UNDERGRADUATE Profiles Publish Date 2/26/09

George Washington University

School of Business and Public Management

Getting In

PROGRAM BASICS

The George Washington University School of Business Undergraduate Programs

2201 G Street, NW
Suite 455
Washington , D.C. 20052

Private Institution

Web site

http://business.gwu.edu/ugrad

Program e-mail address:

ugradbus@gwu.edu

Program telephone number:

(202) 994-7536

AACSB accredited:

Yes

Accreditation other than AACSB:

The George Washington University is accredited by the
Middle States Commission on Higher Education unit of
the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Year in which the undergraduate business program was founded:

1961

Length of entire institution:

Four Year

Business program length:

Four Year

Degrees offered:

Degree/Program Name:
Bachelor of Accountancy (BAccy)
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
Bachelor of Business Administration/Master of Science in Information Systems Technology (BBA/MSIST)
Bachelor of Business Administration/Master of Tourism Administration (BBA/MTA)

PROGRAM COSTS

Annual Tuition (Resident):

$ 40,392

Annual Tuition (Non-Resident)

$ 40,392

Cost per academic credit (resident)

$ 1,123

Cost per academic credit (non-resident)

$ 1,123

Required fees

$ 45

Books:

$ 1,000

Room and board:

$ 9,920

ENROLLMENT

Full-time undergraduate business student enrollment:

1,624

Part-time undergraduate business student enrollment:

Distance undergraduate business student enrollment:

Total College enrollment for 2008-09:

10,291

ADMISSIONS

Minimum SAT score for entire college on 1600 scale:

N/A

Minimum ACT score for entire college:

N/A

Minimum high school GPA for entire college:

N/A

Interviews for entire college:

Recommended

Additional application requirements for entire college:

FRESHMEN: One recommendation letter from a high school counselor and one recommendation letter from a high school teacher. TRANSFER: One letter of recommendation and College Official's Report found on the Common Application website. INTERNATIONAL: TOEFL exam, financial certificate, and bank statement.

Upcoming application deadlines for entire college:

Semester: Fall 2009 Early Dec.
Deadline: 10-10-2008
Semester: Fall 2009
Deadline: 01-10-2009
Semester: Spring 2010
Deadline: 10-01-2009
Semester: Fall 2009 Transfer
Deadline: 04-01-2009

Freshmen admitted into business program:

Yes

Percentage of business students admitted as freshmen:

83 %

Are the freshman admits to the business program required to complete pre-business courses before beginning upper-lever courses in the junior year?

Freshmen admitted by:

Indicate interest on university application

Minimum requirements for business program:

Minimum SAT score: N/A
Minimum ACT score: N/A
Minimum high school GPA : N/A

Entrance exam requirement other than SAT/ACT for business program:

Yes

Interview to enter business program:

Recommended

Additional application requirements for freshman admits:

The requirements are the same as for the University: one recommendation letter from a high school counselor and one recommendation letter from a high school teacher. For international freshmen admits: TOEFL exam, financial certificate, and bank statement.

Minimum college GPA for internal business program transfers:

2.8

Additional requirements for internal transfers:

The requirements are the same as for the University: one letter of recommendation and College Official's Report found on the Common Application website. For international transfer admits: TOEFL exam, financial certificate, and bank statement.

Total number of full-time applications for entire college:

21,288

International applicants, entire college, 2008-09:

10 %

Female applicants, entire college, 2008-09:

57 %

Selectivity--applicants admitted to undergraduate business program, 2008-09:

38 %

Yield -- applicants enrolled in undergraduate business program, 2008-09:

36 %

Relative Importance of Application Elements:

Secondary School Record:

Very Important

Class Rank:

Very Important

Talent/Ability:

Considered

Interview:

Considered

Extracurricular Activities:

Important

Volunteer Work:

Important

Character/Personal Abilities:

Important

Application Essay:

Important

Work Experience:

Considered

SAT/ACT Scores:

Important

Recommendations:

Important

High School GPA:

Very Important

Admissions program managed by:

The university admissions office

Total undergraduate business program applicants, 2008-09:

3,644

Applicants enrolled in undergrad business program 2008-2009:

34 %

Applicants admitted to undergraduate business program, 2008-09:

32 %

CLASS PROFILE

Class Profile:

Female: 43 %
International : 16 %

Entering students by age:

Mean: 19.0
Median: 18.6

Citizenship of Entering Students

U.S.: 84 %
Canada: 0 %
Other countries: 16 %
Unknown: 0 %

Percentage of US citizens in entering class who are:

