How should I compare Tulane and Georgetown for overall value and cost?

Compare the schools using your four-year net price, not their published cost of attendance. Georgetown is most compelling for a student who will use Washington, D.C. as part of the education through internships, policy, government, international affairs, business, or nonprofit work. Tulane can represent especially strong value when its merit scholarship or aid package makes it meaningfully less expensive, while still offering a distinctive New Orleans-based campus experience and strong opportunities in areas such as business, public health, architecture, liberal arts, and community engagement.

Start with each college’s official aid offer: grants and scholarships first, then federal work-study, then loans. Do not treat work-study as an automatic discount; it is money earned through a job.

Project each offer across all four years. Check whether Tulane’s scholarship is renewable, what GPA or enrollment conditions apply, whether grants are expected to remain stable, and how tuition, housing, meals, health insurance, and travel may rise. For Georgetown, include the cost of living in D.C. during the academic year and any summers when you might stay for internships.

Then weigh the cost gap against opportunities you are likely to use. A Georgetown premium can be rational for a student with a clear plan to build D.C.-based experience and networks throughout college. A substantially lower Tulane price is difficult to justify passing up unless Georgetown offers a specific academic, professional, or personal advantage that matters enough to your goals. Compare expected borrowing as carefully as the price: the school that leaves you with less debt preserves more freedom for graduate school, public-interest work, relocation, or lower-paying first jobs.