Instructions for all written submissions
Prompt: 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.
Break down the essay question:
Duke Fuqua is a business school that focuses on leadership, so consider how you hope to show leadership in your field or personal career: Have you set yourself a mission?
When down the line you go into your interview, you will need to be able to answer the following:
Prompt: 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.
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.
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Each of your 25 Random Things should demonstrate some aspect of your character, personality, philosophy, interests, or what you have learned from life.
Yes, you can and should use humor! But use it to reveal new aspects about yourself and your character.
"One of my most embarrassing moments was when I drove my old boss to lunch and on the way back, my car ran out of gas. To top it off, our group was celebrating 'Ugly Christmas Sweater Day,' and both of us had dressed for the occasion." Although this is a random funny incident, it also demonstrates that he is the type of person who will don an ugly sweater out of team spirit, and can laugh at himself when things go wrong.
For example, one of my clients had an item about he and his fiancee name their pets after desserts. This simple item showed that he likes dessert, of course, but it also demonstrated how he and his fiancee typically worked together on decisions. It also demonstrated how both were thinking of a future together, a future with dogs and kids.
On the other hand, another client spent listed only funny childhood anecdotes, nothing from her adulthood. It's true that the list showed how she became who she is today ... but as I told her, you should also remember that Duke prizes your adult leadership and teamwork.
Use the list to add color to certain items on your resume. (But do not just repeat your resume.)
In addition, use the list to provide information on things that you could not work into your resume or essays, such as places to which you have traveled that made an impact on you when you were younger, or a special family culture.
Are you unsure about which stories Fuqua might be interested in?
A good rule of thumb is to consider topics for each one of the following areas. Write a short story for each, and choose the ones that you beiieve best describe the range of your personality ("what makes you who you are").
Fuqua does not usually expect you to try to tie all 25 things together. However, as your editor, I will be looking for potential themes.
Duke (and all of the schools, really) is looking for a certain willingness to be vulnerable - signifying the ability to be self-reflective and learn from past situations, bad as well as good. Therefore, in the 25 Things, I encourage people not only to share the good things but the tough things, too.
"In high school, I was in a gang. I was also on the football team. My community – everyone from coaches to my teammates’ parents – helped me push through that difficult period. The parents would ask, 'Where are you going to college?' – that made a difference."
Duke is very big on teaching ethics and ethical leadership, so stories that demonstrate tough but ethical decision-making are welcome.
Finally, Fuqua is very big on IQ, EQ (emotional intelligence measure), and DQ (decency quotient). DQ usually can be seen in community service/volunteer activities, etc. If DQ is not something that can be seen in your resume, then it must be shown in your essays, 25 Things and Contribution to Fuqua.
Prompt: Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and 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).
Why MBA: It should be clear that you have identified a few meaningful activities in your first and second year to be involved with that are relevant to accomplishing your post-MBA goals.
Why Team Fuqua: It should very noticeable that you have interacted with Fuqua in meaningful ways to truly determine if you like the culture (visiting, talking to students and/or alumns, attending webinars, reading blog posts, etc). Demonstrate how you fit the culture in how you plan to contribute to Fuqua during and after school, referring to what you learned and how you learned about it.
The Team Fuqua is based upon six paired principles:
Read examples of how actual Fuqua students represented the six paired principles while in the MBA program.
In choosing the three ways in which you expect to contribute, first research the activities in which you would like to be involved. Make a list. For each one, consider both your past experience (personal & professional), your character, and your skills might allow you to contribute to those activities. This could be simple: perhaps you've traveled to South Africa and can share your experience on a GATE exhibition. This could be more involved: Perhaps you want to build up an area of the MBA program, and you have some ideas based on experience, skills, or just a strong motivation.
If you are not sure how you might contribute to your selected activities, try to view them through the lens of paired principles: What might encouraging Authentic Engagement, or Collective Diversity, or Supportive Ambition, or Loyal Community, or Uncompromising Integrity, or Impactful Stewardship actually mean, within the scope of that activity? How could you as an individual encourage and promote a principle(s)?
Within the application itself, Duke Fuqua has in the past asked this question.
Obviously, only a short response is needed! However, this is a good example of why you should open up your application far in advance of the deadline, and check for any hidden requirements.
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).
Use to address something that might need further explanation. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. Use to address:
Use this essay to turn a potential weakness into a strength. Tell the Admissions Committee what happened and why it happened. Be honest in your self-evaluation. Most importantly, tell them what you have learned from a negative experience, and how this learning has influenced future actions.