McDonough School of Business – Georgetown University

FAQ

What is the tuition for McDonough's MBA program?

The tuition for McDonough’s MBA program is $60,894 per year.

How hard is it to get into McDonough's MBA program?

The acceptance rate for McDonough is 47.5% It is important to consider the acceptance rate in the context of the student profile of those who are admitted. For example the average GMAT score is 704.8.

What is the average GMAT score for admission to McDonough's MBA program?

The average GMAT score for the incoming class at McDonough is 704.8.

Does the McDonough MBA program accept the GRE?

Yes. The McDonough MBA program has accepted the GRE for a few years now.

What is the average GRE score for admission to McDonough’s MBA program?

The average GRE score for admissions to McDonough's MBA program is 317.9.

What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission to McDonough’s MBA program?

McDonough does not state a minimum requirement for years of work experience. However, it is important for candidates to be aware that they are being considered against other candidates with an average of 5.3 years of experience.

What is the average number of years of work experience for admission to McDonough’s MBA program? (or, What is the average age of a McDonough student?)

The average number of years of work experience among students in McDonough’s MBA program is 5.3. The average age of a McDonough MBA student is 29 years.

What is the average starting salary for graduates of the McDonough MBA program?

The average starting salary for McDonough MBA graduates is $126,107. The salary will vary by industry, with consulting and finance jobs generally commanding the higher salaries.

How long is McDonough’s full-time MBA program?

McDonough offers a traditional 2 year MBA program.

What are the application deadlines for McDonough’s MBA program?

The Round 1 MBA application deadline is September 27, 2021. The Round 2 application deadline is January 6, 2022. The Round 3 deadline is March 31, 2022. The Round 4 deadline is April 26, 2022.

What percent of McDonough MBA students are women?

The percentage of the class at McDonough that are women is 32%.

What type of interview does McDonough use for MBA admissions?

McDonough offers interviews by invitation. The interviews are resume-based. This means the interviewer has not had access to the application materials.

VIDEOS

Admissions

The Class Profile

Of the 1,625 people who applied to the McDonough Class of 2023, 283 ultimately matriculated into the program. Women comprise 32% of the class and 37% are international. Forty percent identify as U.S. minorities, which includes African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and Native American.

Georgetown MBAs had an average GPA of 3.35 during their undergraduate years. Twenty-nine percent had majored in business and 9% in math/physical science. Seventeen percent each earned degrees in engineering and 11% in economics. Twelve percent came from humanities majors and fourteen percent had pursued government/international studies.

New members of the Class of 2023 matriculated with an average of 5.3 years of work experience at an average age of 29. When it came time to take the GMAT, Georgetown MBAs averaged a score of 704.8. For those who took the GRE, the average score was 317.9.

Application Procedures

Prospective students may apply to McDonough in one of the four admissions rounds, which occur in October, January, April and May. In addition to a completed application form, candidates are asked to submit GMAT scores, one professional recommendation, essays, a résumé, transcripts from all collegiate and post-collegiate institutions attended, and TOEFL or IELTS scores, if applicable. McDonough also requires an application fee of $175. After applications are evaluated, the admissions committee will offer interviews by invitation only. An interview is required for admission into the full-time MBA program.

Application Checklist

• Application Fee of $175
• Application form (online)
• Personal essays (online)
• Professional reference (online)
• Current résumé (online)
• Official GMAT score
• Official English language proficiency test score (TOEFL or IELTS), if applicable
• Official transcripts/academic documents

Interview Reports

Georgetown McDonough Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / Virtual

Invited to interview on 3/2 and completed the interview on 3/8. Initially signed up to interview with an alum, but the system did not register the interview properly and needed to reschedule with a member of the adcom team. The interview was very relaxed and conversational and lasted 30 minutes. The questions the interviewer asked […]

Georgetown McDonough Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-Year Student / Zoom

This year, McDonough allowed you the option to choose your interviewer via a portal, with the ability to filter by clubs / organization affiliation (students / admissions office ). I had chosen a second-year student, but she was unable to interview me last minute and had somebody fill in for her. My interview was resume-based, […]

Georgetown McDonough Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / Virtual

Questions were fairly direct – 1) Walk me through your resume. 2) Why McDonough? 3) ST, LT goals with target designations. 4) Explain a time you received constructive feedback. 5) What if anything would be a challenge in you accepting the Georgetown offer, if you receive one? 6) Any questions for me?

