Duke Fuqua 2021-22 MBA Essay Tips

At Duke University Fuqua School of Business, “Team Fuqua” is the mantra that leads the B-school and its collective community.

“We embrace a culture and mindset of inclusivity, trust, and respectfully challenging one another to push our own boundaries,” Kaveri Gyanendra, a second-year MBA, tells P&Q.

Duke Fuqua, which ranked number 14 in P&Q’s “Top Business Schools” ranking, specifically seeks out applicants who embrace “Team Fuqua” and can add value to the B-school’s community and culture. Catherine Tuttle, an expert coach at Fortuna Admissions and former Associate Director at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, recently discussed this year’s Duke Fuqua MBA essay prompts and provided tips for how applicants should approach each essay.

ESSAY 1

The first required essay, “25 random things about yourself,” asks applicants the following:

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.

Tuttle says this essay provides applicants with an opportunity to convey more unique sides of their personality that may not have shined through in other aspects of your application.

“Think about your values, your hobbies, your interests, and important life experiences,” Tuttle writes. “These can and should be a mix of poignant, humorous, playful, deep, and everything in between. Some may be a paragraph whereas others may be a simple sentence.”

Another important aspect to highlight, Tuttle says, is cultural competency as Fuqua prides itself in having an international student community.

“Teams [at Fuqua] are purposefully made of individuals from different genders, ethnicities, and functional and industry backgrounds,” Tuttle writes. “It’s important that your savvy self- and cultural awareness shines throughout your application.”

ESSAY 2

The second required essay prompt asks applicants the following:

The Fuqua community and you – what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua? (500 words)

With this essay, Tuttle says, it’s critical to highlight contributions that you’ll make outside of the classroom.

“All too often applicants ignore that part of the prompt and wax poetic about how their experience will add value in class discussions,” Tuttle writes. “You must go deeper. Fuqua boasts 60+ student clubs, each of which was started and continue to be run by students. These clubs and other experiential opportunities allow you to take initiative and flex the leadership muscle you are building in the program.”

Sources: Fortuna Admissions, P&Q, P&Q, Duke Fuqua