McDonough MBA: Essay Tips, Analysis, and Strategies

The McDonough MBA is structured around a rigorous curriculum that integrates complex coursework, experiential learning, and case-based discussions.

In this in-depth Essay Tips for the McDonough MBA, we cover:

•    Overview of the McDonough MBA Program
•    Vision, Mission, Values and Goals
•    Ideal Candidate – Who Should Apply
•    What to Include in the Essay?
•    Essay Tips

Overview of the McDonough MBA Program

The Georgetown McDonough MBA starts with a core curriculum (finance, marketing, strategy, etc.) in a 60-70 student cohort, followed by electives, including STEM-designated options. International learning opportunities include the Global Business Experience (consulting projects abroad in Spain, Germany, etc.) and International Career Treks (Mexico, Tanzania, etc.). In addition to a full-time MBA, the program also offers dual-degree in collaboration with Law, Medical, and other schools in the university, plus certificates in Healthcare and Sustainable Business. Experiential learning features VC apprenticeships, real estate underwriting, boardroom simulations, and startup consulting, with ties to groups like the World Bank. 

Vision, Mission, Values, and Goals

Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business embodies a mission “to build global business knowledge and inspire ethical leaders to serve the common good.”

Central to McDonough's values is the Jesuit tradition of 'cura personalis,' or care for the whole person that fosters a collaborative culture where empathy and concern for others are paramount, guiding students to address complex global challenges ethically and effectively.

Ideal Candidate – Who Should Apply?

Prospective students who resonate with McDonough's mission and values typically exhibit the following traits:
•    Global Perspective: An appreciation for diverse cultures and a keen interest in international business dynamics.
•    Ethical Leadership: A commitment to integrity, social responsibility, and contributing positively to society.
•    Collaborative Spirit: An inclination towards teamwork, valuing diverse viewpoints, and fostering inclusive environments.
•    Adaptability: The ability to navigate and lead through the evolving landscapes of the business world.

What to Include in the Essay

When crafting your application essay for the McDonough MBA program, consider incorporating the following elements:
•    Alignment with Mission and Values: Demonstrate how your personal and professional aspirations align with McDonough's mission to inspire ethical leadership and serve the common good.
•    Global Experiences: Highlight any international exposure or cross-cultural experiences that have shaped your worldview and how they align with the program's global focus.
•    Leadership Examples: Provide specific instances where you've exhibited ethical leadership, collaboration, and adaptability in professional or personal settings.
•    Commitment to Community: Reflect on your involvement in community service or initiatives that showcase your dedication to making a positive societal impact.

By thoughtfully addressing these four aspects, your essay will reflect a strong fit with the McDonough School of Business's ethos and demonstrate your potential to thrive within its MBA program.

Essay Tips

Personal Essay: Select one of the following three essays to complete in 500 words.

Essay Option One – Georgetown Community

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.

How To Approach

Understanding Jesuit Principles and the Core Theme

The question is rooted in Jesuit principles of equality, respect, and care for the whole person, emphasizing inclusivity and an intersectional worldview. Georgetown McDonough values students who contribute to a diverse learning environment by bringing unique perspectives from their educational, familial, cultural, economic, and social backgrounds. Your response should reflect your personal experiences and how they shape your perspective on inclusivity and diversity in business and beyond.

1. Identifying Your Unique Perspective

Begin by reflecting on the personal experiences that have shaped your understanding of diversity. These could be related to your family background, cultural heritage, financial hardships, gender identity, international exposure, or personal challenges. Think about moments when you gained insight into social inequalities or developed a commitment to fostering inclusion.

Example: Moksy can highlight her upbringing in an emerging market where financial systems often exclude women. She could share how witnessing her mother struggle to access capital opened her eyes to systemic gender inequities. This experience fueled her drive to create economic opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs.

2. Demonstrating an Intersectional Approach

Georgetown emphasizes an intersectional understanding of identity—how different social factors (e.g., race, gender, class) interact to shape experiences. Your response should connect multiple aspects of your identity and experiences to show how you approach diversity from a multi-faceted perspective.

Example: Moksy can discuss how her experience as a woman in finance, a field with historically low female representation, made her aware of both gender-based barriers and the broader economic structures that limit financial inclusion. Her work in investment management has deepened her understanding of systemic disparities in funding access, allowing her to see diversity not just through gender but also through economic and structural lenses.

3. Connecting Personal Growth to Community Impact

Beyond stating your personal background, the essay should demonstrate how your experiences have influenced your values and your ability to contribute to a diverse and inclusive community. Highlight specific ways you have engaged with diversity-related issues, whether through mentorship, advocacy, or leadership.

Example: Moksy can discuss her active role in women’s investment groups, where she helped facilitate capital access for female entrepreneurs. This experience has shaped her commitment to fostering inclusive spaces and financial opportunities. At Georgetown, she plans to extend this by engaging with Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) and the Georgetown Africa Business Alliance to create mentorship and networking programs for women in finance.

