If you are planning on applying to Duke’s Fuqua School of Business in 2020-21 and wondering how to complete their essay questions, we are here to help you. We urge you to read this blog till the end, where we will be discussing actionable tips, analysis, and examples to craft the winning essay application.
Duke Fuqua focuses a lot on who you are as a person than any other factors. It is the reason why their median GMAT score is 710, which is a lot lower than many of their peer B-schools. When it comes to class strength, their number is also lower than most B-schools.
One important aspect of Duke Fuqua is their teamwork. They will gauge a student based on how he or she will work in a team. Another important factor is that their electives can be selected in such a way that it can play into your internships.
If you wish to know more about this B-school, be sure to visit our page.
If you would like to watch what our GMAT and MBA Expert, Arun Jagannathan has to say about writing your Kelley MBA application essays, you can watch the video here.
Let us now discuss the essay questions in detail.
DUKE FUQUA ESSAY ANALYSIS OVERVIEW
Most of the essay questions of Duke Fuqua center around teamwork. Let us look at the first question.
Essay Question 1
What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first choice career plan and your alternate plan.
For this essay question, mention the following:
– Short term MBA goals: Mention your immediate post-MBA goals. You need to be specific regarding your work. You need to also mention your transferable skills and your strengths. One mistake that many people commit is that they mention why they chose an MBA program. You don’t have to do that.
– Long term MBA goals: Unlike short term goals, you have some levy to not be specific. Here you can mention your choice or passion but keep in mind to not be random and vague. Your goals need to align with what you have been doing previously. Another important aspect that you should mention is the ‘why’. In other words, you need to mention why a particular aspiration is your long-term goal.
Tip:
You do not have to worry about what is your long term goal as long as you are clear on why it is your long term goal.
The next section is addressing your Plan B. It asks you that if the plans you mentioned above do not transpire, what other routes will you take.
We suggest you connect it with your long term goal. You need to deal with this section smartly and mention how you will reach your long-term goals with either your Plan A or Plan B.
For example, let’s say your long-term goal is to be an entrepreneur. Then you can mention that you can go through as a Consultant or as a Product Manager.
The difference here is that you should add how your Plan B can be mapped to your long-term goal.
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 this question, we suggest is to list out all the things about yourself in different sections:
1. Childhood: It can be about your name, any interesting story about you.
2. College: Mention some fun incident you experienced in your college; maybe about hostel experience.
3. Career: Do not talk about work-related projects but you can talk about something interesting about your work
4. Extra-curricular Activities: This can be your passion and you are free to mention what fires you.
5. Personality: You can note who you are as a person, something inexplicable. Maybe about your love for coffee.
The point is to be personal and interesting. You can also take help of your family and friends and ask them about yourself. The essential reason behind this question is to know you as a person.
Tip:
Do not retrofit your MBA story here. Many make the mistake of talking about their long-term aspirations. We suggest avoiding the same.
Second Required Essay
The Fuqua community and you
Instructions: Your response should be no more than 300 words.
For this essay, we suggest you research thoroughly. It is crucial for you to know everything you can about Duke Fuqua and select three or four pieces of information that will set you apart.
We will help you by dividing this section into three parts:
– Identify what club or activity you would like to do?
– How will that club or activity help you in your future?
– How will you contribute to the club?
Keep in mind the three-pointers mentioned above. We also suggest that you have a strong introduction and conclusion.
Optional Essay: Tell us more
For this question, we would suggest that you approach it only if you have something significant to inform the admissions team. Please do not use this to talk about your life story. Mention something important such as a gap year in your education or career. If you feel you have nothing significant to add, we suggest you do not attempt this question.
DEADLINES FOR DUKE FUQUA APPLICATIONS
Application deadlines for Duke Fuqua MBA class of 2021-22 are:
| Rounds | Application Deadlines |
|---|---|
| Round 1 | Oct 20, 2020 |
| Round 2 | Jan 7, 2021 |
| Round 3 | Mar 25, 2021 |
Want to know more about the MBA Application Deadlines for Top B-Schools? Here’s the entire list of top B-Schools along with their deadlines – MBA Application Deadlines 2020-2021
Duke Fuqua offers some of the most interesting essay questions for you and we are certain that our essay analysis will help you crack the winning application. In case you have any questions, you can always refer to our blog again or visit the video link above.
If you require our help in drafting and reviewing your essays, you can always reach out to us. Click on the image below and get in touch with our expert.
