Getting into My Dream Business School!

I applied to seven universities as listed below for their Master of Science in Business Analytics programs. Applied and Accepted: Duke University, Columbia University, University of Michigan, University of Texas Dallas, Boston University and Johns Hopkins University. Applied and Waitlisted: University of Southern California I was fortunate enough to be accepted or waitlisted by all the universities I applied too but I do understand that why universities reject certain applications. While a good GPA, GRE score, LORs are important they are the bare minimum these days. The most important thing is that we convince the university why we are a right fit for their program and how we will utilize the education and opportunities to advance our personal and professional life. Without a cohesive application especially a stellar SOP that is convincing that you are a deserving candidate, it is very difficult to get accepted by a top university. My primary objective was to balance both quality of the program and the university. A strong well designed curriculum at a top university is what usually sets you up for success. At Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business the business analytics masters is only 10 months but covers all the tools and theory that one needs to be a successful analyst. This combined with the Duke brand made it a top choice for me. They also offered me a scholarship which brought down their expensive tuition and made the investment worth it. The application process is pretty standard like any other masters application. It consisted of submitting your resume, LORs, SOP, Transcripts and GRE scores along with a couple of additional essay type answers. This has to be submitted by a certain deadline set for the round you apply for. Usually there are two rounds for international students with set application deadlines. Post this some students get invited for an interview and based of the overall application and the interview performance acceptances are sent. The business school at Duke doesn’t requires an English language test but does require either the GRE/GMAT/SAT for all masters programs. There are no set minimum requirements but I would say you have to have done reasonably well in the exams given the competitive nature of the application process to get an acceptance. Duke Fuqua is really supportive throughout the application process and the admissions team responds quickly to any questions you might have. They also hold webinars and in person events (in some cities) during the application and also for accepted students helping them to meet potential classmates and also alums. These experiences help you make a more informed decision about attending the school. The only challenge are the out of the box & time consuming essay questions but they are interesting at the same time. I applied in the Fall 2023 intake and Duke Fuqua does not offer spring intakes not just for my program but any of their other program offerings. I completed my undergraduate studies in May 2023 and didn’t want a long break before my masters. This combined with the fact that fall intake has more program options across the US, influenced my decision to apply in the fall intake instead of spring. I started my application process with my counselor in August 2022 and gave my GRE exam in October 2022. By November I had my resume, GRE scores and transcripts ready. In December 2022 I solely focused on my SOP and getting LORs from relevant professors. I reviewed my applications and submission requirements in the first week of January 2023. My mid January I had submitted all my applications as most round 2 deadlines are around 15th January....Read More

The main reasons were as follows, down below: Financial aid: I was offered a full, unconditional financial aid package that meant I did not have to pay to go to college Friends: I have multiple other friends going to Duke that contributed to my decision as well since it allowed to be a part of a known community...Read More

The US has the biggest medical device companies and healthcare innovators who realize the worth of BME, unlike other countries that are yet to adapt biomedical engineers or understand their worth to full extent. More related jobs for BME graduates compared to other countries. Duke is ranked #2 for BME and #5 for masters BME so its very well known for these degrees and companies love to hire students from Duke as its a well-known fact that students from Duke will be strong in all aspects. It has 10 concentrations like medical device design, biomechanics, neural engineering, biotechnology, etc. for MS and MEng programs with tailored coursework for each, which makes you build your own career path. Durham is close to RTP, which is a hub for biotech and medtech companies and startups, which makes it easier for networking and getting known about more opportunities. Duke has great career services with resume prep, interview prep, and networking , which helps you build your soft skills and identify your weak points and how to improve with a professional. The great alumni network also adds on to this....Read More

Reason for selecting USA : I have a few connections in the United States and my program is popular here as compared to other countries. Academic Reputation : #6 in US News. Few Courses offered : Marketing, Finance, Product Management, Competitive Strategy, Design Thinking and Innovation, Managing product Design, etc Location: Durham NC Overall experience : quite positive, beautiful campus, great student clubs and events....Read More

It was amazing. I love everything about Duke. The sense of belongingness, basket ball, its gothic architecture, my course and even the people around you. You learn something new everyday and in every class....Read More

Amazing... There is everything you can do. Duke promotes great ideas and supports you in your ambitions. You should be able to make the best out of it!...Read More

I chose this college as it is one of the renowned colleges. It has amazing faculties, people who have been in the industry for years. It has great courses and exposure to other schools and overall experience was good....Read More

It was amazing. I love everything about Duke. The sense of belongingness, basket ball, its gothic architecture, my course and even the people around you. You learn something new everyday and in every class....Read More

Applied into : – Duke - Admit CMU -Admit JHU- Admit U Wisc Madisson- Admit Rice University- Admit Boston university-Admit NCSU-Admit Northeastern-Admit Syracuse-Admit UMBC-Admit Dartmouth-Reject (They require high CGPA and GRE) UT Austin-Reject (They require high CGPA and GRE) Northwestern-Reject (They require 3-5 YOE) NYU-Reject (They require high CGPA and GRE) Indiana Bloomington-Reject (Low GRE) UIUC-Reject (They require high CGPA and GRE) UT Dallas-Reject (can not guess why this got rejected) UT Arlington Application stuck UMCP-Application stuck Uwash-Application stuck I chose Duke because it is one of the top 5 universities that offer MEM course. The alumni have also made it to good companies, so I chose Duke. Admission process is simple, you write an SOP, 3 LORs, submit your IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo and resume. They will review it, if they like your application they will interview and then select you. GRE is optional, IELTS is 6.5 Min. The whole admission process was smooth, the only challenge was they rolled out admission a little late. I applied to the Fall 2024 intake and factors like economic and job markets in the Unites States affected my decision to apply. I saw that the market was improving so I applied for this intake. I started my application process in June 2023 and submitted my last application in Jan 2024. I got my first Admit from northeastern on Jan 12. and then all my other decisions by April....Read More

Good BME program with ample opportunities for research, networking, and professional development. The program is well established, well funded, and well organized by professional staff and faculty. It sets up students for post-graduate success in academia, industry, and the public sector....Read More