Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private Jesuit research university in the historic Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. — the oldest Catholic university in the United States, founded in 1789, and a launching pad for careers in government, law, and diplomacy. Admission is highly selective: about 13.5% of roughly 27,000 applicants are admitted, and enrolled first-years post middle-50% SAT scores of 1405–1530. The social sciences dominate — driven by the renowned Walsh School of Foreign Service — accounting for 41% of bachelor's degrees, with business a distant second at 18%. Unlike most peer institutions, Georgetown never adopted a test-optional policy and requires every applicant to submit SAT or ACT scores.
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Georgetown admissions statistics
Acceptance Rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early Action
Georgetown offers Restrictive (single-choice) Early Action — non-binding, but you may not apply early to other private colleges.
Standardized Tests
Georgetown requires standardized test scores for all applicants.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class Rank
Where Georgetown's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 49% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Georgetown does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions Factors
How Georgetown weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of Attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Georgetown's Common Data Set.
Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
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Frequently asked questions about Georgetown admissions
Is Georgetown harder to get into through its School of Foreign Service?＋
Georgetown's overall admit rate is about 13.5%, drawn from roughly 26,800 applications with around 1,590 first-years enrolling. Georgetown's Common Data Set reports one institution-wide admit rate rather than separate figures by undergraduate school, so the data file does not break out a distinct rate for the Walsh School of Foreign Service. It offers a restrictive (single-choice) Early Action plan rather than binding Early Decision, so applying early does not commit you to enroll.
Does Georgetown look at class rank instead of GPA?＋
Yes. Georgetown does not publish an average high school GPA in its Common Data Set, so it reports class rank instead. Among the roughly 49% of enrolled first-years who submitted a rank, 87% were in the top tenth of their graduating class and 97% in the top quarter. Both class rank and academic GPA are rated very important admission factors, and the rigor of your course load is weighed as very important as well.
Is Georgetown test-optional, or do you have to submit SAT or ACT scores?＋
Georgetown is not test-optional. It requires every first-year applicant to submit SAT or ACT scores. Among enrolled students, the middle 50% scored 1405-1530 on the SAT and 32-35 on the ACT; standardized test scores are rated a very important admission factor.
Is a 1500 SAT good enough for Georgetown?＋
A 1500 is competitive: it sits in the upper half of enrolled students, just below the 75th percentile of 1530. The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1405-1530 on the SAT, and about 77% landed in the 1400-1600 range. Because Georgetown requires scores from everyone, a strong SAT is one piece of a record where grades, rigor, and essays all rate as very important.
Does Georgetown require an admissions interview?＋
Georgetown rates the interview as an important factor in its admissions review. The application essay, recommendations, talent, and character are all rated very important, while volunteer work, work experience, and first-generation status are considered but carry less weight.
Why are so many Georgetown students in the social sciences?＋
The social sciences are by far the most popular area at about 41% of bachelor's degrees — reflecting Georgetown's strength in international affairs, government, and economics through the Walsh School of Foreign Service — followed by business at roughly 18%. The humanities (12%), sciences (9%), psychology (5%), and computer science (3%) round out the rest.
Does Georgetown meet full financial need?＋
Yes. Georgetown meets 100% of demonstrated financial need. Annual tuition and required fees are about $74,732, the same for every student regardless of residency, with on-campus housing and food adding roughly $23,004. About 31% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, and the average need-based aid package is around $62,505.
What is Georgetown's graduation and retention rate?＋
Georgetown reports a 96% first-year retention rate and a 94% six-year graduation rate. With an 11-to-1 student-faculty ratio and all first-years living on campus, the student body that enrolls overwhelmingly stays and finishes.
Source: Georgetown University Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-07. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Georgetown. Banner photo by Gtownsfs, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).