Charter members of BSAHCM include Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Harvard Business School, the University of California at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

“The Alliance aims to help the public understand the capacity of our institutions to bring about solutions to many of the management and leadership issues arising in the health sector on a global basis,” Fuqua’s Health Sector Management Director Kevin Schulman said in a statement announcing the organization’s . . . → Continue Reading]]> Last month, five leading U.S. business schools joined together to form the Business School Alliance for Healthcare Management (BSAHCM), an organization focused on fostering management education in the healthcare sector as part of an effort to improve healthcare overall.

Charter members of BSAHCM include Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Harvard Business School, the University of California at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

“The Alliance aims to help the public understand the capacity of our institutions to bring about solutions to many of the management and leadership issues arising in the health sector on a global basis,” Fuqua’s Health Sector Management Director Kevin Schulman said in a statement announcing the organization’s establishment. To be successful, management education must help create leaders who design healthcare solutions built around business fundamentals, he continued.

Fuqua’s Schulman was appointed an initial member of the BSAHCM Board of Directors at the alliance’s inaugural meeting. Other initial board members, each nominated and approved for two-year terms, include David Dranove, Kellogg; Lawton R. Burns, Wharton; Richard Hamermesh, Harvard; and Kristiana Raube, Haas.

Alliance institutions are approaching their work with a sense of urgency, according to Schulman. “The recent healthcare reform legislation in the US largely revolved around the critical issue of access to care for the uninsured,” he said. “But other crises loom even larger for most Americans: the chronic over-utilization of tests and specialist services; misaligned incentives; staggeringly high costs; and variable or poor quality of care,” he noted.  

Other BSAHCM member schools so far include Yale University, Arizona State University, Vanderbilt University, Boston University and the University of Colorado at Denver. Membership in the Alliance is open to healthcare management programs at top business schools that have shown a commitment to research, teaching and service in the health sector.

To learn more, click here.

Early Action Deadline: September 30, 2010 Interview Invitation: October 25, 2010 Interview Dates: November 6-7, 2010 Decision Notification: December 3, 2010

Round 1 Deadline: November 1, 2010 Interview Invitation: December 17, 2010 Interview Dates: January 8-9, 2011 Decision Notification: January 31, 2011

Round 2 Deadline: January 4, 2011 Interview Invitation: February 4, 2011 Interview Dates: February 19-20 and 26-27, 2011 Decision Notification: March 25, 2011

Round 3 Deadline: March 8, 2011 Interview Invitation: April 1, 2011 Interview Dates: April 8-24, 2011 Decision Notification: May 8, 2011

For more information, be sure to visit the . . . → Continue Reading]]> After releasing their essay topics in May, Duke / Fuqua have released their upcoming admissions season deadlines. While applicants can request an interview during the school’s Open Interview season (September 16 – October 16, 2010), the dates below cover the invitation-only process for Fuqua’s admissions cycle.

Early Action
Deadline: September 30, 2010
Interview Invitation: October 25, 2010
Interview Dates: November 6-7, 2010
Decision Notification: December 3, 2010

Round 1
Deadline: November 1, 2010
Interview Invitation: December 17, 2010
Interview Dates: January 8-9, 2011
Decision Notification: January 31, 2011

Round 2
Deadline: January 4, 2011
Interview Invitation: February 4, 2011
Interview Dates: February 19-20 and 26-27, 2011
Decision Notification: March 25, 2011

Round 3
Deadline: March 8, 2011
Interview Invitation: April 1, 2011
Interview Dates: April 8-24, 2011
Decision Notification: May 8, 2011

For more information, be sure to visit the school’s website.

