Meet Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA Class of 2018

hollanddavis-poetsandquants-classof2018

H. Holland Davis

Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Montana native, adventure enthusiast, skiing addict, Economist reader, hot sauce connoisseur, and real assets pro.

Hometown: Bozeman, Montana

Fun Fact About Yourself: I started skiing at 2 years old.

Undergraduate School and Major: St. Lawrence University, Double Major: Economics and Government

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

  • Cambridge Associates – Associate Investment Director, Private Equity Co-Investments
  • Cambridge Associates – Associate Investment Director, Real Assets Investments (Previously: Senior Associate and Associate)

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My most significant career accomplishment was joining Cambridge Associate’s private equity co-investment practice as the first fully dedicated team member and working to establish the group’s outbound investment sourcing strategy beginning in the spring of 2015. This experience exposed me to the challenges of synthesizing and addressing multiple opinions and managing competing interests from professionals who are senior to me. I was also pushed to think creatively by developing original marketing content and business processes to explain their co-investment advisory service, which is an emerging business service for the industry.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? One thing that really helped me determine what schools would be the best for my career goals was to look at the bios of professionals in jobs I’d like to have. Beyond finding a school that fits your career goals, it’s also important to think about what sort of MBA experience and network you want to be a part of as all the schools have different teaching approaches and distinct cultures. Talking to alums and visiting schools really helped me understand the differences among the schools I was interested in.

Get the GMAT out of the way as soon as possible, but I don’t start the process until you know for sure that you want an MBA. It can take a lot of time to achieve the score you need to get into a top business school, but it’s definitely possible to make huge improvements with hard work. Be consistent and methodical about studying. Most applicants I’ve spoken to needed to study over an hour a day for a few months. A well-organized study schedule will ensure your time is used most efficiently. And don’t stop studying for more than a week max until you get the score you need!

Give yourself plenty of time to think about and write your essays. Good essays require introspection and brainstorming. I spent time thinking about and outlining my experiences and career goals before I actually started writing my essays.

I found the interview process to be the most enjoyable part of the application process. At Tuck, interviewing also gives you a chance to visit campus and talk to a current student. You will have done most of the interview prep by writing your essays, but there are some useful resources online to help you effectively articulate your message and career aspirations during the interview process.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA?

I chose to attend Tuck primarily because of its culture, career opportunities, alumni network, and curriculum.

Culture: Tuck is known for having a collaborative and supportive culture, which was validated by working with and speaking with alums, visiting campus, and talking to current students. I was also drawn to Tuck’s proximity to the outdoors and its outdoorsy student body.

Career Opportunities: Tuck has impressive career placement statistics, and after talking to current students and alumni it became clear that the Career Development Office offers significant support and resources in the job search process, particularly for students interested in non-traditional or niche career opportunities.

Alumni Network: The Tuck network is one of the strongest, which was visible even as a prospective student.

Curriculum: I was interested in getting broad exposure to general management curriculum and I liked that Tuck offers a mix of class styles between case, lecture, and real world applications. I also liked Tuck’s emphasis on leadership development courses.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? I would like to combine my background growing up in a resort town in Montana with my experience in the private equity industry by joining an investment firm with a focus on the resort and hospitality industry. I’ve experienced first-hand the positive impact that outdoor activities have on quality of life, and I’ve seen the operational side through my father’s work in the ski industry.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? Hopefully, I will be viewed as a team player that made meaningful contributions in class discussions and to group projects, and furthered the community both through professional connections and extracurricular involvement.

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