McDonough School of Business
The Georgetown University McDonough School of Business is located in the heart of Washington, D.C. There are many military installations located through the D.C. Metro Region, making Georgetown a perfect destination for business school if you’re thinking about your next PCS or transition to the civilian world. Because of its location and resources, Georgetown McDonough’s Full-time and Flex MBA programs also have a strong military population. Approximately 8% of our incoming Full-time MBA class and 12% of our incoming Flex MBA class in Fall 2020 were members of the military.
“As the spouse of an active duty U.S. Army soldier for the past 16 years, I appreciate the value that military service members add to the classroom. They provide strong leadership and global experiences and the grit to excel under pressure.”
Shelly Heinrich, Associate Dean, MBA Admissions
Advice for Military Applicants
Translate military jargon: As with any industry, it is important to translate the industry specific terms into more general terms. So, if you were in charge of a battalion, how many people does this equal? How would you translate your rank title into a civilian equivalent? What do the numerous acronyms stand for? Be prepared to do this not only on your resume, but also in your interview. And leverage our McDonough Military Association (below) to assist you in this translation.
Relax in the interview, but prepare: In general, civilian life is a bit more relaxed, so while you should still be professional, don’t feel you need to prepare as if you’re briefing a general officer. Come prepared to answer questions like: Why are you pursuing an MBA? Why are you interested in this school? What do you hope to do post-MBA? Typically, military officers haven’t had as much time to practice interviewing as their civilian counterparts. If you went through ROTC, you may not have completed an internship as an undergraduate and it’s likely you haven’t had to interview for jobs within the military in the early part of your career. However, you have had more than enough experiences that will be very compelling to share in an interview. So, do some research on typical MBA questions and prepare, prepare, prepare.
Highlight your global experiences: Military candidates typically have had strong global experiences as compared to their equivalent peers. Highlight what you have learned by working with other cultures. Demonstrate how it has made you think differently about the importance of diversity and how that experience will be valuable in a very diverse MBA classroom.
Capitalize on your ability to work under pressure and overcome obstacles: One of the best characteristics that military applicants have is their ability to work under pressure and overcome obstacles. The military trains you to keep going even when it’s challenging, and this trait will be important when classes get challenging and the workload of balancing everything seems unmanageable. Admissions committees appreciate the grit that military candidates often bring to the classroom experience, so be sure to highlight this in the interview.
There are many resources to consider as you research Georgetown McDonough.
The McDonough Military Association (MMA) is a group of veteran students who form both a social and professional network to promote engagement and outreach. This organization facilitates career-oriented professional development and provides opportunities to serve the broader community. Contact MMA at mba-vets@georgetown.edu.
Some highlighted MMA activities:
Vet Pre-Orientation to set expectations and highlight resources to prepare you for the coursework. Questions as simple as what to wear to class will be covered, as we know that some of our veteran students will be making a cultural transition as well by returning to school.
War Stories: This annual event is hosted by the MMA and provides the platform for our veteran students to share their military experiences with the broader McDonough community.
VetImpact: Students gain consulting experience by doing pro-bono consulting work for veteran-owned businesses.
Speaker Series: The MMA hosts prestigious members of the military community to share their experiences and provide a broader network of professional connections for our students. Of note, we have hosted Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to share insights from his years of service.
The Georgetown University Veterans Office serves military-connected students as they apply to, attend, and advance beyond Georgetown. The Hilltop is home to close to 1,400 military-connected students including service members, veterans, and military families. The Veterans Office connects military-connected students with the resources including information around admissions, finances, academic support, and career networking.
Funding and Scholarships
Application Fee Waiver: Active duty, reservists, or veterans of the United States military receive an application fee waiver to the Full-time and Flex MBA Program.
Yellow Ribbon Program: Through the Yellow Ribbon Program at Georgetown, eligible Full-time and Flex MBA students receive $15,000 per year from Georgetown McDonough, which is matched by the Department of Veterans Affairs, for a total of $30,000 annually toward tuition and fees in addition to the Post-9/11 tuition benefits.
Pat Tillman Foundation University Partner: Georgetown University is a Pat Tillman Foundation University Partner. Through this partnership, our nation’s active and veteran service members are eligible for scholarship funds during their MBA studies.
Other programs within the McDonough School of Business that many veterans consider include:
Executive MBA Program The Executive MBA (EMBA) at the McDonough School of Business is a 20-month program that, in addition to classes on campus, includes two international and two domestic week-long residencies. EMBA students also complete Global Capstone Residencies in which they study the impact of globalization in a foreign country at the national, industry, and firm levels.
Executive Master’s in Leadership Program The mission of the Executive Master’s in Leadership (EML) is to develop principled leaders who are steeped in an understanding of scientific process and know how to use evidence to make decisions when confronted with complex problems for themselves, their organizations, and their communities.
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