Do I have a chance for Georgetown?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Georgetown University
1

Hi, I’m a high school senior who has applied EA to the Walsh School of Foreign Service. I am incredibly anxious about my chances, and wondered what others thought of my chances.

high school: East Coast suburban public
race: white
gender: female
socioeconomic: high income, one immigrant parent

AP: Chemistry (3), Macroeconomics (5), Microeconomics (haven’t taken yet), Calculus AB (haven’t taken yet), Spanish (haven’t taken yet), Comparative Government and Politics
**my school limits AP classes to Juniors and Seniors, and doesn’t offer many AP classes in the social sciences (I did/am taking Macro and Micro online through Johns Hopkins University)
ACT: 34, 35 (36 superscored)
SAT subject: Chemistry (700), Math I (660), Literature (680)
GPA: 4.169 weighted, ~3.9 unweighted

extracurriculars:
-9-12: debate team, co-captain for 2 yrs
-10-12: student council, vp for 2 yrs
-11-12: Tri-M Music Honor Society, officer
-11-12: National Honor Society
-11-12: Spanish National Honor Society
-9-10: Euro Challenge (economics competition)
-11-12: Fed Challenge (economics competition)
-5-12: viola

volunteer service:
-7-12: National Charity League, variety of leadership positions
-11-12: CT Middle School Debate League
-11: three week summer service trip in Spain, environmental protection service

work experience:
-12: counselor at a debate camp for middle schoolers

awards:
-9-12: 13 team and speaker debate awards (2nd impromptu speaker and finalist after dinner speaker in a world debating and public speaking competition)
-10: 3rd place team, national Euro Challenge competition
-11: finalist team, Fed Challenge competition

essays:
-personal statement is about world debate championship and experience having a very different speaking style than others
-extracurricular essay is about how debate taught me how to argue respectfully and inspired an interest in public policy
-SFS essay is about divisions within the European Union

interview: was really really good, we talked for over 2 hours

Thank you :slight_smile:

2

You are clearly a qualified student in terms of academics and extracurricular. However, the Georgetown SFS program is very competitive and often applicants with “connections” to the school have priority over the more qualified. I have seen cases of students who have gotten in ivy league schools but not the SFS program. I wish you the best of luck, and don’t be discouraged if you don’t get in. :slight_smile:

3

I completely disagree with @student202218 in terms of Georgetown prioritizing people with connections to the school. Georgetown does give preference to its legacies, but it’s doesn’t do this more than any other highly selective school. The reason why Georgetown rejects applicants who are accepted to Ivies is because they want students who will fit at the SFS, and SFS has pretty specific types of people. They really want people who are passionate about the world and show it through their ECs. Your ECs are geared towards IR and econ, which is really good. I personally did eurochallenge as well as a sophomore and I know how much work it is, so that’s really good that you’ve done that. Your stats are good, and your ECs are focused, even though there’s nothing there that stands out immediately. I do believe you have a strong chance though, especially if your essays are as good as you say.

4

I have to agree with @student202218 that connections (and $) at Georgetown matter more than at other top schools. A legacy with generous parents, a connection to someone influential associated with the school, goes further at G’town than other places.

5

My daughter got in with no connections whatsoever and with no help or input from her parents at any point in the application process. We didn’t even know she was applying.

6

I agree with @wisteria100 (she is very wise and actually read my essays 2 years ago when I was applying to Hopkins and Georgetown) but it does not necessarily mean your chances are nearly impossible without connections. You simply just become part of the overall pool…like myself! I had zero connections to Georgetown, but demonstrated why it was the perfect fit for me (I am a Nursing major in NHS) and I got accepted. Your stats are good enough. Good luck to you :slight_smile:

7

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