McDonough School of Business

Georgetown's business school has a wonderfully broad, robust, and cohesive alumni network that helps students achieve excellent job placement. This in addition to the program's focus on group work makes for students with extremely successful careers.

This business school fails to incorporate the Jesuit values it professes to uphold. Nowhere else on Georgetown's campus is the word "ethics" shied away from and practically used as a slur. Our only academic foray into that scary world of business ethics is taught by a joke of a professor during our last semester on campus - we've all mentally checked out by then, and this dynamic only reinforces the ways in which that field is not taken seriously. This school does not encourage academic interests in non-business fields, in fact it tends to discourage them. There is little support for students interested in a deeper exploration of the liberal arts than our required core. No courses are available for those interested in nonprofits. In fact, options are limited for those that are not interested in a career in either banking or consulting.

I think the most obvious thing that makes this program unique is its location in Washington DC. I also think that it is unique due to its outstanding track record in placing students in excellent full time jobs, especially in investment banking, financial services, and international business. I struggle to believe that any program prepares students better for these areas than Georgetown.

Some entry-level classes are a bit too basic and with the stringent curve the business school has, it makes it difficult to sometimes accurately receive the grade you deserve. I think some of these more basic level classes could be either replaced or increased in their difficulty.

The curriculum at the McDonough School of Business is largely informed by Georgetown's Jesuit heritage. An emphasis is placed on being men and women for others; I feel teaching to the whole person is addressed, as opposed to merely churning out hundreds of accountants.

Classes need to be much harder. Very easy to get As with minimal amount of work. Given the curve, this might actually say more about the caliber of students than the difficulty of classes. Undergraduate advisors are absolutely awful. Shockingly unaccommodating and unhelpful across the board. In this respect, administration is really an embarrassment. Faculty-wise, most professors are good but some are unfit to be teaching undergraduates.

Georgetown's unique location in the nation's capital provides students with an amazing advantage over other schools. Also, our recruiting is the best in the country.

Advising definitely needs improvement. Need to attract a wider diversity of firms to campus. Improve the overall quality of teaching. Some professors are great but unfortunately are too rare.

Georgetown has a great reputation, which proves to be a huge advantage during recruiting season, especially in today's tough economic climate. Located in DC, Georgetown also has many international and government related opportunities that most schools do not have.

I think the grading curve can be improved. There has been multiple times when I have earned a 92-94% final grade in the class but received a B because of the grading curve. I really do not think this is fair and it is completely discouraging.

Recruiting efforts are incredible- Georgetown has great connections across a range of industries and makes sure that their students take full advantage of that. Additionally, teachers are always available to meet outside the classroom and classes are always taught by full-time professors. Finally, we are required to take a variety of classes outside our major (both within and outside the Business school), which has given me a well-rounded education and helped me greatly in my internships.

There are some professors that continue to teach in a lecture style. The business school should pressure all teachers to use cases to actively engage students. The business program could also do a better job of inviting corporations to recruit on-campus, as opposed to just banks, financial firms, and consulting firms. There are some companies that come to recruit, but they are not the focus.

I think what really made a huge difference for me was that introductory classes (i.e. intro to accounting, marketing, finance, etc.) were taught by such amazing professors that I was never sitting around waiting to get to my higher level marketing and management classes. Because these introductory classes were so wonderful, I put in a lot of effort and really balanced my education. Furthermore, my higher-level concentration classes drew on these introductory classes, encouraging me to continuously take a more well-rounded approach to projects.

I think that an increased focus on accounting could be beneficial. Although it offers a strong accounting program, due to the number of accounting & finance majors that end up in investment banking, there is not much support for those going into other accounting fields and getting a CPA. A 5-year masters in accounting program could help.

Our business program is unique in its international focus. We have an international business major which the majority of students choose to double major in which gives students an international perspective across all areas of the business program (finance, management, marketing, operations). Our business program also has an extremely heavy focus on case studies and team presentations. As a senior, I have probably read over 100 cases in my four years and given innumerable group presentations. Even if teachers ask students to purchase textbooks, they are almost never used except to supplement material that is taught in class.