4. How You Will Contribute at Georgetown McDonough

The final part of the response should connect back to Georgetown’s mission and community. Think about how your background will enrich classroom discussions, inspire peers, and align with the school’s focus on ethical leadership and social impact. Highlight specific courses, clubs, or initiatives to which you can actively contribute.

Example: Moksy can emphasize how her insights into gender-based financial barriers will contribute to discussions in classes like Leading Teams for Performance and Impact. She can also mention how her experience in investment management will bring a unique perspective to the Graduate Investment Fund, where she hopes to advocate for gender-inclusive investment strategies.

Essay Option Two – Cura Personalis

As the oldest Jesuit institution in the United States, cura personalis is a Latin phrase deeply ingrained within our community and translates to “care of the person.” It encompasses a profound sense of care and responsibility for one another, rooted in personalized attention to each individual’s needs, unique circumstances, gifts, and limitations, fostering the growth of each person. Please reflect on a specific instance where you exemplified cura personalis by supporting a teammate or coworker. Describe the particular actions you took to guide them, and explain the impact of these efforts. Additionally, discuss how you would leverage these experiences to contribute to the collaborative environment at Georgetown McDonough.

How To Approach

Understanding the Question

This question revolves around cura personalis, a Jesuit principle meaning "care for the whole person." Georgetown McDonough wants to see an example of how you've personally supported a teammate or colleague in a way that went beyond standard professional or academic collaboration.

The essay should cover three key elements:

1.    A specific instance where you demonstrated cura personalis in a professional, academic, or personal setting.
2.    Your actions—how you provided guidance, support, or mentorship to that person.
3.    The impact—both on the individual you helped and on your own personal or professional growth.
4.    Application to Georgetown—how this experience will help you contribute to McDonough’s collaborative environment.

1. Select a Strong Example

The best way to stand out in this essay is to choose an example that is both impactful and personal. The scenario should involve more than just helping a teammate with a routine task. It should highlight a deep sense of responsibility, empathy, and leadership. Consider examples where you:

•    Mentored someone struggling with a difficult professional or personal challenge.
•    Helped a colleague navigate a major transition or career decision.
•    Created an initiative to support a group facing challenges.
•    Took extra steps to ensure someone’s success, even when it wasn’t required of you.

Example: For Moksy, an ideal example would be when she mentored a junior female colleague in investment banking who was struggling to secure funding for her startup. Recognizing the barriers women entrepreneurs face in accessing capital, Moksy took an active role in supporting her colleague. She organized mock pitch sessions to refine her business proposal, provided strategic feedback on her financial model, and introduced her to contacts within her network who could offer guidance. This hands-on mentorship not only helped her colleague gain confidence but also led to a successful funding round. 

Moksy’s actions reflect cura personalis because they demonstrate her commitment to seeing another individual succeed, not just professionally but also personally.

2. Clearly Articulating Your Actions

After setting up the scenario, focus on what you did specifically. The actions should demonstrate your ability to listen, provide thoughtful guidance, and create meaningful solutions.

Questions to answer:
•    How did you recognize the need for support?
•    What steps did you take to help?
•    How did your actions reflect care for the person beyond just professional duties?

Consider breaking down your response into three key areas:
•    Recognizing the Need – Show how you identified the problem. Was it something the person explicitly expressed, or did you notice their struggles and take the initiative?
•    Taking Meaningful Action – Detail the specific ways in which you provided support. This should include more than just offering advice; think about hands-on actions, advocacy, or structural support you provided.
•    Ensuring a Lasting Impact – Describe the outcome of your efforts. How did the person grow or benefit from your guidance? If possible, mention how your support influenced their future actions or decisions.

Example: Moksy’s example fits well here. She first noticed her colleague hesitated to speak confidently about her startup during investor meetings, leading her to recognize the deeper challenge of self-doubt and systemic barriers. Instead of offering encouragement alone, she took action—conducting one-on-one coaching, connecting her with successful women entrepreneurs, and helping refine her pitch until it resonated with investors. As a result, her colleague secured funding, but more importantly, she left the experience with a stronger belief in her abilities.

3. Explaining the Impact

Georgetown wants to see why this moment mattered—not just to the person you helped but also to you. Discuss the outcome and what you learned from the experience.

Impact to Highlight:
•    Did your actions lead to a tangible change (e.g., the person getting promoted, securing funding, gaining confidence)?
•    Did this experience shift your perspective on leadership, teamwork, or mentorship?
•    How did it strengthen your values or leadership style?

Example: In this section, she can emphasize that her colleague successfully secured funding and gained confidence in pitching to investors. Moksy realized the importance of fostering financial inclusion and mentorship in her career. The experience reinforced her belief in gender equity and made her more committed to supporting women in finance.

4. Connecting It to Georgetown McDonough

Finally, link this experience to how you will contribute to the McDonough community. Georgetown values students who actively engage with their peers, so be specific about how you will bring this mindset to campus.

