<p>SFS has a broad liberal arts curriculum that includes courses in Theology, Philosophy, Government, History, Economics, Language and Literature. It also has a five course per semester requirement which insures that a student take courses in wide variety of disciplines. No matter what you do for further study, SFS will leave you well prepared. In addition, anyone studying economics or in the science,technology and international affairs major will have a deep and broad background in science or the quantitative needs for economics grad school. I even know of a person who went to Medical school out of SFS. </p>
<p>I just don't see how this curriculum is in any way limiting, particularly when being compared to a four course per semester curriculum at the other institution. And don't tell me that the folks at the other place do more work in each individual class-in grad school I knew many of them and compared notes. The folks at the other place even told me that they only needed 30 courses in total to graduate (and had to pay tuition if they applied their AP credits for course credit!). From what I know of the facts of the situation here, Georgetown is the optimal choice, particularly since we are talking about SFS, which is arguably almost without peer, in its field.</p>
<p>In terms of prestige, Brown is clearly more prestigious than Georgetown. The open curriculum seems like a good bet sense you are unsure about what you want to study to some extent. Georgetown does have a weak endowment - it's a sign of less success among alumni. Take that into consideration.</p>
<p>My friend goes to Brown, and he's considering transferring. For him, Brown was a little too liberal, and the social scene revolved around drinking and smoking because of the limited options in the city. I guess it depends what you are looking for. People at Brown are definitely laid back, and people at Georgetown are more preppy. Georgetown has no Greek Life, while Brown does. So, decide where you would fit in socially, because academically they are both fine institutions.</p>
<p>Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service is as prestigious as any school in the country. Although it depends on the applicant, it is hard, and probably fairly rare, for one to turn down an offer of admission to Georgetown's SFS. To me, it would be the equivalent of a prospective business major turning down Penn's Wharton School of Business. Two great options.</p>
<p>Right now I'm leaning towards Brown. I imagined myself not going to Brown and suddenly had this uncomfortable feeling. I didn't get as much of a strong feeling while imagining missing out Georgetown. But then, this is all based on intuition and feeling and I don't know how much I can trust on it.
I prefer Brown's open curriculum, slightly higher prestige (brutally honest yes, but I must say that prestige does count a little in my decision), the liberal, so called laid back, not-cutthroat-competitive yet very intelligent student body, and the financial aid package (slightly higher than what Georgetown gave me). Should I still visit both schools though to confirm what I want? D.C is about 7 hours of train ride from my home and I'm a little hesitant now for asking my parents to take days off their busy work schedule and pay several hundred dollars for me. They are willing to do that if I want to visit D.C (I have never been there!) but I still feel a little guilty for all their effort if at the end I really choose Brown.</p>
<p>I'm a Junior and chose Georgetown over Brown, Cornell and Duke. It was the best decision I've ever made. I got that same uncomfortable feeling when I thought about attending any of those schools.</p>
<p>I'll mention briefly that once you enter the top tier of schools (which includes both Brown and Georgetown), miniscule, subjective differences in prestige or what athletic conference a school belongs to, mean very little.</p>
<p>Throughout my three years, I've been given phenomenal opportunities both in DC and at home in NY because I'm a Georgetown student. I would argue that if you're a talented and dedicated young person, no opportunity will befall upon you because you went to Brown over Georgetown or vice versa. College is an experience and you have to be COMFORTABLE there.</p>
<p>If prestige is what you are basing your decision on, you might want to answer a few questions. I just throw out a few random ones-</p>
<p>Of the 2200 four year colleges in the United States, only two had a Marshall, Rhodes and a Mitchell Scholar last Fall, do you know which two?(hint, one is in Annapois, MD, the other about 50 miles close by)</p>
<p>Of the 100 Unites States Senators, which University has five current alumni in the Chamber? </p>
<p>Which institution has a current member of the Supreme Court and the Solictor General of the US?</p>
<p>Which University has current, recent past and future Heads of State for three of the thirty most populous nations on planet earth?(hint, we are talking about Spain, the Philippines, and the USA)</p>
<p>Which University of one only 33 with a US President with oneof it's undergrad degrees?</p>
<p>Which institution has an alumnus who approves every prescription drug that you take?</p>
<p>The world' most prominent scientifc institution in many people's opinion is MIT. An alumnus of what college's Med school runs MIT?</p>
