Duke Fuqua's Daytime MBA program saw a 21% increase last year, in part, according to a Duke Chronicle article, due to Fuqua's global approach and strategy, as well as its boost in recruitment initiatives around the world. A total of 3,551 applications were submitted, a record high for the program.
Global strategies include opening campuses/facilities at international location, employing staff throughout the globe, and connecting prospective students with international alumni.
Fuqua also gave application discounts to students who attended information sessions; instead of $200, these applicants paid only a $50 application fee.
Fuqua's EMBA programs also saw a jump in application volume: the Cross-Continental program experienced a 42% increase in applications; the Global Executive program received 11% more applicants; and the Weekend Executive MBA program saw a 12% application increase.
According to Liz Riley Hargrove, Fuqua's associate dean for admissions, Fuqua didn't just experience an increase in application volume, but an increase in quality as well. Average GMAT scores among applicants increased nine points last year, from 688 to 697. Also, the program saw a 6% decrease in its acceptance rate, from 30% to 24%.
Fuqua's application increases are viewed as the exception to an otherwise downward trend in business school application numbers. According to a recent Businessweek article, 10 of the top 30 business schools reported a decrease in application volume, including Wharton and UC Berkeley Haas. Another nine of the top 30 declined to supply data on the subject.
Sam Silverstein, GMAC's manager of media and public affairs, explains that job availability is hugely taken into account when determining the economy and whether or not a break from work and a stint at b-school make sense: "When people make the calculations and say, ‘OK, I’m going to give up my job and go to school,’ the calculation might be that when people start to see the economy get worse, the [motivation] to take a breather from working and go to business school is higher."
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