African American: 9 %
Asian American: 9 %
Hispanic or Latino American: 11 %
Multiethnic/Multiracial : 0 %
Native American: 0 %
White (Non-Hispanic): 53 %
Chose not to report: 18 %
Other: 0 %

Entering students from the following region:

Northeast: 50 %
Mid-Atlantic: 20 %
South: 11 %
Southwest: 5 %
Midwest : 6 %
West: 7 %
Possessions and territories: 1 %

SAT Scores for full-time entering business students on 1600 scale:

Mean: 1251
Median: 1260

SAT middle 50% range on 1600 scale:

From: 1,160
To: 1,330

ACT Scores for full-time entering business students:

Mean: 27
Median: 27

ACT middle 50% range:

From: 25
To: 29

Percent of Students Who Were In:

Top 10% of high school class

68 %

Top 25% of high school class:

94 %

FINANCIAL AID

Financial aid handled by:

Central financial aid office at the university

Institutional scholarship money distributed to undergraduate business students in previous academic year:

$ 16,246,112

Institutional scholarship money to be distributed to undergraduate business students in current academic year:

$ 17,421,241

Scholarships awarded to students in the business program based on:

A combination of need and merit

Scholarship consideration process:

As part of the admissions application

Other scholarship considerations:

N/A

Students receiving institutional scholarships for 2008-09 academic year:

45 %

Undergraduate business students with full-tuition scholarships 2008-09:

9 %

Percentage of institutional scholarship money distributed to business students based on merit, 2008-09 year:

79 %

Percentage of institutional scholarship money distributed to business students based on need, 2008-09:

13 %

School offers guaranteed loans:

Financial aid web site

http://colonialcentral.gwu.edu/sfa

Academics & Lifestyle

PROGRAM BASICS

Business students who graduate within four years:

78 %

Business students who graduate within 6 years:

84 %

Freshman retention rate:

91 %

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Credit hours required for graduation:

Degree: BACCY
Hours: 120
Degree: BBA
Hours: 120

Other degree requirements:

For the BBA, a minimum of 50% of course requirements are in the School of Business, including 36 hours of core courses, 12 hours of field courses, 3 hours in a field related elective and 6 hours of analytical or field tools. Six hours of economics, 6 hours of math and 3 hours of statistics are required. A total of 4 hours of university writing and 3 hours of communication are required in addition to two upper-level courses designated as Writing in the discipline classes. General education requirements include science, cultural diversity, humanities, and moral reasoning/ethics.

ACADEMICS

Average class size in required business courses:

Average class size in business electives:

Class size:

Classes with fewer than 20 students: 6 %
Classes with 21 to 50 students: 83 %
Classes with more than 50 students: 11 %

CURRICULUM

Number of elective courses available in business program:

Electives added current year:

Marketing Communications Planning (pending faculty approval)

Year of the last major change to the business program's core curriculum:

2009

Leading areas of study:

Accounting

Finance

International Business

Marketing

Other

Sport, Event and Hospitality Management

Special programs for business students:

Freshmen participate in a two-semester First Year Development Program, which focuses on academic and career development with a peer mentor component. Business students may participate in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. The REU program allows students to work with faculty in research endeavors and/or develop individual research projects. The REU program also supplies funding for case and business plan competitions. The F. David Fowler Career Center offers Rise Above the Rest, a four-year career planning initiative. A slate of co-curricular programs such as the New York Trip and Mintz Sophomore Getaway offer academic and career programming in addition to leadership opportunities for the student teams. Students also attend academic and leadership competitions and conferences.

Business program offers work study or co-op opportunities:

Yes

General workstudy positions with departments, faculty, the Advising Center and the undergraduate deans office. In the undergraduate dean's office, for example, work study students assist in student programming, event management, and the First Year Development Program. Positions are also available for peer mentors in the First Year Development Program.

Business program offers study abroad opportunities:

Yes

Study abroad program description:

There are over 200 approved study abroad programs for business students and approximately 40% study abroad. GW has study programs, with onsite facilitators, in Paris, Madrid, England, Chile, and Argentina. The Business in Paris program partners with Sciences Po University and is open to students from both GW School of Business and Sciences Po with faculty from both universities teaching in the one-semester program. A new Nordic Study Abroad Program will be offered starting in the summer 2009 and feature a marketing focus.

