{"id":46251,"date":"2019-06-28T12:01:31","date_gmt":"2019-06-28T19:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=46251"},"modified":"2019-06-28T00:29:00","modified_gmt":"2019-06-28T07:29:00","slug":"duke-fuqua-essay-tips-and-deadlines-2019-20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/duke-fuqua-essay-tips-and-deadlines-2019-20\/","title":{"rendered":"Duke Fuqua  Essay Tips and Deadlines- 2019-20"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Duke Fuqua MBA\nprogram that seeks \u2018leaders of consequence\u2019, has <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.fuqua.duke.edu\/duke-mba\/2019\/06\/20\/allison-jamison\/changes-to-the-2019-2020-duke-mba-application?category=admissions\">made several changes to our application process<\/a> this year \u201c<em>with the goal of increasing\naccessibility to all applicants, streamlining the process, and providing the\ngreatest number of applicants the opportunity to meet with Duke MBA students\nand staff in person.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The two longer\nresponse essays (the iconic 25 random things and contribution essay) remain\nunchanged. But the short answer questions have been revised. Instead of three,\nthe candidates will be answering two short answer questions. Allison Jamison, Assistant Dean of Admissions, explains\nthe reasons for this change in the blog: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe questions have been changed to give applicants more opportunity to share their reasons for pursuing an MBA in general.&nbsp;We are also asking applicants to focus more attention on short term career goals, rather than long term goals, given the uncertainty and dependencies of life that are inherent in planning for the long term<\/em>. \"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Application\nDeadlines: <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Early\nAction:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Application due: September 19, 2019<br>\nDecision released: October 28, 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Round 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Application due: October 14, 2019<br>\nDecision released: December 18, 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Round\n2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Application due: January 6, 2020<br>\nDecision released: March 18, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Round 3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Application due: March 11, 2020<br>\nDecision released: April 20, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The new application will be live by August 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Essay Questions:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;Duke\u2019s 2 long essays (2 pages each) and two short\ncareer goals essays allow applicants to cover a lot of ground about their\npersonal and professional traits and accomplishments. The first required essay\nis Duke\u2019s favorite for many years - \u201825 Random Things about Yourself\u2019 prompt.\nThe second essay prompt asks applicants about their \u2018fit\u2019 with \u2018Team Fuqua\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Instructions for All Written Submissions:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Responses should use 1.5-line\nspacing and a font size no smaller than 10-point.<\/li><li>Do not repeat the question in the\ndocument you upload with your application.<\/li><li>Respond fully and concisely.<\/li><li>Length requirements vary by question\nand are detailed below.<\/li><li>Responses must be completed before\nsubmitting your application.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>All\nsubmissions are scanned using plagiarism detection software. Plagiarism is\nconsidered a cheating violation within the Honor Code and will not be tolerated\nin the admissions process<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s\ntake a closer look at the essays:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Required\nShort Answer Questions <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instructions: <\/strong><strong>Answer all 3\nof the following questions. For each&nbsp;question, respond in 500 characters\nonly (the equivalent of about 100 words).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Why is\npursuing an MBA the right next step for you? (500 characters, or about 100\nwords)<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>For this question, provide a very brief\naccount of your career history so far, detailing how you have acquired new\nskills and progressed along your career path all these years. Then explain where\nyou stand now and what you want to do, touching upon your short-term and long-term\ngoals. Then go on to describe why you believe that an MBA is the next logical\nstep in your career path NOW? Explain what are those skills that you still lack\nwhich you hope to acquire by an MBA? Discuss how an MBA will fill the gaps in\nyour career and bring you closer to the fulfillment of your goals? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>2.\n<strong>What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career\nplan and your alternate plan. (500 characters, or about 100 words)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In the first question, you have just\ntouched upon your career goals in order to justify your reasons for pursuing an\nMBA. For this question, you will elaborate your post MBA career goals as well\nas your alternate plans if your first-choice plans don\u2019t materialize. Please\nidentify the position that you hope to hold immediately after MBA, specifying role,\nposition, industry and 1-2 organizations\/companies which you would like to work\nfor. Articulate your goal and explain why this goal is interesting and important\nto you. Please note that your post MBA goal shows a logical progression from\nyour current skill set, and skills and knowledge acquired through MBA degree. Also,\nmake sure that your goals are ambitious as well as realistic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Then think about\nyour plan B. Duke admits that \u2018life is full of uncertainties\u2019, and you may come\nacross situations that might prevent you from realizing your post MBA goals. So\nyou must be prepared for your plan B. Please make sure that your alternative\ncareer path is not an altogether different path that doesn\u2019t allow you to\nleverage your skills and experience to the fullest. It should be in alignment\nwith your experience, skills, and knowledge gained from your MBA education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Long-form\nessays:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>First\nRequired Essay: 25 Random Things About Yourself<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instructions:\n<\/strong><strong>Present\nyour response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be only a few\nwords, while others may be longer. Your complete list should not exceed 2\npages.