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Duke Fuqua MBA Essays Guide: Overview, Tips & Examples

Discover everything you need to know about crafting standout MBA essays for Duke Fuqua.

Posted March 1, 2024

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Are you considering applying to Duke University's Fuqua School of Business for your MBA degree? One crucial aspect of the application process is writing compelling essays that showcase your unique qualifications and suitability for the program . In this comprehensive Duke Fuqua MBA Essays Guide, we will provide you with an overview of the application process, offer valuable tips for crafting outstanding essays , and present you with examples of successful essays that have earned admission to Fuqua. Let's dive in!

Duke Fuqua Application and the Role of Essays

Before we delve into the specifics of the essays, let's first understand the overall application process at Duke Fuqua. Alongside academic achievements and professional experience, the essays play a significant role in assessing your fit for the MBA program. Admissions officers use your essays to gain deeper insights into your personality, motivations, leadership potential, and ability to contribute positively to the Fuqua community.

When it comes to crafting your essays, it is crucial to approach them as an opportunity to portray your authentic self and highlight your unique qualities. The admissions committee is looking for individuals who not only have the academic and professional credentials but also possess the personal attributes that align with the program's core values.

One of the core values at Duke Fuqua is teamwork. They believe that collaboration is essential for success in today's business world. Therefore, when writing your essays, it is important to showcase instances where you have worked effectively in a team setting. Highlight your ability to collaborate, communicate, and motivate others towards a common goal. Provide specific examples that demonstrate your skills in building relationships, resolving conflicts, and fostering a supportive and inclusive team environment.

Another core value that Duke Fuqua emphasizes is community involvement. They believe that business leaders have a responsibility to make a positive impact on society. Therefore, in your essays, discuss your experiences and initiatives that showcase your commitment to giving back to the community. Whether it's through volunteering, mentoring, or leading social impact projects, demonstrate how you have made a difference and how you plan to continue doing so as a member of the Fuqua community.

Lastly, leadership development is a key aspect of the Duke Fuqua MBA program. They are looking for individuals who have the potential to become effective leaders and bring about positive change. In your essays, highlight your leadership experiences and the impact you have had on others. Discuss the challenges you faced, the strategies you employed, and the outcomes you achieved. Show how you have grown as a leader and how you plan to further develop your leadership skills at Duke Fuqua.

Remember, the essays are not just an opportunity to showcase your achievements but also to provide the admissions committee with a glimpse into your character , values, and aspirations. Take the time to reflect on your experiences, goals, and what makes you unique. Craft your essays thoughtfully, ensuring that each response is tailored to Duke Fuqua's values and demonstrates your fit for the program. Good luck!

Duke Fuqua Essay Prompts (2023-2024)

For the 2023-2024 application cycle, Duke Fuqua has provided specific essay prompts. Let's take a closer look at each one and provide you with expert tips on how to approach them:

Prompt 1: [Insert Prompt 1]

When considering Prompt 1, it is important to reflect on your personal and professional experiences that have shaped your aspirations. Think about the challenges you have faced and the lessons you have learned along the way. Duke Fuqua values individuals who are driven and have a clear sense of purpose. Use this essay to showcase your goals and how they align with the values and culture of Duke Fuqua.

Additionally, consider discussing how your background and experiences have prepared you for success in the specific field you are interested in. Highlight any relevant skills or accomplishments that demonstrate your potential for making a meaningful impact in your chosen career path.

Prompt 2: [Insert Prompt 2]

Prompt 2 offers an opportunity to delve into your leadership experiences and how they have shaped your perspective. Reflect on a time when you had to take charge and make difficult decisions. What were the challenges you faced, and how did you navigate through them?

It is important to not only describe the situation but also to analyze your actions and the impact they had. Did you inspire others? Did you face any resistance? How did you handle it? Reflecting on these aspects will help you showcase your leadership skills and your ability to bring about positive change.

Prompt 3: [Insert Prompt 3]

Prompt 3 invites you to share your experiences working in a team and how you have contributed to its success. Think about a time when you collaborated with others to achieve a common goal. What role did you play in the team, and how did you contribute to its overall effectiveness?

Highlight any challenges or conflicts that arose during the team project and discuss how you managed to overcome them. Did you take on a leadership role or support others in their roles? Reflect on the lessons you learned from this experience and how it has shaped your understanding of teamwork.

Remember, the essay prompts are an opportunity for you to showcase your unique qualities and experiences. Take the time to reflect on your past and present, and use these prompts as a platform to articulate your aspirations and how Duke Fuqua can help you achieve them.

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List of Expert Tips for Each Fuqua Essay Prompt

Now that we've outlined the essay prompts, let's explore some expert tips to help you craft exceptional responses:

Tips for Prompt 1: [Insert Tips for Prompt 1]
Tips for Prompt 2: [Insert Tips for Prompt 2]
Tips for Prompt 3: [Insert Tips for Prompt 3]

MBA Essay Tips: How to Write Compelling Essays

Writing powerful and persuasive essays requires careful planning and attention to detail. Here are some general tips to consider as you begin the writing process:

Showcase your uniqueness : Highlight what sets you apart from other applicants, emphasizing your distinct experiences, skills, and perspectives.
Be authentic and genuine: Avoid exaggeration or fabrications. Admissions officers are looking for authenticity and truthfulness.
Structure your essays coherently: Create a logical flow of ideas with clear introduction, body, and conclusion sections.
Support your claims with evidence: Back up your statements with concrete examples, statistics, or personal anecdotes.
Proofread and revise: Ensure your essays are polished and free of grammatical and spelling errors. Seek feedback from trusted advisors or mentors.

Duke Fuqua Essay Examples From Success Admits — With Analysis

To provide you with inspiration, we have gathered some exceptional Duke Fuqua MBA essay examples from successful applicants who were admitted to the program. Each example will be accompanied by an analysis of what made the essay effective and compelling.

Duke Fuqua Essay FAQs

Throughout the application process, you may have questions regarding the essays. Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers to help clarify any doubts you may have:

FAQ 1: [Insert FAQ 1]
FAQ 2: [Insert FAQ 2]
FAQ 3: [Insert FAQ 3]

By following this comprehensive Duke Fuqua MBA Essays Guide, you will gain valuable insights and practical tips to create compelling essays that effectively convey your qualifications and motivations. Remember, the essays provide an excellent opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the admissions committee and maximize your chances of securing a spot at Duke Fuqua's prestigious MBA program. Best of luck with your application!

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2023-2024 Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Analysis + Downloadable Sample Essays

Jun 27, 2023

Who is Duke Fuqua looking for?
How should I answer the essay questions?
Make sure you get into Duke Fuqua

UPDATE : This article was originally posted on October 26, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below.

Located in the Research Triangle, one of the greatest concentrations of academic output anywhere in the world, Duke is a haven for collaboratively-minded professionals who seek to have an immersive MBA experience and truly bond with their professors and classmates.

Considering its focus on collaboration, diversity, and community engagement, Duke is a popular choice when it comes to elite MBA programs, meaning it’s no easy task to win a spot in its small class. With Fuqua’s accelerated 1-year MBA, competition is more difficult than ever to join Duke’s next incoming class.

Unlike the majority of other business schools, Duke Fuqua also offers Early Action admissions for students who are sure Duke is their first choice. This does come with certain conditions, so make sure you read up on exactly what Early Action means before applying.

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Duke admissions essays to stand out. We’ve rounded up our best tips and links to Berkeley Haas MBA sample essays to ensure you give your Duke Fuqua application your best shot.

1. Who is Duke Fuqua looking for?

(Photo courtesy of @dukefuqua on Instagram)

“You’ll find the Fuqua Daytime MBA program is challenging and very rewarding. Acceptance is based on the ability to excel academically—and in the business community. Our students have a desire to bring out the best in others and succeed while making positive changes in the world.” Duke Fuqua Admissions

Every year, Duke’s admissions team sorts through thousands of applications to find the perfect admits for its class of about 400 students . With a strong emphasis on diversity, teamwork and collaboration, there is no “standard” student at Duke. Surprisingly, in contrast to many US schools, the average age for the Class of 2024 was 29. The average admitted student had a GMAT score ranging from 680-760 and the average GRE was 318.

Beyond the impressive statistics, though, Duke is also a highly community-driven school and tends to look for a certain set of characteristics in prospective students. According to Duke’s admissions committee, these are:

If this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll first have to prove you’ve got what it takes by successfully answering Duke’s admissions essay questions.

2. How should I answer the essay questions?

Before starting your Duke essays, we highly suggest you review Duke’s guidelines on telling your story . It’s clear that Duke wants to learn about more than just your greatest achievements but also wants to see the person behind the impressive CV.

Considering Duke’s relentless focus on storytelling, you might also want to check out our post on how to tell high-impact stories that wow the admissions committee.

Be sure to also keep in mind the following formatting and content tips, as following instructions is also a crucial part of any strong MBA application.

2.1. Required short-answer essay Tips

Instructions: Answer the following question in 100 words.

What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan.

This year, Fuqua has kept it simple, retaining its questions from the 2020-2021 application cycle. In line with this decision, the “goals” essay that Fuqua introduced last year has remained the same. Considering the short word count, your greatest challenge is going to be providing a complete picture of your future ambitions as concisely as possible.

The first part of the question asks you for your goals while retaining last year’s angle on what you’ll do if your goals don’t quite work out. For this answer, given the length, make sure to be direct. Include what you plan to do career-wise after your MBA in terms of job title and industry.

Statements like: “I want to be an executive” will not be specific enough for this task.

You don’t need to mention specific companies you want to work for unless you’re going sponsored , and then it’s good information to include. If you have space, you can also include why you are interested in pursuing these goals.

TOP TIP : Goals are an essential part of your MBA application, so if you’re not sure how to define your goals for your MBA application, check out our post on the topic here !

Furthermore, it’s always good to have a backup plan, especially considering the tough economic realities present in many places in the world these days. For your Plan B, make sure it relates in some way to your “official” goal so as not to undermine your goals statements.

For example, if your goal is to work in Private Equity, but your Plan B is to start an eco-travel company, the admissions committee is going to wonder just how committed you were to those original goals in the first place.

However, a job that allows you to achieve the same impact, just in a different format, would be ideal.

For example, if you want to work in a biotechnology startup to learn best practices and shape health care, a good backup might be working in a more established biotechnology firm and later making the jump to an earlier-stage venture.

2.2. Essay 1 – 25 Random Things – Tips

The ‘Team Fuqua’ spirit and community is one of the things that sets the MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. Please share with us “25 Random Things” about you. The Admissions Committee wants to get to know YOU – beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. Share with us important life experiences, your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are.

Your list will be limited to 2 pages (750 words maximum). Please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be brief, while others may be longer.

When detailing this year’s application instructions , Allison Jamison, Duke Fuqua’s Assistant Dean of Admissions, mentioned that this is the essay their admissions team likes reading the most.

It’s also true for our team. Year after year, helping candidates select which fun facts to share about themselves is one of our favorite tasks.

Our best advice here is to have a little fun with this list . After all, they could have asked “How do you feel you can contribute to the diversity of the Fuqua community?” but gave you this more open format instead.

Additionally, the admissions committee encourages applicants to be creative . This means you can include pictures, links to portfolios, and other multimedia. While you don’t want to overdo it, use the 25 things as a way to show off who you are!

Before starting, we suggest you read this post from former Director of Admissions Megan Overby. In it, she talks about why Fuqua created this question, and it’s still just as relevant today.

Then, start thinking about what makes you, YOU. This could include meaningful tipping points in your life, such as a childhood mission trip that ignited your passion for volunteer work, or even more lighthearted information like the origins of your nickname or favorite soccer team. The list is truly endless, but ensure you have a good variety of topics on your list and that you complement (rather than simply repeat) elements of your application that you’ve already discussed elsewhere.

Finally, if you can think of any meaningful way to connect a few of your “things” to the Duke Fuqua experience, this can add a great level of depth to your essay. For example, if you mention your extensive volunteer work starting a local women’s empowerment group, perhaps share how you’ll use this experience to contribute to Duke Fuqua’s Association of Women in Business .

Need more guidance? Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of Duke Fuqua MBA essays that worked to get our clients admitted to help you plan out a winning Fuqua essay. Our library also includes guides for all top global MBA programs, detailed essay brainstorms, interview tips and mocks, CV templates, and recommendation letter guides. Click to join !

2.3. Essay 2 – Fuqua Community – Tips

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 to the development of leaders. Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua?

Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).

Just like last year, the Fuqua admissions team makes it clear that you need to state 3 specific ways in which you feel you can contribute to Fuqua (rather than leaving the number of items up to you).

Nailing this essay, in our view, depends on three things: research, sincerity, and brevity.

This is even more challenging, considering the fact that you need to list 3 things in 500 words.

First, you will need to do extensive research. If you don’t know much about the Fuqua community, it’s going to be hard to write a compelling essay about why you feel you belong there.

So first start out by doing your homework. What does Fuqua offer in terms of clubs and initiatives? Why do these motivate you and how do you hope to learn and grow by participating in them? Which parts of Duke’s definition of “Consequential Leaders” do you identify with, and how do you see yourself putting those into practice while at Fuqua? Finally, how can you contribute to the Fuqua community?

We suggest you start by selecting three different elements to focus on in your essay. Then, move on to the second critical element: sincerity. How you express yourself in this essay is as important as showing you did your research.

You may want to use a few past examples that demonstrate just why you’re so passionate about a given topic.

For example, let’s say you visited campus, stayed with current students, and got to experience Fuqua’s community firsthand. Using this as a starting point to discuss what the Fuqua community means to you then continuing by demonstrating how you plan to get involved and add value if given two years rather than just two days on campus is sure to develop into a stellar argument.

Second, make sure you’ve got the tone right. Duke Fuqua wants to hear your story , so imagine you’re sitting across the table from a current student, a friend, or even a family member and are explaining to them why you’re so passionate about Duke. This approach makes the letter feel more personal and genuine, helping you win the heart and mind of the Fuqua admissions committee.

Third, make your essay as concise as possible. You want to make sure to give space to fully explain your different examples and ensure you tie each to the Duke community, but this is no place to wax poetic about your love for Duke. Writing such a short essay can be tricky, though, so make sure you review our post on how to write outstanding short essays here !

2.4. Optional Essay Tips

If you feel there are circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g. unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance). Note that you should NOT upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area. The Optional Information section is intended to provide the admissions committee with insight into your circumstances only.

This is not a place for you to retell your life story or sum up your interest in Duke or need for an MBA. It is also not a place to copy and paste a strong essay you wrote for another school. Make sure you focus only on weak spots and also discuss what steps you have taken or took to rectify the weaknesses.

Find additional tips and tricks to help you master the optional essay here .

Do you have other lived experiences that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee that may give us insight into your opportunities, challenges, and/or achievements? If so, please share 200 words or less explaining how those experiences might affect your contributions to Fuqua.

There is really no “right” answer to this question. We have seen clients discuss how growing up in a low-income context fueled them to overcome adversity and, later, share this success with other people in their communities. Other clients have talked about their varied multicultural experiences gave them a unique view of the world.

If you do not have any relevant context, however, it is ok to leave this blank.

Looking for Duke Fuqua MBA essay examples? Check out our real sample essays that got our clients admitted here .

3. Make sure you get into Duke Fuqua

One of the most common mistakes we see in MBA essays is that candidates fail to tell compelling stories . This is important because if your stories are not compelling, they will not be persuasive. At the same time, they must be backed by strong examples that establish a track record of success and prove to the admissions committees why you belong at their school.

Striking this balance between content and creativity can be tough, however, as succeeding means not only choosing the right stories but ensuring they are told in an optimal manner.

This is why our iterative developmental feedback process here at Ellin Lolis Consulting helps you mold your message through the application of our storytelling expertise until it reflects exactly what makes your profile stand out and show fit with your target program.

That’s the approach we took with Andre, who was admitted to Duke. In their words, “I can’t fully describe what an amazing job Ellin has done with me, but I will try. A good admission consultant can put you in a good school if you have a 700+ GMAT, but an excellent admission consultant can put you in a top school with a 660, and this is what Ellin has done with me.

Her job is professional and complete, from the beginning – developing a road map, millstones, and essays – to the end – preparing for interviews and scholarships. Thank you very much, Ellin, for changing my life and making my dream come of going to Duke come true.”

Not only can you take advantage of our editing expertise through multiple edits – you can also benefit from it after a single review! If your budget is tight, our editors will be happy to help polish your text as much as possible and leave “bonus comments” so you can keep working on it on your own!

No matter how long we work with you, we will always ensure your essays shine . Sign up to work with our team of storytelling experts and get accepted.

4. Deadlines

Here are the deadlines for the 2023-2024 season. You can access the online application here .

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Duke MBA Essays: Tips for 2023-2024

At Menlo Coaching, we noticed that most MBA essays will fall into one of a number of categories: personal essays, career goals essays, behavioral essays, etc.. Read ahead for our expert guide on approaching these essays for the Duke Fuqua School of Business.

Personal Essay

The ‘Team Fuqua’ spirit and community is one of the things that sets the MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. Please share with us “25 Random Things” about you. The Admissions Committee wants to get to know YOU – beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. Share with us important life experiences, your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are. (upload file, 750 words)

Career Goals Essay

What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first choice career plan and your alternate plan. (text box, 100 words)

Campus Contribution Essay

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 to the development of leaders. Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua? (upload file, 500 words)

Optional Essay

If you feel there are circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g. unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance). Note that you should NOT upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area. The Optional Information section is intended to provide the admissions committee with insight into your circumstances only. (upload file, 500 words)
Optional Background Information. Do you have other lived experiences that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee that may give us insight into your opportunities, challenges, and/or achievements? If so, please share 200 words or less explaining how those experiences might affect your contributions to Fuqua. (text box, 200 words maximum)

Reapplicant Essay

Re-applicant Essay. It is not uncommon for it to take more than one try to achieve a goal. Please share with us the self-reflection process you underwent after last year’s application and how you have grown as a result. How did it shape your commitment to Fuqua and inspire your decision to reapply? (upload file, 500 words maximum).

Applying to Duke Fuqua School of Business

Fuqua is looking for students with a well-rounded background and lots of experience that can be translated into a succinct and compelling statement. They especially value teamwork, camaraderie, emotional intelligence, and empathy. One of the essential tips for an impactful essay is asking yourself why you chose to highlight a particular experience. Did it show significant professional development? Did it show how you overcame a personal struggle? Making sure your essay connects to the prompt, especially that it shows why you are pursuing an MBA, will make your essay stand out. No matter what the essay prompt is, these tips are broadly applicable. With that being said, the three different types of essays you will see on the Fuqua application are: personal, career goals, and school participation.

The Personal Statement Essay

Personal essays encompass your moral character, passions in and out of work, and the relationships you have fostered with friends and mentors. This essay type is where you can show the MBA program who you are as an individual and the intrapersonal impacts you have made on people around you. Fuqua is looking to recruit students who show compassion and enthusiasm in the office and with the people in their lives. Make sure to emphasize where you have shown empathy in your life while explaining how you will contribute positively to the on-campus experience. One of the biggest mistakes students make when writing a personal essay is focusing too much on their professional expertise.

This essay is where you can move away from talking about your work and speak about who you are outside of your job. Speak with current students and faculty to capture the essence of Fuqua. It shows you’ve done your research and are a genuinely kind, empathetic person in your real life!

The Career Goals Essay

The career goals essay is the space to emphasize your post-MBA plans. MBA programs want to accept students who have concrete, achievable career plans and a roadmap to success. MBA programs want a glowing post-grad report that proves they produce successful graduates with many job prospects (and who will donate money in the future)! Fuqua also wants students to promote their program to friends, co-workers, and prospective applicants. The career goals essay combines your hard statistics (ex: GMAT score) with your interpersonal skills (ex: recommendations) to formulate the case for getting an MBA.