Volunteer work and community service opportunities:

Yes

Volunteer opportunities description:

All freshmen participate in a First Year Development Program walkathon to benefit Habitat for Humanity in their first semester. In their second semester freshmen teams design their own community service project. One Writing in the Disciplines course has a service element as do many of the business student organizations. Other opportunities are available through the University's Office of Community Service.

Business clubs and extracurricular activities:

AIESEC
Alpha Kappa Psi
Beta Alpha Psi
Capitol Advertising and GW Chapter AMA
Delta Sigma Pi
Finance and Investment Club
GW Women in Business
Minority Business Student Association

FACULTY

Faculty:

Full-time faculty : 60
Adjuncts and visiting faculty: 30
Permanent/tenured professors: 32
Percentage of permanent/tenured professors who are women: 34
Percentage of permanent/tenured professors who are underrepresented minorities: 9

Prominent faculty:

William C Handorf PhD Finance
Timothy Fort PhD Business Ethics
James R Bailey PhD Organizational Behavior and Leadership

STUDENT LIFE

Largest on-campus organizations for business students:

Business Council
GW Women in Business
Finance and Investment Club
Alpha Kappa Psi
Delta Sigma Pi

Freshmen are required to live on campus:

Yes

Business students are grouped in learning communities:

TECHNOLOGY

Wireless network available:

Yes

Technological improvements made in the last three years:

State-of-the art building opened in 2006 with new academic technology and wireless network supported by professional IT contracts. In the past year two lab classrooms were renovated and a new general use computer lab added. Across campus wireless connectivity has been broadened and teaching technologies upgraded, including expansion of podcast enabled classrooms used in conjunction with Apple Computer’s iTunes U.

Trading laboratory available:

Yes

Alumni Affairs & Careers

ALUMNI

Total number of undergraduate business program graduates since inception:

14,506

Total living alumni:

9,764

Percent of alumni who gave, 2007-08 academic year:

12 %

Mean alumni gift 2007-08:

$ 2,623

Median alumni gift, 2007-08:

$ 100

Single donation in excess of $10 million in 2007-08?

Prominent alumni:

Name: Henry C. Duques
Title: CEO, First Data (Retired)
Name: Michael B. Enzi
Title: Senator (R-WY), United States Senate
Name: Jerry Reinsdorf
Title: Chairman, Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox

CAREER SERVICES

Percent of 2008 graduates who provided employment information:

93 %

Seeking full-time employment in business: 84 %
Not Seeking full-time employment in business: 16 %

Number of companies recruiting undergraduate students on campus in previous academic year:

104

Companies that posted full-time job offers/positions on school job boards, previous academic year:

2,941

Other activities and services provided for business majors:

One-on-one career counseling and job search workshops, Library and proprietary website resources, Interview Stream, Razume (Virtual Resume Critiques), Employer Presentations (Information Sessions), Support to student clubs, Alumni Networking

Job offer results, 2008 graduates:

Received first job offer by graduation: N/A %
Received first job offer in three months following graduation: N/A %
Received first job offer more than 3 months after graduation: N/A %
Did not report having received a job offer: N/A %
Accepted first job offer by graduation: 91 %
Accepted first job offer in three months following graduation: 6 %
Accepted first job offer more than 3 months after graduation: 3 %
Did not report having accepted a job offer: 0 %

Top hiring firms:

Lehman Bros.
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Cap Gemini
Merrill Lynch
Goldman Sachs Group
Target Corp.
KPMG LLP

Deloitte Consulting
BearingPoint
Accenture
Teach for America
BlackRock
Fannie Mae
Duff & Phelps
US Treasury

Graduate compensation:

Mean base salary: $ 50,365
Median base salary: $ 50,000
Mean signing bonus: $ 6,304
Median signing bonus: $ 5,000
Mean other guaranteed compensation: $ 0
Median other guaranteed compensation: $ 0

Grads accepted jobs in following functional areas:

Consulting: 16 %
Finance/Accounting: 42 %
General Management: 4 %
Human Resources: 2 %
Management Information Systems: 1 %
Marketing/Sales: 17 %
Operations/Production: 6 %
Logistics/Transportation: 1 %
Other: 11 %

Grads accepted jobs in following industries:

Accounting: 11 %
Consumer Products/Retail: 3 %
Consulting Services: 13 %
Financial Services: 32 %
Government/Education: 3 %
Pharma/Biotech/Health: 2 %
Manufacturing: 1 %
Media/Entertainment: 6 %
Petroleum/Energy: 0 %
Real Estate: 0 %
Sports/Leisure: 2 %
Technology/Science: 1 %
Non-Profit: 1 %
Transportation: 2 %
Utilities: 0 %
Other: 23 %