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>For context: Fuqua believes different types of\npeople, points of view, and experiences bring out the best in everyone. And\nabove all, we place a premium on succeeding while making a positive impact on\nbusinesses, organizations, and the world. These ways of thinking set the\nDuke MBA experience apart, and this concept extends beyond the student body to\ninclude faculty, staff, and administration. When a new person joins the\nAdmissions team, we ask that person to share with everyone in the office a list\nof \"25 Random Things About Yourself\". As an Admissions team, we\nalready know the new hire's professional and academic background, so learning\nthese \"25 Random Things\" helps us get to know someone's personality,\nbackground, special talents, and more.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In this spirit, the admissions committee also wants to\nget to know you\u2013beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in\nyour resume and transcript. You can share with us important life experiences,\nyour likes\/dislikes, hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps\nus understand what makes you who you are. Share with us your list of \"25\nRandom Things\" about YOU.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This\nquestion about \u2018a list of 25 random things\u2019 about applicants is Duke\u2019s favorite\nfor many years. It is my favorite as well. For years, I have enjoyed working\nwith applicants on this question as it offers me a glimpse into \u2018fun\u2019 side of\ntheir personality. As stated in the essay prompt, the purpose of this question is\n<em>to get to know you\u2013beyond the professional and academic achievements listed\nin your resume and transcript<strong>. <\/strong><\/em>This means that the admission\ncommittee wants you to share with them your \u2018<em>important life experiences,\nyour likes\/dislikes, hobbies, achievements, fun facts or <\/em>anything\u2019 that helps them understand who you\nare as a person<strong>\u201d. <\/strong>Thus, the\npurpose of this essay is to show the admission committee your multidimensional\npersonality. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over\nthe years, I have noticed that the candidates initially find this question a\nlittle daunting and are tempted to discuss their professional accomplishments,\nbut when they dig deeper and begin brainstorming ideas about unique and\ninteresting things about themselves, and the unique personal experiences that\nhave made them who they are, they start enjoying this process of self-\ndiscovery. I advise them to do these brainstorming sessions with their family\nand friends and ask them what they find interesting and funny about you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please\nnote that the word \u2018<em>random\u2019 <\/em>allows you to include little fun things that\nyou have done or do in your day- today life, your hobbies\/ habits that have\nbecome inseparable part of your personality. The unique component of this essay\nquestion is the \u201cfun\u201d part of it. So you don\u2019t need to get too serious about\nyourself. You want to share something about you that draws your reader in.\nAlso, please resist the temptation of drifting away to your accomplishments,\ncareer goals or leadership experiences because this is NOT what the Admission Committee\nseeks to know about you through this question. For ideas, you may refer to the\nfollowing examples on Duke Website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Examples\nof \"25 Random Things\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.fuqua.duke.edu\/duke-mba\/jnm23\/2012\/11\/13\/25-interesting-facts-about-me\/\"><em>25 Interesting Facts\n     About Me<\/em><\/a><em><\/em><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.fuqua.duke.edu\/duke-mba\/dds19\/2012\/10\/19\/my-25-random-things\/\"><em>My 25 Random Things<\/em><\/a><em><\/em><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.fuqua.duke.edu\/duke-mba\/admissions\/2012\/10\/04\/more-random-things\/\"><em>More Random Things<\/em><\/a><em><\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Bottom Line: Be Yourself<\/em><\/strong><em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Second\nRequired Essay: The Fuqua community and you<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instructions: <\/strong>Your response should be no more than 2 pages in length. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Fuqua prides\nitself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range\nof student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership\ndevelopment and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to\nsociety. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral\npart of the student culture and are vital to providing you with a range of\nexperiential learning and individual development experiences.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Based on\nyour understanding of the Fuqua culture, how do you see yourself engaging in\nand contributing to our community, outside of the classroom? