging, accomplished, and aware. So take so time to jot down your thoughts about how your values fit into this framework. For example:

• Smart: Maybe you've tackled some tough academic or professional challenges—and definitely highlight those on your application somewhere—but equally importantly, you’re eager to keep learning and finding new and innovative ways of working. The “I don’t know it all” mindset is golden at Tuck, where curiosity and growth are emphasized.
• Encouraging: Sounds simple, but being nice is core to Tuck’s DNA. If you’ve got a track record of helping others, this is the place to talk about it. Tuck thrives on a culture of genuine kindness, inclusivity and support.
• Accomplished: Sure, you’ve had successes—but what did they teach you? Show how your experiences have made you a better leader, teammate, or decision-maker.
• Aware: What drives you? Show that you know what matters most in life, and how those values shape your actions.

Reflect on Your Values and Experiences

This is the time to get introspective. What values have defined you? Maybe it's a commitment to social justice, or a belief in the power of collaboration. Now, how did these beliefs develop? Was it a family experience? A challenge you faced? Whatever it is, explain how these values shaped your identity and character.

Pro tip: Don't just tell Tuck what you value, show them through examples. Instead of saying, "I value teamwork," tell a story about a time when teamwork made all the difference.

Connect to Tuck's Community and Culture

Tuck's small, close-knit community is its superpower. Everyone lives on or near campus, meaning you’ll be deep in the Tuck bubble. You’re not just a student—you’re part of a team. How will your background enhance that environment? Maybe your global perspective or unique life experiences will help classmates see things differently. Or, perhaps your leadership style fits right into Tuck's emphasis on collaborative, inclusive leadership and creating trust-based relationships. Make sure that you don't paint yourself in a savior role in your stories around inclusivity and culturally-aware leadership—being willing to learn and also understanding the unique value you bring to the table are essential.

Your essay should show you’ve done your homework on Tuck. You’re applying because you want to be a part of this community, not just any MBA program. Be specific! Reference Tuck’s core values and culture—things like how the program fosters an inclusive, empathetic environment or how it emphasizes immersive experiences like First-Year Projects and TuckGO trips. Talk about how your experiences and personality will help create the kind of tight-knit community Tuck is known for.

Be Honest and Authentic

Tuck values authenticity, so resist the temptation to tell them what you think they want to hear. This essay isn’t a place to brag; it’s a place to be real. Sure, showcase your accomplishments, but the focus should be on who you are rather than just a list of achievements. Share the parts of your identity that matter most, and be willing to let your true self shine through.

The goal of this essay is to make it clear that Tuck is where you belong, not just because it’s a top MBA program, but because it’s the right fit. So, show Tuck who you are, how your values and experiences have shaped you, and how you’ll help enrich its uniquely collaborative and values-driven community. Tuck’s all about finding smart, nice, accomplished, and aware people, so show them that’s you to a T(uck)!

Describe a time you meaningfully contributed to someone else’s sense of inclusion in your professional or personal community. (300 words)

Tuck’s focus on inclusivity runs deep, and with this essay, they want to see that you’re not just aware of inclusion, but that you actively work to foster it. Let’s break down how to approach this.

Think About What "Inclusion" Really Means

When Tuck talks about inclusion, they’re talking about more than just diversity in the workplace or in life. It’s about creating environments where people feel heard, respected, and like they truly belong. This is a key part of Tuck’s own community—collaborative, supportive, and welcoming—so it makes sense that they want to bring in people who’ve already demonstrated these values in action.

Think back on your experiences. When have you gone out of your way to help someone feel part of the team or community? Maybe it was in your workplace, or maybe it was something personal. The key is that you didn’t just talk about inclusion, you did something to make it real for someone else.

Now take this list, and keep in mind our advice from the last Tuck essay... now is NOT the time to paint yourself as a savior. When you think back on these experiences, were there moments where you realized you didn't know how to take the right action to build inclusivity? What did you do to seek out that information? How did you put it into action? Were there difficult trade-offs that you had to make to take this action?

The goal here is NOT to show them that you've never been 'problematic'. If someone gave you feedback that your behavior was not creating an inclusive environment, and you non-defensively took this feedback to heart, educated yourself, then put those new learnings into action, this is the stuff of a great essay.

Focus on the How

Inclusion doesn’t just happen—it takes knowledge, understanding, effort and empathy. Your essay should focus on the how of your contribution. What steps did you take? Did you make someone feel more comfortable by simply taking the time to listen? Did you help smooth over a misunderstanding? Maybe you took it upon yourself to change a process or dynamic that was unintentionally excluding people.

This is where you really get to showcase your interpersonal skills. Tuck values people who are not only aware of others’ perspectives but are also proactive in making their environments more welcoming. So, highlight the practical actions you took and the reasoning behind them. If you had to align others—who were maybe dubious about this change—to your plan, show how you did so.

Show the Impact

This essay isn’t just about your good intentions—it’s about the results. How did your actions make a difference? Maybe the person you helped became more confident or was able to contribute more meaningfully to the group. Or perhaps your actions had a ripple effect, inspiring others to step up and create an even more inclusive environment.

Be specific about the positive outcomes. If there were long-term changes (like a new process or policy at work) or lasting impacts on the person or community, make sure to mention that. Tuck wants to see that you’re capable of making meaningful, lasting contributions to the environments you’re in.

Tie It Back to Tuck’s Values

As always, you want to connect your story to Tuck’s values. Tuck is a community-driven MBA program, where collaboration and inclusivity are core to the experience. When you talk about your contributions to inclusion, emphasize how these actions align with what Tuck stands for: fostering an environment where everyone feels welcome and empowered. (You don't need to make this essay about Tuck explicitly... just make sure your values and Tuck's line up.)

Inclusion is a big deal at Tuck, and this essay is your chance to show that you walk your talk. By choosing a strong example, explaining how you made a difference, and tying it back to Tuck’s community and values, you’ll craft an essay that highlights your ability to contribute to one of the most important aspects of their program.

Remember, the key is to be authentic and specific. Tuck doesn’t want to hear about a hypothetical situation or a general desire to act in an inclusive way—they want to know about you and how you’ve already made a difference in fostering inclusion.

All reapplicants must respond to an additional essay prompt:

How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally. (300 words)

This is a typical re-applicant essay – a nice, specific question about updates on short-term and long-term career goals. It’s important to keep in mind when addressing this piece that it’s not just about the matter-of-fact update itself… we also need to assess the IMPROVEMENT you’ve pulled off.

In other words, one year later, your career plan has to become sharper or more plausible, or more exciting in some way. We need to understand HOW. And WHY. That’s the key: a crystal clear explanation of how your candidacy has improved and what it means given your (new and improved) reasons for getting an MBA. Take a deeper dive into our analysis below:

The Re-applicant Essay

You can also read through our team’s analysis of the rest of Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA application essays.

Learn more and explore each step of the Dartmouth Tuck School of Business full-time MBA application process here.

Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere (e.g., atypical choice of references, factors affecting academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application. (300 words)

Read our team’s complete take on the idea of the optional essay, including a brief (recent) history of b-schools’ relationship with it, and how our recommendations have evolved over the years, right here.

You can also read through our team’s analysis of the rest of Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA application essays.

Learn more and explore each step of the Dartmouth Tuck School of Business full-time MBA application process here.