Calling all Duke (Fuqua) Fall 2009 applicants!

It seems like every admission consultant has a different take on the optional essays. I've heard it all: mention your GPA, don't mention your GPA, don't put negative stuff, only put additional info, etc.

Personally, I plan on using it to explain aspects of my application that require further elaboration. For example, my GPA was crap my first two years of undergrad, but then rapidly improved in my final two years. My overall GPA is on the low end, but still in the OK range. I've decided not to mention it. I mean, they'll have my transcripts and they can see for themselves what my academic performance has been. I don't have anything to add. There were no extenuating circumstances that I can use to explain away my performance. It's kinda like being caught stealing red-handed! The best thing to do is say "Yeah, I did it." No excuses, just the truth.

And to be honest, I think the "don't end on a negative" has some validity. What if the adcom reads you essays and think "dam! this is a really unique applicant!", then the last thing they read is how your GMAT is low. I think it leaves things on a bad note.

RF

I decided to apply for R1.

Is anyone here from Atlanta?

I am... Nice to see another..

Hey aaudetat,

I was wondering where Fuqua gets its case studies from? Many schools get those from HBS as per my knowledge. Also, can you tell me if there is any specific prof that you liked the most from the operations conc? What are some of the case studies that you have handled in the operations area?

The Duke online application is now live.

RF

Thank you..

HBS, alas, rules. We have to fund lepium's swanky digs somehow.

Professors also periodically write their own cases, and there are other sources, so it's not all hbs.

I have only taken one ops class so far: the core course. i'm taking another this term, service ops.

I had Gurhan Kok and he was awesome. Fun, funny, and a good teacher. I hear that Kevin Shang, the other core prof, is also good. I sat in on one of his sections, and he seemed like a good professor. For the most part, I think fuqua faculty are on the ball.

I can't remember a lot of the smaller, daily cases we did at the moment, but we did a couple of big ones:

The Cranberry Case (it's famous in the ops world)
Little Field Labs (an online simulation)

Has anyone started the Duke App and encountered this little question?

Please list all other MBA programs to which you are applying:

I'm nervous about how to answer it because Duke will figure out their not one of my top choices. I guess the best policy is honesty here. I'm curious why they even want to know.

Wow. That's so unnecessary.

Dint see that coming. I thought that they would ask me that question in an interview. Dint expect that question in the application.

This is ridiculous. Even if you apply to Ross and Darden (2 other schools in the same "tier"), Duke could still be your third choice! I mean, are they only going to accept you if you apply to Duke and UNC (in which case you may prefer UNC if you are a NC resident!)? Or Duke, Boston College, and Florida?

C'mon.

PS NYU asks the same question...

thats not as bas as say tell them that u r applying to Columbia in their ED round and Tuck in their EA round.

I would be curious as to how much your answer impacts on your app!

Anyways, I have a feeling that a lot of it is done out of curiosity on the part of Duke.

RF

I m not so sure! Duke is trying to improve its yield and move up the rankings. one of the reasons y they started the ED round. Although the school might not admit, I would have to guess that the answer to this question might affect the decision especially if u dont apply in the ED round.

I hope they wouldn't take it into consideration on deciding to admit or not. Like someone else stated above, just because you applied to a higher rank school doesn't necessarily mean Duke isn't your first choice.

Let's say you start early and you have enough time to send out another app. Duke might be your #1 pick, but you threw Stanford or Harvard in there just to "play the lotto".

RF

Also, one could interpret the question as, "which schools WILL you apply to" or "which schools have you ALREADY applied to?"

[delete post]

Never mind, I answered my own question!

RF