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This essay is primarily\nabout your contribution to the school. Duke emphasizes greatly on how their\nstudents will make their community richer. Hence for this question, it is\nimportant for you to do your homework and research the school thoroughly. You\nneed to think beyond your contribution to the class room and discuss how your\ninvolvement in clubs, organizations, and student communities will add value to\nthe program. In addition to understanding the school\u2019s resources (curriculum,\nfaculty, clubs, organizations, and student activities) you should reach out to\nalumni and current students to get additional insights about the school\u2019s\nculture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please note that it is important to\nsupport your claims about your potential contribution to specific clubs and organization\nby specific examples from your past experiences, personal or professional, in\nthe given area. In order to demonstrate your \u2018fit\u2019 with the program, you must\nshowcase what you have done in the past and how you are going to be a strong\ncontributor to Duke as a student and as an alumnus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the short-term\ngoals essay doesn\u2019t give you an option to explain how Duke will help you\nrealize your goals, you can use this essay to discuss how various resources and\nofferings of Duke are aligned with your career goals. Be as specific as you can\nin connecting your career aspirations to specific courses, and clubs and\norganizations at Duke. However, your primary focus should be your community\ninvolvement and how you plan to enrich it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Optional\nEssay : Tell us more<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>If you feel\nthere are circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware,\nplease explain them in an optional essay (such as unexplained gaps in work,\nchoice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance),\nplease explain them in an optional essay.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Please do\nNOT upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area of the\napplication and limit your response to one page.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As instructed in the\nessay prompt, submit the <a href=\"https:\/\/myessayreview.com\/essay-tips\/optional-essay-2\/\">optional\nessay<\/a> only if you have to explain extenuating\ncircumstances. (e.g. <em>\u201cunexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders,\ninconsistent or questionable academic performance<\/em>\u201d). If you have low GPA or\nless than ideal GMAT, or if you are not able to get recommendation from your\ncurrent supervisor, or if you have employment gap, you may address these\nconcerns in your optional essay. Your weakness may also bring out a positive\naspect of your personality. This essay should convey that you are aware that\nthese are areas of concern in your application, but, whenever possible, you\nhave made a sincere effort to improve upon these areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you do not have\nany of those areas to explain, it\u2019s best to skip this question and focus only\non the required three essays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since\n2011, MER (<a href=\"https:\/\/myessayreview.com\/\">myEssayReview<\/a>) has helped\napplicants get accepted into top 20 MBA programs, including Duke Fuqua MBA\nprogram. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want\nto discuss? Email Poonam at <a href=\"mailto:poonam@myessayreview.com\">poonam@myessayreview.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a>For further assistance in developing your application essays, you may review the general <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/myessayreview.com\/essay-tips\/10-key-tips-for-creating-compelling-business-school-essays\/\">Essay Tips<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may be interested in essay analysis of other schools:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/myessayreview.com\/uncategorized\/emory-mba-essay-tips-deadlines-2019-20\/\">Emory\nMBA Essay Tips &amp; Deadlines<\/a>-2019-20<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/myessayreview.com\/essay-question-analysis\/darden-mba-essay-tips-deadlines-2019-2020\/\">Darden\nMBA Essay Tips &amp; Deadlines- 2019-20<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/myessayreview.com\/essay-question-analysis\/kellogg-mba-deadlines-essay-tips-2019-20\/\">Kellogg\nMBA Deadlines and Essay Tips - 2019-20<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/myessayreview.com\/essay-question-analysis\/michigan-ross-mba-deadlines-essay-questions-tips-2019-20\/\">Michigan Ross Essay Tips and Deadlines- 2019-20<\/a><\/strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/myessayreview.com\/essay-question-analysis\/hbs-essay-question-analysis-2019-2020\/\">Harvard Essay Question Analysis- 2019-20<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/myessayreview.com\/essay-question-analysis\/hbs-essay-question-analysis-2019-2020\/\">Harvard\nEssay Question Analysis- 2019-20<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mce_7\">This <a href=\"https:\/\/myessayreview.com\/essay-question-analysis\/duke-fuqua-essay-tips-deadlines-2019-20\/\">blog<\/a> was first published in <a href=\"https:\/\/myessayreview.com\/\">myEssayReview<\/a>&nbsp; blog.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br><\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Duke Fuqua MBA program that seeks \u2018leaders of consequence\u2019, has made several changes to our application process this year \u201cwith the goal of increasing accessibility to all applicants, streamlining the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":141,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,943],"tags":[2180],"class_list":["post-46251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-myessayreview","tag-mba-duke","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/141"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46251"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46251\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46257,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46251\/revisions\/46257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}