Admissions

JD/MBA Application Instructions

Application intructions for 2009-2010

Please be sure to review the detailed application instructions as you complete the form. (Available below and in the LSAC application.)

Application Checklist

The following items are required to complete your application for admission. We will be unable to evaluate your application until all required items have been received in our office. An email will be sent to acknowledge receipt of your material and will include instructions on how to check your file status online.

Application Fee Waivers

We will be unable to consider fee waiver requests received after January 7, 2010 for the JD/MBA joint application. Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply. Application fee waivers are granted one-time-only. If you were granted a fee waiver for a previous term, you would not be eligible to receive future application fee waivers from Duke Law School. We are unable to accept merit-based fee waiver requests.

Automatic fee waivers: If you received a waiver of the fees associated with taking the LSAT, the application fee will be automatically be waived when you submit the application electronically.

Need-based fee waivers: Dowload the Fee Waiver Form, complete it, and return it by e-mail (admissions@law.duke.edu). A decision on your need-based fee waiver must be received prior to submitting the application electronically, so plan ahead. If you submit the application prior to receiving a decision on your fee waiver request, the request will be denied. Notification will be provided via ema

Academic Transcripts

All applicants must register with Credential Assembly Service (LSDAS). LSDAS information is included in the Law School Admission Information Book or online at www.LSAC.org. Transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate work must be submitted directly to the Credential Assembly Service.

Foreign Transcripts

Duke Law School requires that foreign transcripts be submitted through the LSAC JD Credential Assembly Service (JD CAS) if you received your degree from an institution outside the U.S. or Canada, or if you completed the equivalent of more than one year of undergraduate study outside the U.S. (including its territories) or Canada. This service is included in the Credential Assembly Service registration fee. A Foreign Credential Evaluation will be completed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), which will be incorporated into your Law School Report. To use the JD CAS, log in to your online account and follow the instructions for registering for the service. Be sure to print out a Transcript Request Form for each institution and send it promptly to them. More time is usually required to receive foreign transcripts. Questions about the JD CAS can be directed to LSAC at 215-968-1001, or lsacinfo@lsac.org.

Application Instructions

Please read the following instructions carefully before preparing each section of your application.

Section 1: Application Processing Fee

The application fee is $70. Credit card or debit card payments submitted with the electronic application are required. The application processing fee is non-refundable.

Section 2: Personal Information

Complete this section in full. Submit updates to your contact information directly to the Office of Admissions via email at admissions@law.duke.edu.

Section 3: Program Entry

Applicants who receive offers of admission from both schools prior to matriculation at either school generally begin the JD/MBA in the JD program. They may choose whether to begin in the summer or fall term. Please indicate your preference here. During the summer term, students take two law courses in a small section with concurrent degree students, fostering a more personal, intimate first-year experience. By starting law school in the summer, students may begin to take upper-level law courses during their first year. In addition, by starting law school in the summer, students who wish to pursue the accelerated JD/MBA program and graduate in December of their fourth year can do so at a more relaxed pace. In addition, completing more of the law requirements for the degree earlier provides some greater scheduling flexibility in the later semesters of the dual degree program.

Section 5: Decision Cycle

Please select the decision cycle in which you would like to have your application reviewed.

Early Decision: Early Decision applications must be submitted by October 6, 2009. Interviews with The Duke MBA will be conducted October 30 - November 1, 2009, and decisions will be released on November 24, 2009. Admission under the Early Decision program is binding; applicants must also check the certification box in Section 13. Candidates who are admitted to only one of the dual degree programs are not bound by their Early Decision commitment.

Round 1: Round 1 applications must be submitted by November 12, 2009. Interviews with The Duke MBA will be conducted December 18-20, 2009, and decisions will be released on January 19, 2010.

Round 2: Round 2 applications must be submitted by January 7, 2010. Interviews with The Duke MBA will be conducted February 12-14 and 19-21, 2010, and decisions will be released on March 8, 2010.

Section 5: Family Information

Please complete the requested information about your parents, marital status, and family members attending Duke.

Section 6: Testing Dates

Please provide the dates you took or will take the tests indicated.

