MS in Business Analytics Orientation

The next MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) Orientation will be held on August 10, 2023.

This orientation will provide you with an overview of the programs, acquaint you with the technology you will be using for your classes, and review resources available to you as a student. Students will receive an email from their academic advisor with RSVP information. All incoming students admitted to the MSBA program are required to attend.

Along with your program orientation, you will begin your first class on August 12, so it is especially important that you arrive in time to attend the orientation on August 10.

Getting Ready for the MSBA Program

Once you’ve been admitted to the GW School of Business (GWSB) and paid your deposit, please take the following steps:

1. Visit our Getting Started page to learn how to create your GWU UserID, set up your email, and more. Your UserID is critical; you will use it to access the vast majority of GWSB and university systems and content. To start, you will need the GWid ("G" plus 8 numbers) that you were assigned during the admissions process.
2. Join the MSBA LinkedIn group and get connected! Through this group, you can connect with your MBA peers prior to arrival to campus, through your program and post-graduation. If you do not have a LinkedIn profile, now is the time to set one up! LinkedIn will be used throughout your MBA program and will serve as a critical tool for networking now and throughout your career.
3. Check out our clubs and student organizations to start getting to know the GWSB community. Joining a club or organization at GWSB is one of the best ways to enhance your graduate experience. To learn more about opportunities to get involved, visit Graduate Clubs and Organizations and GW Engage, which is home to all student clubs and organizations at the university.

Plan Your Move to D.C.

For many of you, joining the GWSB community also means moving to a new city. While this is an exciting time, apartment hunting can pose a bit of a challenge. To help you with this, we want to highlight resources offered by GW’s Off-Campus Student Affairs (OCSA), which exists to provide resources, services, and programs designed to assist and guide students in navigating the process of moving to the Washington, D.C. metro area. As soon as possible, start considering your options and researching move-in dates, prices and neighborhoods. Since we are an urban campus, GW has very limited on-campus housing for graduate students, so be sure to start planning well in advance. Please explore off-campus housing information to find apartment listings and roommates, or view the guide to living off campus, which outlines everything you need to know in preparation for the big move. We look forward to you joining us here in our nation’s capital!

Preparing for Orientation

Connect with your Advisor and View Resources

All new students should receive communication from their academic advisor prior to arriving to the program. If you do not know who you advisor is, please visit the Graduate Program Academic Advisors and Appointment Scheduling page to learn more. Additionally, you should begin getting to know the resources available to you during your program. Visit the Resources for Current Students page to learn about getting started, registration, orientation and student life.

Explore Blackboard and Review Additional Orientation Resources

All students should explore our online orientation materials (currently down for updates) prior to the start of their program and review additional orientation resources to help them prepare for their program.

Brush Up On Your Quantitative Skills and Economic Knowledge

Get a head start by watching videos from Khan Academy or enrolling in a MOOC from Coursera, EdX, FutureLearn or Stanford Online. This will help you to prepare for the Data Analysis and Decisions class you are required to take.

Start Reading the Financial Times

All GW students can create an account with The Financial Times using their GW email address.