Georgetown: the complete school report for parents

What’s new at Georgetown for 2026-27

Georgetown now accepts the Common App. Starting in August 2026 for students entering in fall 2027, Georgetown is running a three-year pilot that lets applicants use either the Common Application or its own Georgetown Application. Admissions standards do not change, and SAT or ACT scores are still required. All applicants still complete four Georgetown essays (two short, two long), and the Common App personal statement is not required. Early Action (non-binding) is due 1 November and Regular Decision 1 January.

Source: Georgetown Announces New Undergraduate Admissions Processes (Georgetown University, 27 March 2025); First Year Applicants, Georgetown Undergraduate Admissions

What does Georgetown actually weigh in admissions?

Georgetown rates 8 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, test scores, the essay, recommendations, personal qualities, talent, class rank. It does not consider 2 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Georgetown's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What is the Georgetown waitlist really like?

Georgetown offered a place on its waiting list to 2,672 applicants and 2,043 accepted one. 356 were ultimately admitted. That is 17.4% of those who waited.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

Georgetown admitted 11.1% of 2,878 transfer applicants, against 13.5% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

Georgetown reports its early rounds below.

What will Georgetown actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $40,815 a year at Georgetown after grants and scholarships. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 100% of demonstrated need on average.

28% of Georgetown graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $33,272 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $164 a month in repayment. Georgetown’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from Georgetown pay off?

Graduates earn a median $103,494 ten years after entering, and $83,222 at six years. 90% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 88% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

$165,279 to $57,169, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Georgetown:

College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.

Will my child actually graduate?

96% of first-years return for a second year. 94% within six (2019 cohort).

How big are the classes?

64% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 1% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 11:1, and 48% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

What is life at Georgetown like?

7,908 undergraduates, 98% of first-years from out of state. 100% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 68% across all undergraduates. 16% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $82,187.

Georgetown requires full-time undergraduates to live in university housing for their first three years, and first-year students are guaranteed on-campus housing. Sophomore transfers must live on campus for two years and junior transfers for their junior year; a semester abroad counts toward the requirement. Senior-year housing is not guaranteed, but students with high financial need who apply by the deadline are guaranteed eligibility for housing selection.

Source: Residency Requirements and Exemption, Georgetown Residential Living; Housing Selection, Georgetown Residential Living; New and Transfer Students, Georgetown Residential Living

How is Georgetown ranked, and how strong is the alumni network?

Georgetown is ranked #23 for national universities in the U.S. News Best Colleges 2027. Its full set of published positions, including the ones that are less flattering:

Shown in full, including the less flattering ones.

Source: U.S. News Best Colleges Ranking 2027: full top 100 (Poets&Quants for Undergrads); U.S. News & World Report posts 2027 college rankings (College Kickstart); Georgetown University, Times Higher Education World University Rankings

What this means for your student

• Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
• Georgetown rates test scores Very Important, so a score at or above its middle-50 range is close to expected rather than optional.
• Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
• The waitlist is live but thin: 356 of 2,043 who waited were admitted, about 17%.
• Its highest-earning major returns $165,279 five years out against $57,169 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about Georgetown

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