It’s Starting to Sink In
When I realized it was Really Going to Happen…
- The non-stop wave of e-mails from Tuck. I actually still pretty giddy when I get a new one.
- My bank account balance suddenly dropped by $2,500 when Dartmouth cashed my deposit check.
- I started getting e-mails to apply to pre-MBA prep programs.
- Recruiters contacting me to apply to positions for Next Summer. Really geeked about this!!!
- I have my official school e-mail address.
And that my friends (no. 5) was when it really sunk in. There’s no turning back. Over one year on nose-to-the-grindstone and this is where WE and I emphasize ‘WE’ stand. Can you believe it? Just over a year ago I was fretting taking the GMAT, unsure if I could even get into a decent MBA program–WOW, I did it and I’m doing it. I’ll spare the mushy stroll down memory lane but I will add that this chapter in the journey could not have been completed without the support of my wife-to-be. When I was struggling with my final final decision she was patient and supportive, as she has been throughout this process. And now, we’re both taking another giant step towards our dreams.
Lot’s to do…
One thing I didn’t plan for is the exhaustive list of ‘additional administrative stuff’ you have to do in order to complete your enrollment. Sending in transcripts (requesting them first), entering the housing lottery, signing student loan forms, taking online Math assessments, laptops, yada yada yada… It’s definitely a lot but I presume it’s a preliminary test of your organizational and time management skills, as if the GMAT and Application Essay’s weren’t enough…
Financing this Baby…
Conversations about finances, and believe me Class of 2015 you WILL have them, were initially met with apprehension. I was really worried about wringing out my savings to pay for school while having secondary concerns about the net tax effect(s). This is where it helps to have a friend who’s an accountant or whomever you have handling your taxes to give you some solid advice. After a good (and reassuring convo) I’m feeling good about where I stand and what I need to do financially in order to flatten the student debt curve. I’m glad I have a plan together sooner, rather than in August when it’s too late.
Piece by Piece…
The nice thing about having the whole summer to prep, as opposed to when you take a new job, is that piece by piece things are starting to really come together. Tuckies are responding to my every e-mail, the career center is already prepping me for interviews and recruiting and I’m no longer worried that my ‘left-field’ background is going to make me unemployable. And to add to all of this, something I’ve come to realize, you wouldn’t believe what going to a Top Tier MBA Program will do for your professional prospects–I haven’t even started my first class but I’m already feeling the effects of having ‘Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth” on my resume. I state the former with the utmost humility and gratitude.
I’m also feel that being an ambassador of Tuck carries substantial responsibility which is why I’m doing everything I can to prepare for the MBA adventure. Students and alums of Tuck take helping others and loyalty very seriously–it’s not just a sell job in order to get you in the door.
That in mind, ‘Piece by Piece’ is my motto for this summer–pulling together my resources, leveraging my new network and taking advantage of viable career prep opportunities will hopefully leave me primed to do as much for Tuck in the future as Tuck has already done for me.
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Road to the MBA Class of 2014 
Hey, just found your blog while searching for other stuff about Tuck. We’re about to head to Hanover ourselves in another month or two, as my husband’s a T’14 as well. Can’t believe it’s getting so close, but it’s exciting (and a bit scary… ).
I’ll be interested in reading more of your thoughts on education as you go through the business curriculum. As a parent and a trained Montessori teacher, I’m pretty frustrated with our current public school system as a whole, and interested in how we can change things to give the next generation a better learning environment and better opportunities.
See you around at Tuck. ; )
Looking forward to formally meeting you Marcy. And I’d love to share my insights from my current job as well as observations from my small business consulting practice re: the state of our education systems.
Obviously it doesn’t need to be said, but education is extremely broken and I can say that 50% of it is due to administrative ineptitude and politics. We can talk more when we get to Hanover.