Georgetown, a top-ranked university, has a graduate school that is renowned for many fields of study. The most prestigious graduate schools at Georgetown are The Walsh School of Foreign Service, McCourt School of Public Policy, and McDonough business school. That said, it is an excellent choice for any field you plan to study. But like any elite school, you’ll need to take the GRE and aim for a top-notch score.
The campus of Georgetown University is around Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1789, and it comprises of the following nine graduate schools.
- Georgetown Law
- Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
- Biomedical Graduate Education
- McCourt School of Public Policy
- McDonough School of Business
- School of Continuing Studies
- School of Medicine
- School of Nursing and Health Studies
- Walsh School of Foreign Service
In this Article
- Georgetown GRE Scores: How Competitive are they?
- Georgetown GRE Scores: How Competitive are the Scores?
- Does Georgetown have a Minimum GRE Score Requirement?
- Does Georgetown have Recommended GRE Score Requirement?
- What Can We Deduce from this Data About the Average GRE Scores at Georgetown?
- What Can We Deduce about the Average GPA at Georgetown University?
- Can I Still Apply to Georgetown if I have a Low GRE and GPA?
Georgetown GRE Scores: How Competitive are they?
Many graduate programs at Georgetown either have an OPTIONAL GRE requirement or don’t require the GRE at all. The programs that do require the GRE score mostly prefer to see Verbal scores around 160, Quant scores around 158, and AWA scores around 4.5. For the prestigious programs such as the Walsh School of Foreign Service, the averages are much higher.
Naturally, since Georgetown offers such a wide variety of programs, the ideal GRE scores that you’ll need to get in varies from school to school. Programs in humanities will focus more on verbal, whereas those in sciences require a higher math score. Moreover, for Ph.D. programs, the GRE score expectation is higher than the master’s programs.
Georgetown GRE Scores: How Competitive are the Scores?
Many graduate programs at Georgetown either have an OPTIONAL GRE requirement or don’t require the GRE at all. In fact, the majority of the programs offered by the School of Continuing Studies, School of Medicine, and School of Nursing and Health Studies do not require the GRE score.
In general, the programs that do require the GRE score mostly prefer to see Verbal scores around 160, Quant scores around 158, and AWA scores around 4.5. For the prestigious programs such as the Walsh School of Foreign Service, the averages are much higher.
Naturally, since Georgetown offers such a wide variety of programs, the ideal GRE scores that you’ll need to get in varies a lot from school to school. Programs in arts and humanities will focus more on verbal, whereas those in sciences require a higher math score. Moreover, for Ph.D. programs, the GRE score expectation is higher than the master’s programs.
Does Georgetown have a Minimum GRE Score Requirement?
Although several of the graduate programs at Georgetown have a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0, none of the programs have a minimum GRE score requirement. They encourage applicants to apply regardless of their GRE scores since the admissions committee looks at the overall application. You may see a lot of people with low GRE scores get into an MBA program at McDonough Business school. This could be because the applicants had a breadth of assorted work experience. Or because the applicants had stellar recommendation letters from some of the most renowned industry professionals.
Does Georgetown have Recommended GRE Score Requirement?
Very few programs at Georgetown do have a recommended GRE score requirement. For example, the Georgetown graduate program in computer science recommends that applicants have a 90th percentile score on the GRE.
A lot of programs at Georgetown University share their mean GRE scores of previous year’s admitted applicants. Prospective applicants take these scores to get an idea about the program’s competitiveness and how other applicants are fairing. It is good to get a score higher than the average score, but even if you score less, the admissions committee will still value you if your overall application is robust.
Most Georgetown graduate schools that require a GRE score have shared average GRE scores of previously admitted applicants on their websites. Using that data, here I have categorized the average GRE scores and GPA of each of Georgetown’s programs.
