2024-2025 MBA Admissions: Duke Fuqua To End ‘Open’ Interview Period For Applicants

Duke Fuqua School of Business announced three updates to its 2024-2025 MBA application process today (July 2) in a blog post by Allison Jamison, assistant dean of admissions. The most impactful of the three: Fuqua will no longer have an “open interview” period in addition to the interviews it grants by invitation. From now on, all interviews will be by invitation, Jamison writes.

“In prior years, we offered interviews both by invitation and during an applicant-initiated ‘open interview’ period,” she writes. “However, we found that some applicants scheduled interviews before they were truly ready, afraid that they would be penalized for not taking advantage of the open interview period. While no applicant was penalized for ‘waiting’ for an invitation to interview, we acknowledge the difference in the interview process was a source of stress and anxiety for many.”

The other two updates involve MBA candidates applying through The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, which Fuqua joined in April, and assurances that the school’s admissions team is familiar with the new Graduate Management Admission Test (formerly called GMAT Focus) and the differences in scoring between the new and old tests.

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CHANGE TO INTERVIEW POLICY ‘ALLOWS MORE TIME FOR APPLICANTS TO PLAN’

Jamison begins her blog post by remarking that Duke Fuqua set a new record for MBA applications in 2023-2024, which would halt a two-year slide for the B-school. Fuqua’s apps had slipped from 3,762 in 2021 to 3,539 in 2022 and then 3,292 last year.

Regardless of the increased volume — Fuqua has not yet published how many apps it received, but an increase comports with unofficial news of a rebound in app numbers at many of its peer schools — the Durham, North Carolina school’s admissions team is “always looking for new ways to improve our process,” Jamison writes. This year that included adjustments to ensure greater fairness by ending open interviews, which had become a “source of stress and anxiety” by spurring candidates to apply before they were fully prepared.

“By moving to a single, consistent interview policy, we hope to alleviate this stress,” she writes, describing the school’s new process: Applicants, including Early Action applicants, submit their application, then await an interview invitation. Interview decisions will be released on a rolling basis as applications are reviewed.

An applicant who is invited to interview will receive an email invitation with instructions on how to schedule the interview, either in-person or virtually, depending on what they indicated in their application.

“We are excited about this change because it allows more time for applicants to plan and schedule their interview, whether they are choosing to interview virtually or travel to Durham for an on-campus interview,” Jamison writes. “It’s important to note that while interview decisions are released on a rolling basis, there is no benefit or disadvantage to receiving an invitation earlier versus later. Regardless of when you receive your interview decision, all applicants will still receive their admission decision on the published decision release date.”

2 MORE UPDATES

Fuqua joined The Consortium in April. The nonprofit founded in the mid-1960s is dedicated to diversifying MBA ranks at U.S. B-schools; a single application with The Consortium allows a candidate to apply to up to six member schools. Consortium fellows also are invited to an annual Orientation Program & Career Forum where they meet with the group’s corporate partners and connect with incoming students from the now 25 schools participating in The Consortium (Duke was the 24th; in June, Chicago Booth School of Business became the 25th, and 4th M7 school, to join The Consortium).

Because Fuqua “has a long history of supporting and championing those who are underrepresented in the business world,” Jamison writes, its membership in the Consortium “was a natural fit for us.” She notes that applicants through The Consortium “will find our essay questions and additional materials through the Consortium application. They will be considered for interview invitations on the same timelines as applicants applying directly to Fuqua through either Round 1 or Round 2.”

In the other update, Jamison seeks to assuage applicant fears about differences in scoring between the old GMAT, which is no longer available to take but for which scores are valid for five years, and the new GMAT, which was rolled out in late 2023 and became the sole version in February 2024. Fuqua, she notes, is not making any changes to its test score policy: The school will continue to accept the GMAT, Graduate Record Exam, or Executive Assessment, without a preference. However, Jamison adds, “Many applicants have questions about how the ‘new’ GMAT score will be considered.” The new, shorter version uses a different scoring scale, and that has spooked some applicants because scores from the two versions may look different.

“Our Admissions team is very familiar with the new scale, though, so don’t worry! We encourage applicants to look into the new GMAT scoring scale,” Jamison writes. “Many people think their GMAT score ‘looks’ lower than published GMAT averages, but that may not be the case. Looking at the percentiles that go along with the composite score offers a more clear comparison. For example, a 700 on the old GMAT was in the 89th percentile; on the new GMAT, the 89th percentile corresponds to a score of 655.

“Again, Fuqua’s testing policy has not changed, but given the change in the GMAT itself, I wanted to be clear about how applicants should view their scores. We always encourage applicants to submit any test scores they have, whether they’ve taken one test type or have tried all three.

“With these improvements in place, our Admissions team is ready to start recruiting the next wave of impactful business leaders,” Jamison writes. “The application is live now, and our travel dates are on the calendar. We look forward to getting to know the Class of 2027!”

DUKE FUQUA MBA APPLICATION ESSAY QUESTIONS

Required short-answer essay question

Instructions: Answer the following question in 100 words.

What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan.

First required essay: 25 random things about yourself

The ‘Team Fuqua’ spirit and community is one of the things that sets the MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. Please share with us “25 Random Things” about you. The Admissions Committee wants to get to know YOU – beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. Share with us important life experiences, your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are.

Your list will be limited to 2 pages (750 words maximum). Please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be brief, while others may be longer.

Second required essay: The Fuqua community and you

Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and to the development of leaders. Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua?

Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).

Optional essay: Tell us more

If you feel there are circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g. unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance). Note that you should NOT upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area. The Optional Information section is intended to provide the admissions committee with insight into your circumstances only.

Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).

Click here to visit Duke’s MBA application page.

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