Georgetown McDonough MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / Zoom

I met with a senior adcom member. The format was very Q&A, less of a conversation. Honestly it felt a little stilted and formal. 1) Tell me a little bit about yourself/why Georgetown? 2) Short- and long-term goals. 3) How will you contribute to McDonough from a DEI lens? 4) How do you operate within […]

Georgetown McDonough Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-Year Student / Zoom

The interview was completely conversational and conducted by a second-year student of the Program. It lasted exactly 30 minutes, where the first 22 minutes were answers on my part, and in the last part, I had the opportunity to ask my questions. Initially, the questions were basic and then a bit more specific: 1) Tell […]

Georgetown McDonough Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-Year Student / Zoom

My interview was with a 2nd-year student. It was resume based. Went on for 35 mins. It was totally conversational rather than just Q&A, hence felt very relaxed even though I was nervous for the 1st couple mins. 25mins: 1. Tell me about yourself. 2. Why MBA, why now and what are your career goals? […]

Georgetown McDonough Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-Year Student / Zoom

Georgetown / Round 2 / Feb 17 Via Zoom with Second Year Student (Only had resume) Questions 1. Tell me about yourself/walk me through your resume. 2. Why MBA? 3. Why Georgetown? 4. Leadership experience with diversity? 5. What current events are following? 6. Where does Georgetown rank for you? Notes: Very straightforward (no surprises) […]

Georgetown McDonough Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / First-Year Student / Zoom

Resume-based interview with first-year student. Interview was very conversational with the following questions: Why Georgetown McDonough? Why MBA? Short term and long term goals? Talk about your leadership style. Still awaiting admissions decision, which will be released in mid-March. Interview was conversational with a handful of prepared questions and the interviewer was able to share […]

Georgetown McDonough Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / First-Year Student / Skype

Interview was with a first year student. Overall it was conversation-like. Blind interview with resume only. Questions were: 1. Tell me about yourself. 2. Tell me about a time you worked in teams. 3. Tell me about a time you led change in an organization. 4. Why McDonough? 5. What is your greatest weakness? 6. […]

Georgetown McDonough Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Student / Zoom

Interview was very conversational and lasted 30-minutes on the dot: 5 minutes for intros, 25 minutes for behavioral interview questions, and 5 minutes for me to ask questions. I was asked the following questions: -Walk through resume. -Why MBA? Why now? -Why McDonough? -Can you provide an example of a time you had a conflict […]

Georgetown-mcdonough Q&As

Admissions Director Q&A: Shelly Heinrich of Georgetown University McDonough School of Business

The associate dean of MBA admissions and director of marketing at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, Shelly Heinrich, joins us for this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A. Heinrich leads the MBA Admissions team in both its marketing and operational strategy to build awareness, recruit, yield, and retain the Full-time and Flex MBA programs. She […]

Admissions Director Q&A: Shelly Heinrich of Georgetown McDonough

“You do an MBA because you want the ROI; you ultimately want to gain your ideal career,” says Shelly Heinrich, the associate dean of MBA admissions and director of marketing at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.  She joins us for our ongoing series, Admissions Director Q&A, to reveal how the Georgetown MBA delivers on that […]

Admissions Director Q&A: Shelly Heinrich of Georgetown McDonough

We recently had the opportunity to speak with Shelly Heinrich, the interim associate dean of MBA admissions at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. She has capably stepped in to lead the team since Shari Hubert left to lead admissions at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business earlier this fall. With more than 13 years of […]

Georgetown / McDonough LiveWire and DecisionWire

Academics

Faculty

Across its six academic areas of focus, the McDonough School of Business employs 113 full-time faculty members. Faculty members both teach courses and help staff the school’s nine research centers and initiatives, which investigate topics ranging from global social enterprise to financial markets and policy.

