Georgetown Disappointment

[Anonymous]

Recently toured Georgetown, which was my son’s dream school since 9th grade. We were so disappointed. The neighborhood is great if you’re a wealthy baby boomer. Otherwise, it seems like a solid Catholic university, but hardly one of the world’s great universities. FWIW I’m a Fordham grad, and I don’t see how Georgetown is any stronger.

Feels like a huge gap between prestige/name and quality. Am I missing something?

[Anonymous]

It’s a good university with a nice name. A lot of politicians attended, and politicians are famous. People assume that a school that produces famous/powerful people is special. Not always so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a good university with a nice name. A lot of politicians attended, and politicians are famous. People assume that a school that produces famous/powerful people is special. Not always so.

Royalty, foreign leaders too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Recently toured Georgetown, which was my son’s dream school since 9th grade. We were so disappointed. The neighborhood is great if you’re a wealthy baby boomer. Otherwise, it seems like a solid Catholic university, but hardly one of the world’s great universities. FWIW I’m a Fordham grad, and I don’t see how Georgetown is any stronger.

Feels like a huge gap between prestige/name and quality. Am I missing something?

A top 25ish school in the nation's capital, in a nice area.

One can do worse.

Most get rejected anyways, so gripe away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Recently toured Georgetown, which was my son’s dream school since 9th grade. We were so disappointed. The neighborhood is great if you’re a wealthy baby boomer. Otherwise, it seems like a solid Catholic university, but hardly one of the world’s great universities. FWIW I’m a Fordham grad, and I don’t see how Georgetown is any stronger.

Feels like a huge gap between prestige/name and quality. Am I missing something?

You’ve missed asking your son why it’s his dream school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Recently toured Georgetown, which was my son’s dream school since 9th grade. We were so disappointed. The neighborhood is great if you’re a wealthy baby boomer. Otherwise, it seems like a solid Catholic university, but hardly one of the world’s great universities. FWIW I’m a Fordham grad, and I don’t see how Georgetown is any stronger.

Feels like a huge gap between prestige/name and quality. Am I missing something?

How are you measuring “quality”?

[Anonymous]

Name boosted by location and famous politician alumni. It’s a fine university but not as strong as the universities that are equally selective.

A lot of kids don’t get in and are heartbroken. Many of the kids who do attend turned down better schools that seemed less desirable to the general public.

[Anonymous]

What disappointed you? What were you expecting? It’s a super charming area, pretty campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Recently toured Georgetown, which was my son’s dream school since 9th grade. We were so disappointed. The neighborhood is great if you’re a wealthy baby boomer. Otherwise, it seems like a solid Catholic university, but hardly one of the world’s great universities. FWIW I’m a Fordham grad, and I don’t see how Georgetown is any stronger.

Feels like a huge gap between prestige/name and quality. Am I missing something?

Uh… alumni outcomes? Fordham’s placement isn’t anywhere near Georgetown’s.

[Anonymous]

There was another thread with the exact same name and premise about a year ago. I wonder if it’s the same (troll) OP

[Anonymous]

Yes i think it’s our residence Troll. Ignore

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was another thread with the exact same name and premise about a year ago. I wonder if it’s the same (troll) OP

Got to love DCUM.

I agree that it’s likely the same troll. However, I also agree that Georgetown, while strong, isn’t as strong as it should be for a school that’s so selective (and expensive).

[Anonymous]

When we toured it, we felt the same. Even with legacy it was as unappealing (which it wasn’t before the tour).

[Anonymous]

Son there. Loves it. Small classes. Elite, approachable faculty. Has gotten a research lab in second semester. Opposite of disappointed.

[Anonymous]

You're conflating looks with academic quality with prestige. It makes you look stupid.

Looks are in the eye of the beholder. If you want an old, quaint, campus, that's Georgetown. There are other colleges with the same vibe scattered across the US.

Academic quality is there, Jesuit style. This was what my son wanted. Georgetown was his top school.

Prestige... well, it's not the Ivy league, but the School of Foreign Service is recognized the world over in international relations. Other departments are less prestigious.

My son was rejected from SFS and went to George Washington instead, which also has reputable international affairs department (the Elliott School). He actually prefers the modern city-integrated GW campus to the Georgetown one. He was happy to get the same study abroad program at Sciences Po in Paris that he would have had at Georgetown.

It's not that deep, honestly, OP. Your kid will find their happy place.