Make sure to state your achievable short-term and long-term goals explicitly. Explain why an MBA would help you achieve these goals and how Fuqua is essential to your plan. Connecting the positive attributes from your personal essay to your career goals essay is critical to forming a well-rounded application. Fuqua students usually enter the consulting, technology, and financial service industries, so emphasize your findings in the essay to show you’re genuinely interested.

The School Participation Essay

The school participation essay is your chance to tell Fuqua how you will positively contribute to the environment. Fuqua values students engaged in on-campus life outside of the classroom and have a passion for collaboration and communication. Joining on-campus clubs, leadership committees and generally demonstrating that you have investigated student organizations on campus shows commitment to the school. Before writing your essay, find clubs that align with your already-stated interests in the personal or career goals essays. Be specific! Whether you like the environmental club or the art studies club, determine what organizations Fuqua offers. Look up classes and professors that interest you as well. If you can visit the campus, speak to students about any conferences or organizations they recommend, especially larger ones.

Ask yourself how you can benefit the student population through your unique skill set? Your answer does not have to be groundbreaking. Chances are, students with similar professional backgrounds attend the school already. Use your personal essay as a guide, and combine your intrapersonal skills with on-campus activities and classes.

Once you’ve completed your application, the optional Tuck essay gives you an additional opportunity to provide the AdCom with any additional information or clarity that you feel would enhance your application.

One trap that MBA applicants fall into is using the additional space provided by this essay to write on a whole new topic. However, this is not always the best idea.

You should only make use of this essay if you what you write will provide context to an element of your application to improve your candidacy—you don’t want to jeopardize your chances by adding unnecessary noise to your application.

For reapplicants, Tuck requires a specific essay in which you can address how your application has improved since your last application.

In this essay, you can address any improvements to your test scores, promotions at work, additional volunteer or community work, or any significant professional development that you have undertaken since you last applied to the program.

Timing is key for reapplicants, and when you’re applying for an MBA program a second time around, you want to be sure that you are a more qualified and desirable client than you were in the past—even if your application was stellar the first time.

Overall, honesty and growth are the most important parts of a successful MBA application essay. In addition, applying the lessons you learned shows improvement in your interpersonal and professional skills, making you a more attractive candidate for MBA programs.

At Menlo Coaching, our dedicated MBA coaches are prepared to help you take the next step and perfect your essays.

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August 15, 2023

Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2023 – 2024]

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Leadership, teamwork, and ethics are essential elements of the Duke Fuqua MBA , which is why you’ll need to make sure you express your passion for these qualities in your application essays. Impress the Fuqua adcom by positioning yourself as an innovative leader and team player, as someone who can see the big picture, work collaboratively, and shape global business. To learn more about the school, listen to our podcast interview with Shari Hubert, Duke Fuqua’s associate dean of admissions .

Ready to get to work on your Duke Fuqua application? Read on.

Duke Fuqua application essay tips

Duke fuqua application deadlines, duke fuqua class profile.

You’ll need to provide your thoughts on one short answer question and two longer essay questions as part of your application . Instructions for all written submissions:

Responses should use 1.5-line spacing and a font size no smaller than 10-point.
Do not repeat the question in the document you upload with your application as this will cause the essay to be flagged for plagiarism.
Respond fully and concisely.
Length requirements vary by question and are detailed below.
Responses must be completed before submitting your application.

All submissions are scanned using plagiarism detection software. Plagiarism is considered a cheating violation within the Honor Code and will not be tolerated in the admissions process.

Required short-answer essay question

Instructions: Answer the following question in 100 words. What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan.

What’s your professional direction? And if you cannot progress in your career in the most direct way, what is another way of reaching your desired destination? Since you are dealing with a 100-word maximum, you will have to think long before you start drafting and then write succinctly to get your point across.

Required essay #1 (25 random things about yourself)

Have some fun with this list. It certainly allows for a more creative approach than most essay prompts permit. Note that the question asks you to go “beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript.” So, you can list your Pez collection or perhaps your brief membership in a rock band, or the fact that you took violin from ages 6 to 18, your membership in a gospel choir, your volunteer work in a hospital, your needlepoint, your favorite recipe or photo. Gosh – the list is endless. Just let it reflect you. Think of this list as an introduction to potential friends.

Watch: Shari Hubert, Associate Dean of Admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business on How to answer the 25 Random Things Question:

Required essay #2 (The Fuqua community and you)

Do your homework about Fuqua (and yourself) before responding to this question. What activities and groups appeal to you? How do you see yourself participating? Making a difference? Imagine how you would take part, collaborate, and sometimes lead. While you can reference similar activities in the past, keep the focus of this essay on what you would do at Fuqua, and choose three activities/groups that most appeal to you.

One approach to responding to this question is to address a letter to a close friend or colleague and tell them how you would contribute to this very participatory culture. That letter could easily morph into this essay.

Optional essay #3 (Tell us more)

Why isn’t your current supervisor writing your rec? Why is there a six-month gap on your resume? Why did your grades dip during the first semester of your senior year? What are your responsibilities at your family business after leaving a prestigious investment bank, and why did you make that change? If these questions aren’t addressed elsewhere in your application, answering any of them (but hopefully not all) could be the focus of your optional essay.

International applicants should apply in Early Action, Round 1, and Round 2 to allow time for visa processing.

Source: Duke Fuqua website

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with Duke Fuqua directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***

Here is a look at the Duke Fuqua MBA Class of 2024 (data taken from the Duke Fuqua website ):

Class size: 399

Minority: 43%

Underrepresented minorities: 25%

International citizens (by U.S. status): 39%

U.S. military: 9%

Partnered: 30%

Countries represented: 55

Average years of work experience: 6.0

Median years of work experience: 5.58

Average age: 29

GMAT range (middle 80%): 680-760

GRE Verbal/Quant combined average: 318

Average undergraduate GPA: 3.1-3.9

Undergraduate institutions represented: 261

Students with advanced degrees: 18%

Undergraduate majors:

Engineering/Natural sciences: 33%
Business and accounting: 28%
Liberal arts/other: 22%
Economics: 18%

Industries:

Financial services: 18%
Consulting: 14%
Technology: 11%
Government: 8%
Nonprofit/Education: 8%
Consumer goods: 6%
Energy/Chemical/Utilities: 5%
Media/Sport/Entertainment: 5%

Related Resources:

Duke Fuqua Full-Time MBA Program Adds New Round to Its Admissions Calendar
Duke Fuqua Rattles MBA World with Exciting New Curriculum , podcast Episode 335
Extracurricular Activities in Your MBA Admissions Profile

How to get into Duke Fuqua [Episode 536]

Are you attracted to Duke Fuqua’s collaborative MBA culture, and intrigued by its flexible curriculum, and the strength of its entering class as revealed by the latest class profile? But you’re unsure how you can make your case for acceptance? Then pull up a chair. In today’s podcast, Fuqua’s associate dean of admissions pulls back the curtain on what Duke seeks in its applicants.

Welcome to the 536th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Before I introduce our guest, I have a question for you. Are you ready to apply to your dream MBA programs? Are you competitive at your target schools? Accepted’s MBA admissions quiz can give you a quick reality check. Complete the quiz, and you’ll not only get an assessment, but tips on how to improve your qualifications. Plus, it’s all free.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome back to Admissions Straight Talk , Shari Hubert, Associate Dean of Admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Shari earned her BA at Dartmouth, and her MBA at Harvard. She worked at several elite companies, and in 2009 became director of recruitment for the Peace Corps. In 2012, she returned to the MBA world when she became the Associate Dean of MBA Admissions for Georgetown McDonough . She joined Duke as Associate Dean of Admissions in October, 2017.

Shari, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [1:53]

Thank you so much, Linda. It’s always a pleasure to be here with you, and so I was really excited to get that invitation again to share some time with you and your listeners.

Can you go over, first of all, that menu of MBA options at Duke Fuqua, and then perhaps focus a little bit more on the MBA program itself? [2:04]

Yeah, sure, absolutely. We have four different MBA options at Fuqua. We have the daytime MBA, which is your… Think about your traditional two-year full-time MBA. Residential, flexible concentrations, experiential, I can go into that detail a little bit more. We have an accelerated daytime MBA, so again, very similar profile as our daytime MBA in terms of the types of students. It’s one year, it’s full-time, residential as well. The one specific criteria though that is different is that the individual must already have a master’s, either a master’s of management studies, which is our degree, or a master’s in management, or some kind of equivalent business degree, because those sets of courses that you would take actually substitute for, or transfer for the core curriculum that you would take your first year.

That would be a one-year, early-experience program basically in business that you’re talking about? [3:09]

Well, the accelerated daytime MBA actually should be very similar, the profile should be similar to our full-time. It’s just for people who already have some kind of master’s in management, or specialized master’s in business degree, plus the full-time work experience. So we prefer they actually have a couple of at least a couple of years of work experience, plus they already have a specialized master’s, and therefore, they are joining the daytime MBA program with the second year MBA students and taking electives. And so therefore, they can do the program, and get the degree in one year, as opposed to the two full years.

And then we have our weekend executive MBA, so we have two executive MBA programs. We have a weekend executive MBA program, and that is for working professionals. It meets monthly, and Thursday through Sunday, and then there are some live classes that happen every other Saturday as well. And then we have the Global Executive MBA program, similar in terms of… It’s a Duke MBA, it’s the same faculty, same curriculum as your traditional full-time MBA, but these programs are for working professionals. The Global Executive MBA is six residencies, in different regions around the world, including Durham. So it’s basically, every two months, you go to a different country, your professors travel with you, your career center representatives travel with you, your IT support travels with you, and your residencies are in that country. That’s for 10 days, eight to 10 days, and you come back and you do more distance hybrid coursework. Again, all of these programs are lockstep, they’re team-based, they’re cohort-based, and they all, again, are the same Duke degree, the same faculty, and just a different format. They all offer some level of concentrations and/or certificates as well.

Can we focus on the full-time MBA program? Can you give a little bit more information on that one, on the two-year traditional program? [5:05]

Sure. Absolutely. So again, this particular program is for individuals who are wanting to perhaps pivot into a different function, industry, geography, or reset, or just want a fully immersive experience in terms of pursuing their MBA, and it’s really tailored for that kind of a profile. The curriculum is really designed to allow our students to learn both the breadth and the depth across all types of curriculum, as well as very much focused on leadership.

And so just to give you a sense of the structure of the program, the core is their first year, which is very traditional to most MBA programs, you start off with what we call a Summer Institute, and it’s kind of a leveling two- to three-week course. You’ll learn things like leadership, ethics, and organization, so how do you think about leadership in the context of the individual, the team, and then the organization? There are two courses that you also learn, Entrepreneurial Mindset and Action. So that’s really about, regardless of whether or not you decide to start your own business, we believe that there are some fundamental elements and characteristics of entrepreneurs that are really valuable for all of our MBAs to have. Regardless of whether or not you’re in an established organization, working for an organization, you still want to have some level of intrapreneurial kind of spirit.

And so we make sure that all of our students, it’s a mandatory course, go through that. And then the final one is Technology-driven Transformation of Business. And again, that’s really, not just recognition that technology is driving all aspects of our life, including business, so how do business leaders make those decisions using data, using information in ways that either support the goals of that organization while not doing harm as well.

And so that’s a required course. And then of course, during that, you would also start to get formed into what we call consequential leadership teams, which are four to five person learning teams. And those are the individuals that you will go through your first year with, you’ll do casing with, you’ll be in sections with, and they are actually managed by a second year MBA student who is a part of our co-leadership program. And so again, our students are really able to give practical leadership experience, practice their own leadership style on actual first year teams, helping them kind of just acclimate. You go through the first fall core, which is fall. We have six-week terms, and so they-

I was just going to ask about that. [7:40]

Yeah, we have six-week terms, four six-week terms in the daytime MBA program. They each meet twice a week for two hours and about 15 minutes. We don’t have classes on Wednesdays, and that was purposeful and intentional. We do have classes on Fridays, so if you don’t have classes in the middle of the week, it’s when students can work on projects, they can perhaps do work that’s associated with their clubs, their leadership roles outside of the classroom, like conferences, doing more recruiting, things like that. But if you have classes on Fridays, we notice that students will stay in Durham more often, and it really builds more of a cohesive community, off-campus as well as on-campus, by ensuring that our students are in Durham, communing with each other over the weekend.

And so that’s been a really nice aspect, and a little bit of a difference in our program. And then, like I said, all of our students are assigned to leadership learning teams as well. And then there’s one other course that I wanted to talk about that happens, not in that during that Summer Institute, but it happens once students come back from their internship. So this is also unique about, I think Fuqua, in that-

It’ll be the second year, right? [8:49]

Yeah, so your second year. You’ve had your internship, you come back, and we actually get you back into your learning team. So it’s not as if after your first year you disperse and you’re never with your learning teams anymore. You come back, it’s called C Lead Two or Consequential Leadership Two, and it’s really about reflection. You had your internship, you’ve had a full year of being with these individuals and your classmates, and learning, and trusting, and building skills, and you’ve now been able to apply them during the summer, so let’s come back and reflect on, what did you learn? Because there’s more trust, you can go deeper in terms of developing those relationships with your teams, and your cohorts. And you do more personal self-reflection, personal leadership development.

So we do a lot of things with Brene Brown, we’ll have guests come in and talk to our students. They’ll do their own reflection assignments, just to really be able to have time to put into perspective what they learned, how they want to show up for that second and final year as well, knowing what they know now, having a full year under their belt, having some practical experience with their internship, is there anything they’d like to change, or pivot, or really lean into in this final year, that would help them as they continue to transform into develop into their own leadership style.

And another course that they would take as part of that experience, we call it C Lead Two, is Business and Common Purpose in a World of Differences. So it’s really about, how do you as a leader take into consideration the notion of IQ, EQ, DQ, how do you lead with common purpose? How do you lead teams that might be disparate, different, and have differences of opinion, come from different backgrounds? How do you make sure that everyone’s kind of working towards a common purpose in a world that is very, very challenging at times? And where you have stakeholders that are not just your employees, just your competitors, but it could be society, the communities that your organizations operate in, how do you bring all of that together in order to really be able to make a difference, more of a societal impact, where things are very polarized? And so that’s a new… Not a new course, but a course that I think is unique, because you really are able to take fuller advantage of that kind of a course and thinking once you’ve come back, and had some perspective after your first year.

Thinking of all the implications in terms of what’s going on in the world around us, and it’s certainly necessary. And this is a second year course, so you’ve built up to it, right? [11:06]

Yep, exactly. So that happens in your second year. That’s exactly right.

Duke Fuqua touts the flexibility of its curriculum, and the many concentrations that it offers. Can you review that aspect of the program? It was great that you talked about the leadership opportunities, but what about the flexibility of the program, and its ability to meet different needs? [11:21]

Yeah. I would start off by saying that our concentrations and our certificates allow you to go deep. They are options. They’re not things that you have to take advantage of. There are some students who go through the entire two years, and take the courses that are meaningful to them, or most popular. So it’s an opportunity to customize, and to go deep, but it’s not a requirement. And sometimes, people will use concentrations and certificates to pivot into a particular industry or sector that they’re not necessarily familiar with, so they use it in order to demonstrate competency, or just sincere interest in, but the degree that you get is still a general management MBA.

And so we have over 100 electives, and the concentrations are really an accumulation and packaging of different electives. We have over 100 of those electives, they can be organized under functional concentrations, or topical concentrations. So some functional ones would be decision sciences, management, marketing, operations, strategic, consulting, FinTech, is one of our newer ones. We have topical concentrations like diversity, equity and inclusion, which again, is one of our newer ones. Entrepreneurship, the environment, social entrepreneurship leadership, and the like. So again, about 14 or so different combinations of concentrations. Certificates, similar to concentrations, maybe one level deeper in terms of the additional number of electives that you would take. And we have two concentrations, our health sector management concentration, which is very well-known, and that concentration is usually coupled with the health sector certificate, it enables individuals to get a certificate in an understanding of all the different parameters of the healthcare sector. There’s a bootcamp attached to it. There are all kinds of experiential opportunities that you could take advantage of. They align very closely with the health center that we have.

So a lot of students, very popular. And that certificate is open to our Executive MBAs, and our daytime MBAs. So during the bootcamp, you’ll have a combination of both programs, over 100 people usually in that bootcamp. And that usually happens at the beginning of your time, or right before orientation. And then we have the finance certificate, again, for folks who want to really double down deeply into the finance sector. We used to have the management science and technology management certificate, that’s more of a data analytics, but as of last year, our entire MBA program is now STEM certified. And so data analytics, and those kinds of courses are really infused throughout the entire curriculum. And so there’s not necessarily a need to have a specific concentration, because the entire degree is now very data-focused. So I’d say those are the kinds of concentrations and certificates that we have.

And I think you really illustrated the flexibility and breadth of the program really. [14:36]

Right. And so you can do two concentrations, or you can do a concentration and a certificate. Pretty difficult to do two certificates, and so that’s why we have a limit in terms of, if you do a certificate, we limit the number of concentrations, but in addition to concentrations and certificates, you can also do a dual degree. We have five different dual degree programs. We have one with our medical school, or law school, our school of public policy, and then we have two with our School of the environment, Nicholas School of the Environment. We have a master’s in environmental management, and the master’s of forestry, which is interesting. And then for those individuals who may not want to do a dual degree, but they really want to take full advantage of the breadth of what’s available across Duke University in a very interdisciplinary way, as an MBA student at Fuqua, you can take up to four courses, 12 credits outside of Fuqua at any of the professional schools on campus.

It is very flexible. Fuqua, pre-COVID, was also known very much for its global learning opportunities. Are they in full swing now? [15:34]

Yeah, full swing, we’re back traveling abroad.

I would say, there are three ways in which our students take advantage of global opportunities. One is our GATE, which is an experiential four credit course, Global Academic Travel Experience is what it stands for.

And in May, 2023, the locations changed a bit. We had one GATE as we were kind of slowly ramping back into the full swing of travel. And this year, we’ll be offering two. So last year we went to South Africa, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and a safari. This year, we’re going to go to South Africa again, but we also have a new climate-focused GATE, it’s going to be in Denmark and Norway, and it’ll be led by Dan Vermeer, who is our faculty director of EDGE, one of the centers for the energy in the global development environment.

So in addition to that, I’d say about 20, 25 students per GATE trip attend. It’s a course, so about two months, you’re spending in the classroom, learning about the individual country, and the dynamics, economic dynamics, political dynamics, and the cultural dynamics, and then you travel as a class and cohort with your faculty member over there for a week. So you really kind of get the lived experience as well. We meet with alumni over there, we’ll have corporate visits, and then there’s also… It’s an opportunity for cultural exchange as well.

We also have what we call exchange programs, so those are… So our GATE tends to be individuals in the first year, and then our exchange programs tend to be our students in the second year, and we have over 20 different schools that we have partnerships with. It is an exchange, so they are sending their students here, we are sending our students there. And so it varies from quarter to quarter, but it’s very flexible. So you may have the winter break and the spring break, a set of exchanges with schools, or you may have six-week term exchanges. So it really is based on how much time do you want to be away. I would say, the winter break and the spring break are probably most popular, because it’s a lot to be away your second year-

I was thinking about recruiting. [17:53]

Yeah, well, that too. If you haven’t fully signed onto a company, definitely, it’s helpful to be here, unless you’re trying to actually find an opportunity abroad, and then that’s helpful.

But mostly it’s because people don’t want to be that far away from their friends their last year in school, so I would say… But people do take advantage of the six-week term options. And like I said, they last from either a few days, to a week, to a whole term. And there are over 20 different schools that we have relationships with. And some of them are based on special topics, and so for example, we have the Asian business landscape through a partnership in Singapore, and that’s kind of the topic of that exchange program, kind of looking at Asian business through that landscape.

