Georgetown University

Getting In

Georgetown's 12.2% acceptance rate puts it in the highly selective tier. The mid-50% SAT range of 1410–1540 means a quarter of admitted students scored above 1540, and a quarter scored below 1410. Scores in that range don't guarantee admission. Scores outside it don't rule it out. The application is read holistically.

That number doesn't tell you your odds. A 1550 SAT and a 4.0 GPA put you in the academic conversation. They don't put you in the admit pile. Your actual probability depends on your full profile: coursework rigor, activities, recommendations, demographic context, and what your essays accomplish. The pool average is a starting point, not a forecast.

Georgetown Test Score Profile

Admitted students score in the following ranges across SAT sections:

Strong applicants tend to score above the 75th percentile in their stronger section and at or above the 25th percentile in their weaker one. Both numbers are descriptive, not prescriptive. Plenty of admitted students score below the 25th percentile in one section, especially with strong context elsewhere.

Beyond the Numbers

Georgetown is best known for the School of Foreign Service, cura personalis, and internship access in D.C.. Admissions readers are looking for applicants whose specific interests and ways of working would actually thrive in that environment. Not generic “passion.” Concrete curiosity that already shows up in what you do.

Georgetown admits roughly 12 to 13 percent and uses its own application (not the Common App). Undergraduates apply to one of four schools: Georgetown College, SFS (foreign service), McDonough (business), or NHS (nursing and health). Interview is recommended.

Class Profile

The undergraduate population at Georgetown breaks down as follows according to federal IPEDS data:

Race & ethnicity

These percentages reflect the enrolled student body, not the applicant pool. Admit rates by demographic differ from the headline rate, and the school's composition is the result of its full holistic review process.

Cost & Financial Aid

The published cost of attendance at Georgetown is $84,762 per year before aid. After grants and scholarships, the average student pays $40,815per year. The sticker price isn't the number that matters for most families.

Net price by family income

What the average student actually pays per year, after grants:

Highly selective private universities tend to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need, often without loans, for families below specific income thresholds. The number that matters for your family is your net price, which can be estimated using the school's own net price calculator before applying.

Outcomes

Federal data on what happens after enrollment at Georgetown:

10.1% of students receive a Pell Grant (federal need-based aid), and 17.9%take federal loans. These rates are useful proxies for the school's socioeconomic mix and how much most families end up borrowing.

Georgetown Supplemental Essays

Georgetown requires supplemental essays beyond the Common App personal statement. The most recent prompts include:

• “Briefly describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying at Georgetown University.”
• “SFS: The Walsh School of Foreign Service was founded more than a century ago to prepare generations of leaders to solve global problems. What is motivating you to dedicate your undergraduate studies to a future in service to the world?”
• “McDonough: Describe the factors and experiences that have led you to consider studying business at Georgetown. Please specifically address your intended major (Finance, Marketing, etc.) if applicable.”
• “NHS: Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care at Georgetown.”

What tends to go wrong

• Writing a Why Georgetown essay focused on D.C. internships. Every applicant writes this.
• Applying to SFS without a clear global focus reflected in your activities or background.
• Using the generic Georgetown Why Essay to describe Georgetown as 'prestigious' or 'a great school.' The prompt asks for factors, not adjectives.

Stronger ways to open

• Georgetown's school-specific prompts are short (roughly 300 to 500 words). Open by committing to the school you're applying to (SFS, McDonough, NHS, or the College) and a specific program within it.
• For SFS, connect a global concern you actually care about to a specific SFS major (Science, Technology, and International Affairs; Regional and Comparative Studies; etc.). Generic 'I want to change the world' fails.
• Cura personalis (care for the whole person) is Georgetown's Jesuit framework. Engage with it, but only if you have a specific reason it matters to you.

Application Timeline

• EA deadline: November 1. Historically 11.8% acceptance rate.
• Regular Decision deadline: January 10
• Testing: SAT/ACT optional. Submit if your scores fall within or above the mid-50% range.

Georgetown vs. Peer Schools

Side-by-side comparison with similar Elite Private schools applicants typically consider.

FAQ

Sources

All numerical data on this page is sourced from official, primary sources. Admissions stats reflect the most recent publicly published cycle. Verify current figures with Georgetown's admissions office before applying.

• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — federally maintained dataset on admissions, cost, demographics, and post-graduation outcomes (IPEDS-derived).
• IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) — the underlying federal data collection that all U.S. accredited institutions report into annually.
• Georgetown University official admissions site — for the most current published figures and application requirements.
• Georgetown Common Data Set — the standardized annual data document published by the school.

Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect Georgetown's most recent publicly published admit cycle.