Georgetown University (GU, GU) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

The nation’s oldest Catholic university, Georgetown University (GU), is a vibrant, student centered institution dedicated to educating a diversity of students in the Jesuit tradition. Committed to engaging people in open dialogue, this university considers the undergraduate experience a vital component of its mission. GU is one of the few schools of higher education that effectively combines the benefits of a large research university with the community and uniqueness of a small liberal arts college.

This school offers a superb faculty and cutting-edge research opportunities while encouraging intentional reflection on questions of faith, meaning, and truth. Drawing on their broad exposure to the liberal arts, students engage the faculty and each other through critical thinking and thoughtful debate. The four undergraduate schools include the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Nursing and Health Studies, the Walsh School of Foreign Service, and the McDonough School of Business. Academic life is rigorous and driven by a belief in holistic education. The institution focuses on the whole person, simultaneously fostering intellectual, spiritual, and social development. Drawing students from all fifty states and more than 120 countries, the university continues to fulfill its foundational commitment to diversity. By encouraging spiritual inquiry and development in all faiths, it has attracted students of every religious tradition and background since its founding in 1789. GU offers academic programs in arts, humanities, sciences, international relations, nursing and health studies, business administration, law, and medicine. In addition, this school prides itself on a multitude of volunteer opportunities and student activities complete with cultural, political, academic, and social organizations.

Due to its prominent position overlooking the Potomac River, often this institution is affectionately called the Hilltop. It sits on 104 acres of land, a mere mile and a half from downtown Washington, D.C. Although it relishes its appeal as an urban institution, it still provides the feel of a small residential campus. Its sixty buildings include six libraries with over two million volumes, two dining halls, athletic facilities, and residence halls and apartment complexes featuring high-speed Internet access. Washington, D.C. is a fantastic city for students, offering museums, galleries, libraries, theaters, concerts, sports events, and festivals—many of them free-of-charge and easy to access via transportation shuttles and public Metro system. Of course, students are often drawn toward the political action in the city. Rallies, protests, political campaigns and activities, and internships abound in our nation’s capital, and this university often plays host to American and world leaders and international summits.

With its exhilarating location and a milieu characterized by activism, diversity, open dialogue, and academic rigor, GU offers students an unique opportunity. There is a vibrant campus life with volunteer programs, athletic teams, performing arts, and student organizations, in addition to the countless social and educational opportunities in the greater D.C. area. Whether interested in arts, humanities, sciences, international relations, nursing and health studies, or business administration, Georgetown emphasizes the benefits of a liberal arts education. With a student-centered mission, GU offers a premier faculty dedicated to teaching. Its superb academic programs, dedication to service, commitment to diversity, and location in our nation’s capital, ensure that this school will attract the country’s most outstanding applicants.

Attending this university is an amazingly formative experience. It is marked by significant relationships, personal challenges, and incredible learning opportunities. The school prepares its students as leaders—people with a strong moral character, a reflective nature, intellectual prowess, and the tools necessary to tackle both the personal and professional tensions of life. Grounded in the Catholic and Jesuit tradition, the community is committed to diversity and the holistic development of students from all faiths and backgrounds. Membership in this family ensures meaningful friendships and a common dedication to a life of service to others.

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Information Summary

Ranks 1st in Dist. of Columbia and 138th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	94.1
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$73,840
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	34 / 1530
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	14 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	96% / 100%
Enrollment Total (all students)	19,204

Academics

GU consists of four undergraduate schools: the Georgetown College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Nursing and Health Studies, the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, and the Robert Emmett McDonough School of Business. All of these schools also offer graduate degrees. In addition, there are graduate programs at the Law Center and the Medical Center. Despite their enrollment in one undergraduate school, students enjoy a shared educational community, taking courses in other schools and living and socializing with students from every major and background. Although required to remain in their chosen school for at least one year, students may opt to transfer to another under graduate program. Most students, however, spend the entire four years in their original school.

Georgetown educates women and men to be reflective lifelong learners, to be responsible and active participants in civic life, and to live generously in service to others.” —Mission Statement

The Jesuit tradition ensures that students are instilled with a sense of responsibility for their community—both local and global. Accordingly, this institution is committed to offering students a comprehensive liberal arts education, not mere pre-professional training. All students are required to complete the six-course liberal arts core curriculum. This includes two courses each in English, Philosophy, and Theology. There are additional school specific course requirements as well. The Walsh School of Foreign Service, for instance, requires two courses in a regional history and four courses in economics; the McDonough School of Business, for example, requires two courses in Accounting and a course in the Social Responsibilities of Business.