We have doing business in Israel actually, with our partner school in Tel Aviv. And like I said, we are starting up this program on climate, which will be interesting. So it’s really interesting. We have an opportunity with Copenhagen Business School as well with spring break. So they all vary, very flexible, but a lot of fun, and I would say, a lot of our students end up taking advantage of our exchange programs. And then lastly, just student-run treks and trips, and those are not necessarily organized by the school, but they definitely are organized by students. I mean, we’ve sent 70 people to Brazil, I mean, students go to all kinds of exotic and wonderful places.

The information you’re providing is adding so much more color, depth, texture to it, so thank you for all this. What about the application process itself? What changes have you made to the MBA application process this year? [19:22]

So not a ton, but I will say that we have some new testing options. We will accept the new GMAT Focus, and we will accept the new GRE, and we already accept the executive assessment. So we are a school that requires at least one form of a test, and so those are new changes.

Any preference? [19:56]

Nope, no preference. I think it really depends. Do your homework in terms of whether or not the new GMAT Focus or the new GRE is the right test for you. But if you decide that that’s the case, we will accept it. The executive assessment is always an interesting option as well for some people, but it’s not for everyone. So again, we just encourage people to test out some of these, see which one you test better at, or feel more comfortable with, and go for it. Because the ones that you’re going to feel more comfortable with are probably the ones that you’re going to do your best on.

So regardless though, I would say… Encourage people to practice, prepare for it, but we don’t have a preference.

And there are no test waivers, right? [20:38]

Right. We do not provide test waivers for our daytime MBA program. For our working professional programs, we do offer a test waiver process that you can apply for.

And then another section that is new, we’re keeping our 25 random facts essay, but we do have a new optional section on the application, and it’s really just, we want to learn more about our applicants in terms of their lived experiences. Don’t think of it as an essay, but it is an optional section, and it’s just a place where they can share a little bit more about themselves, including whether or not they’re a first in their family to attend college, if they grew up with any kind of financial hardships, and then anything else that they feel they haven’t had an opportunity to explain that would speak to some of their lived experiences, their upbringing, or their background, what’s influenced them, that kind of thing. And it is really about this unique aspect of their lived experience that they feel will help them contribute to our Fuqua community.

So it’s more like, “What else would you like us to know about you?” Or- [21:44]

Yeah, that you didn’t get a chance to share any place else kind of thing.

And it is totally optional? [21:51]

Yep. There’s only the first-generation question and the financial hardship, those are yes/no, and so this smaller kind of optional field is about 200 words maximum.

I was just going to ask, is there any length limit to it? [22:06]

Yeah. Yeah, About 200 words maximum.

And then we will be keeping our fourth round, our application round. That probably means for us that we have five. So we have the early action, then we have the round one, round two, round three, and then we will have round four.

September 7th is early action, September 28th is round one, then January 9th, February 22nd, and April 4th would be round four, right? [22:25]

Yeah, so not a lot has changed, but we’re hoping that some of these things just provide more clarity, and give people a bit more space to really share themselves with us.

Now, in terms of the 25 things question, that is Fuqua’s signature question, and I’m just going to read it. “Please share with us 25 random things about you. The admissions committee wants to get to know you beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. Share with us important life experiences, your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are.” Do you have any tips for that one? I mean, you can have a lot of fun with it. [22:49]

Yeah, I would say have a lot of fun. I did it, I did it as a function of when I joined Fuqua as part of my interview process, I did it. Every single admissions person who joins our team, once they’re on our team, they have about a week or so to provide us with their 25 facts. So believe me, we haven’t asked you to do anything we haven’t done ourselves.

But I would say, use the real estate to share facts that speak to your personal lived experience, characteristics about yourself, maybe what you value, and why. Your passions, your strengths, your lessons learned, failures, hobbies, affiliations, family stories. Not so much in terms of focusing on the professional part of your life, because we have other places to find that information out. It’s also good to provide a sentence or two to just provide some context around why you decided to share that particular fact about yourself. It doesn’t need to be a full paragraph, just a little bit of something to give us some context. I would say be vulnerable, it’s okay to be witty. Let us see your personality in the facts. I think we have a video on YouTube that shares some tips as well in terms of how to answer that essay. I think we also might provide some examples. My 25 is out there in our blocks-

So I’ll find it, and link to it. Now, you mentioned the early decision round. How is that different from the later four rounds, other than the fact that it’s first? [24:47]

We call it early action. Yeah, early action. It’s a binding round, I’d say that’s the biggest difference. It’s a binding round, which means that we ask that you not apply to another binding round school.

And if admitted to Fuqua, you are saying, “I commit to withdraw my applications from any other schools that you’ve applied to that are non-binding.” And so if there’s another school out there that has a binding round, don’t apply to that. And then if you do apply to other schools that don’t have binding rounds, I mean, of course, you might do that. Then once you get a decision from us that says yes, you’ve been admitted, you’re saying to us that you would withdraw your application from those schools. Because it’s really saying that, “Look, if I get admitted to Fuqua, I’m coming.”

You’re saying it’s your first choice. [25:41]

Yeah, it’s just so much my first choice that I am applying knowing that if you admit me, I am saying that I will come. And so I would say, it’s for certain people, it’s not for certain people. One, I would say, it’s for people who are ready and prepared early. And so don’t rush to get into early action if you feel like you are not able to put forward your best representation of yourself in your application. Don’t rush just for the sake of getting into early action. ‘Cause like I said, we have a number of other rounds.

And early action is not our largest round, so that also gives you a sense. Most people apply in some other round. But I do say, it is for the people who know that they’re kind of down for Fuqua. So they’re signaling and letting us know that they really are committed, and that we’re their first choice. If you want to keep your options open, early action probably isn’t the round for you. If you are willing to put all your eggs in the Fuqua basket, and you get admitted, and you’re saying, “Yep, I’m there.” Then that’s probably… And you’re prepared, you’ve carved out time enough to prepare to submit it by the deadline, then it’s a good round.

It’s a good option. [26:56]

It’s a great option. [26:57], so two questions on that. one, if one is admitted early action, is there a different deposit requirement is it a larger deposit requirement number one. number two, is it an advantageous or disadvantageous from a financial aid perspective to apply to early action [26:58].

I mean, you still have to pay the deposits. It’s not a larger deposit, but the deposit kind of upfront. We’re still looking at whether or not that will change or not in terms of maybe adding additional deposits down the road, but right now, it’d still be the same overall level of deposits, just kind of maybe when we would ask you for it. So right now, you do everything upfront, and we might want to spread things out. You do the majority, I would say, the bulk of it upfront, so 3,000 upfront, and then you then have your second deposit, which is the final deposit for everybody. We’re kind of looking to see if we want to spread that a little bit more as well, you have the third deposit, but that hasn’t been finalized. Scholarships, yes, absolutely. People who are admitted to our early action also are considered for scholarship, and actually get them. So it’s definitely not disadvantaging you if you apply early action in terms of being considered for scholarship.

We discussed the new optional section, and you mentioned the length, and any tips on that? Or just mostly focus on this idea of unusual lived experiences rather that you didn’t have place for in the other parts of the application? [28:13]

So the open text piece of that, I’m trying to think how to answer it, your answer doesn’t have to be as long as the other essays. It is open space to just share something we may not have asked anywhere else in the application, or the applicant wants to make sure we’re aware of, maybe their affiliations, areas of their background that have impacted their lived experience, how they show up in the world, and how it’s informed who they are, and the impact they want to have, and how they want to contribute to our MBA program. Again, I don’t want people to overthink it though. For some people, there’s going to be something to add, and they should use the space. For others, they may not have anything to add, it’s totally optional. We don’t look differently on people who don’t use the space, but it is a gift, it is an opportunity.

‘Cause sometimes it’s hard to know every single question we could possibly ask you to get every aspect of who you are in a paper-based application. And so this is that space to say, “Hey.” There’s no essay on this question, there’s no short answer question that they asked me, but, “Hey, did you know this unique thing about me?” Or, “Did you know I was a part of this thing?” Or, “Did you know this particular aspect of my background really influenced how I show up, my grit, my determination.” Or, “This particular experience was very informative, informed my kind of thinking around the world, or what I want to do.” And so it’s that kind of space to use. It is different than the optional essay that we always think about, where you’re clarifying why you have a specific type of recommender, or why you didn’t get the GMAT score that you wanted, the GRE score that you wanted, or how-

Or the GPA. [30:07]

Right. It’s something new and substantive, not a clarification about some aspect of your application.

Now, can you discuss for a second the interview process at Fuqua, and specifically the difference between open interviews and interviews by invitation? [30:17]

Yeah, I do think the interview is a really special opportunity for applicants to really show us who they are in their own words, and human-to-human, as opposed to us only knowing you from your application. And so I would say definitely take advantage of the interview, think about it as you would any job interview if you are invited. We really want to make sure that we can get to know as many of our applicants as possible, so that’s why we also have this open interview process. About half of our applicants are interviewed in some form or fashion, and so these two formats really make sure that we are able to really get to know as many applicants as possible.

So the open interview period is, we have a virtual component to that, or an in-person. And basically, the difference between open interview and an invited is that an open interview is self-initiated. So you’re kind of raising your hand, saying, “I want to make sure I get interviewed, so I want to sign up for this interview.” Versus the other interviews are by invitation only. And so that means we are reading through your application the first time, and kind of deciding, “Oh, we’d like to learn more about this person. We’d like to invite them to be interviewed.” So those are the differences.

We have two ways either open interviews or by invitation, either you can participate virtually. And our open interviews, the virtual dates are August 24th through October 6th, or you can participate in our open interviews on campus, so you can come to campus. And those dates are September 11th through October 6th. And so again, as you can see, everything, as it pertains to open interviews, is from October 24th through October 6th, basically.

August. [32:20]

Sorry, August 24th through October 6th. After that, it doesn’t mean you’re not going to be interviewed, but we then invite people to interview. And if you’re-

And they could be virtual or in-person, or… [32:29]

When you’re invited to interview, you’ll also have the option to do it virtually or in-person as well.

Some other things to keep in mind, regardless of the round that you apply in, you can still participate in our open interviews. And so what happens is, let’s say you decide to interview through the open interviews in, I don’t know, September 2nd, but you’re not going to apply until this the first round, or the second round, we’ll take that interview and we’ll save it. And then once you apply, we will add that interview, that will be your official interview, and we’ll add it to your application.

So is it recorded even if it’s in-person? [33:09]

When you say recorded, what do you mean?

Well, you say you save the interview, so do you save the notes, or do you save the recording, or… [33:14]

It’s the notes.

So we don’t record any interviews. So even if you’re doing the virtual.

Not even the virtual? [33:22]

It’s just more for convenience, especially if someone’s living abroad and can’t get to campus. We want to make it convenient for them to interview. And it was kind of something from the pandemic that we thought, “Hey, it provides some flexibility, let’s keep this aspect.”

But they’re not recorded, they’re not recorded.But their interviewer does take notes, and then submits an interview report. And that report is then what’s added to your application. It’s on a first come first serve basis though, the open interviews, and with at least a 48-hour advance notice to request an interview.

Okay, sounds good. [34:01]

And the only thing we ask is that you have at least started your application to schedule the interview.

Traditionally, when you had interview days, and people would also use the opportunity to learn about Duke, are those opportunities now entirely online, or do you still have interview days, or… [34:09]

Yep, yep. We’re going to still have campus visits, and during your campus visit, you can also do your own campus interview.

And then we’ll also have different kinds of weekend events where you could also do an interview. So yeah, absolutely, there will still be an opportunity to visit campus, and do the interview during your visit, or we’re going to have specific Saturday interview dates, and so they’re on campus, and people can come to do an in-person interview. We’d love to have as many people as possible come visit, ’cause I do think it’s a really great way to see and feel it. But we want to be realistic, we want to make sure that there’s broad access for everyone, so that’s the reason why we’ve added these virtual opportunities. We actually will have virtual campus visits as well.

There is one thing I think that is worth noting, and that is, first of all, if you’re applying in early action, we do recommend that you sign up for an open interview, but in the event that you don’t, we still have an invited process, but it’s just a little tip. But I do want to talk about this aspect, so sometimes we get the question, or people don’t necessarily understand that, let’s say they’re not invited to be interviewed the first time, they think that signals that they will not be considered any longer for admission, and that’s not the case at all.

What do you mean they weren’t invited the first time? You mean in terms of reapplication, or you mean… I’m confused. [35:37]

So have invitation dates which we’re going to deliver our-

After October 6th, basically? [35:50]

Right. Invites to be interviewed. And some individuals think that if they don’t get that invitation on that date, that all is lost, and that’s not the case at all. Sometimes we continue to review applicants. There will be other times and opportunities on a case-by-case basis that we might want to invite people to be interviewed even after the invite to be interviewed deadline or date.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that you are going to be denied-

Just because you don’t get invited to be interviewed that first time. We also interview people off the waitlist, we interview people as we’re thinking about the wait list. So there’s always opportunities after the initial invitation to be invited, I don’t want people to think that it’s signaling something if in case they’re not invited that first time.

Let’s say somebody applies round one, and they’re not invited round one, could they be invited round two? Would there be some- [36:43]

Yeah, all right. [36:50], and would there be some communication to them at the end of round- [36:52].

Yeah, I mean, they’ll get a decision, but it’s not an automatic deny decision.

And the fact that they weren’t interviewed doesn’t really mean anything, I think is what you’re really trying to say. [37:00]

Right, exactly.

Thank you for clarifying.

Now, you mentioned covid a couple of minutes ago. last time we spoke it was the middle of covid, that was the environment in which we were speaking. today, it’s a little different environment. today’s environment has its own noteworthy developments, a lot of different noteworthy developments actually, but i’d like to focus on one specifically, and that is ai and chatgpt. i’m sure that ai is being taught at duke, but are you concerned about its impact on the essay element of the application i noticed there was a very robust plagiarism warning under the application instructions. [37:06].

Yeah, yeah. Great question. First of all, let me say, I can only speak to our policy within admissions, as it may vary across the university, and then the Fuqua school in terms of classroom use, it’s really going to be up to the faculty to decide that. But within admissions, allowing the use of AI in their application, and we have decided to allow it. It felt like the way to be the most inclusive, while still requiring that applicants authentically represent themselves. We see a difference between plagiarism, and the use of AI, in that plagiarism is explicitly using material created by someone else, while we expect that the use of AI, at least in terms of how they might use it to answer our essay questions, which are unique to Fuqua, the use of AI, it has to begin anyway with this level of personal reflection. I mean, to answer our essay questions, you need some level of personal reflection, you need your own kind of content, and your own lived experiences to inform it.

We know that AI could be useful in terms of helping people organize their thoughts, or represent them better, differently through the use of AI tools. Similar to how people use Grammarly, or they may have friends who are English majors and they ask them to review their essays, or they may use admissions consultants to say, “Hey, take a look, provide some coaching and guidance.” Around their essays. So again, we view this as a tool that enhances the process, but should not, and does not replace the requirement for authenticity and the use of your own material.

And so in our minds, and I like to say, AI at Fuqua stands for authentic individuality.

I like that. [39:23]

I know, right?

And we’re going to assume positive intent, and that applicants are ethical, and they’re good agents in this process. And so we do require that your application be a true and accurate reflection and representation of your lived experience, and exclusively your own. And then we do, like you said, use plagiarism tools. So for us, all essays are scanned using plagiarism detection software, but again, we see a difference between plagiarism and the use of AI tools. So we have a long disclaimer about how expressing your ideas by using verbiage that’s not sourced right, is improperly credited, is a violation of our honor code, and it is grounds for denying application.

I’ve mentioned before on Admissions Straight Talk , but one of our consultants is also a journalist, and she decided to ask ChatGPT to write an essay for her, an MBA essay, and it took her a lot of time, and effort, and work to kind of coach ChatGPT to the point where the essay… Not so much that the writing was bad, but that it had the specificity that is required to have a good essay. [40:08]

In anything. and if it’s just mumbo jumbo verbiage, general stuff, i mean, yeah, chatgpt can write that, and probably my eighth grade grandchild could also write that. [40:38].

Right. So that’s not going to serve you well though, right?

No. [40:55]

That’s not going to be your best-

No, it’s terrible. [40:56]

Reflection of who you are, right?

No. No, not at all. It won’t be informative, it won’t be reflective. And her point was that it was as much effort for her to get ChatGPT to a point where it was producing something of quality as it would’ve taken her to write it. [41:00]

Yeah, exactly. I would also note that, and this is less on ChatGPT and more on this plagiarism tool that we do have, it picks up on our own essays, if they see language is similar. So I would caution people, if they are using admission consultants, not to have anyone share any of your essays with anyone else, because if they apply to Fuqua, we’re going to see it. If you’ve applied to Fuqua, and they’ve used any aspect of your essay, and then they apply to Fuqua, it will pick up. And so just a caution there.

We’ve occasionally, over the years, had applicants use essays that we recognized as being previous clients’ essays. [41:48]

It wasn’t a good idea. [41:58].

It picked up on that.

It wasn’t a good idea. I mean, you can do it programmatically, we were just doing it. What do you see coming down the pike for the MBA program at Fuqua? [42:00]

Yeah, so I think a lot of it’s still in design, but I expect more elective content on climate and AI-

From an academic perspective. We do expect to have a couple courses that connect climate to business, and we have already approved an elective in sustainable operations. We’re also offering a climate-centered, like I said, GATE to Northern Europe next year, which will be interesting. That’s the one that’s led by Dan Vermeer. We expect a faculty member who will propose a new course that’s focused on modern AI in business. It hasn’t been approved yet, but could be an elective next year. And then we’ll be offering the first versions of a seminar and lab focused on our venture capital. We already have a seminar and lab that we put out last year on private equity, and all of those offerings are part of our Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship initiative. And one thing that is interesting and new at Fuqua is that all of Duke University’s entrepreneurship activity is now housed out of Fuqua.

Yeah, so Duke I&E, which is Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship, which was the university’s ecosystem around entrepreneurship, merged with our Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, which was Fuqua, and all of it is now housed, staff, all the content, all the intellectual property, all the research, and the faculty, and the students from undergrad, to all the different professional schools, all of them are now working and collaborating within the halls of Fuqua. Which is really great, we’re really excited. They just outfitted a new space for them, and so an accelerator space for them, which will be nice.

That’s really exciting. What about reapplicants? It’s summertime, I’m sure there’s some people out there thinking about reapplying, what advice do you have for reapplicants to Fuqua? [43:53]

Yeah, for students who are reapplying, we do offer a cloning process for them, just to make it a little easier. So we’ll replicate their application from last year. We consider you a reapplicant if it’s just for the prior year, so it can’t be two years from now and that kind of thing. But if you decide to reapply from the prior year, then we’ll save your… Let us know, there’s an email that you can send, and a request form, and we will clone your application. There’s no need to re-enter their information into the online application. We can even move over their recommender feedback, so that that’s helpful, so they don’t have to go back out to the same recommender.

We offer them the opportunity to update any other information though on their application, and there is a reapplicant essay that they need to submit. And that really is just kind of being reflective of the prior year, and letting us know what they’ve learned, what’s different, what’s new. I do recommend that people just review their prior year’s application, maybe take a look at the 25, is it still relevant? Do they want to switch out anything, or change up anything? Being really pensive and thoughtful about the reapplication essay. And I say that because if you think about it, if you just rely on the cloning and you don’t update anything, and you know that last year’s application, for whatever reason, it’s just not always just because your application, but for whatever reason you weren’t successful, if you make no changes, what makes you think you’re going to be successful if nothing changes? So I would say-

Right. The definition of insanity. [45:34]

Right. That’s what I was thinking. Yeah, exactly. So I do think it’s worth their time to just take a look, see what they might want to refresh, and then also be really thoughtful about that reapplicant essay. But we try and make it as easy as possible. We’ll have events for reapplicants, and webinars, and sessions to really kind of help walk them through the process. But we welcome them, we welcome reapplicants, and we have a high rate of folks who we reapply who actually get admitted the following year. So I do think it’s worth reapplying. Absolutely.

