Questinos About MBA Programs, DC Area (Baltimore, College Park: upper-class, apartments, condos)

[Stockholmaren]

I was wondering if anybody has any input on or experience of University of Maryland – College Park, Georgetown University, and George Washington University? I’m in the process of applying to their respective MBA programs, so I would really appreciate to hear what you think of those schools, how the campuses are like, where you can find housing (probably a 1-bedroom apartment for my wife and myself), and so forth. Thanks!

[dullnboring]

I can't offer any assistance in terms of how their grad programs stack up although I'm sure you've researched that on your own, but here's a brief rundown of the schools and the areas they're in:

Georgetown - Beautiful very old somewhat compact campus, somewhat stuffy priviledged student body, situated in the neighborhood of Georgetown, a yuppie-ish neighborhood full of restaurants, stores and bars; more upper-class and caters to visitors. Homes are old and incredibly nice, mostly high-density rowhomes, inhabited by the DC elite (many diplomats, congressmen, etc.) with not that wide a selection of apartments or condos. Sky high rents and many students pull together and get some 10-12 people together in one house to make things doable. The area has bus service, but no Metro service (nearest station is a 25 minute walk or so) and parking is a nightmare.

George Washington - An urban campus similar to NYU where the campus is essentially the city. As a result, not as cohesive of a school. It's a very popular school for people studying politics and international relations and those sorts of things, with many "political" and "law" types. Diverse student body with a large number of international students. Located in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood sandwiched between Georgetown and downtown DC. Neighborhood is nice, very "business-y" and governmental; pretty safe and nice-looking. Great location for internships with the government with easy Metro access. Rents are fairly expensive although not as bad as Georgetown. A large number of students live in Arlington along the Metro's Orange Line and commute in daily.

University of Maryland - Your standard traditional large public state university, with the sweeping campus green and large brick buildings and such. Nice campus. A good school that's getting better and better as the years go on. It is located in College Park, a suburban community a few miles from DC proper. Most students live nearby in College Park and walk to class and these neighborhoods on the perimeter of the school are sort of hit or miss. While not "high crime" per se, there have been many highly-publicized incidents of students being robbed or attacked in their homes or walking late at night. Rents are about average by DC area standards but may be incredibly expensive depending on where you're coming from. The campus is served by the Metro Green Line (I believe you have to take a bus or walk a far distance TO the station from campus however).

[Stockholmaren]

Thank you for your input on the different schools. It really helps out a lot to hear this since you normally can't find this insight posted on the universities' web sites. It's really too bad that the rents are so high, but we knew that anywhere outside the Midwest would be more expensive, we just want to make sure it's worth it :-)

[mayjormom]

I received my master's from George Washington University (in another field). I highly recommend it because my graduate program was free (in education),however I don't know if they offer funding for business programs. I do know that they have several dual master's programs, so you may want to look at that. As far as UMD and Georgetown they both have great reputations (especially Georgetown for business majors). But again, the costs at all 3 schools is very expensive. I recently read that George Washington is the most expensive institution in the country. Plan a visit and find out about scholarships and grants. I don't think you could go wrong with any of your choices.

[Zachariah]

I'm also an alum of one of GWU's graduate programs (public policy and administration) and know the MBA program is so-so. I'm not sure the value for money is there, considering the tuition and the ranking. With business schools, prestige plays a big role, though you'll find a good number of alums in the area that will probably help you network. If you stay local, you'll likely end up working for government or a business that consults the public sector. There is private industry here, but you'll be competing with other students from better programs. The international business concentration is probably the strongest, but American and Georgetown also boast strong international business concentrations. The campus is right in the city, in Foggy Bottom, which is a draw. Personally, I think GWU has awesome graduate programs, and I really enjoyed studying there. I received a lot of personal attention and was favorably impressed by the caliber of students my program attracted. But, it may not be the best option for business...

Of the three you identified, Georgetown has the best reputation and should be your top choice. You'll command a higher salary and will have more options after you graduate (both in terms of geography and industry). Because it is located in historic Georgetown, you'll have to walk or take a bus to the metro system. That area is pretty cool and you'll have a ton of urban distractions.

Maryland is also very well-regarded, but College Park is a good drive from Baltimore and at least a 20 minute metro ride from DC, depending on where you live. The tuition is high (for a state school), but the Smith school has some excellent programs. I find the campus to be fairly boring and unispiring--College Park is pretty lame IMHO. Most of the students will be driving from NOVA, Baltimore, DC and other places in MD. That said, you'll have career options when you graduate.

So, if socialization and location are important to you, you may want to consider Gtown or even GWU. Maryland is the cheapest of the three, but only if you are in-state. If not, you'll pay as much as you'd pay at GWU. Gtown is the most expensive, but the best ranked. You'll have to visit each and speak with alums to get a feel for which is the right choice for you given your career goals and personal preferences.

Good luck!

[PortieOwner]

I'd go UMD. They now have a top-ranked business school both for MBAs and PhDs. Live in MD and the tuition is pretty reasonable.

Portie