Percentage of job acceptances, US and Canada:

US: 100 %
Canada: 0 %

Grads accepted jobs in the following US regions:

Northeast: 38 %
Mid-Atlantic: 49 %
Midwest: 1 %
South: 4 %
Southwest: 3 %
West: 5 %
US Possessions/Territories: 0 %

Number of companies recruiting interns on-campus, 2007-08 academic year:

Internship postings on job boards, previous academic year:

1684

Top internship recruiters, 2007-08:

Lehman Bros.
Citigroup Inc.
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Merrill Lynch
PricewaterhouseCoopers
L'Oreal
Goldman Sachs Group

Accenture
Conde Nast
Sidley Austin LLP
Obama for America
NFL Players Association
Bloomberg
Freddie Mac
MTV Networks

Percentage of internships that were paid, previous academic year

81 %

Mean internship compensation per week:

$ 621

Median internship compensation per week:

$ 600

Average internship, in weeks:

Graduate Comments

For the amount of money paid to attend this school, it is not worth it. Some of the classrooms are unbelievably outdated with broken chairs, no Wi-Fi, and no overhead projectors. They hire professors that are too busy to even speak with students quickly after class. They hire people who might be well-known and experienced in their field, but are horrible teachers. The advising office is awful. I went through 5 before I finally found someone that could actually help me and was kind.

Overall the professors I've had have been of poor quality. The school is unresponsive to issues with professors. I often find myself learning the material on my own. Courses seem repetitive and do not flow well / work well with each other. There are vast discrepancies between what you are taught in a course and how you are graded based on your professor.

The mix of academics, social, and cultural activities was just right at GW. There are many resources available here, one just has to take advantage of them. The only negative thing truly worth mentioning is the advising system. It seems understaffed and felt impersonal. I wish I could have had a stronger sense of support from the advising center.

I think the program is fine, probably better then most, but GW is not a great school. I feel like everything is geared towards making the program better as opposed to actually helping their students succeed.

The location and spirit of the school is great, and it is even more conducive to students who are driven. There are many opportunities and if you show interest, there are many organizations and programs there that will provide substantial help. Obviously, students that do not actively peruse their education or career will miss out.

I am currently participating in a Finance class that has a several hundred thousand dollar grant to invest in the stock market. The experience in this class is great preparation, as real money is on the line and students work exceedingly hard on proper stock analysis. All finance programs should have a class like this.

The School of Business really encourages learning beyond the classroom. I don't know of anyone in the school that has not had an interesting internship while attending school. I think it's because of internship opportunities that I feel that I'm more prepared to enter the workforce than students from other programs.

Washington, DC is a perfect location to have a balance between Business and Politics. We, The George Washington University, bring in well-known alumni and guest speakers to our Business students to aggrandize our networking system.

The facilities and the location are the biggest assets to the school. The area provides a nice mixture of business, government, and non-profits a student could work with the ease of living in downtown DC. GW may not be considered the most prestigious college in DC, but it gives the students an opportunity to actually touch and feel the city as an undergrad.

GW Business focuses on the global elements of our society and preparing us for them. They also focus us to strive to be CEOs and upper management, where about 10 years ago they were just hoping for you to get employed. I am proud to be able to grow with GW Business.

GW's business program is unique for various reasons. Besides the outstanding accounting and business faculty and the state of the art buildings and facilities, the location is second to none. The opportunities available from being in the heart of Washington are unparalleled.

Our Business School has an outstanding program. The academics are extremely challenging and fulfilling. The extra-curricular programs and career center are very helpful in supporting the students in the professional world with resume critiques, interview workshops, etc.

The teaching quality is impeccable, and our professors are experts at creating a phenomenal learning experience. Additionally, there are many opportunities to gain leadership experience through business extra-curricular activities, all of which are actively supported and promoted by the Office of Undergraduate Programs.

Professors are willing to help students on any projects they are working on, whether it is for the professor's class, or just a student's interest. Professors care about students. The programs aim to teach students sound business practices and encourage dialogue, ethics, and lifelong learning.

The best way to describe our developing business program is, "You don't have to step on someone to get ahead," as it states on the stairs inside the main business school building. The school focuses on how businesses that focus on social responsibility and ethics thrive.