Meet Emory Goizueta's MBA Class Of 2022

Full-Time MBA Students At Emory Goizueta

Academically, the school has yet to report average GMAT scores. However, scores ran from 640-740 in the 80% range according to the school’s website – the same as the Class of 2021. In addition, the class’ average undergraduate GPA slipped from 3.3 to 3.2. Undergraduate Business majors comprise the largest segment of the incoming class at 30%. That percentage is exceeded when you combine Social Sciences (19%) and Humanities (12%). STEM also makes up nearly a third of the class between Engineering (17%) and Sciences (10%). Economics (7%) and Other Majors (5%) round out the class.

The class also boasts 5.3 years of professional experience on average from a wide range of industries Financial Services accounts for the largest bloc of students at 17%. Other Services (17%), Consulting (11%) and Technology (10%) also crack double digits. The rest of the class hails from the Government (8%), Manufacturing (7%), Consumer Products (6%), Media and Entertainment (6%), Real Estate (5%), and Nonprofit (3%) sectors.

MORE THAN A SOUTHERN SCHOOL

Looking at employment, two numbers stick out at Goizueta. The first is 95% — the percentage of 2019 MBA graduates who had landed jobs within two months of graduates (with an additional 2% receiving offers during this time). While this number is several points higher than top MBA programs, it is a standard benchmark at Goizueta, which employers rank among the best for Innovation and Creativity according to the latest Bloomberg Business Recruiter Survey. The other number is 45% — the percentage of 2019 MBAs who entered consulting – over three times the total of Financial Services (13%). It also ranked 2nd only to INSEAD for the largest percentage of a class to enter consulting in 2019.

An MBA student in Goizueta classroom

One big myth about Goizueta: It is a program that caters to southern employers. In reality, just 50% of the Class of 2019 stayed in the south, with a combined 30% of the class heading to the East and West Coasts. So it shouldn’t be surprising that Goizueta grads get paid well. Between base and bonus, the Class of 2019 pulled in $149,575, just a shade under Yale SOM and UCLA Anderson. Over five years, Goizueta grads are expected to see pay increases of $60,100, according to Forbes.

“Many believe that coming to Goizueta means being forced to limit your job opportunities to the Southeast region,” observes Tierra Evans (’20). “However, Goizueta students have managed to find success all over the country. Most of my interviews for summer internships were for jobs outside of the Southeast. I’m choosing Atlanta for full-time not because I have to, but because I want to. You’re only as limited as you allow yourself to be. We’re equipped to #GoBeyond all boundaries, limitations, and expectations throughout our time here.”

Last year, Goizueta celebrated its 100-year anniversary. This year, the program has built on that momentum. In February, the program launched a deferred admissions policy to provide applicants with greater flexibility – with offers extended to seniors beyond Emory University. At the same time, the program announced in June that it would accept LSAT and MCAT test scores in place of GMATs or GREs. Beginning this fall, full-time MBAs can now take part in Goizueta’s executive education offerings.

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ASSOCIATE DEAN

What else can MBAs expect from Goizueta in the coming years? This summer, P&Q reached out to Brian Mitchell, associate dean of the full-time MBA program, to learn more about new developments, the impact of COVID-19, and how the program leverages strengths like its Atlanta location and small class. Here were his thoughts…

P&Q: What are the most exciting new developments at your program?

BM: “We recently received the largest financial contribution in our history ─ a $30 million dollar gift ─ which will allow us to evolve in key areas of focus where we have had tremendous success in the past. This includes the establishment of the Roberto C. Goiuzeta Institute for Business and Society, which will expand upon our programming within our Social Enterprise @ Goizueta Center and elevate the way Goizueta and our students use business as a force for social good. The gift will also create the Roberto C. Goizueta Innovation Center, which will be home to our extensive entrepreneurship and innovation offerings. Both of these new developments appeal directly to the interests of this emerging generation of MBA students, who seek to apply scaled solutions to societal challenges around the world.”

BRIAN MITCHELL, FULL-TIME MBA ASSOCIATE DEAN AT EMORY UNIVERSITY’S GOIZUETA BUSINESS SCHOOL

Brian Mitchell, Associate Dean

P&Q: What are the two most unique or differentiating features of your full-time program? How do they enrich the MBA experience?

BM: “One differentiating feature of our full-time MBA program is the combination of small program size and major city. This combination enriches the MBA experience because our students do not have to trade off intimacy for access. We have an exceptionally strong community at Goizueta, which is enabled by a class size of approximately 150 students per Two-Year MBA cohort. Everyone knows each other. And at the same time, our students have access to a huge network of employers ─ the 3rd most Fortune 500 HQs in the US for example ─ and service opportunities because we are in a dynamic, global city rather than a small town.”

P&Q: How has COVID-19 impacted your business school?

BM: “The main impact of COVID-19 has been the move to virtual curricular and co-curricular experiences. It has required major adjustments as we offer a lot of hands-on, face-to-face engagement opportunities. We’ve work hard to keep the engagement high and we’ve been able to transition many of the opportunities to an online format. Our faculty and staff have invested a tremendous amount of time and resources to optimize courses and content for online hybrid delivery so that we continue to provide an exceptional academic experience while operating remotely. “

P&Q: What makes Atlanta such a great place to earn an MBA?

