Georgetown McDonough

Washington, DC · Private · 2-year full-time

Average GMAT Focus: 626 (555–682 (middle 80%))
Average GPA: 3.30
Class size: 197 (Class of 2028)
Median base salary: $145,500 (Class of 2025)
Program tuition: $150,032 (≈ 2 × first-year tuition)

Deadlines

Early Action (binding): Sept. 9, 2026
Round 1: Oct. 1, 2026
Round 2: Jan. 6, 2027
Round 3: April 1, 2027
Round 4: May 17, 2027

Essays

Personal essay, Option One: Georgetown Community (500 words (choose one of three options))

Our mission is rooted in Jesuit principles of equality and respect for everyone and an ethos of caring for the whole person. Inclusivity and diversity are core to supporting a community of people with an intersectional understanding of themselves and the world around them. Share how your educational, familial, cultural, economic, social, and/or other individual life experiences will contribute to the diversity of perspectives and ideas at Georgetown University.

Personal essay, Option Two: Human-Centered Leadership (500 words (choose one of three options))

Artificial intelligence can generate answers in seconds, but it cannot define your values. As AI becomes more integrated into our lives and careers, what qualities do you believe will become more important for today’s business leaders? Share an experience that illustrates how those qualities have shaped you and how you hope to contribute them to the Georgetown MBA community.

Personal essay, Option Three: Achieving Excellence (500 words (choose one of three options))

Georgetown McDonough is committed to achieving greater excellence to enrich the legacies of our students and alumni. Please reflect on a professional experience from your resume where you achieved outstanding results. Describe why this experience exemplified excellence, highlight the strengths or skills you utilized that contributed to this achievement, and share how these qualities will help you leave a legacy at Georgetown.

Video essay (1 minute)

We believe a vibrant community is built on diverse and unique individuals, and we want you to bring your whole self to Georgetown McDonough. We’ve learned about your professional and leadership qualities throughout the application, but now we want to know more about you beyond work. Whether it’s a new hobby, a fun adventure, or a simple pleasure, in one minute, share what has recently brought you joy outside of work.

Optional essay (300–350 words)

Please provide any information you would like to add to your application that you have not otherwise included.

Re-applicant essay (required for re-applicants) (300–350 words)

How have you strengthened your candidacy since your last application? We are particularly interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally.

John F. Dealy Scholarship essay (optional) (250 words)

In 250 words or less, please briefly describe how you have specifically contributed to gender equality in the fields of technology, finance, or consulting.

Test waiver essay (optional, with Pre-assessment) (300 words)

Please explain why you believe you are prepared to succeed in the quantitative coursework of Georgetown’s MBA curriculum without submitting a standardized test score. In your response, provide evidence of your quantitative readiness, and describe how your resilience, determination, and commitment to learning will contribute to your success in Georgetown McDonough’s academically rigorous environment.

Editor's notes

Early Action closed Sept. 9, and it was the only door to the Dean's Fellowship. Your realistic targets now are Oct. 1 and Jan. 6. Georgetown gives priority scholarship consideration to Rounds 1 and 2, and nearly 60% of this fall's entrants got funding. Round 3 and 4 applicants compete for what's left.
The file is short: one written essay, one video, one recommendation. That makes each piece carry more weight. Choose your recommender carefully, ideally a current supervisor, and don't send extra letters; the school says it discourages them.
Choose the essay option by the story, not the prompt. All three give you 500 words and ask how you'll add to Georgetown. Pick the one where your best example fits without bending, and let the video cover the non-work side the written essay doesn't.
Test decisions come early here. If you already hold a valid score, you can't request a waiver, so the Pre-assessment is only useful for a waiver if you haven't tested in five years or never did. The class's GMAT Focus middle 80% runs 555–682.