Majors

The four undergraduate programs offer a variety of majors and concentrations. Majors are offered in: American Studies, Anthropology, Arabic, Art History, Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Chinese, Classics, Comparative Literature, Computer Science, Economics, English, French, German, Government, History, Interdisciplinary Studies, Italian, Japanese, Linguistics, Mathematics, Medieval Studies, Philosophy, Physics, Political Economy, Portuguese, Psychology, Russian, Sociology, Spanish, Studio Art, Theology, and Women’s Studies. The College also offers minors in a variety of disciplines including Art, Music, and Theater, Environmental Studies, and Justice and Peace Studies to name a few. This diversity of offerings allows students to engage in a wide range of ideas and values.

The School of Nursing and Health Studies offers both a Nursing major and a Health Studies major that includes Science, Health Systems, and International Health tracks. Like all of the undergraduate programs, there is an emphasis on the liberal arts and sciences in conjunction with theory and clinical practice. Celebrating its centennial in 2003, the School of Nursing and Health Studies continues to produce the future leaders of the health care industry.

Established in 1919, the Walsh School of Foreign Service, the oldest school of its kind in the United States, offers concentrations in: Culture and Politics, International Economics, International History, International Politics, International Political Economy, Regional and Comparative Studies, Science, Technology and International Affairs, and individualized courses of study. All of these concentrations are multidisciplinary, engaging fields that range from economics, history, and government to sociology, philosophy, and the fine arts. The school also features extensive certificate programs that are open to students enrolled in the other three schools. These may be region-specific such as the Latin American Studies Certificate program, or discipline-related such as the International Business Diplomacy Certificate program.

The McDonough School of Business offers concentrations in: Accounting, Finance, International Business, Management, Marketing, and individualized courses of study. Business students are highly encouraged to obtain a minor within liberal arts as well. Above all, the McDonough School produces socially responsible women and men within the business community.

Study Abroad Opportunities

The study abroad experience is one that many Hoyas decide to pursue. With more than ninety summer, semester, and academic programs worldwide, Georgetown’s division of Overseas Studies offers extensive international programs with direct matriculation, that is, students are enrolled in their host university as normal students. This creates a more authentic cultural immersion. Drawing from the Jesuit philosophy, these overseas opportunities encourage students to reflect on their identities and on their roles as responsible citizens of the world. Approximately fifty percent of the junior class opts to study abroad for at least part of the junior year. Many programs include a home-stay option for interested students, and others may travel to one of the two villas owned by the school in Florence, Italy, or Alanya, Turkey. These programs offer students a chance to study with the school’s own professors in another country.

I had the extreme good fortune to study for a semester in Auckland, New Zealand. It was truly a life-changing experience; one in which I learned more about myself and other cultures that I had previously thought possible. Many of my friends still refer to their time abroad as wonderful periods in their lives, allowing genuine reflection and practical learning opportunities.

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Admissions

This university is one of the most selective universities in the country, and it has seen a consistent increase in the number of applications over the last ten years. In a recent year, 16,163 applications were received, and 3,363 applicants were accepted. Approximately forty percent of accepted students ranked first, second, or third in their high school class. An outstanding high school academic record, challenging academic program, solid SAT or ACT scores, leadership and extracurricular experience, and a unique and sincere essay are necessities. Most applicants also utilize the alumni interview as a way to demonstrate their distinctiveness and desire to enroll. GU is definitely looking for more than an exceptional academic background; the school is seeking creative students with a diversity of interests.

Applicants must choose one of the four undergraduate schools when applying. The application essay and other admissions requirements may differ with each school. In general, applicants’ secondary school education should include a full program in English, a minimum of two years each of social studies, modern language, and mathematics, and one year of natural science. There are additional school-specific recommendations as well. Applicants are also asked to submit the results of at least three SAT Subject Tests. Candidates for the Walsh School of Foreign Service or the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics for instance, should include a modern language test among these two.

The school is proud of its “need-blind” admissions policy; an applicant’s ability to pay tuition costs is not a factor in the admission’s process. This ensures that all qualified persons have access to an education here, regardless of financial status. All regular decision applications must be received by January; transfer applications are due by March. Georgetown also offers an Early Action Program for interested students; these applications are typically due by November. Although the students accepted through the Early Action Program will be notified of their admission in December of their senior year, they, too, have until May to decide if they will enroll, and they are not obligated to accept the offer of admission. Students not accepted in the Early Action program are included among the regular decision applicant pool. Generally, fifteen percent of these applicants are accepted after the regular decision review. First-year accepted students are also given the option to defer their enrollment for one year.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions provides daily campus tours and information sessions for students and families. The student-led tours are an excellent way to get a sense of the campus and overall student life. You can sit in on a class, eat a meal in one of the dining halls, or just chat with students, faculty, and staff. Applicants may download information and an application from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions web site (http://www.georgetown.edu/undergrad/admissions).

