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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