Today, companies must navigate through complex and interdependent issues. They must deal with health and security matters, environmental impact questions, and diversity and cultural concerns. Leaders need adaptability, imagination, emotional intelligence, and business acumen. Thus, . . . → Continue Reading]]> The Duke / Fuqua essay topics have changed slightly since last year’s admissions season, with a greater focus on applicants’ interest in and potential contribution to Duke.  Although there is no specified word limit, Duke does require that all essays be no more than two pages in length, written with 1.5 line spacing and a minimum 10 point font size.  Let’s take a closer look at each essay as well as the broad instructions/preamble that Fuqua provides:

Today, companies must navigate through complex and interdependent issues. They must deal with health and security matters, environmental impact questions, and diversity and cultural concerns. Leaders need adaptability, imagination, emotional intelligence, and business acumen. Thus, Duke is in the midst of an ambitious global venture that will embed and connect us around the world, and we are seeking future leaders of consequence, who value diversity and collaborative leadership, and who aspire to impact the companies and communities of which they are a part in a lasting and positive way.

In an effort to identify, engage, and foster the development of future leaders of consequence, the Admissions Committee would like to get to know our applicants in a more holistic manner. We would like to know who you are, what has shaped you into the person you are today, and how you hope to impact both Duke and the communities of which you will be a part in the future. The essays are your opportunity to convey that to us. Please be open, genuine, and passionate. Share with us what makes you a dynamic, multi-dimensional person.

Identical to the preface to last year’s application questions, this statement should indicate to applicants that Duke is interested in students who are both natural leaders and collaborators, able to work with diverse teams of people.  In addition, while discussing their career vision, Duke applicants should emphasize the lasting impact of these future plans.  Based on the second paragraph, Duke values students who can express themselves in a personable manner through their essays, so applicants should also strive to infuse their writing with personality and passion.

Essay 1: Describe your vision for your career and your inspiration for pursuing this career path.
This is a variation of the standard career goals essay.  However, because Duke is asking about applicants’ career vision, this particular question lends itself to a long-term, big picture outlook in addition to describing immediate post-MBA career goals.  Responding to the second part of this prompt provides candidates with the perfect opportunity to outline their career history.  Applicants should also feel free to include information about any academic or extracurricular experiences that have motivated them to pursue their intended career.  With two pages to respond to this prompt, applicants should have ample space to describe both their career vision as well as what has inspired this plan.

It’s important to note that in this year’s career vision question, Duke does not ask applicants how Fuqua would factor into achieving their professional goals.  Therefore all discussion of applicants’ academic and professional interest in Duke should be reserved for the response to the third prompt.

Essay 2:  How will your background, values, and non-work activities enhance the experience of other Duke MBA students and add value to Fuqua’s diverse culture?
This essay returns to Fuqua’s application after it was last used in the 2007-2008 application season, indicating Duke’s continued interest in students contributing to the diversity of the school’s community. The prompt is fairly broad, covering just about every dimension of one’s candidacy, experience and perspective, and subsequently issues a general invitation for the applicant to imagine how his or her unique characteristics might map onto involvement in Team Fuqua.  This response is a great place to showcase specific knowledge of the culture at Duke, as well as introduce information that will help you stand out from the applicant pool.

Essay 3:  Why Duke? (If you are interested in a specific concentration, joint degree, clubs or activities, please discuss how you would contribute to these in this essay.)
Asking applicants about their interest in the school to which they are applying is a standard question MBA programs ask, and Duke’s parenthetical comments provide applicants with a clue as to the topics they should cover in responding to this essay.  The important thing to note is that Fuqua asks how applicants would contribute to the school, so in addition to explaining what academic and extracurricular programs you want to become involved in, it’s important to show how this involvement would benefit the Duke community.

One thing to be aware of is that your answer to this question is not merely a reiteration of the points made in your second essay, as both prompts ask applicants to explain how they would contribute to the school. One way in which you can approach this challenge is by using Essay 2 to focus on who you are and how you are unique: with this as your foundation, you can then use specific examples of planned participation to explain what you would bring to Fuqua and how you hope to contribute to the class.  Meanwhile, in responding to Essay 3, you can focus on what you hope to get out of Fuqua and why you want to be there.  In explaining how you are a cultural fit with the program and how the school would help you achieve your career goals, you should support your argument with specific examples of how you would contribute to, as well as benefit from, specific courses, clubs, and events.