Georgetown Law
Program Offered Average GRE Quant Score Average GRE Verbal Score Average GRE AWA Score Average Undergraduate GPA
Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) 153 169 5.0 3.8
Master of Laws (LL.M.) 151 167 4.5 3.6
McCourt School of Public Policy
- Average Quant Score: 158
- Average Verbal Score: 159
- Average AWA Score: 4.5
- Average Undergraduate GPA: 3.5
Program Offered Average GRE Quant Score Average GRE Verbal Score Average GRE AWA Score Average Undergraduate GPA
Executive Master of Policy Leadership GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.4
Master of International Development Policy 156 158 4.5 3.6
Master of Policy Management GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.5
Master of Public Policy 157 159 4.5 3.4
Master of Science in Data Science for Public Policy 162 158 4.5 3.6
McDonough School of Business
- Average Quant Score: 159
- Average Verbal Score: 160
- Average AWA Score: 4.0
- Average Undergraduate GPA: 3.5
Program Offered Average GRE Quant Score Average GRE Verbal Score Average GRE AWA Score Average Undergraduate GPA
EMBA GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.3
Executive masters In leadership GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.2
Master in Management 155 159 4.0 3.6
Master of Arts in International Business and Policy GRE is OPTIONAL 3.6
Masters in Finance 164 158 4.0 3.6
Masters of Science in Business Analytics 161 159 4.0 3.5
MBA (Flex) 156 158 4.0 3.5
MBA (Full-time) 157 158 4.5 3.4
Walsh School of Foreign Service
- Average Quant Score: 155
- Average Verbal Score: 160
- Average AWA Score: 4.5
- Average Undergraduate GPA: 3.6
Program Offered Average GRE Quant Scores Average GRE Verbal Scores Average GRE AWA Scores Average Undergraduate GPA
M.A. Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies 148 160 5.0 3.7
M.A. in Arab Studies/ Arabic and Islamic Studies 155 160 5.0 3.8
M.A. in Asian Studies 155 160 5.0 3.7
M.S. Global Human Development GRE is OPTIONAL 3.7
Master of Arts in German and European Studies GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
Master of Arts in Latin American Studies 149 159 4.5 3.6
Masters of Arts in Security Studies 156 160 4.5 3.6
Masters of Science in Foreign Service 157 162 5.0 3.7
Georgetown Economics Programs
- Average Quant Score: 161
- Average Verbal Score: 160
- Average AWA Score: 4.5
- Average Undergraduate GPA: 3.6
| Program Offered | Average GRE Quant Score | Average GRE Verbal Score | Average GRE AWA Score | Average Undergraduate GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master’s in Applied Economics | 161 | 159 | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Master’s of Science in Economics | 162 | 160 | 4.5 | 3.65 |
| Masters in Political Economy | 159 | 161 | 4.5 | 3.6 |
| PhD in Applied Economics | 164 | 163 | 5.0 | 3.8 |
Georgetown Government Programs
- Average Quant Score: 157
- Average Verbal Score: 158
- Average AWA Score: 4.5
- Average Undergraduate GPA: 3.6
Program Offered Average GRE Quant Score Average GRE Verbal Score Average GRE AWA Score Average Undergraduate GPA
M.A. in American Government 156 156 4.5 3.5
M.A. in Conflict Resolution GRE is OPTIONAL
M.A. in Democracy & Governance 156 156 4.6 3.5
Ph.D. in Government 160 165 5.2 3.86
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
Program Offered Average GRE Quant Score Average GRE Verbal Score Average GRE AWA Score Average Undergraduate GPA
Executive Master's in Emergency & Disaster Management GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.5
International Executive Master's in Emergency & Disaster Management GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.65
M.A. Art & Museum Studies GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
M.A. in Latin American Studies 149 159 4.5 3.6
M.A. Italian Studies GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.55
M.A., M.S., Ph.D. in Linguistics 148 161 5.0 3.6
M.S. & PHD in Computer Science 164 156 4.5 3.65
MA. In Communication, Culture & Technology 152 161 5.0 3.7
Master of Science in Epidemiology 154 157 4.0 3.4
Master of Science in Mathematics & Statistics GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.65
Master's in Applied Intelligence GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.55
Master's in Cybersecurity Risk Management GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
Master's in Design Management & Communications GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.75
Master's in Emergency & Disaster Management GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.8
Master's in Global Hospitality Leadership GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
Master's in Higher Education Administration GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.4
Master's in Human Resources Management GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.75
Master's in Integrated Marketing Communications GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.8
Master's in Journalism GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
Master's in Project Management GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.5
Master's in Public Relations & Corporate Communications GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.4
Master's in Real Estate GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.35
Master's in Sports Industry Management GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.5
Master's in Supply Chain Management GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
Master's in Systems Engineering Management GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
Master's in Technology Management GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.65
Master's in Urban & Regional Planning GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.5
Masters in Data Science & Analytics 163 157 4.0 3.6
Masters in English 147 165 5.5 3.65
Masters in Global Infectious Disease 153 158 4.5 3.6
Masters in Learning, Design, and Technology GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.7
MS in Environmental Metrology & Policy GRE is OPTIONAL 3.4