Financial Aid

As previously mentioned, GU is proud of its “need-blind” admissions policy. Once a student is accepted, the school is committed to meeting his or her full financial needs. Thus, the university wants qualified students to attend and enrich the GU community, regardless of their ability to pay for tuition and other associated costs. Students usually receive grants, loans, and federal work-study opportunities to alleviate the financial burden. In fact, each year, more than fifty-five percent of the undergraduate students at Georgetown receive some form of financial assistance. In a recent year, undergraduates received $38 million in grants, scholarships, employment, and loans.

Georgetown University is proud to be among the few educational institutions in the United States that practice need-blind admissions and meet 100 percent of the demonstrated financial need of eligible undergraduates. We believe these programs help us to enroll and retain the most talented students who enhance the Georgetown educational community in endless ways.” —Patricia McWade, Dean of Student Financial Services

Like most institutions, applicants are asked to complete the FAFSA and PROFILE forms and indicate this university as a recipient of the processed information. The Office of Student Financial Services also helps families plan to allocate existing family resources. The Office offers monthly payment plans, low-interest supplemental loans, and updated links to external scholarship programs.

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Students

GU is fortunate enough to combine the benefits of an active campus life with the opportunities of a vibrant city like Washington, D.C. The neighborhood alone provides countless restaurants, bars, and shops. The nation’s capital provides an abundance of cultural and political activity with the Smithsonian Institution, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Cherry Tree Blossom Festival, art exhibits, concerts, protests, rallies, and lectures. Many students expand their educational pursuits by obtaining internships in nonprofit organizations, media organizations, congressional offices and committees, think tanks, and a variety of other institutions. Washington, D.C. also features professional sports teams and seven other colleges and universities. Although GU does not have any social fraternities, sororities, or eating clubs, the vibrant social scene centers on student organizations and campus events and the surrounding Washington, D.C. communities.

There is a high level of student activism signified by the more than 180 student organizations registered through the Office of Student Programs. There is an abundance of cultural, political, intellectual, and social groups on campus. Students participate in more than four campus media publications, a television station, and a radio station. In addition, the Program Board serves as the main source of campus entertainment by providing free weekly movies, large-scale concerts, comedy shows, and trips around the D.C. area. Students certainly have no trouble finding a group to suit their interests.

One of my fondest memories of the school and Washington, D.C. begins with obtaining free tickets to a Kennedy Center performance of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. A few friends and I received free tickets from the university president’s office, and we trotted down to the theater. As we made our way to our seats, we began to realize that everyone around us was wearing a congressional pin. We had managed to get ourselves into the congressional viewing of the play! They had even postponed the congressional session so that the members could all attend; we were as mesmerized by the performance as we were by our fellow theater-goers.

As mentioned above, student organizations often have a significant social component. Events such as the Holiday Gala, Business School Ball, D.C. A Cappella Festival, Late Night at Leavey, the Halloween screening of The Exorcist (which was filmed at Georgetown), and Diplomatic Ball are just a few of the annual events that mark a typical Hoya’s semester. The university also serves as a host to a myriad of lectures, panel discussions, and forums through the student-run Lecture Fund. Past speakers include former President Bill Clinton (SFS ’68), Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Dikembe Mutumbo (COL ’91), Hamid Karzai, Patricia Ireland, Reverend Al Sharpton, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. All of these events are open to all students. The Student Association functions as the student government on campus. Its representatives and committee members serve as the liaison between the student body and the university administration. One of the greatest aspects of GU is the amount of student ownership over the campus culture.

The Office of Performing Arts houses a number of student arts-related organizations. There are dance companies, an improv troupe, numerous a cappella groups, bands, the orchestra and choir, and three dramatic societies that produce multiple shows per semester. There is a one-act festival for student-authored scripts, an Independent Film Festival, and an annual HoyaStock battle of the bands. In addition, cultural organizations such as the South Asian Society produce performances like their Rangila show. Its 700-seat venue sells out within minutes every year!

In keeping with the Jesuit philosophy of service to others, the Center for Social Justice contains the Volunteer and Public Service Center (VPS) where students can engage in a variety of volunteer activities. Students tutor at area schools and community centers, work at soup kitchens and shelters, and build houses through Habitat for Humanity and the Spring Break in Appalachia program. VPS is definitely one of the more active areas of campus, with more than twenty-five community service organizations. Indeed, more than 1,400 students are currently involved in weekly service projects in Washington, D.C. alone. This school also provides the opportunity for service-learning credit by combining community service with academic coursework.

The last day of classes during each spring semester has been declared ‘Georgetown Day’ by the entire campus community. It is one of the most lively days of the year, full of celebration and activity. Student performers take multiple stages, grills produce burgers and hot dogs, faculty’s children jump and play within the Moon Bounce, and pride fills the air. The Hilltop community comes together in celebration of all that is wonderful things about this school. We plant blankets along the lawn, watch and listen to our fellow Hoyas, and chat with friends.

