Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business
Duke University’s
Fuqua School of Business
set an early action deadline of Sept. 19 for MBA applicants in its
2019-2020 admissions season. The round one deadline is nearly a month
later on Oct. 14th.
For candidates who apply in the early action round, Fuqua promises to
send interview decisions by Oct. 2, with final admission decisions to
be released on Oct. 28th. That fast turnaround for the early action
candidates is for applicants who are ready to commit to attending
Fuqua’s MBA program. Round one applicants will get their interview
decisions on Nov. 1, with final decisions out on Dec. 18th.
Round two has a deadline of Jan. 6, with interview decisions on Jan.
31 and final decisions on March 18. The third and final round three
sports a deadline of March 11, with interview decisions on March 25, and
final decisions on April 20th.
Duke Fuqua’s 2019-2020 MBA Application Deadlines
| Fuqua Rounds |
Application Deadlines |
Interviews |
Decisions |
| Early Action |
Sept. 19, 2019 |
Oct. 2, 2019 |
Oct. 28, 2019 |
| Round 1 |
Oct. 14, 2019 |
Nov. 1, 2019 |
Dec. 18, 2019 |
| Round 2 |
Jan. 6, 2020 |
Jan. 31, 2020 |
March 18, 2020 |
| Round 3 |
March 11, 2020 |
March 25, 2020 |
April 20, 2020 |
FUQUA DOES OPEN INTERVIEWS BETWEEN SEPT. 11 TO OCT. 9
One thing that is different in the admissions process at Fuqua is
that all applicants, regardless of the round in which they apply, are
eligible to interview during the Open Interview Period from Sept. 11th
to Oct. 9th. A completed application is not required to interview during
the Open Interview Period. Travel to Durham to complete an interview is
required for some Early Action applicants. If you don’t take advantage
of this opportunity, you’ll face an additional admissions hurdle common
at most other schools: you have to be invited to interview.
In its MBA application Fuqua asks applicants to answer all three of
the following questions, responding in just 500 characters or about 100
words:
What are your short-term goals, post-MBA?
What are your long-term goals?
Life is full of uncertainties, and plans and circumstances can
change. As a result, navigating a career requires you to be adaptable.
Should the short-term goals that you provided above not materialize,
what alternative directions have you considered?
25 RANDOM THINGS
The school also requires an iconic essay that is often among the most favorite exercises for most applicants:
You have to list 25 random things about yourself, numbering all of the
items from one to 25. Some points may be only a few words, while others
may be longer. In any case, the school advises that the complete list
should not exceed two pages.
Finally, the second long essay is based on the school’s community and
the applicant and should be no more than two pages in length. Here’s
the prompt:
“Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our
students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide
opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as
well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led
government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the
student culture and are vital to providing you with a range of
experiential learning and individual development experiences.
“Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, how do you see
yourself engaging in and contributing to our community outside of the
classroom?”
3,557 APPLICANTS VIE FOR 440 SEATS IN THE FUQUA CLASS OF 2020
- Applications to Fuqua fell by 6.2% during the 2017-2018 cycle to
3,557. Still, the acceptance rate also held steady at a demanding 22%,
with 798 getting admit letters and 440 enrolling in the class.
- Academically, the 2020 Class ranks among the school’s best ever. Average
GMATs continue their steady climb. Last year’s 704 average is two
points better than the previous year – and eight points above the 2017
Class. Even more, its 3.5 undergraduate GPA average is a 0.1 of a point
bump over the past three years as well.
- In recent years, Fuqua has also trended towards accepting more
business and accounting majors. Three years ago, these students
represented 29% of the class. Last year, that share is 37%. This number
has come at the expense of engineering and natural sciences majors,
which fell from 26% to 22% over the past year. Liberal arts held steady
at 19%, as economics majors hold 17% of the class’ seats.
- In terms of professional backgrounds, Fuqua segments them into very
small slices. Translation: there are three industries with larger blocs
followed by 16 more with 5% or fewer members of the class. Not
surprisingly, consulting ranks as the largest segment of the class at
24%. Financial services (22%) and healthcare (7%) also make strong
showings in the class.
ADVICE FROM RECENT GRADUATES & CURRENT STUDENTS
“One of the unique things about Fuqua’s application process is the
“25 Things About Me” essay. Don’t take this lightly, as it highlights
the emphasis we put on authenticity and finding the right people to fill
each class. It is important to spend time thinking about how you can
genuinely convey something unique that you bring to the Fuqua community.
Fuqua prides itself on bringing together a strong group of diverse
leaders who will excel in the classroom, but more importantly can
connect well with people and have the potential to lead teams.”
“Fuqua is the best fit for applicants who embody our Paired
Principles. Two of our principles that resonate with me the most are
Authentic Engagement and Supportive Ambition. When applying to Fuqua,
think about what you are passionate about and how you would engage with
the student body. We value getting to know each other and what makes
each person unique. We also pride ourselves on creating a community that
supports each other. When applying to Fuqua, reflect on the ways that
you would support your classmates and how you plan to have an impact on
the school.”
