Academics
This moderately sized elite academic establishment stays true to its Jesuit foundations by educating its students with the idea of “cura personalis,” or “care for the whole person.” The “well-informed” student body perpetuates upon itself, creating an atmosphere full of vibrant intellectual life, that is “also balanced with extracurricular learning and development.” “Georgetown is...a place where people work very, very hard without feeling like they are in direct competition,” says an international politics major. Located in Washington, D.C., there’s a noted School of Foreign Service here, and the access to internships is a huge perk for those in political or government programs. In addition, the proximity to the nation’s capital fetches “high-profile guest speakers,” with many of the most powerful people in global politics speaking regularly, as well as a large number of adjunct professors who, either are currently working in government, or have retired from high-level positions.
Georgetown offers a “great selection of very knowledgeable professors, split with a good proportion of those who are experienced in realms outside of academia (such as former government officials) and career academics,” though there are a few superstars who might be “somewhat less than totally collegial.” Professors tend to be “fantastic scholars and teachers” and are “generally available to students,” as well as often being “interested in getting to know you as a person (if you put forth the effort to talk to them and go to office hours).” Though Georgetown has a policy of grade deflation, meaning “A’s are hard to come by,” there are “a ton of interesting courses available,” and TAs are used only for optional discussion sessions and help with grading. The academics “can be challenging or they can be not so much (not that they are ever really easy, just easier)”; it all depends on the courses you choose and how much you actually do the work. The school administration is well-meaning and “usually willing to talk and compromise with students,” but the process of planning activities can be full of headaches and bureaucracy, and the administration itself “sometimes is overstretched or has trouble transmitting its message.” Nevertheless, “a motivated student can get done what he or she wants.”
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