Conclusion
As you prepare to responds to these prompts, remember to do careful research on Duke’s program offerings and integrate your findings.  Candidates should consult the Clear Admit School Guide to Fuqua for an in-depth review of the program’s unique features, character, and curriculum.  In addition, feel free to contact us for a free consultation, during which one of our Clear Admit Admissions Consultants will help you consider the elements of your profile and determine how to best spread them across these three essays.

All Fuqua first-year students participate in the three-week Global Institute pre-term program. The Institute, held in August before the start of classes, consists of two core courses designed to help students gain a more nuanced understanding of the global business environment and enhance their collaborative leadership skills.

In addition to the mandatory Global Institute, Fuqua offers a Summer Math Review Course and a Language Institute in the weeks before New Student Orientation to help students build targeted skills before the start of classes. Although all . . . → Continue Reading]]> It’s time for another look at the programs, resources and opportunities that help differentiate the leading business schools. Today we will examine the options available to help incoming Fuqua students start the school year on the right foot.

All Fuqua first-year students participate in the three-week Global Institute pre-term program. The Institute, held in August before the start of classes, consists of two core courses designed to help students gain a more nuanced understanding of the global business environment and enhance their collaborative leadership skills.

In addition to the mandatory Global Institute, Fuqua offers a Summer Math Review Course and a Language Institute in the weeks before New Student Orientation to help students build targeted skills before the start of classes. Although all students are generally invited to participate in these courses, the Admissions Office recommends or requires enrollment for particular students with weaker math or English skills. Because the programs meet during the same time period, it is impossible to complete both, but the administration reports that few, if any, entering students need extra preparation in both subjects.

The Language Institute, or LI, begins in July and is designed to help international students build English speaking, writing and listening skills, orient to the academic environment at Fuqua, and begin creating friendships with other students. The LI, which costs $3,525 in the 2010-2011 academic year, is divided into four phases of teaching and support. In the optional first phase, students who would like to complete individual preparatory work with a tutor are encouraged to arrive in early July for tutorial sessions. The intensive two-week Language Institute makes up phase two of the program, and during this time students complete English diagnostic assessments, language tutorials, experiential learning projects and case study analyses. Classes during phase two meet from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day, with mandatory social events and team meetings often scheduled for the evenings. Phase three begins once LI participants start the Global Institute course. The LI faculty use the “live” academic setting of the Global Institute to give LI participants detailed feedback and suggestions for improvement before the first term of classes begins. Finally, entering students who participate in the LI are eligible to receive continued language support through individual counseling or small group work throughout their time at Fuqua.

For more information on pre-term and international orientation programs at Fuqua or other leading business schools, be sure to check out the Academics section of the Clear Admit School Guides!

The fellowships, which will be presented to one student from each of the ten partner schools, will cover the full cost of tuition for the second year of MBA studies. Partner schools include Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business, Columbia University Graduate School of Business, Duke University Fuqua School of Business, Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, MIT Sloan School of Business, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, Stanford University Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago Booth School . . . → Continue Reading]]> The William G. McGowan Charitable Fund will partner with 10 top MBA programs across the United States as part of a new fellowship program designed to support promising students who demonstrate academic excellence and social leadership during their first year of MBA studies.

The fellowships, which will be presented to one student from each of the ten partner schools, will cover the full cost of tuition for the second year of MBA studies. Partner schools include Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business, Columbia University Graduate School of Business, Duke University Fuqua School of Business, Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, MIT Sloan School of Business, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, Stanford University Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, University of Michigan Ross School of Management and University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business.

“This unprecedented program seeks to support future leaders who can influence their companies to advance a financially viable environmental and societal agenda,” McGowan Fund Executive Director Diana Spencer said in a statement announcing the new fellowships.

As part of the program, the fellows will present a case study in business to the McGowan Fund Board of Directors at a conference each fall. The McGowan Fund hopes that the conference, which will be open to alumni of the fellowship program in future years, will help build a network honoring William McGowan, who was a successful entrepreneur and founder of MCI Communications.