Ways to Contribute at McDonough:
•    Engage in mentorship programs like the Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) to support female MBA students.
•    Lead initiatives within the Georgetown Africa Business Alliance to connect aspiring entrepreneurs with investors.
•    Foster inclusive discussions in finance-related student organizations.
•    Offer guidance to peers from non-traditional backgrounds to help them transition into business school.

Example: For Moksy, this could mean discussing how she plans to support fellow MBA students, particularly women pursuing finance, through mentorship programs like Graduate Women in Business (GWIB). She might also highlight her intention to advocate for inclusive investment strategies through student-led initiatives. By making these connections, she reinforces that her leadership style aligns with McDonough’s values and that she will actively contribute to the school’s culture of mutual support. She could facilitate conversations on gender-equitable investment through the Graduate Investment Fund.

Essay Option Three – Achieving Excellence

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.

How To Approach

This essay prompt focuses on two core elements: excellence and legacy. Georgetown McDonough seeks students who strive for exceptional achievements and create lasting impact. Your response should highlight a professional experience where you delivered outstanding results, demonstrating the qualities that set you apart. However, it’s not just about personal success—the question also asks you to connect your achievements to how you will contribute to the Georgetown community and leave a meaningful legacy.

To craft a compelling response, you need to:
•    Select a standout professional experience that showcases excellence.
•    Analyze the skills, strengths, and mindset that contributed to your success.
•    Explain how these qualities will help you leave a lasting impact at McDonough.

This essay is not just about listing accomplishments but about reflecting on what makes them significant. Excellence is not only measured in results but in the approach, effort, and leadership you demonstrated. Your response should illustrate how you set high standards, overcame challenges, and made a meaningful difference in your organization.

1.    Selecting a Strong Example of Excellence

The best professional experience to discuss should be one where your contributions were instrumental in achieving an exceptional outcome. It should reflect high-impact results, innovation, or leadership that went beyond expectations. Ideally, this example should align with your long-term goals and values, reinforcing your broader vision.

Example: For Moksy, a strong example would be her initiative to develop a gender-focused investment strategy at her firm. She noticed that women entrepreneurs in emerging markets were consistently overlooked in investment decisions, leading to systemic barriers in accessing capital. Recognizing the need for change, she conducted in-depth market research, built a data-driven case, and successfully advocated for the launch of a new investment program dedicated to funding women-led businesses. The initiative resulted in her firm securing its first $10 million fund specifically for gender-inclusive investments.

Such examples exemplify excellence because it highlights her ability to identify gaps in the industry, leverage data and strategic thinking, and drive meaningful change. Her efforts didn’t just generate financial returns; they also created a more inclusive investment framework that will continue to benefit women entrepreneurs beyond her tenure.

2.  Highlighting Key Strengths and Skills

Beyond the outcome, this essay requires you to break down the skills and qualities that contributed to your achievement. Excellence is not just about success; it’s about how you approach challenges, problem-solving, and leadership.

Consider discussing:
•    Strategic Thinking: How did you assess the situation, identify opportunities, and develop a solution?
•    Leadership and Initiative: Did you take the lead, convince stakeholders, or drive execution?
•    Resilience and Problem-Solving: What obstacles did you face, and how did you overcome them?
•    Impact-Driven Mindset: How did your actions contribute to a broader goal, such as social impact or innovation?

Example: Moksy’s example demonstrates multiple strengths. She used analytical thinking to recognize investment biases and leadership skills to advocate for a structural change within her firm. She also exhibited resilience in overcoming internal resistance, proving the business case for gender-focused investments through data-backed insights. Her ability to align financial goals with social impact showcases visionary thinking, making her achievement even more compelling.

3.  Connecting Your Achievements to Your Legacy at McDonough

The final part of your essay should tie your demonstrated excellence to your future at Georgetown. How will the qualities you’ve highlighted shape your contributions to the McDonough community? This is your chance to show that your past successes will translate into a meaningful legacy at the school.

Example: For Moksy, her experience in championing gender-inclusive investment aligns well with McDonough’s commitment to ethical leadership and social impact. She could discuss how she plans to:

•    Engage with the Graduate Investment Fund to introduce conversations about gender-equitable investing.
•    Lead initiatives within Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) to mentor female students entering finance.
•    Leverage McDonough’s global business focus to explore sustainable investment strategies for women entrepreneurs in emerging markets.

By framing her answer this way, Moksy positions herself as someone who doesn’t just strive for excellence in her own career but also seeks to uplift others and drive change—reinforcing the kind of legacy she aims to leave at McDonough.

Video Essay

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

Please provide any information you would like to add to your application that you have not otherwise included (300-350 words, approximately one page, double spaced).

Re-Applicant Essay

Required for re-applicants. How have you strengthened your candidacy since your last application? We are particularly interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally (300-350 words, approximately one page, double spaced).

Reference

• McDonough MBA