Anonymous
02/07/2026 21:34
Subject: Umich vs Georgetown
Beyond field of study, the campuses have very different vibes. Best to visit both (well, visit Mich. since you live here.)
Anonymous
02/07/2026 21:23
Subject: Re:Umich vs Georgetown
For my now U Mich student who had both options I recommended UM all the way. This is in the context, though, of our current political an broader governmental circumstances (which we saw a glimpse of when she was making a final decision last spring), in which I think many of Georgetown's advantages are not as helpful, at least in the short-to-mid term. Given our DD's personality and academic interests, though, I was already preferring U Mich for her. Really, though, two excellent universities!
Anonymous
02/07/2026 20:02
Subject: Umich vs Georgetown
Georgetown is overrated for gov't/int'l affairs/state etc. Michigan is the world leader in this area with hundreds of dedicated professors. Environments are intimate with one on one interactions and tiny classes frequently with seminars. You get a bespoke education at Michigan.
Anonymous
02/07/2026 16:33
Subject: Umich vs Georgetown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Thank you.
Major is political science
Tuition not an issue.
Hasn’t visited Michigan
You do not pick Michigan over Georgetown for anything having to do with government. End of discussion. Full stop. Don’t bury the lead next time.
Tuition may not be an issue for you, but Georgetown is also going to have more perks and smaller classes; that should matter.
I went to Georgetown, and agree that Georgetown is the better bet for anyone who wants to work in government. But to STUDY government -- Michigan faculty is better published and its PhD program more highly ranked. So you are wrong. At least when it comes to research PhDs, one should pick Michigan over Georgetown for gov't.
Lots of assumptions here. Kid ain’t applying to a Ph.D program, in case you had not noticed, if this was kid’s ultimate goal, both Georgetown and Michigan are decidedly bad places to do it. So you are wrong.
I don't think so. Michigan's Political Science PhD program is currently ranked #5. The factuly is fine and the placement for grads is good.
In truth, I did not read/ was not responding to the career goals of OP's kid. I was responding to the statement "You do not pick Michigan over Georgetown for anything having to do with government. End of discussion. Full stop." Completing a research PhD in political science certainly falls under the rubric of 'anything having to do with government' , and for that, Michigan is a better choice. Placement from the Georgetown PhD program into top academic jobs is not as impressive.
However, if you're looking for a think tank or gov't career, a PhD at Georgetown could be a better option than Michigan.
Either way, OP's kid has good choices and can't go wrong.
As I said, “kid ain’t applying to a Ph.D. Program.” Get it?
The best undergrad to get into a top Ph.D. Program in political science (which should never be anyone’s goal) would be neither Georgetown nor Michigan — it would probably be a SLAC.
Stop it with your graduate school nonsense: this is about undergrad.
Anonymous
02/07/2026 16:03
Subject: Umich vs Georgetown
Normally I'd say Georgetown for poli sci but their dorms are horrible and the admin does.not.care.
https://thehoya.com/features/gu-students-criticize-university-response-to-mold-microbial-growth/
https://thehoya.com/features/gu-students-criticize-university-response-to-mold-microbial-growth/
Anonymous
02/04/2026 10:21
Subject: Umich vs Georgetown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Thank you.
Major is political science
Tuition not an issue.
Hasn’t visited Michigan
You do not pick Michigan over Georgetown for anything having to do with government. End of discussion. Full stop. Don’t bury the lead next time.
Tuition may not be an issue for you, but Georgetown is also going to have more perks and smaller classes; that should matter.
I went to Georgetown, and agree that Georgetown is the better bet for anyone who wants to work in government. But to STUDY government -- Michigan faculty is better published and its PhD program more highly ranked. So you are wrong. At least when it comes to research PhDs, one should pick Michigan over Georgetown for gov't.
Lots of assumptions here. Kid ain’t applying to a Ph.D program, in case you had not noticed, if this was kid’s ultimate goal, both Georgetown and Michigan are decidedly bad places to do it. So you are wrong.
I don't think so. Michigan's Political Science PhD program is currently ranked #5. The factuly is fine and the placement for grads is good.
In truth, I did not read/ was not responding to the career goals of OP's kid. I was responding to the statement "You do not pick Michigan over Georgetown for anything having to do with government. End of discussion. Full stop." Completing a research PhD in political science certainly falls under the rubric of 'anything having to do with government' , and for that, Michigan is a better choice. Placement from the Georgetown PhD program into top academic jobs is not as impressive.
However, if you're looking for a think tank or gov't career, a PhD at Georgetown could be a better option than Michigan.
Either way, OP's kid has good choices and can't go wrong.