LSAT: All applicants must take the LSAT no later than December 2009. LSAT scores earned prior to June 2004 will not be considered. Contact LSAC to request material at 215-968-1001 or www.lsac.org. Shortly after receipt of your application, we will request your LSDAS Law School Report from LSAC in electronic and paper form. Material is considered as received once the paper copy arrives in our office. Duke does not waive the LSAT requirement.

Duke considers all LSAT scores that are submitted, in the context of the entire application (transcripts, personal statement, letters of recommendation, evidence of leadership and engagement, and other information). In the case of multiple test scores, data show that the average score is generally the most useful in predicting law school performance. However, Duke may place greater weight on a high score if the applicant provides compelling information about why that score is a better indication of his or her potential. If you feel that one or more of your test scores does not accurately reflect your ability or potential, please explain this disparity in a separate attachment.

GMAT: The GMAT is required of all applicants. Official score reports must be sent to The Duke MBA Office of Admissions directly from Pearson VUE. Allow at least four weeks for scores to arrive. Scores are valid for five years from the date of the test. The Duke MBA will not evaluate applications with expired test scores. For more information on how to register for the GMAT or request scores, please visit www.mba.com. You must use the code Q13-N5-32 on your GMAT exam in order for The Duke MBA to receive your score reports.

English Language Proficiency: All international citizens who did not earn an undergraduate degree from a school whose primary language of instruction is English must submit either the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or results from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score. The TOEFL/IELTS requirement is waived for international applicants holding non-technical master or PhD degrees from colleges and universities located in the United States. Official scores must be reported directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) for the TOEFL or directly from the testing center for the IELTS. Applicant photocopies are not accepted. If we receive multiple TOEFL scores, we will automatically use the score from the test date submitted on your application. Scores are valid for two years from the date of the test. We will not review an application with expired TOEFL/IELTS test scores. Allow at least four weeks for requested TOEFL/IELTS scores to reach The Duke MBA office of admissions.

Section 7: Educational History

Provide the name, city, and state of the high school where you earned your secondary diploma. Provide the names of all colleges and universities you have attended along with dates of attendance, degrees earned, major, and language of instruction (if not in US). If you are currently enrolled at either Duke Law School or The Fuqua School of Business, please indicate your matriculation date.

Section 8: Resume

You must submit a one-page resume with your application. This should include your complete educational history, honors received, all work experience, and all school and community activities in chronological order.

Section 9: Letters of Recommendation

You must submit at least two letters of recommendation through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service. (Additional letters may also be submitted through LSAC or mailed directly to our office.) There is no maximum number of letters that may be submitted. At least one academic reference (from a professor who has personal knowledge of your academic performance and potential) is preferred, but not required if you have been out of school for some time. At least one professional reference is required, preferably from someone who knows you well and can critique your professional performance. For applicants with limited work experience, a recommendation from a similar source, such as an internship supervisor or organization sponsor, may be substituted. References from friends, family friends, and relatives are strongly discouraged. A signature is required on all letters of recommendation submitted, preferably on letterhead.

LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service: This service is included in your LSDAS registration and will accept generic and school specific letters. Letters submitted on your behalf are copied and included with your LSDAS Law School Report. To use this service, follow the directions outlined in the LSAT & LSDAS Information Book or at www.lsac.org.

Section 10: Essays

Please respond to both essay questions:

1) In no more than two pages, please tell us why you are interested in Duke's JD/MBA. We are interested both in your experiences to date and how they have prepared you for this course of study and in your short- and long-term career goals.

2) In no more than two pages, please describe how your non-work activities, background, and personal history would enhance the experience of other Duke law and business students, and contribute to the diverse student culture at both schools.

You may upload your essays as electronic attachments when you submit your online application. If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware (e.g. unexplained gaps in work or education, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant variation in standardized testing performance) you may upload an addendum to provide further information.

Section 11: MBA Application Information

This section asks for additional information that is particularly important to the application review process for The Duke MBA. Please answer all questions in full.

