Some common questions I get from prospective students include:

Q: What is the class structure like at Fuqua?

A: I never attended a class as a prospective student, so my first day of class was an eye-opening experience! Coming from a large undergraduate university like Virginia Tech, I was surprised to see the setup of the classroom. The classes are very intimate because the class size is so small, and much of the learning comes from class discussions in addition to lectures. Here, everyone wants to participate in class, and it’s really interesting to hear real-world perspectives from your classmates who worked in so many different industries before B-school.

The classes are in six-week terms, and that means you learn a lot of information in a short amount of time. What makes things work, however, is the close relationship you have with your teammates on class projects, and the in-depth discussions with the professors inside and outside of class.

You start out with the core classes in your first two terms (there is one core class, Operations, in your third term, however) alongside your Fuqua section mates. There are six sections at Fuqua, with about 70 students in each section. By taking all your core classes together, you really get to know each other and become comfortable with graduate school learning. After that, you start to mix things up by taking elective classes with people outside of your section and with some second-year students.

Q: I’m looking to transition to the technology sector. What do you recommend I do to make my time at Fuqua most valuable?

A: There are several different avenues you could take. There are concentrations in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Energy and Environment that address the technology sector, and there’s even a course in Marketing of High Technology. You don’t have to be in any of these concentrations formally, however, to take the classes as electives.

There’s also a club that may be of interest to you, check out the High Tech Club.

Q: What is club involvement like it Fuqua?

A: Your involvement in clubs and activities is completely up to you! However, I would say that it’s a great opportunity to gain leadership skills, work with people you may never have had an opportunity to work with before, and make even more friends!

What you get out of the clubs you join is really dependent upon how much you put into it! Sign up for as many clubs as you like, and you’ll soon find the ones that offer the activities and events you need and enjoy most. Those will probably be the ones you will want to take a leadership role in, either as a first-year cabinet member, or as an executive leader during your second year!