tl;dr: Is Chicago 25k better than Georgetown for people abroad? Please share your thoughts ASAP

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So, according to their websites, the cost of attending Georgetown is $115,820. Without the optional July Summer Experience thing. Tuition is $82,272, basic living expenses is $25,364 (incl. health insurance). Classes start in late August and end in May. Got a 35k scholarship; so $80,820 is my cost.

Chicago's CoA is $110,217. Classes start in late September and end in May. Tuition is $76,479, basic living expenses is $24,675 (incl. health insurance but not utilities). No scholarship, so my cost is $110,217.

Assuming that both are underrating their cost, let's say Georgetown's cost of living is increased by 10k, because rent in DC is more expensive and it's one more month long. Georgetown's true cost = 126k.

And Chicago is increased by 5.8k (cost is a bit underrated and it's unbelievable how they don't consider utilities lol), so = 116k.

Therefore in reality it's a 25k difference in favor of Georgetown. As the regular cost of attending Georgetown is 10k more than Chicago (5k higher tuition, 5k higher rent); and I have a 35k scholarship.

So the question is this: Is Chicago 25k better than Georgetown? I have no intention of staying in the US (it's unrealistic anyway), and both ring a bell back home.

Thanks. And I really should have posted this earlier... because the decision deadline is tomorrow lol (April 1)

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On another note, I've noticed no program factors in two more costs that drive the CoA up by around 5k.

All programs start in late August/late September, yet none consider the cost of living during that very month. There are introductory classes in the weeks before; and, above all, you just can't arrive two weeks after your classes start in order for rent to start in the next month. The latter silly situation is how make their CoA calculations.

Plus, they never factor in the reality is you are not getting your rent deposit back. So it's one month or two of added rent.

So, maybe I should increase the CoA by 5k (Georgetown 131k [96k in my case], Chicago 121k).

And this matches what Chicago graduates have told me. The actual most basic CoA is 120k; not the 110k stated on its website.

And this is even considering that most people do spend more than the stated amounts by going out partying and trips and whatnot; but I just won't have to funds to do any of that. I'll make my connections at panels and live off their free pizza lol

[Edited by cototovaldivieso on Mar 31, 2024]

Today on Chicago's Whatsapp group many people have stated they are going to Harvard instead; and I assume they received a scholarship if they had such competitive applications. Guess chasing the better brand is the way to go.



A super utilitarian person would ask an extension to Georgetown, to make the actual deposit decision depending on what Chicago offers now that there's some funds made available. Don't have that in me though

[Edited by cototovaldivieso on Apr 01, 2024]

Different of cost is too little to shift the balance to GULC. Go to Chicago

UChicago no brainer.

UChicago has outranked harvard and columbia for years now.

If you plan to work in the US after your degree, Chicago would give you more chance; if you plan to return home afterwards, definitely opt for GULC with a huge scholarship(35k means a lot for LLM).

If you plan to work in the US after your degree, Chicago would give you more chance; if you plan to return home afterwards, definitely opt for GULC with a huge scholarship(35k means a lot for LLM).