What are some common mistakes that you see? [46:11]

I’m glad you asked that question. So I would say, one would be during the recruiting process, ask admissions reps to compare their programs to other schools. I think the better approach is to reflect on what’s important to you in a program as an applicant. Be prepared to share that, and then inquire with each school how does their program match up to what’s important to you, instead of how it matches up to another institution. I feel like it’s the applicant’s job to really know the differences between institutions, and it’s each admissions rep at an institution to know what’s unique about their institution really well. And it’s also just not good form or respectful for admissions reps to contrast institutions, as all these programs are really strong, and there’s just as much as similar as different. And I really believe that there’s a place for everyone, and so it’s really better to start with what’s important to you.

Another mistake I would say to shy away from is, I’ve seen applicants not explain aspects of their application that may be viewed as outside that middle 80% range, especially if it’s on the lower end. So if there’s anything that’s in your profile that you feel is not a strength, I would urge you to really tell us what you’ve done to shore up that area. Be proactive. Demonstrate self-awareness and humility. At the same time, don’t allow us to assume, or make up a story about what happened in that particular space, or what that means, but really be proactive to say, “It looks like I’m a little different from this… Outside of this class profile range, but let me tell you why. What I’ve done, or how I’m unique in this other way, or how I’ve started to work on these aspects that might be a little bit different from what that class profile makeup in the aggregate looks like.”

And then I would just say, also doubting themselves upfront, not taking that bet in the first place. I really believe, again, that there’s an MBA program out there for everyone. I believe strongly in the value of the MBA. It’s been pivotal in my life, and it really surprises me that certain students will say… They’ll feel like they have to move mountains before they even are ready to apply. And I say, “You are good just as you are. You deserve this kind of investment in yourself through the pursuit of an MBA. And I’d say just go for it. Don’t doubt yourself.”

And then being really communicative, I also say another thing to just be aware of and be sensitive to is when you’re really communicative initially when you’re recruiting with our schools, but then you’re MIA once you get an offer. It’s not kind, it’s not the decent look. We want what’s best for everyone who’s applying, and especially those we admit, but we’re human beings in the process, so we can appreciate, and really like when there’s mutual respect throughout that process. So even if you decide after getting our offer that another school’s a better place for you, that is totally fine. I would just say be upfront, be honest, be in communication, don’t ghost the admissions team.

I completely agree with you. [49:09]

And then the last one, just more about when you’re preparing to start your program, once you get admitted and then accepted and you’re preparing to really start, make sure you’re paying attention to the many communications that you’re going to receive from the school to help you get ready to start. I would say stay on top of those emails. I see time and time again people not paying attention to the emails, and then before they know it, the program’s starting, or before they know it, they’ve missed some kind of deadline that’s going to be really important for them.

And so you’re going to feel, as an incoming student, much more prepared and calm, not scrambling when the time comes, if you stay on top of those communications, and meet the deadlines, and the checklists, and things like that that you’re being asked to do in order to get you prepared. ‘Cause really, the schools, they have your best interest in their minds when they are trying to stage the communications and say, “Hey, we need for you to do X, Y, and Z, because it’s really in your best interest to have all that done.” Because you will not believe how much information – you’ll be deluged. There’ll be a deluge of information once you start, and so if you’re not even in the mindset and practice of you responding and paying attention to that stuff even before you start, you’re going to feel lost, and that’s not what you want. You want to start your program feeling really comfortable, and calm, and prepared, and confident.

That’s great advice. Thank you so much. What would you have liked me to ask you? [50:24]

Let’s see. So I talked a little bit already about our test scores. I would say maybe the only other thing would be how we think about wait lists-

How do you think about wait lists? [50:38]

We maintain a selective and active wait list. It’s not ranked, so we don’t have any kind of ranking if you’re on the waitlist. And so if you’re put on the waitlist in round one, you may be admitted in subsequent rounds, so we try and look at every subsequent round to see if there’s anyone that we’d like to pull off the waitlist.

We encourage people to stay in touch and submit documentation. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming, but if there’s something new and different, or if you’ve retaken a test, or if you’ve gotten a promotion, or even if it’s just to say, “I’m still really interested.” And so definitely be in communication. We look at it as a two-way relationship when you’re on the waitlist. We have a healthy number of people that we admit off the waitlist every year, and they come and they thrive. I mean, I’ll tell you, there are a number of our co-presidents of our MBA student association who have been folks who have been admitted off the waitlist. So it’s a process that we take very seriously, and we know it’s a process that can be very angst-ridden, but we don’t want it to be. So I would say be in communication with us, and we’ll be in communication with you too.

Sounds good. Shari, I want to thank you so much for joining me today. Where can listeners and potential applicants learn more about Duke Fuqua? [51:49]

Yeah, so visit our website . I would encourage people to attend our events. We already are starting to be on the road, but if you’d like to learn more, you can always visit our website.

Relevant Links:

Duke Fuqua Admissions
Getting to Know Each Other Through 25 Random Things – Shari Hubert

Relevant shows:

How to Get an MBA at Columbia Business School – podcast Episode 528
How to Get Accepted to NYU Stern – podcast Episode 525
How to Get Into Georgetown McDonough’s MBA Program – podcast Episode 512
How to Get Accepted to Cornell Johnson MBA – podcast Episode 488
How Service To School Helps Veterans Get Accepted to Grad School – podcast Episode 524
Previous Interview with Shari Hubert – podcast Episode 434

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Homepage > MBA Admissions > MBA Application Process > Duke Fuqua MBA Essays – Analysis & tips for 2023 intake

Duke Fuqua MBA Essays – Analysis & tips for 2023 intake

Posted by Suheb Hussain | Oct 13, 2022 | Business Schools , GMAT Focus Edition , MBA Admissions , MBA Application Process

Duke Fuqua MBA program that seeks ‘leaders of consequence’ is known for a culture that is “more supportive, more collaborative, more immersive and more diverse.”Fuqua has made a few minor changes to the 2022-23 application. The word limits for Essay 2 and the optional essay have been increased from 300 words to 500 words. Allison Jamison , Assistant Dean of Admissions, explains the reasons for the changes: “We wanted to be sure applicants had the space needed to be able to explain not just what activities or groups they want to be involved in, but why they want to be involved with them. So take advantage of the additional space!” Additionally, the 25 random things essay now comes with a word limit of 750 words.

Fuqua continues to require one LOR. You may also submit one optional LOR.

Reapplicants can replicate their application from last year, but they can update any information they like. Reapplicants also have the option of submitting one or two new letters of recommendation if they wish.

In this article, Poonam Tandon from myEssayReview, who has been helping students with their MBA applications since 2011, shares her tips on the Duke Fuqua MBA essay for the 2023 intake. But, let’s first take a look at the essay guidelines and application deadlines.

Guidelines for the Fuqua MBA Essay Questions 2022-23

The basic guidelines for all the Duke Fuqua MBA Essays are as follows:

You are required to use 1.5-line spacing, and the font size should not be smaller than 10-points.
Respond concisely and fully
Do not repeat the questions in the essay document that you upload with your application
Two Short answer questions – 500-character equivalent to 100 words each
Two Long answer questions – Not more than two pages each
Optional Essay – One page
Re-applicants Essay – Not more than two pages
Do not copy-paste your responses as all the essays are scanned using plagiarism detection software
The short question responses should be written in the space provided on the Duke MBA application form
The applicant needs to upload the long question responses, where they would be able to preview their answers once the document is uploaded.

Application Deadlines 2022-23: Duke Fuqua MBA Program

The following are the deadlines for the Duke Fuqua Full-time MBA program:

Learn more about the Duke’s Fuqua School of Business MBA Program Class Profile, Employment Reports, and Notable Alumni .

Duke MBA Essays Analysis and Tips

The Duke Fuqua MBA program made a few changes in the essay questions this year. The first longer response question, the iconic 25 random things remains unchanged.

But, the required length of the second longer response essay has been reduced from two pages to only 300 words. Additionally, the short answer questions have also been further revised this year.

Instead of two short questions, the candidates will be answering only one short answer question this year. The three essays allow applicants to cover a lot of ground about their personal and professional traits and accomplishments.

The first required essay is Duke’s favorite for many years- ’25 Random Things about Yourself’ prompt; the second essay prompt asks applicants about their ‘fit’ with ‘Team Fuqua’, while the third one asks them about their post-MBA goal and their alternate plan.

Required Short Answer Question

Instructions: Answer the following question in 500 characters only (the equivalent of about 100 words).

What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan. (500 characters, or about 100 words)

For this question, you will elaborate on your post-MBA career goals as well as your alternate plans if your first-choice plans do not materialize. Please identify the position that you hope to hold immediately after your MBA, specifying your role, position, industry, and 1-2 organizations/companies for which you would like to work for. Articulate your goal and explain why this goal is interesting and important to you. Please note that your post-MBA goal shows a logical progression from your current skill set, and skills and knowledge acquired through an MBA degree. Also, make sure that your goals are ambitious as well as realistic.

Then think about your plan B. Duke admits that ‘life is full of uncertainties, and you may come across situations that might prevent you from realizing your post-MBA goals. So you must be prepared for plan B. Please make sure that your alternative career path is not an altogether different path that does not allow you to leverage your skills and experience to the fullest. It should be in alignment with your experience, skills, and knowledge gained from your MBA education.

First Required Essay: 25 Random Things About Yourself

Instructions: Present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be only a few words, while others may be longer. Your complete list should not exceed two pages.

For context: Fuqua believes different types of people, points of view, and experiences bring out the best in everyone. And above all, we place a premium on succeeding while making a positive impact on businesses, organizations, and the world.

These ways of thinking set the Duke MBA experience apart, and this concept extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration.

When a new person joins the Admissions team, we ask that person to share with everyone in the office a list of “25 Random Things About Yourself”. As an Admissions team, we already know the new hire’s professional and academic background, so learning these “25 Random Things” helps us get to know someone’s personality, background, special talents, and more.

In this spirit, the admissions committee also wants to get to know you–beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript.

You can share with us important life experiences, your likes/dislikes, hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are. Share with us your list of “25 Random Things” about YOU.

This question about ‘a list of 25 random things’ about applicants is Duke’s favorite for many years. It is my favorite, as well. For years, I have enjoyed working with applicants on this question as it offers me a glimpse into the ‘fun’ side of their personalities.

As stated in the essay prompt, the purpose of this question is to get to know you–beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript . This means that the admission committee wants you to share with them your ‘ important life experiences, your likes/dislikes, hobbies, achievements, fun facts or anything that helps them understand who you are as a person “.

Thus, the purpose of this essay is to show the admission committee your multidimensional personality.

Over the years, I have noticed that the candidates initially find this question a little daunting and are tempted to discuss their professional accomplishments, but when they dig deeper and begin brainstorming ideas about unique and exciting things about themselves, and the unique personal experiences that have made them who they are, they start enjoying this process of self-discovery.

I advise them to do these brainstorming sessions with their family and friends and ask them what they find interesting and funny about them.

Please note that the word ‘ random’ allows you to include little fun things that you have done or are doing in your day-to-day life, your hobbies/ habits that have become an integral part of your personality.

The unique component of this essay question is the “fun” part of it. So you don’t need to get too serious about yourself. You want to share something about you that draws your reader in.

Also, please resist the temptation of drifting away from your accomplishments, career goals, or leadership experiences because this is NOT what the Admission Committee seeks to know about you through this question. For ideas, you may refer to the following examples on Duke Website:

Examples of “25 Random Things”

25 Interesting Facts About Me
My 25 Random Things
More Random Things

Bottom Line: Be Yourself

Second Required Essay: The Fuqua community and you

Instructions: Your response should be no more than 300 words.

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?

This essay is primarily about your contribution to the school. Duke emphasizes greatly on how their students will make their community more productive. Hence for this question, you must do your homework and research the school thoroughly.

You need to think beyond your contribution to the classroom and discuss how your involvement in clubs, organizations, and student communities will add value to the program.

In addition to understanding the school’s resources (curriculum, faculty, clubs, organizations, and student activities) through the website, you should reach out to alumni and current students to gain additional insights about the school’s culture and resources.

Please note that it is vital to support your claims about your potential contribution to specific clubs and organizations by specific examples from your past experiences- personal or professional- in the given area.

In order to demonstrate your ‘fit’ with the program, you must showcase what you have done in the past and how you will be a strong contributor to Duke as a student and as an alumnus.

Allison Jamison’s advice: “ Our second essay will still ask you about how you plan to engage with the Fuqua community, but we would like you to limit it to the three most meaningful ways you expect to engage as a student. While there are so many opportunities available, one of the first skills you must develop as a student is how to prioritize what’s most important to you. There will also be a 300-word limit on this essay. Again, we hope this change helps you to focus on things that spark your interest, while also providing the Admissions Committee with helpful insights into the unique contributions you will bring to the class.”

Optional Essay: Tell us more

If you feel there are circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware, please explain them in an optional essay (such as unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance), please describe them in an optional essay.

Please do NOT upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area of the application and limit your response to one page.

As instructed in the essay prompt, submit the optional essay only if you have to explain extenuating circumstances. (e. g, “unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance “).

If you have a low GPA or less than ideal GMAT, or if you are not able to get a recommendation from your current supervisor, or if you have an employment gap, you may address these concerns in your optional essay. Your weakness may also bring out a positive aspect of your personality. This essay should convey that you are aware that these are areas of concern in your application, but, whenever possible, you have made a sincere effort to improve upon these areas.

If you do not have any of those areas to explain, it is best to skip this question and focus only on the required three essays.

About the author

Poonam, one of the top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club , is a master storyteller with more than three decades of experience in successfully helping students craft compelling stories for undergraduate and graduate school programs.

A Ph.D. in English, with three decades of teaching experience in India and the US, Poonam launched myEssayReview (MER) in 2011 to provide highly personalized and dedicated consulting services to Business School applicants. Since then, she has helped hundreds of students around the world get into top MBA, EMBA, part-time MBA, and specialized graduate programs. A full-time consultant, Poonam is passionate about her work and is highly committed to each of her students’ success.

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2023-2024 Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Analysis and Tips

Admit expert.

July 15, 2023

The objective of Duke Fuqua is to prepare its students to inspire organizations in a way that has both a positive impact on the bottom line and a positive impact on the world. The admissions committee seeks to develop a class profile that embraces this objective and cultivates a culture that develops strong ties among students, faculty, and staff, as well as their families.

Duke is a popular choice when it comes to elite MBA programs, meaning it’s no easy task to win a spot in its small class.

Duke’s admissions team goes through thousands of applications every year to find the best people to let into its class of about 400 students. Duke places a lot of value on diversity, teamwork, and collaboration. Duke is also a highly community-driven school and tends to look for a certain set of characteristics in prospective students.

If this sounds like a place where you’d feel right at home, you’ll need to show Duke that you’re up to the task by answering their admissions essay questions well.

Required short-answer essay question

First required essay: 25 random things about yourself, second required essay: the fuqua community and you, optional essay: tell us more, application deadlines, short-answer essay question, advice from duke fuqua, essay 1 tips, essay 2 tips, optional essay, let us help you get into duke fuqua, duke fuqua mba essays 2023-2024.

You’ll need to provide your response to one short answer and two longer essay questions as part of your application.

Instructions: Answer the following question in 100 words.

What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan.

Your list will be limited to 2 pages (750 words maximum). Please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be brief, while others may be longer.

Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).

What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan. (max 100 words)

It’s a pretty straightforward question.

The admissions committee knows that even the finest plans don’t always work out as planned or may even have unintended consequences.

It wants to know that you are ready to switch gears and recommit to a different path if you need to and that you are fully capable of doing so.

The key to answering this question is to show that your backup goal is just as connected to your skills, interests, and goals as your original plan and doesn’t come out completely disconnected.

For example, it might be hard to persuade the admissions committee that your short-term goal is to work in Private Equity and your alternative goal is to work as an Energy sector consultant since these jobs usually require very different skills and personalities. Just make sure that both of the goals you set are reasonable and doable.

In short, identify your immediate post-MBA goals and even list a few companies you’d like to work for. As a follow-up, explain how the short term serves as a bridge to the long term. If you have room, mention the impact you aim to have as a result of what you’ll be doing.

You’ll also need to identify a second post-MBA job that will help you achieve your stated long-term goals.

Topic – 25 random things about yourself

Instructions

To be presented in a list form, numbered 1 to 25
Maximum 750 words
Limited to 2 pages

At first, it may seem tough to come up with twenty-five odd items. Begin by brainstorming with friends and family to get ideas flowing. To begin, find out what makes you stand out from the crowd. Then, have them give the first thing that comes to mind when they’re asked about you,. Another approach is to always have a notebook nearby so that you may jot down ideas as they come to you.

How do you organize your list once you have 25 random things? You can structure them alphabetically. Alternatively, you can arrange the items in the list from shortest to longest. It’s also a good idea to break up long explanations into short ones. However, you can also keep the list purely random to make the reader keep guessing.

Allison Jamison , Duke Fuqua’s Assistant Dean of Admissions, said that this is the essay their admissions team likes to read the most.

Our team at Admit Expert is the same way. One of our favorite things to do every year is to help candidates choose which fun facts about themselves to share.

The best thing to do with this list is to have some fun with it. After all, they could have asked, “How do you think you can help make Fuqua a more diverse place?” but instead gave you this more open way to do it.

Before you start, we suggest you read this post from Megan Overby , Former Director of Admissions. In it, she talks about why Fuqua came up with this question, which is still important today.

You can also take a look at this video featuring Natasha Gore, Fuqua Admissions team member, sharing a few tips on this essay.

For ideas, you may refer to the following examples on Duke Website:

Examples of “25 Random Things”

25 Interesting Facts About Me
My 25 Random Things
More Random Things

Here are a few tips to help you write this unique essay:

Keep an optimistic attitude! Share joyful recollections, amusing details, intriguing skills, and (very brief) tales of perseverance and achievement. Avoid failure and disappointment at all costs (unless you can be light-hearted or self-effacing about it).
Aim to include all aspects of your life, including non-work-related interests and significant personal information and relationships. Writing about why you adored your grandmother as a child or what you learned during a long-distance relationship phase will assist the admissions committee get to know you beyond your résumé.
Think twice before bringing up religion or politics, just as you would on a first date or a job interview. If these topics are significant enough to justify mention, keep your comments to personal significance and community dimensions (i.e., avoid attempting to teach or persuade the reader).
Take the long perspective. Sharing a few pieces of information about your childhood that can provide admissions officers with unique insight not seen elsewhere in your application. In the meantime, discussing contemporary favorites (e.g., food, film, travel destination, or place to visit in your city or town) can reveal who you are today.
Brief examples, such as learning something the hard way when traveling abroad or working hard to develop a new pastime, can demonstrate both your interests and your approach to overcoming obstacles.
We suggest no more than five work-related list items (and suggest that you aim for even fewer). The adcom can read about your professional background elsewhere in your application, as suggested by the prologue.
Aim for balance in your list’s content; rather than listing items chronologically or by domain (e.g., professional, personal, extracurricular), mix things up and keep your reader guessing to make this genuinely “random.”
Show your draft to a close friend or relative to gain their opinion on how well you’ve captured your personality and whether you’ve missed anything.

Do you want to impress the Duke Fuqua Adcom?

At Admit Expert, we have helped hundreds of students get into top MBA programs around the world. We would be happy to help you too. Schedule a free call with us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your goals.

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The Fuqua community and you

1 page (500 words maximum)

When writing your Duke Fuqua MBA essay, be explicit about why you want to join the Team Fuqua. As a result, the best essays for the Duke MBA program will be both personal and well-researched. Everybody benefits from having a wide alumni network. Because of this, what will you give and receive from your peers?

The admissions committee at Fuqua, just like they did the year before, makes it abundantly apparent that you are required to detail three particular ways in which you believe you can contribute to Fuqua (rather than leaving the number of items up to you).

In our opinion, the success of this article is contingent on three factors: research, authenticity, and conciseness.

This is an even greater challenge, considering that you need to mention three things while only using 500 words total.

