Dartmouth Tuck MBA Class Of 2025: Nearly One-Fifth Are First-In-Their-Family College Grads

The new batch of MBA students has joined the Dartmouth Tuck MBA program in Hanover, New Hampshire. Tuck photo

MBA students have arrived at Dartmouth College and studies are underway at the Tuck School of Business. The Class of 2025 bears all the hallmarks of an elite MBA program that has long established itself in the top 10 of most rankings — and that earned a remarkable No. 3 berth on the latest Bloomberg Businessweek list.

But one of the things that makes the annual release of Tuck’s class profile so consistently intriguing is the proof that a place in Tuck’s storied program is not unattainable. While its latest class boasts a Graduate Management Admission test average equal to the school record 726 set last year, as well as similarly stratospheric Graduate Record Exam scores, the class’s range of undergraduate grade point averages shows that at least one applicant gained admission with a 2.7 — just like last year. In 2021, someone got in with a 2.6.

Moreover, the percentage of students who are the first in their families to attend college skyrocketed this year to 19% from 11% a year ago. Diversity of background and experience — described by Lawrence Mur’ray, executive director of admissions and financial aid, as “a robust collection of experiences, ideas, and goals” — remains a priority at Tuck, which reports that women remain a huge portion of the class at 44%; 10% of the new class identify as LGBTQ+ (up from 7%); and among U.S. students, 32% represent a U.S. minority. U.S. underrepresented minorities make up 12% of the class.

WHAT IT TAKES TO GET INTO DARTMOUTH TUCK 2017-2023

‘WE EXPECT THEM TO THRIVE’

Another encouragement for prospective applicants: Tuck’s MBA, among the smallest in the top 10, is growing — albeit slightly. Its latest class of 297 is up 10 seats from 2022’s intake and three from 2021.

“The diversity of lived experiences represented within the class benefits not only the students, who will learn with and through each other, but the entire Tuck community,” Lawrence Mur’ray says. “The academic experience at Tuck is exceptionally rigorous and thoughtfully designed to develop wise, decisive leaders. Tuck MBAs have the functional expertise needed to think strategically, know how to work effectively with others, and confidently understand when and how to take risks for the better.

“Our MBA candidates need to be prepared for a curriculum that will challenge them, allowing them to achieve meaningful growth as leaders. The class of 2025 has a proven track record of academic success, and we expect them to thrive at Tuck.”

UNIQUE EMPLOYERS IN CLASS EXPLODES TO 261 & WORK EXPERIENCE GROWS, TOO

One big change in how Tuck describes its MBA class: The B-school no longer includes dual citizens and permanent residents in its international student total. For the Class of 2025, 33% are international, not including those groups; for comparison’s sake, adjusting to the new method of calculation, last year’s class had 32% and the year before, which graduated in 2023, had 30%.

Growth occurred in multiple categories: Number of unique employers exploded from 232 to 261; amount of professional experience grew from 67 months to 69; and students with advanced degrees increased to 13% of the class from 12%. Students with partners stayed the same at 31%, while students with children inched up to 5% from 4%. Meanwhile, moving downward: The number of undergraduate majors shrank from 76 to 73; those with STEM majors in undergrad fell to 25% from 30%, and business majors stayed even at 28%. Humanities majors declined slightly, to 40% from 41%.

In terms of professional background, the biggest group in Tuck’s Class of 2024 that arrived last fall was financial services (24%), followed by consulting (23%), nonprofit/government (11%), tech (10%), healthcare (10%), “other” (7%), consumer goods retail (6%), and, with 3% each, energy, media/entertainment, and manufacturing. In 2023, finance retained the top spot at 22%, followed by consulting (17%), nonprofit/government (16%), technology (15%), “other” (8%), consumer goods/retail (7%), healthcare/pharma/biotech (6%), energy (3%), manufacturing (3%), and media/entertainment (2%).

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