How to Get into Georgetown: Admissions Requirements

Only 14.5% of applicants are admitted. How can you improve your odds of getting in? Located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., Georgetown University is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit institute of higher learning in the United States. The university offers undergraduate programs in five of its schools, including : Georgetown also offers several special programs, including a joint-degree program with the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University, a science and engineering program in which students receive both an A.B. degree from Georgetown and B.S. degree from Columbia in five years. Students may also apply to the Baker Scholars Program, founded by George F. Baker in 1973 to cultivate young business leaders, in their sophomore year. What does it take to get into this prestigious university? Read on to find out. Students must use Georgetown’s application to apply. According to the admissions department, it will take you approximately 15 minutes to fill out your basic information, which initiates the interview process (a representative will contact you to schedule your interview). Other required application materials include: Georgetown strongly recommends submitting the results of three SAT Subject Tests ; you should assume that this is a requirement except in very rare circumstances and choose tests that best correlate to your strengths and intended areas of study. You may also submit additional materials showcasing your music, theater, dance, and studio art talents. Of the 22,897 students who applied for a position in the class of 2022, 3,327 (14.5%) were admitted . This represents a record-low admissions rate for the university. Of the admitted students, 1,700 submitted enrollment deposits. Specific waitlist information is not available, although last year, the university only admitted students applying to the School of Nursing and Health Sciences from its waitlist. The breakdown of standardized test scores for admitted students by school is as follows: Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. As with most highly selective colleges and universities, a stellar academic record is a must in order to be admitted to Georgetown. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg, since many candidates have strong GPAs and standardized tests scores. Georgetown also values thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and strong character. The university was founded based on religious values; that doesn’t mean you must be Catholic to attend—many students aren’t—but you must demonstrate compassion, care, and strong character. That starts with your application. While it may seem tedious to fill out a separate application for one college, the adcom will notice the care and attention you’ve taken (or haven’t). Also, remember that all applicants are offered interviews , and you should take advantage of this opportunity to demonstrate your character and personal attributes. Be sure to emphasize that you are intellectually curious and engaged by discussing personal projects you’ve undertaken, research you’ve conducted, or other activities in which you’ve engaged in and out of the classroom. Diversity is another element Georgetown weighs heavily in the admissions process. Consider its essay prompt : As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you. (1 page, single-spaced, or approximately 300-400 words depending on font size) This is an opportunity to demonstrate what makes you unique. Diversity does not just mean you come from an underrepresented minority background; it can also mean that you bring special talents, such as an interesting extracurricular or out-of-the-ordinary experience, to the class. While some schools within Georgetown have higher admissions rates and SAT scores than others, that doesn’t mean you’ll have a better chance of acceptance if you apply to one over another. Many of these schools are self-selecting, and the adcom will consider your qualities and demonstrated interests as they align with that school. Show the adcom that you are passionate about your future course of study by applying to the appropriate school. Before you apply, make sure your final list is well-balanced among safety, target, and reach colleges . This will increase your chances of being admitted to a good-fit school. Being denied admission is disappointing, but it’s a tough reality in college admissions. It’s important to take a step back and regroup. If you get rejected from Georgetown, here’s what you can do: Even if Georgetown was your top choice, chances are, you’ll find a way to make a college that did accept you work. College really is what you make of it, and if you put effort into adjusting to another school by joining clubs, working hard in your classes, and cultivating a social life, you’ll likely find that you can make a fulfilling college experience for yourself, even if you end up at a college that wasn’t your top choice. If you had your heart set on Georgetown or received bad news from the other colleges on your list, one option is to take a gap year and reapply next admissions cycle. Keep in mind that this is risky, and it’s often better to accept a spot at another college and take a gap year there. You can also consider transferring after you’ve matriculated elsewhere, although the acceptance rate for transfers is low ; in 2017, for example, 2,175 students who matriculated at other colleges applied for transfer, and 364 were accepted, for an admission rate of 17%. You must excel at your original college in order be accepted as a transfer student; the average college GPA for transfers was 3.83 in 2017. If you do decide to take a gap year, make sure you have a productive plan for the year. You might undertake a research project, volunteer, study to improve your SAT scores, or take classes non-matriculated at a local college.