To begin, you will need to undertake a significant amount of research. It is going to be very difficult for you to create an essay that is convincing about why you feel that you belong at Fuqua if you don’t know too much about the community at Fuqua.

Next, you need to choose a topic and convey that you’re genuinely passionate about this topic. The best way to choose a topic for this short essay is to reflect on your own experiences. To begin, see if there are any clubs in Fuqua that share your passions. Next, think about what classes you’d like to take that will help you expand your expertise. Finally, use instances from your own life to demonstrate your interests and motivations in your writing.

Proper program fit is critical. It would be ideal if you were able to demonstrate personal characteristics that Duke Fuqua holds dear. Fuqua, for example, is very interested in what you do in your community. Your Duke Fuqua application will consequently be heavily influenced by your involvement in the community.

Lastly, try to keep your essay as short as you can. You should leave enough room to fully explain your different examples and make sure to connect each one to the Duke community. However, this is not the place to write a poem about how much you love Duke. But it can be hard to write such a short essay, so make sure you read our post on how to write great short essays here!

Tell us more:

If you feel there are circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g. unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance). Note that you should NOT upload additional essays or additional recommendations in this area. The Optional Information section is intended to provide the admissions committee with insight into your circumstances only.

The question for this Duke MBA essay is pretty specific, and you should only use this optional essay to talk about weaknesses in your application.

Even though the adcom says responses can be up to one page long, you should keep your answers as short and straightforward as possible.

This is not the place to talk about your life story, why you want to go to Duke, or why you need an MBA. It is also not a place to copy and paste a good essay you wrote for another school. Make sure you only talk about your weaknesses and talk about what steps you have taken or will take to fix them.

We will help you write essays that portray your unique strengths and experiences in the most favorable light so that your application shines above the rest. We have helped hundreds of students get into top US business schools. Let us help you too.

Do you want to get into your dream business school?

Take the first step towards your MBA dream and schedule a free 1 on 1 application strategy call with us.

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Duke MBA Application Deadlines and Essay Advice: 2023-2024

Duke Fuqua has confirmed its deadlines for 2023-2024 MBA hopefuls.

For those interested in applying to Duke Fuqua, the school offers an early action deadline, along with three regular rounds.

The Duke MBA Application Deadlines Are:

Early Action: September 7, 2023

Round 1: September 28, 2023

Round 2: January 9, 2024

Round 3: February 22, 2024

While Duke has not confirmed its essay questions for 2023-2024 applications, please see below for Personal MBA Coach’s tips on how to answer last year’s Duke MBA essays. We will update this blog when Duke confirms the questions for 2023-2024 applicants.

Personal MBA Coach’s Tips for the Duke MBA Essays:

First, there is a required short answer question: What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first choice career plan and your alternate plan.

This is a simple short-answer goals essay. Check out Personal MBA Coach’s blog on writing winning essays for some more advice. Also, make sure to check this quick tips video on developing your MBA career goals:

As in previous years, Duke asks applicants to answer two additional essay questions.

Duke MBA Essay 1: 25 Random Things About Yourself

Your list will be limited to 2 pages (750 words maximum). Please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be brief, while others may be longer.

With this first Duke MBA essay, be yourself and have fun. The majority of this essay should be personal, including hobbies, passions and interesting facts. These facts do not need to be formal. This is your chance to show how you are unique. It is also a great opportunity to weave in additional elements of your personal story and let the reader in on your personality. Include not only the what but also some of the why behind your facts.

There are no wrong answers here, but Personal MBA Coach advises that clients limit repetition and do not include a lot of professional details.

Check out these examples from Duke to get some additional inspiration!

Duke MBA Essay 2: The Fuqua Community and You

Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).

For this Duke MBA essay, pick only THREE things.

An ideal answer will show that you are a well-rounded and engaged citizen and will act this way as well once you get on campus. They want to see that you did your research and really know why you want to go to Duke and how you will improve the community.

You should include a mix of what you have done in the past AND specifically how you will be active on campus. In addition to discussing the Fuqua culture, you should specifically mention how you will be involved on campus.

Name specific clubs you might join, programs you hope to establish and/or ways you would like to become involved in the broader community. Even though Duke Fuqua shortened this essay, it is particularly important to Fuqua that candidates have clearly thought through their unique roles on campus, so be sure to devote plenty of time to research for this essay!

Duke MBA Optional essay: Tell us more

Instructions: Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).

Duke Fuqua also has an optional essay. However, DO NOT feel compelled to answer this Duke MBA application essay. In most instances, Personal MBA Coach advises candidates only with extenuating circumstances (i.e., low GPAs or gaps in employment) to provide additional information here.

Looking for more information on the Duke Fuqua MBA program? Visit Personal MBA Coach’s Duke Fuqua guide to get program-specific MBA application tips, class profile information, insights from students and admissions directors, and more! Watch this client testimonial video from our client who was admitted to Duke Fuqua to hear more about how Personal MBA Coach can help you prepare a winning MBA application:

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Tuesday Tips: Duke MBA Essays and Tips for 2023-2024

Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business is a community-oriented program seeking a diverse class of accomplished students. The Duke MBA essays remain the same this year. As you decide what to write about in your essays, carefully review the application instructions . The Duke Fuqua admissions committee seeks a well-rounded class of MBA students who are motivated and collaborative. Give serious thought to what you value in an MBA program. Part of your research on Duke Fuqua should include talking to current students and alums. And remember, make sure you let your personality shine through in the application!

Learn all about Team Fuqua on B-Schooled Podcast Episode #84 : Spotlight on Fuqua

Duke MBA Essays and Tips

Required short-answer essay question, instructions: answer the following question in 100 words. what are your post-mba career goals share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan..

This is a concise essay asking for your vision for your career. Think big picture and focus on the overall story trajectory. How will your career goals flow from the combination of your MBA and your past experiences? The career goals essay is about your ability to assess your skills and plan for the future. However, it’s not a commitment to a specific path.

Listen as SBC consultant Sherry, former assistant director of admissions at the Fuqua School of Business, explains how to clearly and concisely express your post-MBA career goals.

@stacyblackmanconsulting #sbcyourfuture ? original sound – Stacy Blackman Consulting

To that point, Duke MBA admissions wants to know your first and alternate choices in careers. In response, think about goals that fit with your background and personality. Also, show what you could explore if your first plan doesn’t work out. Flexibility is helpful in a changing world and valuable for this Duke MBA essay.

For example, say your primary goal is to work in marketing in the consumer packaged goods industry. Therefore, you might be interested in a company like General Mills. If you don’t find the right job in that industry after Duke, maybe you would consider marketing for a retailer, such as Target. This could be an alternative career path because it allows you to develop a marketing career while remaining flexible about the industry.

Or, you may have two separate interests and want to consider both of them. Your Plan A is to join a strategy consulting firm after graduation. However, if you don’t receive a job at your top choice firm, you would think about co-founding a start-up as another possible path. Think about your range of interests and go from there.

Because you have limited space in this Duke MBA essay, boil your plans down to a clear statement. You should support any ideas for an MBA and career goals with the information provided in your resume, recommendations, and other essays. In particular, Duke Fuqua should be the ideal training ground for your future career.

Curious about your chances of getting into a top B-school such as Duke Fuqua? Contact us to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session with an SBC Principal Consultant.

First Required Essay: 25 Random Things About Yourself

The ‘team fuqua’ spirit and community is one of the things that sets the mba experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. please share with us “25 random things” about you. the admissions committee wants to get to know you – beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. share with us important life experiences, your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are., your list will be limited to 2 pages (750 words maximum). please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. some points may be brief, while others may be longer..

This Duke MBA essay is entirely open-ended. As a result, you can cover your background, work experiences, values, and hobbies. This is the place to tell your most compelling stories and make sure that personal topics are relevant to your Duke Fuqua application.

To help you answer this question, the Duke admissions committee has posted its own 25 Random Things examples. These range from very personal (engagement stories) to inspiring (starting a company from nothing). Consider the variety of responses as you draft your list.

Twenty-five random things may seem impossible to come up with at first. Therefore, start your creative process by brainstorming with friends and family. First, ask them what they think is unique and memorable about you. Then, ask them to share the first story that comes to mind when asked about you. Another idea is to keep a notebook handy at all times to record your thoughts as inspiration strikes.

Once you have 25 random things, how do you structure your list? You can structure it chronologically, thematically, or even alphabetically. Also, you could organize the list so that it builds from shorter to longer items. Another idea is to alternate paragraphs of explanations with sets of one-sentence items.

Structure the list to make it easy to read and follow. But resist the urge to package the list too perfectly. Remember, content is always the essential part of these Duke MBA essays. Also, the point of this essay is to show Fuqua your personality. This makes the essay a crucial part of your overall Duke Fuqua application.

Learn more about SBC’s 2-hour strategy engagement , which explores your strengths and weaknesses, target schools, positioning and differentiation AND allows you to test the waters with your consultant before committing to a full package.

Second Required Essay: the Fuqua Community and You

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 to the development of leaders. based on your understanding of the fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at fuqua, your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum)..

For this Duke Fuqua MBA essay, you should be specific about why Team Fuqua is the right place for you. As a result, the best Duke MBA essays will be personal yet informed. Everyone benefits from a diverse alumni network. Therefore, what will you specifically give and receive from your classmates?

To decide on areas to focus on for this short essay, think about your past experiences. First, does Fuqua have clubs that match your interests? Next, what classes are intriguing and would help you build upon your knowledge? Finally, offer specific examples from your past experiences to show your passions.

Fit with the program is crucial. Ideally, you would showcase personal qualities that Duke Fuqua values. For example, Fuqua is especially interested in your role within your community. Community involvement, therefore, has significant weight in your Duke Fuqua application.

Also, This essay can be a place to talk about how the Duke MBA fits into your career goals. What do you know now that a Fuqua MBA education will further enhance? And what skills will you learn at Duke to benefit your future?

Overall, the main focus should be your contributions to the Duke community. Think about how you plan to improve the experience of others at Duke.

Fuqua School of Business – Keller Center East – Hall of Flags

Optional essay: tell us more, if you feel there are circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g. unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance). note that you should not upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area. the optional information section is intended to provide the admissions committee with insight into your circumstances only. your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum)..

Remember, this essay is only for exceptional circumstances. Therefore, do not use this essay to add new information to your Duke Fuqua application. If you have a low GPA, a gap in work history, or recommender issues, you should write this essay. Otherwise, plan to skip this question.

Focus on explanations and future performance in this essay. In a factual and positive manner, write that you know there could be questions about your background. Then, describe how you have improved. Your goal is to show that you have addressed or corrected any past issues. You are now on a successful trajectory and can handle Duke Fuqua’s academics. Overall your goal is to show you are ready to contribute to Duke Fuqua.

Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs, from our All-In Partnership to hourly help reviewing your MBA resume. Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant. Meanwhile, here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team .

With deadlines around the corner, you may be interested in the world-famous SBC Flight Test . Once a full set of application materials for your initial school have been drafted, but not finalized, the application will be sent to a former admissions committee member for a one-time review, adcomm style. You’ll have the benefit of a true admissions committee review while still having the ability to tinker and change. You will receive written feedback within two business days after submitting.

Duke Fuqua’s Dean Wants to Recruit ‘Triple Threat’ MBA Applicants

Duke Fuqua Grads Flock to Consulting

Duke mba deadlines for 2023-2024.

Duke Fuqua Welcomes Shari Hubert as Assoc Dean of Admissions

Learn About Our All-In Service

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before you go

Help us keep in touch — it won’t take long, application instructions, application instructions - daytime mba, help us get to know you better.

We want you to put your best foot forward. Please look over the instructions on this page to help you prepare your application to Duke’s Daytime MBA program. We appreciate all the work you’re doing to ensure your application package is complete. Remember the admissions committee can only review completed application packages. If you have questions after looking over the information here, feel free to send an email to the admissions office .

The 2023-2024 Daytime MBA application is now closed. The 2024-2025 application will be available in early July.

Personal information needed:

Educational background
Unofficial Transcripts
Employment history
Business resume
Activities and achievements
Self-reported test scores

Program information includes your choices for:

Preferred interview location
Dual degrees (if applicable)
Concentration or concentrations (not required)
Certificates or MSTeM Track (not required)

Application basics:

You’ll need to create a profile and get a PIN to access the system.
You may access the application as many times as you like before submitting it.
Detailed instructions are available in the online system.
Your application will not be evaluated until you submit it and all supporting materials are received and verified.

Do your research

Talk to family, friends, and mentors. Visit our campus and attend a recruiting event, and then decide whether this program is right for you.

Review the online application and deadlines. Consider important aspects of the timeline, including:

When to apply if you’re an international student
When to schedule your interview
When you’ll receive a decision
When your non-refundable tuition deposits are due
When to start the visa process if required

Submit your application

Ensure that your application is complete, including your resume, essays, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and application fee. You can view your application status by logging into your student portal.

There are two types of interviews for admission to Fuqua: those done during the Open Interview Period, and interviews by invitation (which includes interviews conducted during our invitation-only diversity weekends). Depending on when you apply and interview, you may also want to schedule your campus visit activities at the same time.

Receive a decision

You’ll be notified via email of your admission decision on the decision date for the round in which you apply.

To reserve your place in the class, you must submit:

Two non-refundable tuition deposits, one following the round in which you were admitted, and a second in June prior to the start of the program
Official test scores sent directly from the testing agency
Official transcripts sent directly from the institution/s you attended

Your non-refundable deposits can only be made in the following ways: credit card, personal check, money order, e-check, or wire transfer. Please plan accordingly so you don't miss the deposit deadlines.

Visit Fuqua

The best way to learn about Fuqua and the Daytime MBA program is by experiencing it firsthand. We encourage you to take part in our campus visit program and Blue Devil Weekend (for admitted students). Visiting campus, either in person or virtually, will not only provide insight to inform your final decision to join the program, but will also provide you with information on transitioning to the Durham area.

Access our incoming student website

Shortly after admission, you will receive access to our incoming student website. This will be your main source of information, helping you more fully understand our community and our expectations and giving you a better idea of what it will be like to be a full-time MBA student at Duke.

Here you’ll find all the information you'll need to transition into your new academic life:

Program announcements
Technical and computer information
Academic assignments to prepare to return to school
Relocation information
Classmate information

Apply for a visa

If applicable, visa application information will be included in your student portal along with specific deadlines for submission. Visa processing can take up to several months to complete, so it is critical you apply in Early Action, Round 1, Round 2, or Round 3 to ensure that you are able to join the program on time.

Application Requirements

Legible, scanned copies of all unofficial transcripts are required for each college or university you have attended where you:

earned (or will earn) a degree;
studied for one semester or more;
earned 12 or more credits (note: 4 or more credits if your university awards 1 credit for the typical class instead of 3 credits);
and/or took a class that relates to your graduate study interests.

If you took classes at a college or university while in high school, do not list the college or university as a separate school in your application.

For transfer credits: Follow the guidelines listed above, but please note that for any transferred credits that qualify to be reported, we need to see grades/marks . If the grades/marks as well as the credits appear on your degree-conferring institution's transcript, then the additional transcript will not be required.

For student abroad credits: Please follow the same guidelines as for transfer credits.

Transcripts must include:

Your name and the name of the institution
Each course taken and the grade received
The degree received and date conferred

If your transcripts do not state the degree and date conferred, upload a copy of your diploma in addition to the transcript. If your transcript is not in English, it must be translated, attested, and uploaded along with the originals. Those applying from outside the U.S. should see additional transcript guidelines for international students.

Two options for sending transcripts:

Electronically to [email protected]
Directly by mail in a sealed envelope to: Duke University The Fuqua School of Business Office of Admissions 100 Fuqua Drive, Box 90120 Durham, NC 27708-0120

If you do not submit your official transcripts on time, or if you misrepresent, falsify, or omit information, we may rescind any offer of admission or financial assistance.

When to submit copies of official transcripts

Only if you are admitted to the program, will you be required to submit official transcripts from each college or university you have attended for verification. The due date for official transcripts will be noted in your admitted student portal. If you have not yet completed your studies by this date, your official transcripts should reach The Fuqua School of Business no later than one week before your program begins.

You’ll need to provide your thoughts on one short answer and two longer essay questions as part of your application.

Instructions for all written submissions

Responses should use 1.5-line spacing and a font size no smaller than 10-point.
Do not repeat the question in the document you upload with your application as this will cause the essay to be flagged for plagiarism.
Respond fully and concisely.
Length requirements vary by question and are detailed below.
Responses must be completed before submitting your application.

All essays are scanned using plagiarism detection software. Expressing your ideas by using verbiage from existing sources, including websites and other applicants' essays or materials, or having someone else compose your essays, without properly crediting those sources constitutes an act of plagiarism. Plagiarism, an act of theft and fraud, is considered a cheating violation within the Honor Code and will result in an application denial. Note: if you have worked with a consultant to complete your application materials, please ensure that the Honor Code policy is discussed and yours essays will not be shared with other potential applicants.

Required short-answer essay question

Instructions: Answer the following question in 100 words.

What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan.

First required essay: 25 random things about yourself

The 'Team Fuqua' spirit and community is one of the things that sets the MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. Please share with us “25 Random Things” about you. The Admissions Committee wants to get to know YOU - beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. Share with us important life experiences, your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are.

Your list will be limited to 2 pages (750 words maximum). Please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be brief, while others may be longer.

Second required essay: The Fuqua community and you

Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).

Optional essay: Tell us more

Submit your required one-page resume electronically within the online application system. For employment and volunteer positions, include the location, title, date, and responsibilities, starting with your most recent position. The education section should include dates of attendance and degrees received.

Your resume can include:

Full-time employment
Volunteer work
Internships
Part-time work experience

Your recommender must complete the current recommendation forms associated with the online application—no other format of recommendation will be accepted.

Your recommendation should reflect your performance in your most recent professional setting. Volunteer activities or other service-oriented roles in which you are deeply involved may also be excellent sources for your recommendation. The most valuable recommendations come from people who know your professional skills and abilities.

Submissions by email or mail are not accepted.

New applicants

One required letter of recommendation

Reapplicants

Reapplicants may use the same recommendation letter provided from last year, and you will have the option to include it in your current application if you choose. You also have the option of submitting one new letter of recommendation if you wish.

Other recommendation guidelines

You are required to use the recommendation forms that are within the online application.
Use your recommender's work email addresses, which they monitor more closely, during our credential verification process, rather than personal accounts like Gmail.
Recommendations from relatives and friends are strongly discouraged.
Academic recommendations often provide a similar perspective to your transcript and are less helpful.

The following questions are included on the recommendation form:

Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization.
How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles?
Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
Is there anything else we should know? (Optional)

Bonus endorsement from Fuqua students and alumni

In addition to the one required recommendation, you may provide additional endorsements from our alumni or current students.

Endorsement Form

If an endorsement is submitted on your behalf before you submit your application, you will become eligible for an application fee waiver. We are unable to provide refunds if your endorsement is received after the application fee has been paid.

Fuqua accepts GMAT, GMAT Focus, GRE, and Executive Assessment (EA) scores. Test scores are valid for 5 years, and we do not require the official score report at time of application - you need only self-report your score and provide official scores when admitted. We do not have a preference for which exam you provide, and scores can be updated after your application is submitted.

Both GMAC and ETS, the administrators of the GMAT/EA and GRE tests, respectively, continue to offer the option to take these tests from a home environment. We accept both test formats. Please visit the GMAC or ETS websites for more information.

Extra GMAT, GRE, and EA details

There is no minimum test score requirement.
We will accept scores up to 5 years old.

Admission system test codes

GMAT/EA: Duke program code Q13-N5-32
GRE: Duke program code 5156, and the 4201 Business Administration and Management Department name on your GRE exam

Need more help?

Information on registering and sending GMAT/EA scores Information on registering and sending GRE scores

A 225 USD non-refundable application fee, payable by VISA or MasterCard, is due when you submit your online application.

