American University, Kogod School of Business Admission
American University, Kogod School of Business Undergraduate Program
American University, Kogod School of Business Application

The Facts

American University is a rather moderately-sized, private institution located in Washington D.C., and is affiliated with the Methodist Church. The university has a combined graduate and undergraduate population of over 11,860 students, however, the graduate business program is significantly smaller, and is home to about 516 graduate business students. Approximately 85% of the currently enrolled students have had an average of 5 years of full-time professional experience, a factor taken into serious consideration by the admissions committee when reviewing applications. Perhaps as a result of this fact, the average age of enrollment is around 28, however, ages range from 22 to 49. Approximately 10% of the currently enrolled students enter directly from undergraduate school, while about 25% of the students already have a graduate degree of some sort. The school is perhaps best known for its emphasis on international business practices, as well as real-world application of business theory. The school offers graduate business degrees in the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Taxation (MST), as well as joint degrees in international affairs and business (MA/MBA), as well as law and business (JD/MBA). The school also offers internships, work study programs, as well as cross registration opportunities. Some of the most popular programs of study include courses in the areas of accounting, finance, marketing, management of global information technology, as well as international business.

Admission to the university's graduate business program is quite competitive among those who apply; last year, over 577 students applied for admission to the school, and approximately 354 of those students were accepted. Eventually however, only about 116 of the admitted students actually enrolled for the coming semester. The admitted students had an average undergraduate GPA of about a 3.13, as well as an average GMAT score of about 590. The admissions committee requires all applicants to have a minimum undergraduate GPA of at least a 2.8, as well as a minimum GMAT score of at least 530. Students are able to begin their graduate course work in the fall or spring, and are notified of their admissions status on a rolling basis.

The graduate business program has 56 full-time faculty members, of whom 88% hold a doctorate degree; the school is also home to 10 part-time faculty members. The average graduate business class usually numbers around 30 students, and most faculty members teach an average of 3 courses at any given time.

Placement Services

The school has rather extensive placement services; last year, there were many companies actively recruiting on campus. The majors most in demand by these companies included accounting, management information systems, marketing, finance, marketing information technology, as well as management of global information technology. The average starting salary of the most recent graduating class was around $56,500, however, it ranged from $22,000 to $125,000. Over 62% of the same class were able to find jobs within three months of receiving their degrees.

What's Good

"The internship programs here are amazing; there are even internships abroad available to you."

"The faculty is great; most of my professors will stay after class is over to answer questions."

"There is so much going on in Washington D.C.; it's a great place to go to graduate school."

What's Bad

"There isn't nearly enough graduate student housing on campus, and off campus apartments are very very expensive."

"There are some professors who can be difficult to get a hold of outside of class."

"People get very competitive here and are always trying to out do one another."

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