Georgetown College

[gablesdad]

D22 is really interested in Georgetown and really likes it but has some questions after research:
1 are the first year dorms really terrible? Is anything being done about the reports of rats?
2 How are the key humanities programs at Georgetown College in size, quality and prof attention/ interest? Why are there no interdisciplinary programs? Does the core curriculum leave room for a double major across humanities?
3 how are the performing arts there?
4 She has read a lot about how social life is structured around extracurricular and special interest societies that are selective and competitive? Is that in some particular majors? Is there a humanities and theater for fun crowd? Everyone there seems genuine and likeable but D22 does not want to be in a socially highly competitive environment with the equivalent of rushing and established social hierarchies etc.

Thanks in advance

[dzleprechaun]

@gablesdad

1 are the first year dorms really terrible? Is anything being done about the reports of rats?

They’ve spent the Covid downtime renovating a lot of the dorms (among other things), so I believe folks will find the situation improved. They’re still mostly on the spartan side of things, aside from the newest dorms like Arrupe and the “Spirit of Georgetown Residential Academy.” But freshness counts for a lot. See: Residential Building Renovations 2020 | Residential Living | Georgetown University

2 How are the key humanities programs at Georgetown College in size, quality and prof attention/ interest? Why are there no interdisciplinary programs? Does the core curriculum leave room for a double major across humanities?

I’m not sure what you mean by “no interdisciplinary programs.” The Baker Scholars Program is one example (The George F. Baker Scholars Program | College of Arts & Sciences | Georgetown University). What kind of program are you looking for in particular?

3 how are the performing arts there?

Small, especially in terms of folks actually majoring in it, though well-equipped thanks to the Davis Performing Arts Center. The real strength comes in the grassroots student groups dedicated to theater especially, such as Mask & Bauble and Nomadic. And of course the groups like a capella (The Chimes, etc.), Rangilla, etc.

4 She has read a lot about how social life is structured around extracurricular and special interest societies that are selective and competitive? Is that in some particular majors? Is there a humanities and theater for fun crowd? Everyone there seems genuine and likeable but D22 does not want to be in a socially highly competitive environment with the equivalent of rushing and established social hierarchies etc.

This is definitely a common critique, one that I admit I don’t fully get. I think it’s probably just that I myself did not gravitate toward the pre-professional, resume-building clubs like The Corp, the credit union, etc. The groups I was active in were pretty much the opposite of selective haha. And they were hella fun.

In fact, that’s one of the things I loved the most about Georgetown - the lack of Greek-like socially stratified hierarchy. Like, I wasn’t in the Corp, but I was reasonably good friends with some of the people who ended up running it my senior year. If they thought they were too cool to hang out with me, they sure didn’t show it.

I had a couple of friends who were very into theater, including one who has gone on to become an honest-to-God playwright. It was a very fun group of people to hang out with, even though I have not a single dramaturgical bone in my body.

Hope this helps!