Curriculum

Professors at McDonough utilize a variety of teaching methods, including case studies and lectures. The McDonough academic calendar runs on a two-semester system, and each semester is further divided into twelve-week Core Courses and Elective Modules of six weeks or half a semester.  The fall semester begins in early September and runs until mid-December.  Following a three-and-a-half week winter break, the spring semester starts in early January and ends in mid-May; graduation takes place shortly thereafter.  There is a brief exam period every six weeks after a module is complete, with career weeks and holiday breaks occurring between modules.

At the start of the program, incoming students complete a weeklong Opening Term in which they take one course, Leading Teams for Performance and Impact. They then spend the year fulfilling the 15 core requirements.  The incoming class is divided into cohorts that complete the core curriculum and residences together. The core features foundational business concepts in finance, ac­counting, statistics, economics, marketing, management and operations. Students may waive certain core courses and opt to take electives in lieu of familiar coursework.  In the spring semester of their first year, MBA candidates pursue two electives of their choosing.

tions. Students may waive certain core courses and opt to take electives in lieu of familiar coursework. In the spring semester of their first year, MBA candidates pursue two electives of their choosing.

During their second year, students must complete an additional 12 electives out of the roughly 70 offered across accounting, finance, management, marketing, operations and information management, and strategy. McDonough students are not required to declare a major, although there are special initiatives focused on entrepreneurship, global social enterprise and real estate finance in which students can participate. To allow students to gain international exposure, McDonough has created a Global Business Experience program. Beginning in the fall semester of the second year, Global Business Experience requires students to complete classwork and a consulting project for an international organization. Students then travel to the client country to discuss their solutions with senior managers and also present their findings to classmates at the end of the spring semester. 

Other MBA Degree Options

Outside of the full-time MBA program, McDonough offers a four-year MBA/JD program with the Georgetown University Law Center and a five-year MBA/MD program with the Georgetown Medical School.  Other options include a MBA/MPP program with the McCourt School of Public Policy and a MBA/MSFS program with the School of Foreign Service, both of which take three years to complete.  Part-time offerings include a 34-month Evening MBA program and a 20-month Executive MBA program.

Special Initiatives

• Entrepreneurship
• Georgetown University Women’s Leadership
• Global Business
• Business for Impact

Degree Offerings at McDonough

Full Time and Flex MBA
https://msb.georgetown.edu/mba/

Executive Education
https://msb.georgetown.edu/executive-mba/

Dual Degrees
JD/MBA, MBA/MD, MBA/MPP, MBA/MSFS
https://msb.georgetown.edu/mba/dual-degree/

Campus Life

Clubs, Conferences & Competitions

McDonough students have many opportunities to become involved in extracurricular activities, with over 40 student organizations to choose from catering to a range of professional and personal interests. For example, many MBA students participate in community service activities through the clubs MBA Volunteers and Net Impact. Meanwhile, students can prepare for potential post-MBA careers by joining clubs such as the Business and Government Alliance, the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance and the Graduate Marketing Association. A popular tradition on campus is the International Festival, hosted each fall by McDonough’s international clubs, which showcases international cultures through dance, music and food. The student government also hosts informal social events on Thursdays, meant to help students relax at the end of the week.

Every year, McDonough’s student organizations run a variety of conferences on campus. Conferences have included, among others, the Georgetown Women in Business’s annual conference regarding the professional development of businesswomen. McDonough students also participate in a large number of business competitions each year, such as the Georgetown Ventures & Values Pitch Conference and the Venture Capital Investment Competition.

Campus Space

The McDonough School of Business is located in the Rafik B. Hariri Building in the center of Georgetown University’s campus in northwestern Washington, D.C. Opened in 2009, the building includes student lounge spaces and breakout rooms, a 400-seat auditorium, 120 faculty offices, 15 classrooms, 15 conference rooms and nearly a dozen rooms for interview purposes. Although all graduate students at Georgetown University live off campus, many find housing in the surrounding neighborhoods of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. If admitted, the MBA Admissions team provides a Housing Guide that references neighborhoods and types of communities where current students live.