You are absolutely correct and it’s ridiculous that the Georgetown booster is embarrassingly ignorant about Michigan. End of discussion. Full stop.
Anonymous
02/03/2026 17:43
Subject: Umich vs Georgetown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:lol...a massive state school with SAT's lower than 1300 or Georgetown...
Idiocy
Georgetown isn't very prestigious. Their endowment is tiny and the buildings are crumbling. Many departments are underfunded and being slashed by the university, which is going broke. Not to mention that the 25% percentile of SAT scores at Georgetown is 1390 and Georgetown underwhelms in anything that isn't Government, Econ, or the majors in SFS. Michigan beats it easily.
+1. Yes to all of this.
Georgetown University’s endowment is significantly smaller than its peer elite, top-20 research institutions, often cited as one of the lowest among top-tier schools. While peer institutions possess endowments in the tens of billions, Georgetown’s endowment was approximately $3.7 billion as of late 2024. In previous assessments, the average top-20 university endowment was over $8 billion larger than Georgetown's. This endowment issue causes serious setbacks in education quality.
As a Gtown grad they're also quite financially irresponsible. That new campus in downtown DC is so ugly and undesirable, and of course, that's where they place their new Public Policy major and school. Nobody wants to live in the Capitol Campus, and Gtown knows that its all a sunk cost and is scared of that. Even the name Capitol Campus, McCort, etc is triggering for me because of how poor a decision it was on their behalf.
I actually don’t mind that campus, but as an adult and if I were attending grad school, not for undergrad.
Yes and the true undergrad Georgetown experience is on the Hilltop, not the uncharming downtown DC.
Anonymous
02/03/2026 17:39
Subject: Umich vs Georgetown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Thank you.
Major is political science
Tuition not an issue.
Hasn’t visited Michigan
You do not pick Michigan over Georgetown for anything having to do with government. End of discussion. Full stop. Don’t bury the lead next time.
Tuition may not be an issue for you, but Georgetown is also going to have more perks and smaller classes; that should matter.
I went to Georgetown, and agree that Georgetown is the better bet for anyone who wants to work in government. But to STUDY government -- Michigan faculty is better published and its PhD program more highly ranked. So you are wrong. At least when it comes to research PhDs, one should pick Michigan over Georgetown for gov't.
Lots of assumptions here. Kid ain’t applying to a Ph.D program, in case you had not noticed, if this was kid’s ultimate goal, both Georgetown and Michigan are decidedly bad places to do it. So you are wrong.
I don't think so. Michigan's Political Science PhD program is currently ranked #5. The factuly is fine and the placement for grads is good.
In truth, I did not read/ was not responding to the career goals of OP's kid. I was responding to the statement "You do not pick Michigan over Georgetown for anything having to do with government. End of discussion. Full stop." Completing a research PhD in political science certainly falls under the rubric of 'anything having to do with government' , and for that, Michigan is a better choice. Placement from the Georgetown PhD program into top academic jobs is not as impressive.
However, if you're looking for a think tank or gov't career, a PhD at Georgetown could be a better option than Michigan.
Either way, OP's kid has good choices and can't go wrong.
Anonymous
02/03/2026 17:10
Subject: Umich vs Georgetown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Thank you.
Major is political science
Tuition not an issue.
Hasn’t visited Michigan
You do not pick Michigan over Georgetown for anything having to do with government. End of discussion. Full stop. Don’t bury the lead next time.
Tuition may not be an issue for you, but Georgetown is also going to have more perks and smaller classes; that should matter.
I went to Georgetown, and agree that Georgetown is the better bet for anyone who wants to work in government. But to STUDY government -- Michigan faculty is better published and its PhD program more highly ranked. So you are wrong. At least when it comes to research PhDs, one should pick Michigan over Georgetown for gov't.
Lots of assumptions here. Kid ain’t applying to a Ph.D program, in case you had not noticed, if this was kid’s ultimate goal, both Georgetown and Michigan are decidedly bad places to do it. So you are wrong.
Anonymous
02/03/2026 16:46
Subject: Umich vs Georgetown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Thank you.
Major is political science
Tuition not an issue.
Hasn’t visited Michigan
You do not pick Michigan over Georgetown for anything having to do with government. End of discussion. Full stop. Don’t bury the lead next time.
Tuition may not be an issue for you, but Georgetown is also going to have more perks and smaller classes; that should matter.
I went to Georgetown, and agree that Georgetown is the better bet for anyone who wants to work in government. But to STUDY government -- Michigan faculty is better published and its PhD program more highly ranked. So you are wrong. At least when it comes to research PhDs, one should pick Michigan over Georgetown for gov't.