How can I determine whether Georgetown or Notre Dame will be more affordable after financial aid?

The most reliable way to compare Georgetown and Notre Dame is to run each school’s official Net Price Calculator using the same current family income, assets, household size, and number of children in college, then compare the estimated net prices rather than the sticker prices. Both schools use need-based financial aid processes that typically require the FAFSA and CSS Profile, but their institutional formulas can value home equity, business assets, savings, and noncustodial-parent information differently. The calculators will not be binding, but they provide the best early estimate before award letters arrive.

Build a side-by-side annual budget from each result. Include tuition and required fees, housing and food, books, personal expenses, travel between home and campus, and health insurance if it will not be covered through a family plan. Georgetown’s Washington, D.C., location can make everyday spending and travel meaningfully different from Notre Dame’s South Bend location, even when the aid estimates look similar.

When financial aid offers arrive, separate grants and scholarships, which do not need to be repaid, from federal work-study, student loans, and parent loans. A package with a larger stated total is not necessarily cheaper if more of it consists of borrowing.

If either estimate appears inconsistent with your family’s actual circumstances, such as a recent job loss, unusual medical expenses, or a change in income, contact that school’s financial aid office to request a professional judgment review. Use identical documentation and describe the same circumstance to both offices so the comparison remains fair.