“Think carefully about what you want for your career. If you want to
be a leader of people, then seriously consider Fuqua. If you solely want
to focus on your technical skills or recruiting efforts, then seriously
consider somewhere other than Fuqua. If you do consider Fuqua, then
make sure to be authentic in your application essays and interviews.
Lean into who you are, and let that shine through by focusing on what
really matters to you.”
“Be self-aware and authentic. In fact, “Authentic Engagement” is one
of our paired principles. Future leaders of consequence should take time
to internalize what that means to them and how they would engage and
leave this school in a better place than when they found it. Also, if at
first, you don’t succeed, try again! “Failing up” is okay! I did not
get into school on my first attempt, but I learned a lot through the
process and the reward is well worth the journey!”
“Be authentic. The Fuqua community encourages everyone to be
themselves, including during the admissions process. I would recommend
that you use the essays, resume, and interview to tell different but
complementary sides of your story to show who you are and what you would
bring to Team Fuqua.”
WHY THEY CHOSE DUKE FUQUA FOR THEIR MBA DEGREE
“I went back to business school for a career switch into the sports
business. I wanted to go to a school that would give me an opportunity
to build a network in the space as well as gain valuable internship
experience. The Duke alumni base is incredibly talented, generous, and
engaged in helping students succeed. Relative to its size, Duke has the
strongest sports business alumni base in the country. Furthermore, Fuqua
set me up to succeed in a relevant internship and working experiences.
Fuqua gave me the foundational support and the connections to intern
with Wasserman and the NFL, while also giving me opportunities with the
Duke Athletic Department.”
“The first time I visited Fuqua was during a Management Leadership
for Tomorrow (MLT) seminar, which was hosted by Duke. At the seminar, a
Fuqua alumna spoke about the support her classmates showed her during a
particularly challenging time in her life due to health issues. From her
story and my interactions with the students as an applicant, I began to
understand the meaning behind “Team Fuqua.” I wanted to be a part of a
community that goes above-and-beyond for each other and one that invests
in being responsible business leaders above all else. Additionally, in
business school, it was important for me to develop my leadership
skills. Fuqua offers a variety of hands-on opportunities to do this
including the COLE Fellowship Program, where we not only work with
first-year teams but also receive specialized training and hear from
influential leaders such as Coach K.”
“I chose Fuqua because the Team Fuqua culture really resonated with
me. I was confident that I could get a strong general management
education at any of the top schools, and I wanted to go to a school that
would push me to be a better teammate, mentor, and leader. My wife
often reminds me that I felt Fuqua would provide this the first time I
visited, and I have been happy about my choice since day one. The “team”
in Team Fuqua is more than simply working together on projects—it is an
ethos that permeates everything from how we behave in the classroom to
the expectation that we make personally beneficial decisions without
being self-interested. Through my roles as a COLE Leadership Fellow, a
leader in the Human Capital Club, and willing learner in our diversity
initiatives, I have had the opportunity to lead, work for, and work with
classmates who have held me accountable to my goal of becoming a better
people developer for ALL people.”
“Fuqua is truly a happy place. Fuqua students have a strong
commitment to helping one another achieve their personal and
professional goals. The administration and faculty are also equally
yoked in ensuring that we collectively achieve a greater good for all.
Those commitments resonated deeply with me. From the first time I walked
through our school, it felt like home to me. It was for those reasons
that I felt compelled to run for co-president of this school. As a
student who has received so much support, it felt like it was my
opportunity to pay those gifts forward.As someone who intends to start
his own health care company, I was very interested in the Health Sector
Management certificate. Given that health care is such a people-oriented
field, I wanted to engage with a school that values leadership as much
as business fundamentals.Finally, Fuqua truly values diversity, in all
its forms. The school gives students an opportunity to tap into the
value of diversity by structuring first-year teams to create an
environment where diverse backgrounds can be called upon. I knew that
Fuqua would give me an opportunity to interact with classmates from all
walks of life on a daily basis, and that is something that I truly
value.”
“In applying to business school, I was searching for a program that
would allow me to explore my interest in the connection between business
and the environment. I chose Fuqua for its academics, extracurricular
opportunities, and the community. Academically, Duke offers a dual
degree Master of Environmental Management and MBA (MEM/MBA), allowing me
to take energy-related courses at both Fuqua and the Nicholas School of
the Environment. Outside of classes, Fuqua offers educational events,
experiential learning, and networking opportunities for students, with
endless ways of getting involved and taking on leadership roles.
Finally, the Fuqua community is both collaborative and ambitious, with
students encouraging each other to learn and grow. I also have had
access to a wide network of energy-focused faculty, students, and alumni
across the broader Duke community to help me make my career
transition.”
