Duke Fuqua MBA Admissions Interview (cont'd)
Are there specific
characteristics that you target in an application to help
you identify the "best fit" candidate?
Fit means a lot of different
things to us. My objective as Director of Admissions is to
create a microcosm of the world to compliment the students'
learning experience. So that means diversity is something
that is valued here. This means diversity of thought,
diversity of background, professional experience, academic
experience, ethnicity, citizenship, etc. When we say "fit,"
we are looking for students who have the same value system,
so if you believe in the spirit of teamwork and you want to
study in an environment that is challenging and
collaborative at the same time, then this could potentially
be a good fit for you. I don't think there is one ideal
type of student that would be successful at Fuqua. We expect
that as this microcosm comes together, it becomes a very
rich learning environment as you continuously learn from
your peers.
What should applicants most
heavily emphasize in their work experience when applying?
Our applicants on the average
have 5 years of work experience, but the full range is
probably 0 to 21. So when you are coming into the program,
we expect that not everyone's work experience is going to be
equal. You don’t have to look like everyone else in the
applicant pool to have the ability to contribute to our
program. So based on the amount of work experience you
have, you want to highlight your progression within that
chosen field, why you've made career moves, what you have
learned from your profession, and most importantly, what you
can contribute to class work based on those experiences.
How important is an
applicant's GMAT score?
There isn’t any one thing
that we care about in the application process more than the
other because we care about them all. So the GMAT is one
component, but it doesn't carry any more weight than your
grade point average or your work experience, your essays or
your recommendations. For Fuqua the average GMAT this year
is 700. The 80% range is more important than the average
because it gives you a better idea of where the majority of
the students fall. The 80% range is 660 to 750. We do
accept students with scores in the low 600s depending on how
they might contribute to the environment here.
Do you have any advice for
applicants who struggled with this exam?
Yes. One of our aspects in
admissions is counseling and helping students maneuver and
organize this process. I can't advise a student to apply or
not apply to our program without having their application on
file. I think that if you fall within the ranges or if you
are close to those ranges, then you should put together the
best application you can and go for it. My best piece of
advice is to really do some preparatory work before you take
the exam. I would recommend taking the test at least
twice. Fuqua will always take the highest GMAT score. We
don't mix and match components in terms of verbal and
quantitative sub scores but will take the highest composite
score to the advantage of the applicant.
What specific applicant
traits do you gauge in an interview?
The interview is designed to
bring life to the application. I look at the interview as
an additional opportunity for the applicants to enhance
their chances of being admitted. It gives applicants the
opportunity to articulate goals, we get a sense of
personality, and why the applicant wants to attend our
business school. The interviewer speaks for the applicant
in the admissions committee with their write up. I strongly
advise anyone who is considering Fuqua to interview with
us.
So the interview isn't by
invitation only?
It is not required, but strongly recommended. We have an
open interview policy.
Can one expect to interview
with a member of Admissions?
Each year we select about 40
second year students who go through a pretty rigorous
selection and training process to become Admissions
Fellows. Your interview could be with either an individual
from the Admissions Committee or the Admissions fellows, but
all of them have a voice in the Admissions Committee. We do
have alumni interviews, but they are only offered in Los
Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco. We
also have some international locations where we have alumni
who do interviews. We purposely set up blind interviews
because we are not looking for anything other than a
conversation.
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