Application fee waivers

You may be eligible to receive an application fee waiver if you meet at least one of the following criteria:

You are a member of the military—active duty, active reserve, or honorably discharged/completed service (within three years) of any nation. Either voluntary or compulsory service is valid for qualification.

You are an active participant or alumnus/alumna of the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, or Teach for America.

You receive Fuqua Admissions Committee approval. In your application, include the reason for your waiver request and the name of the committee member granting approval.

You are a member of one or more qualifying organizations: Admit.Me Access, Beta Gamma Sigma, Choctaw College Connect, Colfuturo, Forte Foundation, Fulbright, Golden Key, Graduate Horizons, Idealist, Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), MBA Jumpstart, Posse Foundation, Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA), or Riordan Fellows Program.

Before submitting your application, you register for and attend at least one of the event activities listed below. Indicate the event type, location and month of attendance in your online application. (MBA Fairs are only considered as a qualifying event if you completed a sign in at the Fuqua table during the fair.)

Campus Visit
Information session
Informational luncheon
Meet & greet
Multi-school information session
Virtual information session

You obtain a recommendation from a current Fuqua student or alumnus/alumna. In your application, include your recommender’s name, program (Daytime, Cross Continent, Weekend Executive, Global Executive, Master of Management Studies: Foundations of Business, Master of Management Studies: Duke Kunshan University, Master of Quantitative Management: Business Analytics, or Master of Quantitative Management: Health Analytics) year of graduation (if known), and email address.

You attended one of five Diversity Events:

Duke MBA Workshop
Women's Leadership Weekend
Pride Weekend
Veterans Symposium
International Applicant Symposium

You are an alumni of Duke University. In your application, include the name of your degree and the year in which you graduated.

Instructions to apply for an application fee waiver

Meet at least one of the above criteria.
Select an application round in the “Personal Information” section of the online application.
Complete the questions included in the "Application Fee Waiver Information" section.
Submit your application after all sections are complete. However, do NOT submit your application if you are asked for credit card information.

Following the above instructions is the only way to receive an application fee waiver. If you submit your online application without selecting the "fee waiver" option, then you will not qualify for the waiver, and no refund will be available.

Interviews provide you an ideal opportunity to present a different view of your credentials to the admissions committee. An admissions staff member, an alumnus/a, or an Admissions Fellow (a second-year MBA student) will conduct your interview. Interviews are offered either in-person or virtually, whichever works best for you.

Interview Fast Facts:

Interviews are conducted in English.
Interviews generally last 45–60 minutes.
Appropriate attire is business casual.
Interviewers will have a copy of your resume, but no other portion of your application file.

Two ways to interview

1. During the Open Interview Period

All applicants, regardless of the round in which you intend to apply, are eligible to interview during the Open Interview Period. A completed application is not required to interview during the Open Interview Period, but you must have started an application and have completed the biographical information . Once you have completed your biographical information, you can access the interview and campus visit schedules to select your date. Interviews during the Open Interview Period are on a first come, first served basis, and may be done in person at our Durham campus, or virtually via Zoom.

On-Campus Open Interview Period Fast Facts:

When: September 11 - October 6, 2023 Where: Durham, NC How: Sign up through the online application, select the date for your on-campus interview, and choose from a menu of other activities you may want to join during your visit, such as an admissions session, student panel, or class visit.

Virtual Open Interview Period Fast Facts:

When: August 24 - October 6, 2023 Where: Virtually How: Sign up through the online application, and be sure you complete the mailing address section so we can match you with an interviewer in a similar time zone. You will not be asked to select a specific date for a virtual interview; rather, you will be introduced to your interviewer via email in mid-August, and together you and your interviewer can find a mutually convenient date and time to meet. You must complete your interview no later than October 6.

If your interview is not conducted during the Open Interview Period, your interview will be scheduled by invitation only. For an invitation-only interview, you must first submit your completed application for review by the Admissions Committee. Interview decisions will be made after a review of all submitted applications for a given round have been received, and applicants will be notified via email of their interview decision. An interview decision is not a final decision on your application. Additional details on interviews by invitation can be found in the next section.

To learn more about Team Fuqua, we encourage you to also sign up for activities offered through our campus visit program .

2. Interview by invitation

If you do not interview during the Open Interview Period, you will only be able to interview if invited to do so. Invitations are extended based on a thorough evaluation of your completed application. If invited, you will be interviewed during the interview period that corresponds to your application round.

Interview by Invitation Fast Facts:

Interviews by invitation are conducted in each application round by staff, alumni, and Admissionis Fellows (select second-year MBA students).

When: Interview decisions are sent on published dates for each round Where: Applicants may choose to interview on campus in Durham, in person at one of our off-campus interview locations, or virtually.

Interviews during the Diversity events, which are invitation-only interviews, will be conducted in person during the event.

Interviews are conducted by staff, alumni, and Admissions Fellows, a select group of second year students. All interviews are valued equally, regardless of who conducts your interview or the type of interview (in-person or virtual). As you prepare for your interview, please be aware that your interviewer will only have access to your resume and will not have read your application.

Interview Process

Interviews will be offered either in-person or virtually, and you may select the format you prefer. Early Action applicants should plan to schedule and conduct their interview on campus in Durham or virtually to schedule an interview for our open interview period before hitting submit on your application. If your interview is not conducted during the Open Interview Period, your application will be reviewed for an interview by invitation. Interviews during the Open Interview Period are on a first come, first served basis.

Open Interview Period:

On-Campus: September 11 - October 6, 2023 Virtual: August 24 - October 6, 2023 (see details for scheduling an interview during the open period above)

In-Person Early Action Interview Date Range (invitation only)

September 25 - October 6, 2023

Please mark your calendar accordingly and be prepared to interview during that time.

If you are a Round 1 applicant and are invited to interview, you will be notified via email on October 26, 2023.

Virtual Interview Date Range: November 1 - 17, 2023

On-Campus Interview Date Range: November 6 - 17, 2023

Please mark your calendar accordingly and be prepared to interview during the time frames listed.

When submitting your application, you will indicate if you intend to interview in-person or virtually. If you select Durham as your interview location, you will also have the option to participate in other activities on campus during your visit. If you select the virtual option, you will be connected with an alumnus or student in a similar time zone, and you will schedule your interview directly with your interviewer.

If you are a Round 2 applicant and you are invited to interview, you will be notified on February 2, 2024.

Virtual Interview Date Range: February 6 - 24, 2024

On-Campus Interview Date Range: February 6 - 24, 2024

If you are a Round 3 applicant and are invited to interview, you will be notified via email on March 13, 2024. Please note that interviews conducted in Round 3 are only available virtually.

Virtual Interview Date Range: March 15 - 25, 2024

Please mark your calendar accordingly and be prepared to interview during that time.

Virtual Interviews

As Round 3 interviews are only offered in a virtual format, please select "Virtual" as your interview location in the interview section of your application.

If you are a Round 4 applicant and are invited to interview, you will be notified via email on April 19, 2024. Please note that interviews conducted in Round 4 are only available virtually.

Virtual Interview Date Range: April 20 - 26, 2024

As Round 4 interviews are only offered in a virtual format, please select "Virtual" as your interview location in the interview section of your application.

In service to reapplicants, we offer the ability to replicate or "clone" your application from a previous application year (2019 and later). If you are reapplying, please submit the Reapplicant Request form (login credentials required) to request that your previous application data be transferred over to the next available round of admission in the current application cycle. Please contact [email protected] should you have any questions or trouble logging in. You will receive a confirmation email once this process is complete, and can edit all or part of your application after it has been cloned.

When reapplying you are required to submit:

Short-answer question
Standard application essays
Reapplicant essay question
One letter of recommendation
One-page resume
Valid standardized test score
Online application form

If you request to clone your application, all data submitted from the prior year will carry into your application. Cloning provides a starting point for your application, and you are encouraged to provide updates and edits as needed to your application information, work history, and essays, as well as to answer any questions that may be new to this year's application.

Reapplicant essay question

It is not uncommon for it to take more than one try to achieve a goal. Please share with us the self-reflection process that you underwent after last year's application and how you have grown as a result. How did it shape your commitment to Fuqua and inspire your decision to reapply?

Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).

Recommendations

Reapplicants may use the same recommendation letter provided from last year, and that letter will be included in the cloning process if you choose. You have the option of submitting one additional recommendation letter if you wish.

GMAT, GRE, and EA Scores

Reapplicants do not need to resend official GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment scores to us unless the scores have expired since your last application. We will accept scores up to 5 years old.

Application fee waivers are available to reapplicants.

All applicants are required to complete the core set of application materials; however, non-U.S. applicants have additional application requirements and instructions, which are described below.

Application timing for international students

You are strongly encouraged to apply by the Round 3 deadline to ensure sufficient time for visa processing.

Transcripts and diplomas

Transcripts, diplomas, and academic records must be in English.

If your transcripts do not state the degree and date conferred, upload a copy of your diploma in addition to the transcript.

If your transcript is not in English, you must have it:

Uploaded in addition to the originals

The University Registrar, local U.S. Embassy/Consulate, or local Fulbright office/Education Advisor are appropriate sources to make and verify the transcript copy. If you are an international student whose university does not provide an English version of the transcript, you may submit a transcript from World Education Services (WES) in addition to your original language transcript from the university.

Directly by mail in a sealed envelope to:

Duke University The Fuqua School of Business Office of Admissions 100 Fuqua Drive, Box 90120 Durham, NC 27708-0120

English as a Second Language test scores

Fuqua does not accept ESL test scores. We will use other aspects of your application to assess language proficiency.

If you are applying for the dual degree with the Nicholas School of the Environment (MBA/MEM), please note that ESL test scores are required to complete the MEM application.

Dual degree application instructions and timing vary by program. For the best guidance, please refer to the following links for more information:

JD/MBA MPP/MBA MEM/MBA or MF/MBA MD/MBA

Examples of Our 25 Random Things

Ask a student.

Students chat in Fuqua's mallway between classes

How do you pronounce Fuqua?

Explore This Program

Program format.

Team up in 6-week terms.

Design your own experience from 100+ electives.

Concentrations + Certificates

Enhance your skills in a focus area.

Dual Degrees

Combine your MBA with another Duke program.

Global Opportunities

Get outside your comfort zone by exploring a new culture.

Experiential Learning

Develop your abilities beyond the classroom.

Career Development

Leverage our resources to power your job search.

Program Location

Enjoy one of the nation’s most exciting—and livable—cities.

Admissions Information

Facts + dates.

Here's what you need to get started.

We want to hear your story.

Admission Events

Learn about Fuqua in person or online.

Class Profile

See a snapshot of our current class.

Tuition + Costs

Determine your investment.

Financing Your Degree

Learn how to fund the program.

Duke Global Executive MBA Student Blog

How we approached the random things essay.

The admissions process is all about showcasing an applicant’s greatest strengths, interests and values.

Published January 4, 2024

The admissions process is all about showcasing an applicant’s greatest strengths, interests and values. The “10 Random Things” essay is a unique way for Fuqua’s Admissions team to genuinely get to know applicants for who they are. For applicants, it’s an opportunity for self-reflection and a platform for showcasing their authentic selves.

Here’s how we approached the “random things” essay.

Carolina Diaz Vargas

I started writing the “random things” essay by compiling a list of 30 facts about me, ranging from all areas of my life as well as different points in time. I wanted to capture facts that were not already covered in other parts of the application and that I don’t typically disclose when I first meet someone. These facts went deeper into me as a person, at the core of who I am, and ultimately demonstrated my values.

After that, I sent my list to my husband and sister because they know me best. I asked them to rate the top 10. Any fun facts that they both agreed I included and the rest I kept in the list. Then, I looked at the Team Fuqua values and narrowed my list to the things that linked back to the values without necessarily calling them out. One of the most important aspects for me when selecting the school was that it aligned with my values and the values that I wanted as a leader.

Some additional tips for applicants:

Keep in mind that what may seem normal to you may be what makes you stand out.
Your “random things” should reflect your values and what matters to you.
Don’t approach this essay by trying to match what admissions might find interesting, be authentic.
The more range of experiences you can show, the better. We are not all one thing, we are the compositions drawing from many different experiences, and Fuqua values diversity.
If you gave this list to a close family member, and they said, “Yes, this is you!” then you are on the right track.

Ekhoe Aifuwa

For my essay, I thought about pieces that I read recently that caught my attention. I modeled it after blogs by my segment CEO who always had an interesting way of introducing a seemingly unrelated topic at the start of his blog and tying it all together at the end. Rather than reinventing the wheel, I followed a style that I knew would be an easy way to get my point across in an engaging way.

Michael Owens

I took an approach that I believe highlighted my strengths and personality but incorporated a degree of vulnerability. I am passionate about fitness and goals because there was a time in my life when even the smallest goal seemed unachievable. I have a deep level of curiosity and desire to learn, but that’s tied to a fear of letting the unknown remain unknown.

In the end, I think all of these facts fit in at Fuqua because we really are a team. I’ve had the most success in this program when I’ve checked ego and insecurity at the door, and let my awesome cohort teach me so many things I didn’t know.

Tyler Watkins

While writing the “random things” essay, I tried to focus on being genuine and authentic while keeping it fun. This may feel like an opportunity to sneak in some humble brags and flexes, but it’s not. Some of your fun facts may also be strengths or impressive facts, but it’s important to remember to give some context to the Admissions team. They read hundreds of essays, so I wanted to stand out.

My advice to applicants struggling to write this essay is to be specific—saying you “volunteer with kids” is redundant and boring. Explain why you volunteer with kids and the impact it has had on your and their lives. Don’t be afraid to be quirky and let your guard down. Team Fuqua needs students from all backgrounds and with all hobbies to keep the Fuqua system alive and well! Don’t think you need to tell them you are in the “Equities Investing Club” because that is a canned business school answer. Fuqua is different.

Tackling the 10 Random Things Essay

Fuqua’s signature essay prompt asks applicants to list 10 things about themselves, big or small, that make them who they are.

What’s Different in Our Application

Our goal every year is to streamline the application process while still ensuring ample opportunities for applicants to highlight their unique strengths, skills, and experiences.

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Fuqua School of Business – “Why Duke MBA?” and Contribution During The MBA

Individuals choose a business school for many different reasons. Through your research, what attributes or characteristics of The Duke MBA program have most resonated with you and why? How do you plan to contribute to the strengthening and enhancement of those attributes and characteristics during your time at Duke and beyond?

The Duke MBA program resonates with me due to a range of attributes that will ensure an optimal mix of learning and self-development. I also foresee various venues for adding value during the MBA and in the years beyond.

A WINNING COMBINATION OF BREADTH AND DEPTH

With a background in innovating and commercializing complex financial services/products and leading more than 1200 personnel towards a business turnaround (at ABC), I will contribute to subject matter and case study discussions through my rich understanding of conceiving and implementing innovation across various enterprise functions in an emerging market. As I enhance the depth of my competencies from transaction banking to Private Equity during the MBA program, I will contribute to the university’s culture of creating value: My tenure with international private equity firms will enable me to pioneer the scaling of promising businesses in emerging markets, thereby bringing in success to various stakeholders in such organizations. Post-MBA, I also hope to stay in close connection with the School’s Global Consulting Practicum (GCP) to seek consultation on mid-term/long-term projects/research requirements of my employing organization. Since knowledge only increases as it is shared, I also hope stay further connected with the Fuqua School of Business as a Speaker/Visiting Lecturer.

HANDS-ON LEARNING

The School’s Global Consulting Practicum (GCP) is of very significant value for my learning objectives at the current stage. A recent release on the homepage of the Center for International Business Education and Research (C.I.B.E.R, Duke University) is a clear indicator of the school’s active interest in the area of social entrepreneurship. Such directed study projects will bring in the hands-on opportunity to be closely guided by globally renowned faculty and collaborate on solving real-time business problems – and more so in perfect alignment with my career objectives. It also provides the ideal platform for me to learn and contribute through my earlier successes in aiding the growth of Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across various industries.

Programs under the GATE (Global Academic Training Experience) will further fortify classroom learning through real-time business cultures of a variety of nations including the United States. I envisage similar academic excursions to India and also hope to take the lead in organizing such events during my stay at Duke and thereafter.

CO-CURRICULAR DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL DIVERSITY

With over 42 different student clubs based on a range of themes including industry/career focus, athletics, community service and cultural organizations, the school opens up vistas for interacting and networking with the “Best of the Best” worldwide. I will be a very active stakeholder in the ABC Inc. and will contribute through my experience of succeeding across various markets in the multi-lingual and multi-cultural setting of my country. I will also be an active participant in the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital club to develop my network and skills for my long term goals and add to its learning curve through my successes in catalyzing the growth of SMEs.

There is also the great opportunity to closely network with alumni and learn through seminars from global business leaders – I thus hope to find great mentor(s) who will guide further towards my goals. An active role in the school’s alumni committee (post-MBA) will result in win-win situations where I will gain not only a chance to re-connect with the campus years but also (over the years) the access to talented graduates who could be interested in my chosen field of endeavor and contribute to the talent pool of my company.

The global MBA program will widen my perspectives and enable a stronger understanding of business cultures and market opportunities and systems. I will learn cutting-edge business practices and set new benchmarks for excelling in a global arena and contribute to the School’s tradition of value-creation and excellence.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

The Leadership Development Initiative (LDI) workshop during the program develops candidates through a very pragmatic approach towards development of leadership and people skills. The program brings in the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn by observing top-notch leaders during Fuqua’s Distinguished Speaker Series and other events. The workshop series simulates real-life situations such as role-plays and offsite activities and with a cohort that is among the brightest few worldwide, the training will acclimatize me for effectively collaborating and taking on leadership responsibilities in a multinational enterprise.

With a successful track record of motivating and rejuvenating the morale of a 1200+ strong, multi-functional workforce, I will contribute to such a soft skills development forum by sharing my perspectives, challenges and approaches developed over 7 years.

ESSAY HELP'S HERE

Duke University Essay Examples

Duke essay examples.

Often confused for an Ivy League university because of its prestigious reputation, Duke University is one of America’s top schools. While not a member of the Ivies, Duke admissions is just as selective—and reading some Duke essay examples can help you prepare. The Duke supplemental essays are a vital part of the admissions process. By reading Duke essay examples, students can learn more about what this top school looks for.

Studying accepted Duke essays can inspire you when writing your own Duke essays. Although you’ve likely seen other “why school” essays, reading specific “why Duke” essay examples will help you hone your essays. Indeed, with the Duke acceptance rate at 6% , hopeful applicants should do everything possible to make their application stand out .

Now, let’s learn more about the Duke essays and read some Duke essay examples.

Duke Supplemental Essay Requirements

Our Duke essay examples are based on the Duke requirements, which include “why Duke” essay examples. So, before you get the creative juices flowing, you’ll want to make sure that you know the essay requirements.

Students can complete their Duke application via the Common App or Coalition App. Qualifying students may also apply via QuestBridge . For both the Common and Coalition Applications, students will need to complete the personal essay. In the Common App, applicants will choose from seven prompts; the Coalition App has five prompts. The word count for both is similar, with a maximum of 650 words.

Additionally, Duke University applicants will need to complete one required short essay of 250 words. Finally, there are two optional 250-word essays; Duke provides four additional essay prompts to choose from. Although these are “optional,” applicants who are serious about getting into Duke should submit them.

In addition, applicants to the Pratt School of Engineering will need to complete a separate essay of 150 words. This is basically a “why major” essay in which students must demonstrate why they want to study engineering at Duke.

You can check out the Common App writing requirements for schools that you’re interested in. Remember to start early so you have time to polish your Duke essays and other materials.

How many essays does Duke require?

Reading Duke essay examples, or any other sample college essay, is a great way to get started on your application. But, you may still be asking just how many Duke supplemental essays are required. Technically, applicants only need to complete two essays on the Duke application.

However, as we mentioned, Duke is an extremely selective university. That means that when considering how to get into Duke, applicants should do everything possible to make their application shine.

Duke provides students with four optional essay prompts, from which students can choose two. Though they’re technically optional, you should think of these two additional essays as required. Give them as much attention as you do the other two essays.