MBA Careers

Career Services

The MBA Career Center provides McDonough students with a vast array of resources, including career fairs and corporate presentations. The Center also organizes annual treks off campus to allow students to explore industries such as consulting, marketing and real estate, as well as key business regions like Wall Street, San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Students can receive additional help with their job searches by pairing with a Career Coach to help guide them through the job search process. On-campus interviews for full-time positions begin in late September and run through mid-December, while those for internships begin in mid-January.

Career Statistics

Ninety-six percent of the Class of 2021 received a job offer within three months of graduating and 95% accepted job offers within that time frame. These newly minted MBAs received an average salary of $126,107 and an average signing bonus of $34,073.

The most popular post-MBA industry was financial services, chosen by 32% of graduates, followed by consulting at 26%. Seventeen percent of the class accepted positions in technology, while another 7%  went into consumer goods. Six percent selected to pursue roles in the non-profit/social impact sector.

In regards to regional placement, 42% of McDonough MBAs stayed in the Mid-Atlantic region. Thirty percent headed to the Northeast and 10% headed West. Five percent each settled in the Midwest or Southwest.

Financing

The tuition for the 2021-2022 year at McDonough is $60,894. The MBA program provides students with financial assistance through merit-based scholarships. First-year MBA students are automatically considered for these awards upon admission and do not need to fill out any additional applications.  The school notes, however, that applicants who apply to McDonough’s MBA program during the first or second rounds of admission are given priority consideration for scholarships. McDonough offers an array of loan options to students, with federal loans available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents and private loans, such as the MBA Loans Program, available to international students with a U.S. citizen co-signer.  McDonough also offers research and teaching assistantship opportunities to graduate students.

Cost of Attendance

• Tuition & Fees $60,894
• Living Allowance $22,696
• Books $2,646
• Travel $2,606
• Federal Direct Loan Fees $3,220
• Total $95,063

Recent Georgetown / McDonough News

The Week Ahead: MBA Admissions Decisions, May 23-27, 2022

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week and every week! Round 3 decisions continue. Monday, May 23, UNC / Kena

MBA Math, HBS CORe and Other Pre-MBA Courses to Boost Your Profile

While you will never have a time machine to retake undergraduate courses and improve your GPA, there is something you can do to “repair” your transcript for MBA admissions. Transcript repair – a

The Week Ahead: MBA Decisions, May 2-6, 2022

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week and every week! Round 3 decisions roll out. Wednesday, May 4, UVA / Da

The Week Ahead: MBA Decisions & Deadlines, April 25-29, 2022

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week and every week! Late round deadlines and decisions continue. Late roun

Georgetown McDonough Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / Virtual

Invited to interview on 3/2 and completed the interview on 3/8. Initially signed up to interview with an alum, but the system did not register the interview properly and needed to reschedule with a me

U.S. News 2023 Full-Time MBA Ranking: Wharton & Chicago Booth Share Top Spot

The 2023 U.S. News Best Graduate Programs Rankings rolled out today and we’re taking a closer look at the full-time MBA program list. Chicago Booth and The Wharton School share the top spot, sur

The Week Ahead: MBA Decisions & Deadlines, March 28-April 1, 2022

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week and every week! Round 2 results are here amid many Round deadlines Roun

Flex or Full-Time, Rounds 3 or 4 Are Great Times to Apply to Georgetown McDonough

Sponsored Content Rounds 3 and 4 present golden opportunities for Flex and Full-time MBA applicants to Georgetown McDonough. Shelly Heinrich, Associate Dean of MBA and MS-ESM Admissions at the leading

The Week Ahead: MBA Deadlines & Decisions, March 21-25, 2022

Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week and every week! Big Week for Round 2 Results as Round 3/4 Deadlines Pop

Top MBA Program Career Placement Outcomes: U.S. Graduates Pursuing Post-MBA Careers in Tech

Post-MBA careers in tech are a very popular option for MBA graduates, whether they choose to join a large company like Google, Amazon, or Microsoft, or jump into a role with a small venture-backed tec