Interview with Tuck Dean Paul Danos(2)
Xing Zong: Unlike other top B-schools who provide lucrative executive MBA degrees, Tuck only offers full-time MBA program. Why?
Danos: Tuck offers only the full-time MBA because we want our faculty and staff to completely focus on the students in that program. Focus and care and building a huge family among everyone associated with Tuck are our goals.
Xing Zong: At the top business schools, full-time students were in their late twenties or early thirties, with a wealth of management experience already under their collective belts. It is much tougher to meet their requirements than normal college education. My question is, in Tuck, from a professor’s angle, how to challenge students’ thinking of business issues?
Danos: A 28-year old student is certainly very demanding but he or she gives so much back to the faculty and to other students by enriching the discussion in class and participating in team settings such as our study groups.
Xing Zong: B-school students are typically older than other professional degree-seekers, and a higher percentage are married or seriously committed. Some have children. That means applying to B-school, and then, to jobs, can be an emotional roller coaster for two. Combined with the financial strain of going from two paychecks to one, the round-the-clock nature of a full-time MBA program—from morning classes to late-night pub crawls—can put serious stress on relationships. Tuck is known as a school often asks student “what can we do for you?” So my question is: what does Tuck do to help with those spouses or family issue in general?
Danos: Great question! The partners program at Tuck is very highly developed and we have a beautiful community near campus where many of the young families live. The two years spent living in that village are always viewed by people that have lived there as a highlight of the Tuck experience. Partners and families play a big role in the Tuck community and are viewed as part of our family.
Xing Zong: For the business education today, is it intended to make MBA jack-of-all-trades or an expert in a specific area, say finance experts, accounting experts? Do you think a comprehensive knowledge of science, history, art, politics will help develop business leaders? If so, how do you address those issues in B-school?
Danos: In today's complex world the broader and deeper the education of business leaders the better. A leader must be both sensitive to other humans beings and their social issues and he or she must also understand how technology is changing everyone's lives. We believe in taking in the best generally educated students and broadening and deepening their knowledge base and skills even more.
Xing Zong: Creativity is the buzzword in many modern boardrooms, yet some in business still complain that too many newly-minted MBAs are competent but uninspired, well versed in the technical theory but lacking in imagination. What is your comment on that?
Danos: I believe that our graduates at Tuck are very imaginative and entrepreneurial. Our graduates get to the top of their organizations and also are among the best at starting new businesses. I believe that a business leader needs to be both proficient in basic business skills but also bold and assertive in driving innovation. We give our students ample exercises in both.
Xing Zong: At the end of this interview, let’s get the number to talk. How many Chinese students does Tuck typically admit each year?
Danos: We get several hundred applications from fine candidates and we typically have about ten to twenty enrolled at one time. At the present over 35% of our students are non-US citizens. The Chinese group is growing and is very well represented. Of course, the importance of China as an economy is also growing and we are including more material and course work on the region.
Xing Zong: Dean Danos, anything else you would like to add to our Chinese readers?
Danos: I encourage all qualified young executives to seriously consider the wonderful opportunities at the world's leading MBA programs. The global marketplace needs leaders and there is no better way to prepare for the business world than the full-time MBA. The top schools have financial assistance for all of their students and the return on your educational investment is very great, not only in terms of money but in terms of your ability to make a positive contribution to society.