The initial class of McGowan Fellows will be announced in July 2010.

To learn more, click here.

1. Describe your vision for your career and your inspiration for pursuing this career path.

2. How will your background, values, and non-work activities enhance the experience of other Duke MBA students and add value to Fuqua’s diverse culture?

3. Why Duke? (If you are interested in a specific concentration, joint degree, clubs or activities, please discuss how you would contribute to these in this essay.)

All essays should be no longer than two pages in length, and are expected to be written with 1.5 line spacing. Font sizes should be no smaller than 10 . . . → Continue Reading]]> The Duke / Fuqua essay topics for the 2010-2011 admissions season have been announced. All candidates must respond to three required essays. The essay topics are as follows:

1. Describe your vision for your career and your inspiration for pursuing this career path.

2. How will your background, values, and non-work activities enhance the experience of other Duke MBA students and add value to Fuqua’s diverse culture?

3. Why Duke? (If you are interested in a specific concentration, joint degree, clubs or activities, please discuss how you would contribute to these in this essay.)

All essays should be no longer than two pages in length, and are expected to be written with 1.5 line spacing. Font sizes should be no smaller than 10 point.

In addition to the required essays, applicants can also submit an optional essay. All reapplicants are asked to complete the Re-applicant Essay, in which candidates should describe how they are now a stronger candidate for admission compared to the application you submitted the previous year. Re-applicant Essays should be no more than two pages in length.

“Duke University began offering healthcare education in 1930 alongside the opening of the Duke Hospital. In the more than three-quarters of a century since then, the Health Sector Management program (HSM) has evolved into one of the preeminent healthcare management education programs in the nation, alongside Wharton’s Health Care Systems major.  After moving first-year HSM courses to the business school in 1986, the HSM program became fully integrated . . . → Continue Reading]]> It’s time once again for Trivia Tuesday, our regular exploration of the special programs and opportunities that differentiate the leading business schools. This week we take a peek into the Clear Admit School Guide to Fuqua, and share an excerpt on Fuqua’s Health Sector Management program.

“Duke University began offering healthcare education in 1930 alongside the opening of the Duke Hospital. In the more than three-quarters of a century since then, the Health Sector Management program (HSM) has evolved into one of the preeminent healthcare management education programs in the nation, alongside Wharton’s Health Care Systems major.  After moving first-year HSM courses to the business school in 1986, the HSM program became fully integrated into Fuqua in 1991. Today, the HSM program enrolls as much as one-fifth of each Daytime MBA class, making it the largest healthcare program affiliated with a leading business school.

Fuqua’s affiliation with Duke University and its location in the North Carolina Research Triangle area are major contributors to the strength of the HSM program. The Duke University Medical Center and Health System is a leader in biomedical research, education, and healthcare delivery, while the Research Triangle is home to approximately three dozen leading biotechnology, healthcare and pharmaceutical organizations, including well-known names such as GlaxoKlineSmith, Biogen, Novartis, Paradigm Genetics and Eli Lilly. The HSM program’s relationships with these and other area companies helps to keep students and faculty strongly connected to the rapidly changing healthcare industry while providing companies with inside access to a significant talent pool.

Students enter the HSM program from a variety of backgrounds, though most tend to have experience in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, research and development, provider systems or consulting. Though the program does not require prior health sector experience, it does look for a strong commitment to the healthcare field among all student participants.”

To continue reading about Fuqua’s Health Sector Management program, and to find out about the HSM application process, the HSM-specific curriculum, experiential opportunities offered within this program, and the course map HSM students follow, take a look at the Clear Admit School Guide to Fuqua.

For those who are interested in pursuing a career in healthcare and want to learn more about the different programs and opportunities available at each school, check out the Clear Admit Career Guide: Healthcare.

All Clear Admit publications are available for immediate purchase and download on the Clear Admit shop.