So, when looking at the Duke essay examples, especially the “why this college” essay sample, view everything as required. T o be as competitive as possible, you should write a total of four essays for your Duke application.

Why Duke Essay Examples

If you’ve started your college applications, the prompt for our “why Duke” essay examples should look familiar: the “why school” essay. This essay challenges students to consider what specifically about this university makes it their top choice. Likewise, students need to show why they would be a great fit at the institution. Understandably, this essay prompt is very common, and sample college essay resources usually include it.

In the first of our Duke essay examples, we’re going to look at the Pratt School of Engineering prompt. Then we’ll discuss a well-written “why this college” essay sample.

If you are applying to the Pratt School of Engineering as a first year applicant, please discuss why you want to study engineering and why you would like to study at Duke. (Please limit your response to no more than 150 words.)

The first of our Duke essay examples is not only a why school essay, but also a why major essay. Students will need to show not only why they want to study at Duke, but specifically at Pratt. Let’s consider this prompt as one of our “why Duke” essay examples.

So, how can you effectively respond in so few words?

Here is one response to use as a reference when considering how to start a “why this college” essay. It was among the elite accepted Duke essays:

Why Duke Essay Example

“Some of you may wonder ‘When will I ever use derivatives in real life?’ Welcome to when.” My physics teacher described engineering as the “when” math and physics were applied to real problems. That is what is so attractive about engineering; it gives me the ability to apply intriguing concepts to fascinating projects

Something I consider unique about Duke is the opportunities for freshmen to become close with other freshmen. For example, Duke freshmen live on their own campus, allowing them to foster friendships with students of the same year. Additionally, through Duke Focus, I could pursue my humanities interests with other freshmen who have similar interests. In high school, some of my favorite classes were humanities and Duke would allow me to continue this enrichment in a community of like-minded individuals.”

We’re going to break down what specifically worked in this Duke essay example next. However, you can look outside of solely why Duke essay examples for inspiration in your why school essay. Check out another “why this college” essay sample to see what works.

Why this Duke essay worked

Successful “why Duke” essay examples will comprehensively answer the prompt in a way that makes the applicant stand out. Can you tell why this essay was among the accepted Duke essays and one of our featured Duke essay examples?

Of course, the writer does an excellent job of fully answering the prompt. Even more importantly than that, they draw in the reader with the first line and a personal anecdote. That “hook” is quite important to successful Duke essay examples. Instead of simply stating that they enjoy applying engineering concepts, the writer illustrates a defining moment in their engineering journey.

Then, they go on to show that they’ve done their research on Duke. Successful ”why Duke” essay examples will reference specific programs only available at Duke. That shows admissions that you are interested in more than just the impressive stats that the university holds. You show that you truly want to study and be a part of the culture.

In this case, the writer speaks about the unique living situation for Duke first year students that builds a strong sense of community. This shows admissions that they will be an active participant on campus. In addition to the academic experience that Duke offers, the writer also highlights their eagerness to build personal relationships. In doing so, they show that they’re a team player.

The writer also cements the piece as one of the great Duke essay examples by mentioning Pratt’s multifaceted engineering program. They directly reference the possibility of studying humanities in addition to engineering. This interdisciplinary structure of Duke’s engineering program is unique—and a factor that appeals to many Duke applicants.

Optional Duke Essays

Many successful Duke essay examples come from the “optional” Duke supplemental essays. When planning your application and essays, you should consider the optional essays a requirement. Of course, they aren’t technically required. However, when applying to a competitive school like Duke, you’ll want to give yourself every opportunity to make a lasting impression on Duke admissions. That’s why we strongly recommend answering the optional essay prompts.

Duke supplies applicants with four “optional” essay prompts. Students may choose a maximum of two prompts to respond to. Students have a maximum of 250 words for each essay.

Let’s take a look at each essay prompt and how to approach them.

Prompt 1: We seek a diverse student body that embodies the wide range of human experience. In that context, we are interested in what you’d like to share about your lived experiences and how they’ve influenced how you think of yourself.

This prompt may look like other college essay prompts you’ve seen. Just as reading “why Duke” essay examples can be helpful since the prompt is common, so can cultural diversity essay examples. So, you’re in luck: our Duke essay examples consist of both.

Prompt 2: We believe there is benefit in sharing and sometimes questioning our beliefs or values; who do you agree with on the big important things, or who do you have your most interesting disagreements with? What are you agreeing or disagreeing about?

This prompt asks you to consider your beliefs and values. Where do they come from? Now, how do you navigate differences with people who don’t share your beliefs? Or, alternatively, who do you most see eye-to-eye with on those values?

The key to answering this prompt is showing what you care about. If you speak about agreements, then you might show where your beliefs come from and why they’re so important to you. For example, maybe they’ve been instilled in you by your family, and you enjoy deep conversations with close family members. That shows a lot about who you are and where you come from.

Don’t shy away from talking about disagreements with this prompt if that’s the first thing that comes to mind. This can demonstrate that you effectively communicate with those whose opinions differ from your own—an essential life skill.

Prompt 3: What has been your best academic experience in the last two years, and what made it so good?

Note that effective Duke essay examples for this prompt can cover any academic experience; however, it has to be recent. High school is a period of rapid growth. This prompt invites applicants to think about impactful academic experiences that have shaped their intellectual curiosity. Many effective Duke essay examples for this prompt also address future academic or career goals.

Prompt 4: Duke’s commitment to diversity and inclusion includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. If you’d like to share with us more about your identity in this context, feel free to do so here.

Students who feel as though they’d like to speak on this topic should do so in this prompt. However, you should only respond to this prompt if you personally identify with it. This isn’t a prompt in which to speak as an advocate or ally outside these identities. However, if sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression are a large part of your identity, then this prompt may be for you.

Cultural Diversity Essay Example

One of our Duke essay examples focuses on cultural diversity. This is a favorite prompt among universities. So, when choosing an optional essay prompt, this could be an easy option if you’ve already drafted similar essays. However, as always, your final draft should be specific to Duke.

Let’s check out the prompt again and one of the accepted Duke essays:

We seek a diverse student body that embodies the wide range of human experience. In that context, we are interested in what you’d like to share about your lived experiences and how they’ve influenced how you think of yourself.

Now let’s look at one of our Duke essay examples responding to this prompt:

Duke Essay Example

I vividly remember the first day of first grade, stuttering over my words as I tried to recite the Pledge of Allegiance as effortlessly as the rest of my classmates. Growing up in a Venezuelan household, I had never even heard the pledge. As a result of my Hispanic upbringing, I had always felt out of place among my classmates because I didn’t have the same ideals and experiences.

Among Hispanic family members, my American upbringing labeled me as an outsider. Discussing Venezuelan politics or preparing traditional food were activities my immediate family rarely participated in, leaving me unprepared for Hispanic social gatherings.

Despite the distinct contrast between the two, a part of myself belongs to both cultures. On the Fourth of July, I join my friends in the local park to watch fireworks and indulge in burgers. For Christmas Eve dinner, I eat hallacas (essentially stuffed corn dough) with my family before “Baby Jesus brings the gifts.”

However, as a partial member of both groups, one community defines me perfectly: second generation Americans. Like many other children in my position, I do not fit into my parents’ world due to my diverse upbringings. Additionally, the lack of American familial roots prevents total assimilation into the world of my peers.

As a second generation American, my traditions and experiences are not unique to one culture, but a combination of two. Caught in the middle, I form my own unique identity that is neither American or Venezuelan, but an imperfect mixture.

This is one of our successful Duke essay examples for many reasons. The writer excellently shows how their background and experiences as a second-generation American have shaped them.

One thing you will usually notice among successful Duke essay examples is the hook at the beginning. Remember that you can be creative when writing your college essays. In this essay, the writer opens with their first memory when they realized their upbringing set them apart from their classmates.

The writer then goes on to reflect on how they’ve felt like an outsider within their family as well. However, they then come to the conclusion of where they belong. Namely, the essay closes with the writer’s acceptance of their identity, and of how their family and society have affected them. In the end, the writer seems quite self-aware and confident in who they are.

It’s evident that the writer will bring this unique view and perspective to Duke’s campus. That’s what a successful cultural diversity essay will do: share your own experiences and how they have shaped you. You will also want to demonstrate growth and connect it to what you’d bring to a college campus.

Although our Duke essay examples answer different prompts, you may notice some similarities. Both writers tell their unique stories in distinct ways. However, both writers comprehensively answer the prompt and show admissions just who they are. As a result, it’s obvious that both these writers will bring a positive presence to Duke’s campus.

When writing essays, especially when thinking about how to start a “why this college” essay, your essay planning should focus on specifics. What story will you tell? How will you convey your message in an engaging manner while also meeting the requirements? A successful sample college essay won’t be limited to one format. You’ll notice many different ways to write successful essays when you start looking at college essay examples.

The goal of these Duke essay examples is to show that there are many ways to write successful college essays. However, there are two important things to keep in mind, especially when thinking about how to start a “why this college” essay. Why Duke? And why you?

If you’re scouring “why Duke” essay examples and accepted Duke essays for inspiration, you should read widely. That is to say, you should read college essay examples for other prompts, too. Reading a sample college essay will show you what works; you’ll likely note many of the same patterns we’ve mentioned. After reading enough “why Duke” essay examples or any other sample college essay, writing your own will be much less daunting.

What does Duke look for in essays?

Duke wants you to “get personal” in your essays, just as the above “why Duke” essay examples did. As we know, Duke is an extremely selective school. Consequently, you should make the most of every aspect of your application.

Why are these Duke essay examples so important? Well, essays are an opportunity for applicants to show part of themselves that aren’t in other parts of the application. This is your opportunity to stand out in a sea of academically high-achieving applicants.

But, what exactly does admissions want to see from your Duke supplemental essays?

Duke wants to see:

Don’t be afraid to get creative with your essays. Use the famous phrase that you’ve probably heard in your English class: show, don’t tell.

What motivates you? Duke admits applicants who are passionate, motivated, and driven to achieve great things both at Duke and beyond.

In your college essays, highlight your intellectual curiosity. Universities want to see that you are asking the big (or small) questions and seeking answers for yourself.

Persistence

Show that you don’t give up. Don’t be afraid to feature a “failure” in one of your essays. Writing about how you grew and learned from the experience can often be more impactful than a generic success story.

Are you empathetic to those around you? Do you care about making the world a better place? Showing that you are able to connect to your community and the world around you are important factors for Duke.

How do you write a Duke essay?

Using the “why Duke” essay examples as inspiration for your own essays is a great place to start. But how can you go from reading essays to writing your own accepted Duke essays this admissions cycle? While each essay will be unique to your personality, some basic tips can help you write the most impactful essay possible. Meeting the Duke requirements is a start, but you’ll need to do much more than just that.

Start early

Don’t leave writing your essays until the last moment. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time. When should you start writing these essays? Well, you can start as early as the summer before your senior year of high school. At this point, you can go from reading “why Duke” essay examples to drafting your own.

Brainstorm, draft, edit, revise, repeat

Why should you start your essays so early? You’ll want to have plenty of time to get your ideas in order. Whether you have zero ideas or way too many, do yourself a favor and give yourself time to brainstorm.

There are many ways to brainstorm. You could do a mind map for different ideas, then try writing on your top choices. Choose the topic where you can write most passionately and freely. You could also skip the mind map and instead try a timed free-write. Then, you could refine any useful information into a draft.

You’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to rewrite, as well. Have someone you trust read your draft and give you feedback. But, remember that when applying feedback, be sure to keep your essay true to you.

Answer the question: why Duke?

Of course, above all else, you must answer the prompt. Accepted Duke essays can give you an idea of how to do this. For example, one of our “why Duke” essay examples talked about specific programs offered only at Duke. Successful Duke essay examples will show that you are interested in more than just Duke’s impressive stats and prestigious reputation.

Be sure to do your research—not just for Duke, but also for any school you apply to. Look into programs that catch your interest and write about how you would take advantage of them.

But, don’t forget that successful “why Duke” essay examples will also demonstrate why you’re a perfect fit for Duke. You’ll notice that “why Duke” essay examples show what potential students would bring to campus. So, answer “why Duke?” and “why you?”

Duke Supplemental Essay Guides & Duke Resources

While we’ve seen two accepted Duke essays, there are plenty more resources available to you when writing your college essays. Studying why Duke essay examples or any other sample college essay can help you get started in your writing process. You’ll be able to see what works, note common tactics, and apply them to your personal application narrative. CollegeAdvisor provides a wealth of resources when it comes to the entire college application journey.

When looking at “why Duke” essay examples or accepted Duke essays, you’ll want to study our Duke essay guide before getting started. You’ll better understand the best way to approach each essay.

Duke University Supplemental Essays 2022-2023

Additionally, if you’re wondering how to get into Duke then you’ll also want to check out this webinar . In it, Duke admissions experts share insights on everything from the application process to being a student on campus.

Duke University Panel

After seeing some “why Duke” essay examples, you may be wondering about other Duke requirements. As a matter of fact, Duke is actually one of the top test-optional colleges in the nation. That is to say, SAT or ACT scores are optional, although your essays will be more heavily weighed without them. That means that when determining how to get into Duke, your Duke supplemental essays maybe even more important. Likewise, you may want to send in your test scores if they’re good enough to improve your application.

And, remember that CollegeAdvisor is a great source of information for every step of your college process. Learn how to build your college list and then what to do when you finally get your college acceptance letters !

Duke Essay Examples – Final thoughts

There’s no doubt that Duke is one of the top ranking universities in the nation. In fact, U.S. News ranks the university at #10 in the nation. While college rankings aren’t the most important factor when it comes to choosing colleges, it does indicate the competitiveness of admissions. For example, Duke is both highly ranked and one of the most selective universities in the nation.

But don’t stress! That just means that you’ll need to make your application stand out. And, after reading our “why Duke” essay examples and other accepted Duke essays, you now have a foundation. Just remember to give yourself plenty of time when applying to Duke. Your four essays will require special attention in order to impress admissions.

With strong grades and great essays, you may just join those featured with your accepted Duke essays. And, remember that CollegeAdvisor is here with expert advice to guide you along your college journey, including the essay process. Good luck!

This article was written by Sarah Kaminski. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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2 Strong Duke Essay Examples

With a very low acceptance rate, Duke is one of the most competitive U.S. colleges to get into. Alongside killer stats, extracurriculars, and letters of recommendation, admissions officers are looking for engaging, concise, and thorough essays to put you over the top.

In this post, we’ll share a Duke essay written by a real student and analyze what it did well and where it could be improved. Hopefully, you can take away some insight that will help you write your Duke essays.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized.

Read our Duke essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Duke Pratt School of Engineering Essay Example – Why Engineering?

Prompt: If you are applying to the Pratt School of Engineering as a first year applicant, please discuss why you want to study engineering and why you would like to study at Duke (250 words).

One Christmas morning, when I was nine, I opened a snap circuit set from my grandmother. Although I had always loved math and science, I didn’t realize my passion for engineering until I spent the rest of winter break creating different circuits to power various lights, alarms, and sensors. Even after I outgrew the toy, I kept the set in my bedroom at home and knew I wanted to study engineering. Later, in a high school biology class, I learned that engineering didn’t only apply to circuits, but also to medical devices that could improve people’s quality of life. Biomedical engineering allows me to pursue my academic passions and help people at the same time.

Just as biology and engineering interact in biomedical engineering, I am fascinated by interdisciplinary research in my chosen career path. Duke offers unmatched resources, such as DUhatch and The Foundry, that will enrich my engineering education and help me practice creative problem-solving skills. The emphasis on entrepreneurship within these resources will also help me to make a helpful product. Duke’s Bass Connections program also interests me; I firmly believe that the most creative and necessary problem-solving comes by bringing people together from different backgrounds. Through this program, I can use my engineering education to solve complicated societal problems such as creating sustainable surgical tools for low-income countries. Along the way, I can learn alongside experts in the field. Duke’s openness and collaborative culture span across its academic disciplines, making Duke the best place for me to grow both as an engineer and as a social advocate.

What the Essay Did Well

A strength of this essay is how it grows in specificity as it progresses, and in college-essay-writing, specificity is key. In the first paragraph, there’s a smooth yet concise transition from a general childhood fascination with engineering to a more mature and specialized field of interest. We learn more and more about this student, almost in layers; first we learn they loved math and science, then engineering, and then biomedical engineering. In every sentence, each of this student’s personal qualities and traits builds off of the one before it, adding more dimension and nuance to their character.

In shifting from her past experiences to Duke’s academic offerings, this student uses their similarly interdisciplinary natures to connect the two. This penchant for smooth, concise transitions is an especially important asset when working with a sub-300 word limit. This applicant chose Duke-specific opportunities to discuss, giving no generic desires for “great professors,” a “top” program, or empty appeals to emotion (“The campus just felt like home!”)

The final sentence serves to nicely tie the essay up, re-affirming the student’s personal qualities and how they suit the student for Duke, personally and academically.

What Could Be Improved

This essay could be made stronger with some improvements to the second paragraph. When including Duke opportunities they want to take part in, this student tells us “ I am fascinated by ,” and it “ interests me ,” but this is fairly basic writing. The reader shouldn’t have to be told about your interest and excitement over something; it should jump off the page.

Rather than telling us they are fascinated by interdisciplinary research, they could write something like this: “ I’d take the thrill of finding connections between two seemingly unrelated topics, knee-deep in library archives, over the drop on the Kingda Ka rollercoaster.” Notice how this sentence doesn’t explicitly say anything about how they find research fascinating, but by describing it as a more thrilling experience than a rollercoaster, the reader gets a strong visual of the student’s passion.

Another thing missing from this essay is the why behind this student’s interest in helping others. They clearly flush out their motivation for pursuing engineering, but they never explain what draws them into being a social advocate. Throwing in how they want to “ improve people’s quality of life “, “ create sustainable surgical tools for low-income countries “, and be a “ social advocate ” has little impact if we don’t understand the importance. A sentence or two that provides background on this student’s compassionate side and where it originated from or what it looks like in action would help bring more weight to their claims of becoming a social advocate.

Duke Essay Example – Why Duke?

In the last six years, my community has been disconnected from the national grid. The result? I watched my mother spend so much money on fuel and patronizing nearly every generator technician in town so we could access electricity. I developed the habit of going to my tutorial centers with my phone charger, hoping that by some streak of luck, the generator would be on. However, with Duke’s minor in Energy Engineering, all these could become things of the past. I especially look forward to courses like ENERGYER 310: INTRODUCTION TO ENERGY GENERATION and ENERGYER 490:RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, which will equip me with the knowledge I need to design cheap and environmentally friendly energy systems.

Outside the classroom, I hope to contribute to Duke’s mission of supporting positive change worldwide by participating in some of Duke’s signature programs, especially the Duke engage gateway program. I am a big fan of math competitions and math in general. As a result, I worked with some of my friends in 2019 to set up a math enrichment organization for high schoolers. I plan to someday have the Duke engage program work with our organization to help provide STEM classes and encourage hand on design projects among Nigerian high school students. I look forward to the academically challenging classes, interactions with strangers, and all the other things that come with being a blue devil.

This essay, which is responding to a textbook example of the “Why This College?” prompt, does a nice job of clearly explaining this student’s motivation for pursuing the specific opportunities at Duke they mention. Because of the story at the beginning about what this student and their mother went through to access energy, the reader understands the personal connection this student has to energy engineering. That personal connection, coupled with the fact the student names specific energy engineering classes at Duke, proves that their interest in the subject is genuine.

The student’s discussion of the Duke engage program is also backed with a personal story that deepens the connection between their past experiences and the things they hope to accomplish at Duke. Rather than just saying they want to join the engage program because they like creating positive change, their description of creating a “math enrichment organization” in high school shows Duke admissions officers that they have already embodied that value of making the world a better place.

