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We love to attend MBA events. Whether it’s a fair, meet-and-greet, or information session, there’s so much we learn about each business school and MBA program we meet in person. And it’s no different when we attend an MBA event put on by Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Their events offer unique insight into their culture, admissions process, and program that’s hard to find without meeting in person.
But, if you truly want to get the most out of attending a Duke Fuqua MBA event, then you have to take it one step further and follow-up post-event. According to Allison Jamison, the Assistant Dean of Admissions, this means reaching back out to the school to send a thank you note, ask more questions, or schedule a follow-up campus visit. Here’s how Allison sees the next steps after an MBA event.
- Should they write thank you notes to any school reps or alums they engage with? Why or why not?
At Duke, we’d love to hear from you after we meet with you. Not only are thank you notes polite, they are an excellent way to network during your MBA search and beyond. We meet a lot of prospective students when traveling, and sending a follow up note is a great way to help us remember you. I find that students are sometimes surprised by how much our admissions team members remember about them throughout the application process, and I think it highlights what a truly personal experience this is. Additionally, in a busy event, you may not have time to ask every question you have. So, opening up the opportunity for future discussions with admissions representatives and alumni enables you to explore resources more fully while gaining additional insights into the school following the event.
- Should they follow up on any advice given by the admissions reps or alums about things to research, and then let those individuals know that they did so? Why or why not?
I think that is an excellent way to demonstrate genuine interest in the program. Again, be aware of how much you are emailing one individual, and make sure the update you share is meaningful. But to send an acknowledgement that you researched an area the admissions member or alumnus recommended, and what value you found from it, can be a very effective way to show that you are taking your MBA research seriously.
- Should they follow up an info session or fair with a visit to the school itself to meet once again with the rep(s) they encountered? Why or why not?
Attending an event is a great way to get an introduction to our school and our alumni, but it is hard to replicate a campus visit anywhere other than on campus. If you attend an event and like what you learn about Duke, then visiting campus can really solidify your feeling by confirming what you learned and allowing you to experience Fuqua at a deeper level. You can schedule a visit using our online scheduling system and choose to visit a class, tour campus, meet current students, and even conduct your admissions interview during our Open Interview period. We realize not everyone will have the time or resources to visit every school, and that’s why we travel around the world to meet prospective students. But, if you can visit, I think you will find the experience and insight gained well worth your investment.
Duke Fuqua wasn’t the only school to answer these questions. If you’d like to see what the admissions teams at Berkeley Haas, Cornell Johnson, Michigan Ross, NYU Stern, UVA Darden, and Yale SOM had to say, head here.