Interview: In the early fall, The Duke MBA will host an open interview period on campus for applicants who plan to apply in the Early Action round of admission. Prospective students may register on our Web site at www.fuqua.duke.edu for an interview during this time. In addition, activities such as a tour, class visit, and lunch with students are offered during the open interview period to those visiting campus. After this open interview period, interviews will be offered by invitation only, based on review of the applicant's file. Invitations will be extended via e-mail 7-14 days prior to the interview period for that round. Interviews are conducted by Admissions Fellows (select second year students), admissions staff, and alumni. All interviews are evaluated equally regardless of location or interviewer.

If you visit campus to interview during our open interview period, please specify the date of your interview on the application. If not, please select The Duke MBA interview hub most convenient for you. If you are invited to an interview, you may travel to that location or to Durham, NC during the interview period specified for your round of admission. Please see the Application Deadline section above for specific dates.

Please note that our Campus Visit Program, which offers tours, class visits, a Q&A session with an Admissions Officer, and lunch with current students, will be offered throughout the academic year. We strongly encourage you to seize this opportunity to visit campus and to learn more about our program and community. You may register for these activities, open to all prospective students, via our Web site at www.fuqua.duke.edu.
»More information about MBA interviews

Employment Information: In addition to the complete employment history included on your resume, please provide the detailed information requested here. If you have no significant employment record, you may omit the "current employer" information.

Financial Aid: Please indicate if you wish to be considered for financial aid funding from the indicated sources. Please note the restrictions and requirements for each. Each admitted applicant will be considered for a limited number of merit-based scholarships from The Fuqua School of Business; there is no separate scholarship application form.

Professional Accreditations: Please indicate which, if any, of the indicated accreditations you hold. You may check as many as apply.

Health Sector Management Certificate Program: As a certificate within The Duke MBA, the Health Sector Management program offers students world-class training in business management and cutting-edge knowledge of the complex and multifaceted health sector. Our students pursue specialized health-related interests in fields such as service delivery, consulting, financing, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. If you are interested in the Health Sector Management certificate program at Fuqua, please specify that here, and address your interest in essay one.

Course Concentrations: If you are interested in specific course concentrations offered at Fuqua, you may indicate them on the application. You are not required to select a concentration, and may select no more than two.

Areas Of Interest After Graduation: Please indicate an area of interest in each of the indicated categories.

Activities and Involvement: In addition to the complete listing of extracurricular and community involvements on your resume, please provide the information requested. If you have more activities than will fit, please select the 10 that are most significant to you. Please indicate the name of the activity or organization, the role you played, the dates of your involvement, whether or not you are currently involved, and the time spent on the activity, as well as a brief description of the activity.

Section 12: Conduct

Candidates are required to reveal knowledge of all criminal incidents or disciplinary charges, even if expunged, sealed, or otherwise removed from the candidate's records. When in doubt, you should err on the side of full disclosure, as subsequent discovery of a failure to fully and accurately answer these questions may have serious consequences. Failure to disclose information is often more significant than the act or event described in the questions. Failure to provide truthful answers, or failure to inform the Law School of any changes to your answers after submission of your application, may result in any of the following: misconduct investigation by the LSAC; revocation of admission; disciplinary action by the Law School; and/or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission. You have an ongoing obligation to report any conduct that would require you to answer yes to any of the questions in this section during the pendency of your application. If an offer of admission is extended to you, the obligation to report conduct applicable to the questions in this section continues until your first day of class at Duke Law School.

If you answer yes to any of the questions, you must provide a supplementary statement including details, the current status of any disciplinary action or judicial sanctions, and the final resolution of the issues involved. If you answer yes to question 1, you will also be required to have a dean, registrar, department supervisor, judicial officer, or academic officer with access to official records from your institution submit a letter that provides complete information about the incident.

Section 13: Conditions of Application and Signature

Applications will not be processed without an electronic signature agreeing to the Conditions and certifying that the information is true and complete. You are obligated to notify the admissions office immediately of any change in the information provided.

Section 14: Early Decision Certification

Read this section carefully and check the Early Decision Certification box if you wish to apply through the binding Early Decision program. In addition, please select the appropriate decision cycle in Section 4.

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