BM: “So many things! The job market is strong, with over 750 of the Fortune 1000 companies have a presence here. The culture is dynamic – just turn on the TV or listen to your favorite playlist and you’ll see and hear Atlanta influences. The food scene is world class! Our airport is #1 in the world, which makes business (and personal) travel so much easier. And the cost of living is lower than many other major cities in the U.S.”

P&Q: Goizueta is known for lavishing heavy personal attention on its full-time MBAs. Give a couple of examples of how the school does that. How does that enhance their learning experience?

BM: “This relates to my earlier point about our program size being part of our differentiation strategy. We are a high-touch program, and yes, we take pride in having a strong community. It helps us hold each other accountable and develop as principled leaders. One clear example of this in action was this summer immediately following the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. We had a community conversation that was much deeper and more personal than one might expect at a business school. It led to the formation of a new Allies in Action Club, and ideas for new ways to study social justice within our curriculum and across the university. We were able to have this level of discourse because we had already started building trust and empathy as part of the Goizueta experience from day one. And this is an inextricable part of the learning experience of our community.”

Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Emory photo

LEARNING LEADERSHIP…THE ARMY WAY

Another differentiator of the Goizueta MBA program is its two-year Leadership Development Program, a mix of academic instruction, hands-on activities, and personal reflection. Among alumni, the Leadership Reaction Course (LRC) is the memorable and valuable part of the programming. Here, MBAs ship out to nearby Fort Benning for team challenges that involve everything from climbing walls to wading through water. The challenges are designed to bring out the best (and worst) in students as they work through adversity, conflict, and pressure with peers. In the process, the students step out of their comfort zones. They learn how to plan, respond, and reflect – often returning to challenges to apply the feedback they received.

Another popular offering is Goizueta’s Impact 360, a two-semester course that culminates in a hands-on field project – with past partners including Coca-Cola, GE, Delta, and Georgia-Pacific. By the same token, Atlanta remains a huge draw for MBAs, with the metro home to 30 companies in the Fortune 1000, including Home Depot, UPS, and The Southern Companies. Combined, these companies produced revenues exceeding $438 billion dollars in 2019. Along the way, the region has emerged as a leader in fields like biosciences, technology, logistics, and entertainment.

“For me, the Goizueta MBA represents an opportunity for risk-seeking growth,” explains Christian Smith. “Emory is intimately intertwined with Atlanta’s rise as a haven for entrepreneurs and underrepresented tech workers. I look forward to combining my tech acumen with a first-class business education and getting my hands dirty.”

A LITTLE NERVOUS…BUT READY TO GO

What excites the Class of 2022 about the next two years of business school? Rachael Augostini, for one, is looking forward to tapping into the region’s entertainment production network, whose franchises range from Tyler Perry to The Walking Dead. In contrast, Christopher Sanchez plans to take on leadership roles thanks to the program’s “smaller, dynamic setting.”

“I am also eager to learn from established professionals in different fields and from diverse backgrounds, both in the form of classmates and faculty,” he adds.

That’s not to say there isn’t a little worry to go along with the class’ excitement and ambition. Like many, Augostini is fretting over taking quant courses like Finance and Economics…especially after majoring in Sociology. Benjamin Holladay wonders how the pandemic will impact the experience, with the hope that the Goizueta’s hybrid approach is just a “temporary bridge to a more normal experience in later semesters.” For Brandon Makinson, what makes him nervous about school is also exciting him the most.

“After being in the workforce for seven years, going back to school is both exhilarating and daunting. Learning in a classroom setting, meeting new people with extensively different backgrounds and experiences, job interviews, social events ─ it will all require a change of perspective.”

What strategies did the Class of 2022 use to land a seat at Goizueta? What was the toughest question they were asked during the application process? What qualities do they value most in employers? Check out the student profiles below for answers to questions and many more.

MBA Student	Hometown	Undergrad Alma Mater	Last Employer
Rachael Augostini	New York City, NY	Georgetown University	Korn Ferry
Rutendo Chikuku	Harare, Zimbabwe	Lindenwood University	Palouse Specialty Physicians
Margaux Galitz	Miami, FL	Emory University	The Dog Agency
Benjamin Holladay	Birmingham, AL	Auburn University	U.S. Navy
Rachel Jain	Nashville, TN	University of Georgia	Privia Health
Kevin Link	Marietta, GA	Princeton University	Ferguson Enterprises
Brandon Makinson	Calgary, Canada	Georgia Tech	Schlumberger
Ivan Mosqueda Ramirez	Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico	Tec de Monterrey	Worthing Southeast Builders
Christopher Sanchez	Bridgeport, CT	University of Connecticut	Barclays Capital
Christian D. Smith	Newark, NJ	Stanford University	TripleLift
Breanna Spurley	Atlanta, GA	University of Georgia	Harlem Children’s Zone
Frank Thomas	Charleston, WV	Ohio University	The Motley Fool