<p>My daughter and I recently toured Georgetown. She loved the school. At the info session they said that the school has a 17% admission rate. The tour guide said that the student population is 80% Catholic. That sounds very high to me. But even if it is, say, 50% Catholic then does this suggest that being Catholic increases your chances of admission? I have read enough to believe that there is not discrimination against other faiths once you're a student. But is it harder to get admitted if you're not Catholic? Does anyone know?</p>
<p>80% is extreme… I highly doubt that is accurate.</p>
<p>I thinking the generally cited number is a little less than 50% of students identify as Catholic on their application. Campus certainly does not feel 50% Catholic due to varying degrees of practice. In addition, with misconceptions about admissions and religion there seems to be an incentive to play up a Catholic identity even if it is marginal. </p>
<p>The key there is that it is a misconception. Not being a Catholic will not hinder you in the admissions process. More Catholic students apply to Georgetown (again even if they are nominally or culturally Catholic) and the Catholic identity can draws Catholic students to campus, but students are not admitted on or in spite of their faith (or lack there of).</p>
<p>My son’s interviewer is Muslim, and he went to Georgetown from undergrad to grad school</p>
<p>It sounds like the most likely explanation is that Georgetown is more appealing to Catholic kids than it is to the general college-bound population. So that higher application rate is reflected in the student body. Yes? So my Jewish daughter has the same odds of admission despite her religion?</p>
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<p>Your assessment is a reasonable one. The class profile for last years entering class indicated that only 20% of the entering class came from Catholic high schools. A good example of the religious diversity is in the campus ministry program as they have full time chaplains in residence including Catholic/Jesuit priests, a protestant minister and a Jewish Rabbi. Our son is Protestant and his roommate is Jewish. Your daughter’s odds are no different than any other well qualified applicant. If accepted, she will really love the campus. The campus and the overwhelming student spirit is what sold our son during the admitted student weekend last April. The link for the class profile is:
<a href=“http://www12.georgetown.edu/undergrad/admissions/aap/documents/Profile2011.pdf[/url]”>http://www12.georgetown.edu/undergrad/admissions/aap/documents/Profile2011.pdf</a></p>
<p>What? less than 200 students outside of the top 10% of their class and I assume that’s including athletes and other major hooks? Can anyone guess if these are inflated…I read on the Georgetown website that since many high schools do not rank they “estimate” what the student’s rank would be.</p>
<p>No. Georgetown was founded as a college open to students of all religious professions. Historically, Georgetown attracted the best and brightest Catholics because Catholics had little other choice. Roman Catholicism is one of the largest religions on the planet and Georgetown attracts the best and brightest from around the world, so the competition is stiff for others no matter what religion they practice, or don’t.</p>
<p>That being said, underrepresented groups in the US (Catholics, Jew, and Muslims) are very well, if not over-represented at Georgetown.</p>
<p>For example,
25% of Americans are Catholic but between 40%-50% of GU students are Catholic
1.2% of Americans are Jewish but 8-9% of GU students are Jewish
.6% of Americans are Muslim but 5% of GU students are Muslim</p>
<p>My D is a Junior at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service. We are completely unreligious, but are of Jewish-descent. My D does not feel that her religious background or lack thereof impedes her in any way, socially or otherwise. It is a very international and open student body. I have heard it is the least Catholic-oriented of the Catholic schools. The Jesuit teaching traditions absolutely enrich the student experience without imposing views on the students. She is surrounded by students who study hard, explore the world, and enjoy a vigorous social life. Feel free to PM me with any other questions you may have about student life, from the perspective of a parent.</p>
<p>My visit to the school last fall reassured me about the religious nature of the school. I am also Jewish and visiting made me feel that everyone there was very open and laid-back and that I wouldn’t be overwhelmed by Catholicism.</p>
<p>I mention this because a couple of people pointed to their Jewish background. I highly recommend looking into the Program for Jewish Civilization. Even if you aren’t interested in pursuing the certificate the PJC is a great resource, puts on fantastic events, and offers some really interesting classes. I am currently in a class on Catholic-Jewish relations taught by Father McManus, who holds the Vatican post on American Jewish-Catholic relations. His perspective really sets the tone of inter-religious dialogue at Georgetown, a willingness to be honest and critical about the past in order to move forward toward better understanding. Rabbi White, a Georgetown institution, is also faculty for the PJC. He retired from Chaplincy about 2 years ago, but is still a strong presence academically and spiritually. if you have any further questions or concerns about Jewish life on campus I am sure he would be more than happy to field them.</p>