Duke University The Fuqua School of Business

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Students Say - Academics
Students come to Duke University's Fuqua School of Business for many reasons. For some, "the opportunity to be associated with one of the premier universities in the world" is an obvious advantage, while others cite the school's "strong social entrepreneurship program." The "culture of diversity," "international programs," and "focus on developing global business leaders," are other highly attractive qualities of a Fuqua education, as are the school's many institutes and abundant areas of study. Across the board, however, almost everyone agrees that the "incredible atmosphere of collaboration" and "emphasis on teamwork" make Fuqua stand out. Both inside and outside the classroom, Fuqua maintains "an environment that highly values (and teaches) principles of communication and inter-connection between people." Coursework is collaborative, teamwork is integrated throughout the curriculum, and students are encouraged to take leadership roles in the school community. In fact, "The challenge from the administration to be "leaders of consequence" is woven throughout our activities, not just a trite phrase mentioned during orientation." A student details, "The administration gives students the freedom to shape much of our experience, and has an open-door policy when we need to confront any situations that might arise, even for items as small as thermostat settings in classrooms." In fact, "Much of the day-to-day activities of the school are student-run," and even "core functions of the school, such as admissions and career management, have great leadership opportunities for current students." With such a round and robust student experience, many feel that Duke offers "the best blend of academics and atmosphere of any of the top business schools." The Fuqua Daytime MBA begins with a four-week term called the "Global Institute," designed to develop international business and leadership skills. Thereafter, Duke's curriculum is organized into a series of six-week terms, during which students take a blend of electives and required core courses. "Taught by seasoned, senior faculty," "the core classes truly prepare you for every aspect of business." There is also a "plentiful" selection of electives (more than 100, at present), which add "a great blend of breadth and depth" to the program. As a part of an internationally renowned university, Duke's "phenomenal" faculty is "widely recognized for its prolific research output," yet "very devoted to classes they teach." Each class crams "a full semester of material into a six week term." Therefore, you'll "learn a lot in a short period of time"â€"and be amply challenged, at that. A dazzled student exclaims, "The academic experience is the best one can get in the world; I have learned more in these two years than in my five years of college and 10 years of experience combined."

Students Say - Admissions
Admission to Fuqua is highly competitive; you will have the best chance of acceptance if you apply as early in the admissions cycle as possible. The admissions committee does not have any minimum GMAT scores or GPA requirements. However, for the class of 2010, the 80 percent GMAT range was 640-750, while the average GPA range was 3.01 to 3.83.

Students Say - Campus Life
Student leadership is a key component of the Fuqua experience, and "The business school activities and clubs are solely student-run." As a result, "Day-to-day life is very busy between classes, career search, clubs, and social activity." A student shares, "The workload (class, career search, club related) is very challenging and prepares you well for the busy life of an executive." But, with 24 hours in the day, there is even time for fun. A student marvels, "I work at 100% capacity but somehow still manage to enjoy a dynamic social life." In fact, "Team Fuqua"â€"as the business school community is fondly calledâ€"is a "friendly" and "tight-knit" group. As "most people come to Durham just for business school," you'll find "an instant community whose members bond very quickly and socialize very often." A popular event is the weekly "Fuqua Friday," a happy hour during which "students, partners, children, professors and administrators can decompress and have some fun." In addition, students get together for "lots of parties and barbecues at apartment complexes." For married students (which comprise about a third of the population), "The school also has a great community of spouses and partners who meet regularly which makes it easier for those who are married or in relationships." On campus, "The facilities are amazing. There is a new building with high end technology, a top library, and 58 team rooms." When it comes to surrounding Durham, most students praise the school's comfortable "suburban location" in a city that "affords a good quality of life." Among other benefits, there is "a plethora of affordable housing," and "the weather is nice for most of the year."

Students Say - Careers
With an excellent reputation and accomplished student body, there is "a wide breadth of companies for each discipline" who recruit on the Duke campus. In recent years, top recruiters included Citi, Deloitte Consulting, Accenture, Johnson & Johnson, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, and Boston Consulting Group. While some students hail the Career Management Center's ample contacts and recruiters, other say they would like to continue to see the school work toward implementing a "better off-campus strategy for students," a goal that the Center has recently addressed with the introduction of the LAMP model, a new, proprietary model for organizing and implementing an off-campus search. Most students note that given the current trouble in the economy, the school has responded adequately; "They have added additional sessions throughout the week to make sure students have the resources they need to have a successful job search." Further, "50 to 60 students formally assistâ€"via Career Management Centerâ€"other students to critique resume, cover letter, and interview skills." To further assist students with their off-campus search during these difficult economic conditions, the school recently launched an institution-wide initiative entitled "Hire Up." In spring 2010, 11 cross-functional teams were formed to help current job seekers in the short-term, as well as to identify and implement longer term enhancements to the job search process at Fuqua. Each team is comprised of senior staff representing Fuqua's industry centers, global regions, career center, corporate relations and alumni relations groups. A student representative also serves on each team to ensure that student perspective is heard and considered. Others relay the desire for the Center to continue to "improve in building relationships with international employers." Though, as the school notes, with more than 9 out of 10 students citing the U.S. as their preferred destination post-graduation, student employment interests have traditionally been focused in the U.S. despite the fact that Fuqua's student population is very global.

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