The Jesuit tradition is one that values diversity and the spiritual development of students of all faiths and backgrounds. Accordingly, the Hilltop also has a very active Campus Ministry with full-time chaplains including Catholic priests, Protestant ministers, Jewish rabbis, and a Muslim imam. Students can join any number of Campus Ministry organizations centered on particular religious affiliations. There are also vibrant retreat programs with a variety of faith-based and non-faith-based retreat opportunities.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

The athletics department boasts twenty-two varsity sports teams. These include women’s basketball, crew, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, sailing, soccer, swimming/diving, tennis, track, and volleyball. The men’s varsity programs include baseball, basketball, crew, football, golf, lacrosse, coed sailing, soccer, swimming/diving, tennis, and track. Although well known for the men’s varsity basketball program, GU has an honored athletic tradition in multiple sports. A member of the Big East Conference in our Division I programs, the Hoyas are always serious contenders and thrive on their academic excellence.

Students also enjoy an active intramural sports program. Indeed, over forty percent of all students participate in an intramural sport at some point in their college career. There are a number of club sports teams as well. These include lacrosse, rugby, soccer, volleyball, water polo, field hockey, softball, and Ultimate Frisbee. Yates Field House serves as the main recreational facility with indoor tennis, basketball, squash, racquetball, and volleyball courts, an indoor track and swimming pool, golf practice facilities, free weights, cardiovascular equipment, weight machines, saunas, and a wellness center. There are aerobics, spinning, cardio-kickboxing, and yoga classes on a regular basis. All of these facilities are available to all students.

Alumni

An education here is definitely a significant investment—one well worth the time, heart, and energy. Graduates leave the Healy Gates as intellectual, thoughtful, and reflective critical thinkers. Hoyas live out the Jesuit philosophy through their actions as responsible citizens of global society. Many graduates enter the Peace Corps, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, or programs such as Teach for America. Others head to Wall Street or Capitol Hill. Most alumni eventually go on to graduate work and become lawyers, doctors, and scholars.

Prominent Hoya alumni can be found as leaders in business, politics, social action, education, entertainment, the media, and professional sports. Graduating from this school insures lifelong membership in the global Hoya community. The GU family offers any number of benefits and connections. Most importantly, however, it links you to the school’s mission and its reputation as a premier institution of higher learning.

Prominent Grads

William Jefferson Clinton (SFS’68), Former President of the United States
Antonin Scalia (C’57), Supreme Court Justice
George Tenet (SFS’76), Former Director of Central Intelligence Agency
General James Jones (F’66), Commandant, Marine Corps, NATO Commander
Andrew Natsios, (C’71), Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development
Gloria Macapagal Arroya (SFS’68), President of the Philippines
Francis A. Keating II (C’66), Governor of Oklahoma
Charles Cawley (C’62), Chairman and CEO, MBNA Bank of America
Ted Leonsis (C’77), President and CEO, AOL Interactive Properties; Majority Owner, Washington Capitals Hockey Team
Philip Marineau (C’68), President and CEO, Levi Strauss & Co.
Stuart Bloomberg (C’72), Chairman, ABC Entertainment
Jonathan Nolan (C’98), Author of Memento
Margaret Edson (G’92), Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author of Wit
Maria Shriver (C’77), First Lady of California and best-selling author
Malcolm Lee (C’92), Director, The Best Man and Undercover Brother
Antonia Novello (Hospital Fellow ’75), Physician, Former U.S. Surgeon General
John J. Ring (C’49; M’53), Former president, American Medical Association
Solomon Snyder (C’59, M’62), Neuroscientist
Joan Claybrook (L’73), President, Public Citizen
Robert M. Hayes (C’74), Founder, Coalition for the Homeless
Anthony Shriver (C’88), President, Best Buddies International
Paul Tagliabue (C’62), Commissioner, National Football League
Carmen Policy (L’66), Former President, Cleveland Browns Football Team
Patrick Ewing (C’85), Professional Basketball Player and Coach
Alonzo Mourning (C’92), Professional Basketball Player
Dikembe Mutombo (SLL’91), Professional Basketball Player

Faculty

The faculty members are both cutting-edge researchers and top-notch teachers. All professors keep weekly office hours and meet regularly with students. Average class sizes echo this commitment to students by boasting an introductory lecture average of thirty-four, a laboratory average of eighteen, and a regular course average of twenty-nine. There are virtually no courses taught by graduate students, although smaller discussion sections for larger classes might be led by teaching assistants.

The school’s location in the nation’s capital ensures that it will attract some of the world’s most notable politicians, scholars, and humanitarians. It is not unlikely to see former ambassadors or world-renowned linguists teaching undergraduate courses. GU’s faculty boasts some of the world’s leaders in all fields, and their expertise is often solicited by congressional hearings, foreign governments, and the media. Above all, however, our faculty members are widely recognized for their commitment to undergraduate teaching.

Georgetown University