Anne Kilby, Associate Dean of MBA Admissions at Georgetown McDonough in Washington, D.C., joins us for this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A.
Kilby oversees admissions, sets the admissions strategy, and manages the scholarship budget for the Full-Time MBA, Flex MBA, and Flex MBA Online programs. She has spent 17 years in higher education, mainly in admissions and recruiting. Kilby has worked within a global scope by representing programs internationally at recruiting events and fairs, partnering with universities and clients abroad, and interviewing prospective candidates residing worldwide. Prior to Georgetown, she was the Director of MPA Admissions at the University of North Carolina School of Government. Kilby also brings 7 years of experience from NYU Stern’s Global Executive Programs Office. Kilby received a Masters in Public Administration from NYU Wagner’s School of Public Policy, specializing in international policy and management. She also has a bachelor’s in political science with a minor in mathematics from North Carolina State University.
Read our Q&A with Kilby to learn more about the MBA program at McDonough, how to put your best foot forward in your application, and what to expect after you submit.
Clear Admit: What is the one aspect of your program that you wish applicants knew more about?
Anne Kilby: I wish candidates had an understanding of the uniqueness of our community within the MBA at Georgetown McDonough – and the impact it will have on your experiences as a student and as an alumnus. I often see that candidates form their short list of schools to apply to based on facts: rankings, program offerings, location, etc. However, the final school selection typically comes down to feeling – where does the candidate feel they will be a good fit and be supported to meet their goals? This comes down to the community. At Georgetown University, we are a values-based community. The value most prominent is that of being service-minded. We are a group of people who want to do good in the world, and, at the business school, use business as our tool to do so. Therefore, on a daily basis, this service-mindedness translates to being extremely supportive and collaborative. We are a community where students tutor one another, celebrate each other’s successes, and share interview questions. It truly is a unique environment, and it makes me so proud to be affiliated with this community.
CA: Walk us through the life of an application in your office from an operational standpoint. What happens between the time an applicant clicks “submit” and the time the committee offers a final decision?
AK: Once a candidate submits their MBA application at Georgetown McDonough, our Operations Team will ensure it is complete and ready for review. If so, it is shared with the reading team. The readers randomly select application files from a digital bucket, initiating the candidate’s review workflow. Given file selection is done at random, interview invites are issued on an ongoing basis. In our workflow, we read applications before extending interview invitations. This means that anyone who receives an interview invite has been deemed worthy of admit consideration, at least based on their application read. Ideally, the candidate is given about one week’s worth of interview slots to choose from, depending on where we are in the cycle and round. Once the interview is completed, the candidate waits for final review to receive their decision on that round’s decision release day.
CA: How does the Georgetown McDonough admissions team approach the essay portion of the application specifically? What are you looking for as you read an essay? Are there common mistakes that applicants should try to avoid? What is one key thing they should keep in mind as they sit down to write?
AK: We require one written and one video essay. For the written essay, we offer three prompts for the candidate to choose the one that resonates most with them. We hope the candidate is strategic in their essay selection, considering what they hope the Admissions Committee gains in reading their essay. The video essay provides candidates the opportunity to humanize their application and offer a face, voice, personality, and presence to their file. My guidance for this essay is to have someone who knows you well watch the recording and confirm your authenticity in portraying yourself and what you are passionate about outside of work (following our prompt). Common mistakes across essay types are when candidates don’t follow the prompt or instructions, as well as miss the opportunity to tie it back to Georgetown and the MBA program.
CA: Could you tell us about your interview process? Approximately how many applicants do you interview? Who conducts the interview and what is the nature of the interview? Will your admissions interviews be in-person or virtual for the 2025-2026 admissions season?
AK: As noted in a question above, at Georgetown McDonough, we read and assess MBA applications first to determine if they should move forward in the process and be invited to interview. Invites are sent over email. We monitor email behavior to ensure all candidates have viewed their invitation. We offer virtual interviews over Zoom or in-person interviews either on campus or around the world. The Admissions Committee travels worldwide to conduct in-person interviews on location. Our interview team is made up of Admissions Committee members, current students, alumni, and former Admissions Committee or Program Office staff. The interview team offers their available time for interviews in a master system, then the candidate chooses the modality and time that is most convenient for them. Therefore, it is a random pairing. We typically admit about 75% of those interviewed. Admittance comes down to eligibility, competitiveness, and contributions to our diverse community.
CA: If your application features an impromptu video interview/video essay, how does it differ from the main interview? What should applicants know about this step in the process?
AK: The video is an opportunity to humanize the application. There is a face, personality, and presence that comes through in a video. It allows the Admissions Committee to look beyond the paper to “see” the applicant. Given this is a required application component, but the interview is by invitation only, this ensures all candidates have a more comprehensive review. In the video essay, we assess a candidate’s presentation skills, executive presence, articulation, their judgement (for what they choose to share), plus we learn what they are passionate about outside of work (which is our prompt).
CA: Is there anything in particular international students should keep in mind during the admissions process?
AK: In the MBA application, we ask for the candidate’s short-term goals across industry, function, and location. We want to hear an honest answer. We also hope the candidate offers a blend of being researched and also open-minded. For example, we love when a candidate shares target firms; however, it can be limiting if the candidate is too narrow. We use the short-term goal response as one way of determining if Georgetown McDonough is the right fit.
CA: What is your favorite spot on campus?
AK: My favorite spot on Georgetown’s campus is a coffee shop called Uncommon Grounds. It is managed and operated by undergraduate students. Proceeds go back into the university in a variety of ways, such as to fund scholarships. It offers a cool vibe and is also a great way to have a noble cup of coffee.
CA: Is there anything else you’d like to highlight about your MBA program or Georgetown admissions process?
AK: We recently launched two new certificates: The Business of Healthcare and a certificate in Global Real Estate. Both certificates take advantage of Georgetown MBA’s multi-disciplinary focus of considering “business and…”. In these examples, we are focusing on the intersection of business and healthcare, as well as business and real estate. I’m excited to plant the seed that we have other exciting certificates in the works as well.
