Notre Dame or Georgetown

<p>Both great schools for different reasons...what are the pros/cons of each and which would you choose?</p>

<p>Good question. I'm leaning towards Georgetown.</p>

<p>Pros
location; I want to stay on the east coast, and like that Georgetown is very near to DC
student body; Georgetown's student body is more diverse than ND's, and there are more females
academics; from all I've researched, I have a better chance to succeed academically at GU than at ND
weather; this is pretty much by default, cause I've heard that South Bend's weather is just horrible, and I like the climate I'm in now (NY), which will be the same in DC
housing; housing at Gtown is coed, not the case at ND; I prefer coed housing</p>

<p>cons
sports; I'm more of a football guy, and Georgetown sucks whereas ND is sure to be back to its winning ways; I do like basketball though, so it won't be too bad
intramurals; apparently, the intramurals at ND are awesome, I haven't heard the same of Georgetown's
campus; when the weather's good, ND's campus is very aesthetic, moreso than Georgetown's</p>

<p>That's all I've got for now. Lots of decisions to make in the next coming months.</p>

<p>I am a bit biased. I have grown up in an ND family and will be attending ND next year so understand that when I give you this answer.</p>

<p>For former athletes (and people who want to continue that competitive spirit), ND is a better choice. It is always ranked number 1 for both athletic students and for school spirit in athletics.</p>

<p>Also, ND is MUCH more Catholic in its teaching. I know that some will argue this is not true, but just one example is how GTown (I heard this from a student there) took down crucifixes in their classrooms. I really think if you are looking for a more spiritual experience, ND is the place for you.</p>

<p>And in academics they are very close but ND gets the edge (and in my own opinion, certainly deserves to be ranked higher) over GTown.</p>

<p>However, GTown is very close to the city. However, what I think about is how often I actually go into the cities around me (I live near San Jose and San Francisco). Maybe 6-7 times a year? I can certainly go to Chicago from ND 6 or 7 times a year if I feel like it.</p>

<p>And overall campus- I really think ND is one of the most beautiful (if not the most beautiful) campuses around. I, personally, did not like GTown's campus but everybody likes something a little different. ND is just beautiful.</p>

<p>In the end, I know this is biased. Those are just my feelings on the two schools.</p>

<p>You said weather was a factor and you're from New York-- I'm from Syracuse so South Bend is actually better for me. It's not as terrible as people make it out to be, I think a lot of people say that because ND gets people from all over the country (including warm areas where people have no experience with this type of weather)</p>

<p>As someone from New York, I can honestly attest that I've monitored the weather both here and in NY pretty much daily, and have established that they are rarely separated by more than 10 degrees, and if they are, it's merely shifted - we get weather systems typically 2-3 days earlier than most of the Northeast.</p>

<p>It's not that bad. It's cold, and it snows. Some actually consider it a communal advantage - no one wants to go outside, so they stay in their dorms and because of this, strong community bonds arise. </p>

<p>But that's just my opinion. Obviously, if you're from California or Florida or somewhere where it's warm 300+ days a year and you have never seen snow, weather is definitely a factor to consider.</p>

<p>Soph son is from the deep south--weather did not stop him! In fact, when he comes home, he complains about "how hot it is"!! In all seriousness, I think son chose to attend Notre Dame mainly for the academics (engineering) and as Kevdude mentioned, the sense of community. The alum base is awesome as well--here's hoping to great job ops when grad day finally arrives!!</p>

<p>As an engineer/physicist, ND hands down. However, I wouldn't hesitate to go to Georgetown for SFS, etc. I guess it really depends on what you intend to major in.</p>

<p>My son is a freshman at ND and a good friend's eldest is a sophmore at Georgetown. It really does depend on what you're majoring in. My friends son was very focused on International Relations and has already done an internship at an embassy. He's very involved with all that goes in in D.C. and loves it. My son is uncertain what he wants to do but is probably going to be a History major, maybe doubling in Theology. He may end up staying in academia or going into law. In any case, for an excellent, rounded liberal arts curriculum(I can't speak to the engineering) I'd say Notre Dame hands down. Also ND clearly has a stronger commitment to its Catholic identity, whether that's a plus or a minus for you. ND is a far more nurturing place. Georgetown is the place to be for anything politics related and it really is an urban campus. You won't have the feeling of belonging and school spirit that you have at ND but you will have the excitement of everything that goes on in D.C. You need to look at yourself very honestly and figure out what you truly want and need at this point in your life. Best of luck and congratulations on having such great choices!</p>