Georgetown University

Georgetown University Introduction

My earliest memory of Georgetown begins with crossing the Potomac River and driving into the District of Columbia. The lampposts lining the Key Bridge were adorned with flying blue and gray balloons—I felt like the entire city was welcoming the new class of Hoyas! And so began my Georgetown experience, a time of challenging classes and professors, life-changing relationships, and inspiring conversations and events. From the time I spent my days in New Student Orientation until the day that I walked across the Commencement stage, Georgetown remained the driving force behind my development as a reflective human being dedicated to a life of service to others.

The nation’s oldest Catholic university, Georgetown University, is a vibrant, student-centered institution dedicated to educating a diversity of students in the Jesuit tradition. Committed to engaging people in open dialogue, Georgetown considers the undergraduate experience a vital component of its mission. Georgetown 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.

Georgetown 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. Georgetown’s four undergraduate schools include the Georgetown 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 at Georgetown 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, Georgetown 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. Georgetown University offers academic programs in arts, humanities, sciences, international relations, nursing and health studies, business administration, law, and medicine. In addition, Georgetown 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, Georgetown University is often affectionately called the Hilltop. It sits on 104 acres of land, a mere mile and a half from downtown Washington, D.C. Although Georgetown 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 Georgetown transportation shuttles and public Metro system. Of course, Georgetown 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 Georgetown 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 acade- mic rigor, Georgetown University 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, Georgetown 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 Georgetown will attract the country’s most outstanding applicants.

Attending Georgetown is an amazingly formative experience. It is marked by significant relationships, personal challenges, and incredible learning opportunities. Georgetown 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 Georgetown community is committed to diversity and the holistic development of students from all faiths and backgrounds. Membership in the Georgetown family ensures meaningful friendships, professional connections, and a common dedication to a life of service to others.

Georgetown University Academics

Georgetown 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 Georgetown University 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 undergraduate 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. — Georgetown Mission Statement

The Jesuit tradition ensures that students are instilled with a sense of responsibility for their community—both local and global. Accordingly, Georgetown is committed to offering students a comprehensive liberal arts education, not mere preprofessional training. All Georgetown 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

Although all are shaped by Georgetown’s commitment to a liberal arts education and social responsibility, the four undergraduate programs offer a variety of majors and concentrations. The Georgetown College offers majors 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 Georgetown-owned villas in Florence, Italy, or Alanya, Turkey. These programs offer students a chance to study with Georgetown’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.

Georgetown University Admissions

Georgetown 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 2006, 15,070 applications, and 3, 367 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. Georgetown 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 (a part of the Georgetown College), for instance, should include a modern language test among these two.

Georgetown University 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 a Georgetown education, regardless of financial status. All regular decision applications must be received by January 10; transfer applications are due by March 1. Georgetown also offers an Early Action Program for interested students; these applications are typically due by November 1. 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 1 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.

I still remember the first time I walked through the Healy Gates to visit Georgetown’s campus. It was alive with activism and discourse. Students read along Copley Lawn, faculty members walked through the hallways engaged in debate, and the Healy Clock Tower provided a symbol of Georgetown’s international presence. I knew without a doubt that I would attend Georgetown. It remains one of the most significant decisions of my life.

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 Georgetown 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.

Georgetown University Students

Georgetown is fortunate enough to combine the benefits of an active campus life with the opportunities of a vibrant city like Washington, D.C. The Georgetown 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 Georgetown 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.

One of my fondest memories of Georgetown 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.

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. Georgetown students participate in more than four campus media publications, a television station, and a radio station. Georgetown’s Outdoor Education program offers rock-climbing, kayaking, hiking, and outdoor training programs. In addition, the Georgetown 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.

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. Georgetown 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 Madeline Albright, and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. All of these events are open to all Georgetown students.

The Georgetown University 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 Georgetown is the amount of student ownership over the campus culture. For business-minded undergraduates, there is a multimillion dollar corporation, Students of Georgetown, Inc., that remains the largest completely student-run company in the country.

The Office of Performing Arts houses a number of student arts-related organizations. There are dance companies, an improv troupe, numerous a cappellagroups, 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, Georgetown’s 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. Georgetown 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 about Georgetown. We plant blankets along the lawn, watch and listen to our fellow Hoyas, and chat with friends. Year after year we remark, “It never rains on Georgetown Day.” Indeed, it never will.

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.

Georgetown University Athletics

The Georgetown 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, Georgetown has an honored athletic tradition in multiple sports. A member of the Big East Conference in our Division I programs, the Georgetown Hoyas are always serious contenders and thrive on their academic excellence.

Georgetown students also enjoy an active intramural sports program. Indeed, over forty percent of all Georgetown 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.

Georgetown University Alumni

A Georgetown education 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 Georgetown University insures lifelong membership in the global Hoya community. The Georgetown family offers any number of benefits and connections. Most importantly, however, it links you to the mission of Georgetown 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

Georgetown University Faculty

Georgetown 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.

Georgetown’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. Georgetown’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.

As previously mentioned, Georgetown is proud of its “need-blind” admissions policy. Once a student is accepted, Georgetown is committed to meeting his or her full financial needs. Thus, the university wants qualified students to attend and enrich the Georgetown community, regardless of their ability to pay for tuition and other associated costs. Although yearly tuition is about $30,000 (for a recent year) with room and board costs of approximately $10,000, 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, Georgetown undergraduates received $38 million in grants, scholarships, employment, and loans. The average Georgetown-funded grant award per recipient was $17,325.

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 Georgetown 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.

Carnegie Foundation Classification

Research Universities (very high research activity)

General Characteristics

Highest offering	Doctoral degree
Calendar System	Semester
Years of college work required	N/A
Variable Tuition

Special Learning Opportunities

Distance Learning
ROTC — Army / Navy / Air Force	— / /
Study Abroad
Weekend College
Teacher Certification