Georgetown Pre-College Programs: An Overview

College represents a transformative journey where students encounter novel perspectives, stimulating concepts, and structured academic frameworks. Graduates not only acquire disciplinary knowledge from their coursework but also develop metaknowledge-the understanding of knowledge itself-essential for synthesizing information and making informed decisions. Georgetown University extends this opportunity to academically gifted high school students through its pre-college programs, designed to provide a head start through engaging courses and hands-on experiences. These programs aim to nurture the whole person, reflecting the Jesuit tradition of cura personalis, and allow students to explore their passions in-depth before embarking on their college careers.

Types of Georgetown Pre-College Programs

Georgetown University offers a diverse range of pre-college programs tailored to suit various interests and schedules:

College Prep Programs: These programs are designed to make college applications stand out. They offer a chance to take university courses, learn from Georgetown faculty, and earn college credit.
Academies: These provide accelerated, hands-on learning experiences. They are available in 1-week, 2-week, and 3-week formats.
Pre-College Online Programs: These programs offer flexible online courses in various subjects, allowing students to explore their interests in-depth.

College Prep Program

The College Prep Program is a five-week residential program designed to give high school students a taste of college life and enhance their college applications. Participants have the opportunity to:

Take a university course alongside current Georgetown undergraduates, earning college credit.
Learn from Georgetown faculty.
Live on campus and experience college life.
Study with students from around the world.
Improve college readiness through required seminars.

As part of the program, students take one 3- or 4-credit course from a curated list of eligible courses. These courses typically meet Monday through Thursday for two hours per class, totaling eight hours per week. Students should expect to dedicate approximately 18 hours a week to studying and completing assignments. International students requiring visa assistance from Georgetown may be enrolled in a second credit course to satisfy visa requirements.

The College Prep Program also includes a series of seminars led by academic professionals and test prep instructors. These seminars cover topics such as:

Test-taking strategies for the SAT and ACT, taught by experts from Capital Educators.
The college search process, including identifying schools that fit individual needs and gaining insights into the admission process.

Participants receive a detailed final report highlighting their progress in different academic subjects, along with customized suggestions for continued study. They also receive a comprehensive manual, instructional flashcards, and a collection of official exams.

Students in the College Prep Program also have access to the University Writing Center, a free service offering assistance with all aspects of the writing process. A dedicated seminar focuses on crafting successful college essays, providing students with the opportunity to review sample essays, brainstorm topics, develop outlines, and write complete, edited essays.

Academies

Georgetown's Academies offer an immersive and accelerated learning experience, ranging from one to three weeks in duration. These programs provide hands-on opportunities for students to delve into specific subjects, fostering a deeper understanding and passion for the chosen field.

Pre-College Online Programs

Georgetown University's Pre-College Online Program provides high school students aged 13 and older with the opportunity to explore subjects of interest in-depth through flexible online courses. These courses cover a wide array of topics, including medicine, surgery, investing, psychology, and more.

Key features of the Pre-College Online Program include:

Flexibility: The online format allows students to study anywhere, anytime, at their own pace.
Engaging Content: Courses feature dynamic video lessons by Georgetown faculty.
Support: Students receive support from mentors throughout the program.

The program offers both enrichment and college credit courses, allowing students to tailor their experience to their academic goals. All course options, whether 2 or 4 weeks, have the identical educational content, learning materials, and number of assignments. The difference in length of course is due to time of year (not amount of instruction).

National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) at Georgetown

The National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) provides an immersive pre-college experience that prepares students for life beyond middle and high school. The NSLC allows students to study in university classrooms, learn to navigate a campus, and experience living with roommates. Students are able to explore a career concentration they are interested in before going into college and declaring a major.

Program Details

Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 14-18 who have completed at least one year of high school.
Application: Completed online with a deposit. While there are suggested seasonal deadlines, NSLC accepts applications if space is available.
Selection: Students are nominated by teachers, counselors, and alumni.

Tuition and Logistics

Tuition covers housing (if applicable) and on-campus meals, plus course materials, academic expenses, trips, tours, activities, and off-campus event transportation.

Residential Option: Students live in a campus dormitory supervised by NSLC staff, housed with one or two roommates.
Commuter Option: Students check in each morning and check out each evening. Commuter tuition includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day, but does not include housing accommodations.

Financial Assistance

Students demonstrating financial need, academic merit, and school or community involvement are encouraged to apply for a Summer Program Scholarship to offset their summer tuition costs.

Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies

Georgetown University's School of Continuing Studies (SCS) offers a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies program designed for adult learners seeking a values-based interdisciplinary education.

Read also: Georgetown Admission SAT

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum brings together work from a variety of integrated disciplines in the areas of Humanities, Writing, Philosophy, and Science.

Admission Requirements

The successful applicant typically has completed some coursework at a postsecondary institution or has professional, military, or life experience. Acceptance into the program does not guarantee acceptance into other undergraduate programs within the university.

Transfer Credits

The School of Continuing Studies accepts up to 64 transfer credits, including military training, which can be applied toward elective credits. The program maintains articulation agreements with Montgomery College, Northern Virginia Community College, and Prince George’s Community College.

Academic Policies

Students applying to the program who have previously attended another Georgetown University undergraduate program should be aware that their entire undergraduate academic record will be reflected on their transcript. The program offers Georgetown credit for students who have completed certain Advanced Placement examinations and College Level-Examination Program examinations with qualifying scores.

Military Training Credit

The program follows recommendations from the American Council on Education to grant transfer credit, on a case-by-case basis, for certain military training. The student should have the Joint Services Transcript sent directly to the academic program for evaluation.

Enrollment Options

Students in the program are permitted to enroll as part-time or full-time students. Prospective students on J-1 or F-1 student Visa status must enroll full-time. Continuing students are encouraged to meet with the Liberal Studies advising team at least once each semester prior to the start of registration for the following semester’s courses.

Academic Support

The academic program team is available to meet with students who are encountering difficulty in their studies. Students with disabilities seeking accommodations are strongly encouraged to contact the Academic Resource Center before the start of classes to discuss the documentation guidelines and accommodation process.

Concentrations

In addition to completing the core courses, students must complete 48 credits (16 three-credit courses) in one of the program’s concentrations:

Business & Entrepreneurship
Humanities
Individualized Study
International Relations
Professional Media & Communication

The School also offers several credit-bearing undergraduate certificates within the on-campus program, which students may complete on their own or as part of the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies degree.

Degree Requirements

Earning the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies degree requires a total of 120 credits, with a minimum GPA of 2.000. These are divided among core, concentration, and elective courses. The GPA only reflects coursework completed at Georgetown.

Graduation

Degrees are conferred in May, August, and December. Students must settle all financial obligations to the University before submitting their thesis or completing their last course to be eligible to graduate and receive a diploma and final transcript.

Summer Sessions

The School offers three distinct summer sessions: the presession, first session, and second session. The presession, which starts in mid-May, allows students to take courses during a four-week period. Because of the pre-session’s compressed and intensive nature, students are permitted to take only one course.

General Information

Students should familiarize themselves with the rules, regulations, and procedures relevant to pursuing a degree at SCS and attendance at Georgetown. Unawareness of these rules will not be accepted as an excuse for failure to act in accordance with them. Students in the School of Continuing Studies are required to adhere to all School and University regulations while completing their studies.

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