Fuqua School of Business
(Duke University)
QUICK FACTS
- Location: Durham, NC, USA
- Program Length: 22 months
- Program Cost: $150,000
- Average GMAT score: 718
- Acceptance Rate: 24%
- Average Work Experience: 6 years
Employment Reports (2022)
- Received an Offer: 98%
- Accepted an Offer: 97%
- Median Salary: $160,055
- Average Signing Bonus: $30,000
RANKINGS
- #11 Financial Times 2023 MBA Ranking
- #11 US News - Best Business Schools
- #5 USNews - Executive MBA
- #23 QS Global MBA Rankings 2023
CLASS OF 2024
- Total Enrollment: 399
- Women: 48%
- GPA: 3.1-3.9 (middle 80%)
ABOUT
Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business enrolls over 2,000 students across 10 different degree programs. Fuqua prides itself in nurturing future business leaders from around the world who know how to bring teams together for a common purpose. Named after J.B. Fuqua, a young man determined to study even during the Great Depression, Fuqua School of business has now grown into a world renowned university.
With over 23,000 alumni and strong professional connections with fortune 500 companies, Fuqua school of Business stands out from other business schools. Fuqua emphasis the ability to overcome any obstacle with education and hard work, and it passes this drive on to its students. Located in North Carolina, Fuqua’s campus is comprised of state of the art facilities which provides for the perfect dynamic for collaboration, teaching, and researching.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
- Early Action: September 7, 2023
- Round 1: September 28, 2023
- Round 2: January 9, 2024
- Round 3: February 22, 2024
- Round 4: April 4, 2024
APPLICATION PROCESS
Transcripts
Transcripts are required for each college or university the applicant attended. These institutions include:
1) Where a degree has been (or will be) earned.
2) Where the applicant studied for at least one semester, earned 12 or more credits, or took a class relating to graduate study interests.
Transcripts can be sent either electronically or as a hard copy. Only after an offer of admission has been extended do applicants need to submit official copies of their transcripts.
GMAT or GRE
Applicants can submit either GMAT, GRE or EA scores. Official score reports do not need to be reported unless an offer of admission has been extended.
Foreign Language Requirement
ESL test scores are not accepted by Fuqua. English proficiency is assessed based on other aspects of the applicants’ applications.
1 Recommendation
Recommenders must fill in the online form as part of the online application. Recommenders must be able to write on the applicants performance in a processional setting, including the applicants most recent professional setting. One letter of recommendation is required. A second, optional, recommendation is also a possibility.
Essay Description
Short Answer:
Please outline your post-MBA career aspirations, including your primary career plan and an alternative plan if applicable (500 words).
Essay 1: 25 Random Things About Yourself (750 words)
In this essay, share unique personal experiences, hobbies, and achievements beyond your academic and professional life. Provide insights into your personality, interests, and values, allowing the admissions committee to understand you at a deeper level.
Essay 2: The Fuqua Community and You (300 words max)
Explain your understanding of the Fuqua culture and elaborate on three specific ways you plan to contribute to the Fuqua community. Provide detailed examples of how your skills, experiences, and perspective will enhance the overall environment at Fuqua.
Special Circumstances Essay:
Please inform the admissions committee about any circumstances that may have impacted your application, such as challenges faced or unique life experiences that are relevant to your candidacy.
Resume
Fuqua wishes for applicants to submit a 1-page business resume. An applicants resume can include:
Full-Time Employment
Volunteer Work
Internships
Part-time work experience
Education
Interview
Interviews are conducted by either an admissions committee member, an alumni, or an admissions fellow. The interviews are done in english, and are about 40 minutes in length. Open interviews are available for all potential applicants. Otherwise, interviews by invite only are conducted.
Application Fee
When submitting your online application, a non-refundable application fee of 225 USD must be paid using either VISA or MasterCard.
Amy’s Experience: 690 on GMAT and Fuqua
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PROGRAM STRENGTHS
Team Up
Students entering their first year are assigned into teams of 4 or 5 fellow peers. With their team, students will compelte class projects for core courses. The team is comprised of first year students who come from different backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives so taht they are s well-rounded and dynamic team. Students learn alongside their teams on how to achieve goals together while using each members unique strengths and skills.
GATE
GATE stands for Global Academic Travel Experience. The opportunity is for students who wish to learn about and travel to a new country and gain practical experience in international business. Students spend 6 weeks undergoing courseowkr in preparation for their travels. They then spend 2-weeks touring the region they studied, meeting with locals and learning from businesses and government leaders.
STUDENT LIFE
Students can live their leadership experiences at Fuqua by running and organizing clubs and activities with a diverse and determined set of individuals. Even Fuqua’s student government has a great deal of autonomy to make decisions and oversee student policies and operations. Students can join and become part of a whole host of clubs, whether they are professional, for diversity or activity clubs. Students who wish to give back to the community of Durham can even engage in service opportunities where they can build relationships while giving back to a broader cause.
MBA PROGRAM OVERVIEW
First Year
The first year at Fuqua starts off with an intensive month-long orientation. During this month, new students attend three courses which emphasize leadership skills meant to prepare them for the next two years. The rest of their first year is broken up into four 6-week terms of classes. The semesters are structured so that students can have the felxibilty to create their perfect MBA program.
Course highlights
- Accounting
- Decision Sciences
- Economics
- Energy & Environment
- Finance
- Health Sector Management
Other
- Leadership
- Management & Organizations
- Marketing
- Operations Management
- Strategy
Second Year
During their second year, students have the choice to take around 3 electives per term so that they may tailor their studies to fit their interests and future goals.
FEATURED PROFESSORS
Dan Ariely
Professor Ariely is the James B. Duke Professor at Duke Fuqua. He is an expert of Psychology and Behavioral Economics and helped found the Center for Advanced Hindsight. His research includes analysing the ‘irrational ways people behave’. Due a personal experience undergoing irrational behavior after a traumatic experience, Professor Ariely dedicated his life to understanding and researching ways to better deliver painful and unavoidable treatments to patients. He believe research in this field can help individuals avoid making redictable and repeated mistakes.
Leslie Marx
Professor Marx is the Robert A. Bandeem Professor at Fuqua School of Business. Her expert areas include game theory and industrial organization. Her research is on the problem of anti-competitive contract provisions. Her research helps to detect and mitigate collusion in auctions and markets. As well as, providing guidance for antitrust authorities to understand anti-competitive behaviour. Professor Marx is well published, with her research appearing in American Economics Review, Review of Economic Studies, Journal of Political Economy, and Quarterly Journal of Economics. She is currently a member of the editorial board for International Journal of Game Theory. She has also recieved numerous awards, including the Australian Research Council Discovery Project Grant, and the Sloan Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship. Professor Marx received her B.S. from Duke University, and her MA and PhD from Northwestern University.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Weekend Executive MBA
- Daytime MBA
- Accelerated Daytime MBA
- Global Executive MBA