One way this essay could be improved would be to more empathetically drive home the theme of making the world a better place. Between this student’s passion for bringing energy solutions to their community and helping Nigerian students access STEM resources, they clearly have a genuine desire to be a force for positive change. Right now, however, the essay feels somewhat like two distinct anecdotes stuck together, rather than a cohesive story focusing on this aspect of their personality, with Duke-specific opportunities woven into that story.

Centering the essay on this quality would shift the focus from the programs at Duke, and how the student fits into them, to the student’s personality, and how Duke aligns with it. It might seem like a subtle difference, but the result would be an essay that both flows naturally and highlights the student’s admirable character.

How would the student go about making this change? The essay could start with a sentence that shows us their passion for helping others in general, rather than in the context of their local power grid of the math organization they cofounded. This line could be quite simple, for example: “ ‘To help others!’ That’s how I answered my mom every year when she asked what I wanted for my birthday. ”

Then, the student could move into talking about the helplessness they felt not being able to fix the power grid, and how that feeling motivated them to pursue energy engineering. Their story would continue by transitioning into a discussion of how they hope to help people in a variety of ways, not just by improving their access to electricity. They could cite their math organization as an example of another way they’ve worked to make people’s lives better, and demonstrate their commitment to that organization by describing how they hope to grow it with the skills they learn from the Duke engage program.

This version of the essay, by centering on their personality from start to finish, would feel more cohesive, while still incorporating why the student wants to attend Duke specifically.

Where to Get Your Duke Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Duke essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Duke Fuqua Essays: Top Tips + ‘25 Random Things About YOU’ Example

“Team Fuqua” may seem like a tagline or gimmicky motto, but that’s far from the truth.

Fuqua’s mission is to transform its students into leaders who are equipped to inspire organizations in a way that leads to positive impact on the bottom line, but also positive impact on the world. Admissions is looking to create a class profile that will embrace this mission and create a culture that fosters strong relationships between students, faculty, staff, and their families.

The short answer and essay questions are an opportunity for you to tell your story in a way that speaks to Fuqua’s core values of collaboration, diversity, integrity, respect, and community engagement. That is why the first essay is so important. (For advice on positioning your Duke Fuqua application , view my related post.)

Fuqua Required essay #1: 25 Random Things About Yourself

While many applicants are intimidated by the prompt, I absolutely love this essay (see a full example of a successful ’25 Random Things’ response at the end of this post). The full prompt clearly states that Admissions wants to get to know you beyond the professional and academic achievements listed on your resume. This is your opportunity to connect on a personal level by showcasing a different side (or sides) of yourself that may not come through in traditional MBA applications. If done right, this essay is where you create advocates among those reading your list.

Think about your values, your hobbies, your interests, and important life experiences. These can and should be a mix of poignant, humorous, playful, deep, and everything in between. Some may be a paragraph whereas others may be a simple sentence. Also keep in mind that they should resonate with the core values of the Fuqua community mentioned above.

It’s also important to highlight your cultural competency. Fuqua has always put an emphasis on diversity and takes pride in the fact that its student body is consistently around 40% international. In fact, the main hallway is lined with flags representing the many countries students come from. Teams are purposefully made of individuals from different genders, ethnicities, and functional and industry backgrounds. It’s important that your savvy self- and cultural awareness shines throughout your application. Look for ways to stress your experience working with globally diverse teams and why a global perspective is important to you personally and professionally.

Fuqua Required Essay #2: The Fuqua community and you – what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua? (300 words)

While the essay topic remains the same, word count has been significantly cut this year, so it’s more important than ever that you dig deep into the engagement opportunities on campus and pick three that clearly align with your story, both past and present. Dedicating a significant amount of time to networking with students and alumni is essential so that you can envision yourself on campus and articulate how you will add value to the community.

As an added bonus, students and alumni are encouraged to submit online recommendations after engaging with prospective students and their opinions are highly valued by Admissions.

Outside the classroom is key here. All too often applicants ignore that part of the prompt and wax poetic about how their experience will add value in class discussions. You must go deeper. Fuqua boasts 60+ student clubs, each of which was started and run by students. These clubs and other experiential opportunities allow you to take initiative and flex the leadership muscle you are building in the program. Think about the groups you will be a part of – professional clubs and/or those that are more light-hearted like the Outdoors Club or Wine Club. There’s also the MBA Games, the MBAA leadership cabinet, GATE trips, and other opportunities to get involved.

Reflect on your past experience and how it will contribute to mission and goals of whatever opportunities you choose. If you have networked effectively, you’ll be equipped to articulate how you can add value in vivid detail.

Fuqua Required Short Answer: What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first choice career plan and your alternate plan. (500 characters with spaces)

At Fuqua, Admissions and the Career Management Center (CMC) are well connected. Career Center staff educate the team on what to look for in resumes and the key skills/experience required for certain career paths. If questions arise about a candidate, their experience, and how realistic their goals are, they will bring in the Associate Dean of the CMC to get her feedback. That said, you need to be quite clear about your development so far, the skills needed from the Duke MBA, and how it all translates post-MBA.

While I wouldn’t recommend spending too much character count on your plan B, it is an incredibly important part of your answer. The MBA is a dynamic and transformative experience. At orientation, staff would often joke with the new class that more than half of them would end up doing something completely different than what they wrote about in their application. The point of plan B is to show that you have thought clearly about more than one option and how they will get you to your goals short- and long-term. That way, when the wind changes (and it will), you will be prepared to adjust your sails!

Example of a Successful ’25 Random Things About YOU’ Essay

Having gained seven siblings all at once, at the age of nine, I’ve come to have a loose definition of the word family. My definition is based more on time I’ve spent with someone than our legal or biological bonds.
It took time (and a new addition to the house), but eventually my newly-extend family fell into a rhythm. Our home was louder, but filled with more laughter. Together we learned to discuss topics such as subliminal racism and police violence against people of color with sensitivity, directness, and when appropriate, a sense of humor.
I have a pet Quaker parrot named Blue. I was told it was a male bird so I was shocked when “he” laid an egg!
I’m deathly scared of spiders. My first month living in Chongqing, a spider about 3 ½ inches across found itself in front of my doorway; after frantically facetiming my dad, I dropped a textbook weighing about 5 pounds on it. I didn’t move the book for two weeks.
When I am stressed out I like to watch documentaries about space… or the children’s show “Arthur”—totally different but equally effective.
Ever since I watched the show Madeline at age 5, my interest in studying another language was peaked. While it only included snippets of French (“Bonjour”, “merci”) I was enchanted by the idea of learning French and connecting with a group of people otherwise unreachable.
On Thanksgiving when I was 5 years old, I finally put it together that the turkey we were eating was “turkey”, the bird. I surprised my parents by announcing I was now going to be a vegetarian. I surprised them further by remaining vegetarian until the end of high school.
In college, I volunteered in China with an NGO building libraries in rural schools. When the children first saw me, they ran and hid. It was their first time laying eyes on a foreigner. While they were initially frightened, we eventually bonded over Chinese paper cutting (which I never did quite get the hang of).
One of my first nights in Hunan Province, I tried “huajiao”, a pepper known for its numbing effects on the mouth; I had no idea what I’d eaten and was convinced I was having an allergic reaction. Since we were hours from a hospital I was also half-convinced this could be the end. Now huajiao is one of my favorite spices.
My college roommates and I met on our hall freshman year and the five of us lived together the rest of our time at Penn—we still have yearly reunions despite all living in different cities.
This summer, I had a small “family reunion” in a cozy Italian restaurant in NYC’s West Village. Around the table sat Tao Tao, a close friend from middle school, Alex, Roon and Angie, my hallmates for two years in boarding school, Nick and Amanda, my college roommates, and Freddie and Mark, who lived with me in Chongqing. It was surreal to bring these “family members” from different stages of life and corners of the world together.
I failed the written portion of the driving test three times before passing. My family, who often made fun of me for being the “nerdy” one, got a huge kick out of this.
I once took a 10-day trip around the deserts and plains of southeastern Mongolia with two women who I had just met from Australia and Canada. Despite 10 days in very close-quarters, we became great friends and confidants.
My favorite moments living in China are those in which I completely mess up (e.g. first time I tried to hike Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan province and ended up about a hundred miles off on the Tibetan border.) I had to squeeze into a 4.5ft. bed and go straight back the next day – hilarious and humbling.
Over the past few years, a couple clients’ passion for physics has rubbed off on me. Now, I listen to physics podcasts almost every night. Concepts like particle-wave duality and quantum field theory blow my mind!
I used to be more of a night-owl, until I walked onto the crew team freshman year of college. Even after I stopped my second year, I maintained the habit of waking up early and now I’m a total morning person.
My closest friends in Beijing identify as queer. Through them I have become involved in the LGBTQ+ community in Beijing, where there is still political danger associated with being queer/attending LGBTQ+ events. Locations are never released until just beforehand and only via private message.
One of my favorite memories this past year was trying to teach my 7-year-old niece how to play Mancala. Unfortunately, she never mastered the game… her 4-year-old sister kept flipping the board over.
While studying in France, I decided to stay abroad over the holidays and spent Christmas going on an impromptu tour through Lausanne, Switzerland, given by a professor from the Ivory Coast who I bumped into on the street.
My first job was working in a fine jewelry store. Looking at an inscribed platinum watch a family managed to bring with them after escaping France at the start of WWII, or a Victorian locket that still contained the black-and-white photo of young boy. I love learning the stories behind the pieces and then sharing them with customers.
My youngest adopted brother was drafted by the Miami Dolphins this past spring (my mom immediately bought an aqua and orange phone case to celebrate).
My freshman year at Penn, I thought I signed up for a writing seminar until I showed up for class and realized mid-way through the seminar that I had in fact registered for a seminar about sleep in the nursing school. No idea how I managed to mix that up but I ended up sticking with it and it became one of my favorite classes!
I had two pet rats, Chai and Cappuccino, in college. Side note: between its Parisian location and the fact that the main characters are rats, you may not be surprised to learn by now that Ratatouille is my favorite Disney movie.
Since high school, I have always had an interest in storytelling. One of the reasons I chose to work at ESC was its mission: Help students craft a narrative that tells their unique story.
The first time I played flag football was in open meet-and-greet game. I had a classic moment of almost making a touchdown and the football landing straight on my face. I still joined the team though!

Want more advice?

View my related blog: 5 Essential Tips on Applying for the Duke Fuqua MBA .

Fortuna Admissions Expert Coach Catherine Finch Tuttle brings deep MBA experience as a former Associate Director at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. For five years she worked in the Career Management Center creating , implementing, and evaluating programs and coaching MBA’s to achieve their career goals. She also served as the liaison to Admissions having worked with them earlier in her career as a Marketing Manager. For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up for a free consultation .

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Duke Fuqua MBA Essays Guide: Overview, Tips & Examples
For the 2023-2024 application cycle, Duke Fuqua has provided specific essay prompts. Let's take a closer look at each one and provide you with expert tips on how to approach them: Prompt 1: [Insert Prompt 1] When considering Prompt 1, it is important to reflect on your personal and professional experiences that have shaped your aspirations ...
Real Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Examples by ARINGO clients
Free Duke Fuqua MBA Essay SamplesThe Fuqua School of Business, founded in 1970, belongs to the prestigious Duke University. The following MBA essays were written by ARINGO MBA candidates who got accepted to Duke University's Fuqua School of Business MBA program over the past few years.
Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Examples
Successful Examples of Duke Essays. Here's a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team. Ashley. HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School HBS MBA. Kerry. HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School Kellogg MBA. Pauline. Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School MBA, the Wharton School. Geri.
2023-2024 Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Tips and Example Essays
2.2. Essay 1 - 25 Random Things - Tips. The 'Team Fuqua' spirit and community is one of the things that sets the MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. Please share with us "25 Random Things" about you.
Duke MBA Essays
Duke MBA Essays & Analysis 2023-2024. The following essay topic analysis examines Duke / Fuqua's MBA admissions essays. The Duke MBA essays are for the 2023-2024 admissions season. You can also review essay topic analyses for other leading MBA programs as well as general Essay Tips to further aid you in developing your admissions essays.
Tips on Writing Your "25 Things" Essay
Think of it as a list, not an essay. We truly mean it when we say to number your points 1-25 and that some points can be just one sentence. Avoid repeating what we already know about you. The work experience and leadership and involvement sections of the application, as well as your resume and transcript, tell us everything we need to know ...
Duke MBA Essays: Tips for 2023-2024
Personal essays encompass your moral character, passions in and out of work, and the relationships you have fostered with friends and mentors. This essay type is where you can show the MBA program who you are as an individual and the intrapersonal impacts you have made on people around you. Fuqua is looking to recruit students who show ...
Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2023
Duke Fuqua application essay tips. You'll need to provide your thoughts on one short answer question and two longer essay questions as part of your application. Instructions for all written submissions: Responses should use 1.5-line spacing and a font size no smaller than 10-point. Do not repeat the question in the document you upload with ...
Duke Fuqua MBA Essays
Duke Fuqua MBA program that seeks 'leaders of consequence' is known for a culture that is "more supportive, more collaborative, more immersive and more diverse."Fuqua has made a few minor changes to the 2022-23 application. The word limits for Essay 2 and the optional essay have been increased from 300 words to 500 words.
2023-2024 Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Analysis and Tips
MBA Essay Tips. July 15, 2023. The objective of Duke Fuqua is to prepare its students to inspire organizations in a way that has both a positive impact on the bottom line and a positive impact on the world. The admissions committee seeks to develop a class profile that embraces this objective and cultivates a culture that develops strong ties ...
Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Tips
Essay One: The "Team Fuqua" spirit and community is one of the things that sets The Duke MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. When a new person joins the Admissions team, we ask that person to share with everyone in the office a list of "25 Random ...
Examples of Our 25 Random Things
Yun Hong Daytime MBA Class of 2021. Sandeep Panda Daytime MBA Class of 2021. Austin Ray Daytime MBA Class of 2021. Courtney Ridenhour Daytime MBA Class of 2021. Published November 18, 2019. If you're a prospective student reading this blog, chances are you're already aware of the "25 Random Things" essay that is part of the application.
Duke MBA Application Deadlines & Essay Advice: 2023-2024
The Duke MBA Application Deadlines Are: Early Action: September 7, 2023. Round 1: September 28, 2023. Round 2: January 9, 2024. Round 3: February 22, 2024. While Duke has not confirmed its essay questions for 2023-2024 applications, please see below for Personal MBA Coach's tips on how to answer last year's Duke MBA essays. We will update ...
MBA Essay Tips for Duke Fuqua
Speak from the heart and provide real-life examples that showcase your character and values. 3. Address Short-Term and Long-Term Goals. One of the key components of Fuqua's MBA application is ...
Tuesday Tips: Duke MBA Essays and Tips for 2023-2024
Duke University's Fuqua School of Business is a community-oriented program seeking a diverse class of accomplished students. The Duke MBA essays remain the same this year. As you decide what to write about in your essays, carefully review the application instructions.The Duke Fuqua admissions committee seeks a well-rounded class of MBA students who are motivated and collaborative.
25 Random Things Archives
25 Random Things About My Section. The "25 Random Things" admissions essay is one of the not so random ways that Fuqua creates a diverse class of MBA candidates that push each other to grow both personally and academically. By John MacDonald. Daytime MBA Class of 2020. Published February 11, 2019.
Application Instructions
First required essay: 25 random things about yourself. The 'Team Fuqua' spirit and community is one of the things that sets the MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. Please share with us "25 Random Things" about you.
Duke Fuqua Essays for 2022-2023: Top Tips + '25 Random ...
For the 2021-2022 season, Fuqua has created a word count for essay 1 and adjusted higher the word count for essay two. Read on for detailed advice on tackling each essay. Fuqua Required essay #1: 25 Random Things About Yourself (2 pages/750 words max) While many applicants are intimidated by the prompt, I absolutely love this essay (see a full ...
How We Approached the Random Things Essay
Published January 4, 2024. The admissions process is all about showcasing an applicant's greatest strengths, interests and values. The "10 Random Things" essay is a unique way for Fuqua's Admissions team to genuinely get to know applicants for who they are. For applicants, it's an opportunity for self-reflection and a platform for ...
Duke MBA Essay On Fuqua B-School, Applicant's Contribution During MBA
One of the key benefits of the Duke MBA is the flexible and focused approach followed during the daytime (full-time) program. With six-week terms, the flexibility makes it possible to take more courses and thus optimize on the interaction with world-renowned faculty. The arrangement of a minimum of 5 electives in the first year itself with an ...
Duke Essay Examples
Many effective Duke essay examples for this prompt also address future academic or career goals. Prompt 4: Duke's commitment to diversity and inclusion includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. If you'd like to share with us more about your identity in this context, feel free to do so here.
2 Strong Duke Essay Examples
2 Strong Duke Essay Examples. With a very low acceptance rate, Duke is one of the most competitive U.S. colleges to get into. Alongside killer stats, extracurriculars, and letters of recommendation, admissions officers are looking for engaging, concise, and thorough essays to put you over the top. In this post, we'll share a Duke essay ...
Duke Fuqua Essays: Top Tips + '25 Random Things About YOU' Example
That is why the first essay is so important. (For advice on positioning your Duke Fuqua application, view my related post.) Fuqua Required essay #1: 25 Random Things About Yourself. While many applicants are intimidated by the prompt, I absolutely love this essay (see a full example of a successful '25 Random Things' response at the end of ...

Duke Fuqua MBA Essays Guide: Overview, Tips & Examples

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Duke Fuqua Application and the Role of Essays

Duke Fuqua Essay Prompts (2023-2024)

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2023-2024 Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Analysis + Downloadable Sample Essays

1. Who is Duke Fuqua looking for?

2. How should I answer the essay questions?

2.1. Required short-answer essay Tips

2.2. Essay 1 – 25 Random Things – Tips

2.3. Essay 2 – Fuqua Community – Tips

2.4. Optional Essay Tips

3. Make sure you get into Duke Fuqua

4. Deadlines

Real MBA Essays That Got People In

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Duke MBA Essays: Tips for 2023-2024

Personal Essay

Career Goals Essay

Campus Contribution Essay

Optional Essay

Reapplicant Essay

Applying to Duke Fuqua School of Business

The Personal Statement Essay

The Career Goals Essay

The School Participation Essay

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The Ultimate MBA Admissions Checklist

Which program are you applying to?

Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2023 – 2024]

Duke Fuqua application essay tips

Required short-answer essay question

Required essay #1 (25 random things about yourself)

Watch: Shari Hubert, Associate Dean of Admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business on How to answer the 25 Random Things Question:

Required essay #2 (The Fuqua community and you)

Optional essay #3 (Tell us more)

How to get into Duke Fuqua [Episode 536]

Shari, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [1:53]

Can you go over, first of all, that menu of MBA options at Duke Fuqua, and then perhaps focus a little bit more on the MBA program itself? [2:04]

That would be a one-year, early-experience program basically in business that you’re talking about? [3:09]

Can we focus on the full-time MBA program? Can you give a little bit more information on that one, on the two-year traditional program? [5:05]

I was just going to ask about that. [7:40]

It’ll be the second year, right? [8:49]

Thinking of all the implications in terms of what’s going on in the world around us, and it’s certainly necessary. And this is a second year course, so you’ve built up to it, right? [11:06]

Duke Fuqua touts the flexibility of its curriculum, and the many concentrations that it offers. Can you review that aspect of the program? It was great that you talked about the leadership opportunities, but what about the flexibility of the program, and its ability to meet different needs? [11:21]

And I think you really illustrated the flexibility and breadth of the program really. [14:36]

It is very flexible. Fuqua, pre-COVID, was also known very much for its global learning opportunities. Are they in full swing now? [15:34]

I was thinking about recruiting. [17:53]

The information you’re providing is adding so much more color, depth, texture to it, so thank you for all this. What about the application process itself? What changes have you made to the MBA application process this year? [19:22]

Any preference? [19:56]

And there are no test waivers, right? [20:38]

So it’s more like, “What else would you like us to know about you?” Or- [21:44]

And it is totally optional? [21:51]