<p>I could go on, but I think the point is made.</p>
<p>All that being said, prestige is very elusive. We could have a President Jindal in four years and Brown could be on top of the world. Visit both places, attend classes, talk to students and know what is right for You!</p>
<p>Of course each school has very strong alumni. Like I said, prestige does count a little (with Brown being an Ivy) but it's definitely one of the last factors on my list as I weighed and compared the two schools. What pulls me toward Brown is really the open curriculum. I like comparative literature. Both Gtown and Brown have very strong programs. Great. But I might change my mind. Like I said twice in my previous posts here, I'm not truly confident on what I exactly what to pursue in college. While Gtown is great in international studies and languages, I felt that Brown offers me a broader spectrum through its curriculum to explore as many areas of interests as possible. (And I have very very diverse interests)</p>
<p>dragonreborn, those are the same exact reasons that I'm more Brown-leaning now. Actually, when someone told me that Brown's prestige and networkability (because its an Ivy) makes it easier to find a good job esp. for me who doesn't know what he wants to do post-college. But I don't want to make a final decision until I visit Brown during their Open House thing (I've already went to Gtown's). Are you going to STEM, ADOCH, or TWW?</p>
<p>Sungchul, I signed up for APOCH even though I could attend TWW. I just don't have enough time out of school to attend both events. Maybe I will see you there! By the way, what is STEM?</p>
<p>newmassdad-I think that it is really sad that that out of your dislike of Georgetown you feel a need to denigrate the Republic of Ireland, the hundreds of students from every major college in the country who applied and the 12 winners (most of whom did not go to Georgtown) of the Mitchell Scholarship.</p>
<p>By the way the legend grows. A friend of mine told me that the Truman Scholarships came out the other day and that of eleven colleges in the United States with more than one winner was Georgetown. I guess that means that out of 2200 undergraduate insititutions, the only one with a Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchells, and Trumans in the past year is Georgetown.</p>
<p>I sincerely hope that you will not feel a need to denigrate the US Presdency, the State of Missouri, the hundreds of applicants from every major college and the actual winners by attacking that program too.</p>
<p>You are a hoot. Just because someone calls you to task for misuse of data (making comparisons that are quite irrelevant) does not mean: (1) that someone dislikes Georgetown. I am jesuit trained and have great respect for their approach (2) "denigrate the Republic of Ireland" because I bring some reality to the situation.</p>
<p>The sad part of this is that someone finds the need to (1) present misleading, irrelevant factoids, especially for a place that has so many positive things going for it and (2) jump to conclusions and wild exaggerations to defend an indefensible position.</p>
<p>And while we're looking at the data, please tell me how many Goldwater Scholarships were won by Georgetown students this year? Gates Cambridge? Churchill? </p>
<p>Misuse of data? I have not made one false statement.</p>
<p>Also I hardly think that what I have alluded to are "irrelevant factoids." In the world I live in, it matters very much who is the President, who is on the Supreme Court, who decides what drugs I can take, who is in the US Senate,
who decides what MIT's research budget will focus on, who are the heads of state of major nations, who sits in the President's cabinet and who based on major fellowship competitions promises to be the leaders of tomorrow. If the Presidency, major world nations, the Supreme Court, the US Senate, the Food and Drug Administration, the Defense Department, etc. are irrelevant than I think our world will have descended into chaos.</p>
<p>STEM stands for, I think Science/Tech./Engineering/Math. I myself wasn't invited to it originally, but my friend, who was also admitted to Brown as a Chem major is taking me as her guest. Her mom didn't like the idea of her traveling alone because neither of her parents could take more time off for another college visit. But I think I'm just going for the food for that one.</p>
<p>
[quote]
In the world I live in, it matters very much who is the President, who is on the Supreme Court, who decides what drugs I can take, who is in the US Senate,
who decides what MIT's research budget will focus on, who are the heads of state of major nations, who sits in the President's cabinet and who based on major fellowship competitions promises to be the leaders of tomorrow. If the Presidency, major world nations, the Supreme Court, the US Senate, the Food and Drug Administration, the Defense Department, etc. are irrelevant than I think our world will have descended into chaos.[/quote}</p>
<p>Oh, I get it vienna man, these things are important because Georgetown is nearest to all these things. Therefore Georgetown is better than Brown. </p>
<p>Other than that, I don't see a connection. </p>
<p>So, please tell me Vienna Man, what is the answer to my question in post 36? Let's deal with facts, not geography or whatever your the quote above is supposed to be about.</p>