Karla Guadalupe Garcia, Dartmouth Tuck MBA Class of 2027
Age: 29
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Bachelor’s in Public Policy
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Student Supports, Nonprofit College Access, The Commit Partnership, 7 years
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I want to become a consequential contributor and decision-maker. For me, the transition from participation to execution requires building confidence in my competence. This competence has multiple dimensions, and I chose business school to build the quantitative critical thinking and leadership skills I need. Why now? Tuck is the greatest bet I’ve placed on myself. Earning my MBA now is the catalyst for the professional and personal outcomes I don’t want to, and can’t, delay any further.
Why did you choose Dartmouth Tuck? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Growth is my number one personal value. If I’m going to maximize my personal and professional growth in the next two years, it’s best achieved in a setting in which I have no background experience combined with the necessary support to be resilient. Tuck offers both.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2027?
My life has been profoundly affected by access to opportunity and public policy. I’m the first in my family in just about every way: American, college graduate, living wage, interracial marriage, travel abroad, etc. My experiences force me to consider a broader context to every situation. I care deeply about the things we can’t quantify and am resolved to make a positive difference.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I love the ring of a bell tower on a college campus. It reminds me of the cathedrals in my parents’ home village in Guanajuato, Mexico. I’m overwhelmed with joy to have access to education and grateful for the sacrifices of my immigrant parents. This sound never fails to remind of my journey and purpose.
Post-MBA career interests:
General management in financial services.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Connect with current students and recent alumni! You don’t have to go through this journey alone. Find the people who reflect your situation/thinking and take their advice.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
Add your MBA application process to your life—don’t make your life about your MBA application process.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
The GRE wasn’t fun, but I focused on finding the joy for learning versus allowing my score to define to my value to business schools. If Tuck only wanted perfect GREs, they wouldn’t have picked me.
What is your initial impression of the Dartmouth Tuck students/culture/community?
Tuckies fundamentally care about doing well and supporting each other. If I’m successful, we’re all successful. Our professors are here to challenge us but also provide all the support to see us carry through. I can say the same for the MBPAO office and Career Services. No one—student, faculty, or staff—has denied me the time, space, or words I need to keep pushing forward.
What student organizations have you joined/are you hoping to join and why?
- Consortium—mission aligned
- Hispanic American Student Association (HASA)—vamos por todo
- General Management Club—career alignment
- Tripod hockey—why not?
- Low Income and First-Generation at Tuck (LIFT)—connecting with folks who get it and fostering our resiliency
What is one thing you have learned about Dartmouth Tuck that has surprised you?
“Tuck nice” is so real. I believe we’ve fostered a community where people can be true to themselves and learning is of the highest caliber in this setting.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Learning that I was confident and competent all along and that my Tuck MBA will be the catalyst to a way of thinking and being that will carry me forward in ways I can’t even imagine.
