In Admissions, our goal every year is to find new ways to make the MBA application process less stressful and more straightforward. We want to ensure that our application allows applicants to feel comfortable being fully themselves by highlighting their unique strengths, skills, and aspirations. In that spirit, we have made the following updates to the 2023-2024 Daytime MBA application.

New Testing Options

GMAC and ETS, which administer the GMAT and GRE exams, respectively, announced updated versions of their standardized tests. The new GMAT Focus and the revised GRE exam will both offer shorter formats with different options for score reporting, feedback, and question formats. Fuqua will accept both of the new test format scores and also continue to accept the standard GMAT and GRE exams, as well as the Executive Assessment. As always, we have no preference for which test score a candidate submits. They should choose the test that is the best fit for them. Applicants are welcome to submit more than one test score and/or test format, and our Admissions team will consider the score that is most beneficial to the applicant. We will continue to require at least one valid test score for all applicants.

New Optional Section to Share More

We can’t get enough of the stories we hear in our “25 Things” essay, so we are leaving our essay questions the same as in previous years. However, we have added a new optional section within the biographical pages of our application that allow applicants to share a little bit more about their personal stories if they wish. Applicants who may be the first in their family to attend college, those who grew up facing financial hardship, or any other unique lived experience may now use this section of the application to help our Admissions team understand how that background has influenced their life, education, or career.

Additional Application Round Remains

One of the most important lessons learned during the past few rather tumultuous years is that the future is always uncertain. Between a lengthy pandemic, global economic uncertainty, and mass layoffs, we have all felt the effects of a rapidly changing world. In the 2022-2023 year, we made the decision to add an application deadline to help applicants who may have made the decision to apply to business school a little later in the application cycle, and we had a very positive response to the new round. We have decided to keep the round for the upcoming year. In addition to our Early Action deadline in September, we are offering application deadlines in September, January, February, and April. 

Indicate Interest in Fuqua Impact Scholarships

Two years ago, we introduced a new scholarship program called the Fuqua Impact Scholars.  Aligned with our five centers of excellence in social entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship, leadership, energy and the environment, and health care, the Fuqua Impact Scholars program matches highly qualified students with a center based on their interests and potential to contribute and grow. This year, we have added a short answer question to allow applicants to indicate an interest in the Fuqua Impact Scholars program, to choose up to two centers they are interested in, and a short answer response to share how they might engage as an Impact Scholar.

We have several different merit scholarship opportunities as well, and all applicants are considered for all merit-based scholarships for which they qualify. 

We hope these changes will make it even easier for candidates to provide their strongest application and we look forward to getting to know each of them.