MS in Health and the Public Interest GRE is OPTIONAL 3.6
MS in Health Informatics and Data Science GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.7
Ph.D. in Global Infectious Disease GRE is OPTIONAL 3.8
PhD. In Physics 163 156 4.0 3.8
Post-Graduate Certificate Program GRE is OPTIONAL 3.6
Biomedical Graduate Education and School of Medicine
Program Offered Average GRE Quant Score Average GRE Verbal Score Average GRE AWA Score Average Undergraduate GPA
Masters in Biohazardous Threat Agents & Emerging Infectious Diseases GRE is OPTIONAL 3.6
Masters in Biomedical Science Policy & Advocacy GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
Masters in Biostatistics GRE is OPTIONAL 3.55
Masters in Catholic Clinical Ethics GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
Masters in Clinical Quality, Safety, and Leadership Executive Online GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
Masters in Health Informatics & Data Science GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.5
Masters in Medical Physics GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.65
Masters in Microbiology & Immunology 156 160 4.5 3.6
Masters in Physiology GRE is OPTIONAL 3.6
Masters in Physiology, Special Master’s Program 158 160 4.5 3.65
Masters in Tumor Biology 153 159 4.5 3.7
MS in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.5
MS in Bioinformatics GRE is OPTIONAL 3.6
MS in Biotechnology GRE is OPTIONAL 3.5
MS in Clinical & Translational Research GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.65
MS in Health Physics GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
MS in Integrative Neuroscience GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.5
MS in Pharmacology (Physiology & Biophysics) GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
MS in Physiology - Complementary and Alternative Medicine GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
MS in Systems medicine GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.5
Ph.D. in Biostatistics 155 158 4.0 3.7
Ph.D. in Neuroscience GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.8
Ph.D. in Pharmacology GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.85
Ph.D. in Tumor Biology GRE is OPTIONAL 3.75
PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology GRE is OPTIONAL 3.8
PhD in Microbiology & Immunology 156 162 5.0 3.8
School of Nursing and Health Studies
Program Offered Average GRE Quant Score Average GRE Verbal Score Average GRE AWA Score Average Undergraduate GPA
BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.6
Master of Science Degree in Nursing GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.5
Masters in Health Systems Administration GRE is OPTIONAL 3.6
MS in Global Health GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.55
Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice GRE is NOT REQUIRED 3.65
What Can We Deduce from this Data About the Average GRE Scores at Georgetown?
Suppose you are applying to a graduate program where verbal is your important score (such as Public Policy, Government, Foreign Service). In that case, to stay competitive, you should aim for a 162 on the verbal section, 157 on the Math section, and 4.5 on the AWA section. Although the quant score is not that important for these schools, you should aim for a 155+ in the math section. For Ph.D. programs in these schools, which are generally reading-heavy, your target should be 164 Verbal, 158 Quant, and 5.0 AWA.
If Math is your more critical score (such as Data Science, Computer Science, Sciences), then your goal should be 164 on the math section, 157 on the verbal section, and 4.0 on the AWA. In quant-heavy programs, anything below 160 on the GRE quant section will hamper your chances significantly. Although the verbal score is not critical, you should try to score 153+ in the verbal section.
That said, in my experience, and after looking at this data, a GRE score of 318+ is a very competitive score for nearly all of the graduate programs at Georgetown University.
What Can We Deduce about the Average GPA at Georgetown University?
A 3.4/4.0 GPA or higher is generally an acceptable GPA for most graduate schools at Georgetown. Some programs like Foreign service and Law prefer GPAs closer to 3.8. Regarding GPA, even if you score less than 3.4, the admissions committee will consider the grades that you got in the relevant undergrad courses. If you have a 3.1 GPA, but your classes in the requisite courses were A or B+, your chances will not be negatively impacted.
*Many graduate programs at Georgetown have a minimum GPA requirement. For example, most programs need a 3.0+ GPA to be eligible to apply. This means that even if you have a 340/340 on the GRE, but your GPA is 2.9, you cannot apply for that program. So, before you worry too much about your GRE scores, do check with your program if they have a minimum GPA threshold.
Can I Still Apply to Georgetown if I have a Low GRE and GPA?
GRE and GPA are not the only considerations that programs take while evaluating your readiness. Georgetown is an elite school and is very selective. Even if you have the top 5% GRE scores and GPA, you can still get rejected. Georgetown grad school looks at many other factors besides the GRE score and GPA. These factors are equally as crucial as your GRE and GPA.
Here are those factors that Georgetown will use to evaluate you:
- Your Essays (Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose)
- Who wrote your recommendation letters, and how strong were they?
- Any quality research experience or research publications
- Relevant work experience
- Volunteer and Social Work
- How related are your interests to the professors at Georgetown?
Although GRE scores and GPA are crucial for outshining other applicants in the admissions process, they’re assuredly not the only parts of your application you should despair about. Make sure that you put a wholehearted effort in securing your overall application. Even something as “petty” as an ill-prepared CV can get you rejected at Georgetown.