How can I determine whether Georgetown or Brown would be more affordable for my family?

The more affordable choice is the school with the lower realistic four-year cost after grants, required borrowing, and annual price increases, not the one with the lower published price or a more favorable first calculator result. Run both Georgetown’s and Brown’s Net Price Calculators using the same current family income, assets, household size, number of children in college, and parent information. Save the results, but treat them as estimates rather than commitments.

Compare each estimate line by line: tuition and fees, housing and food, books, travel from your home, health insurance if needed, and personal expenses. Then subtract only gift aid, meaning institutional grants and outside scholarships that do not have to be repaid. Keep federal loans, parent loans, and work-study separate from grants; they can make an initial package look less expensive while shifting more of the cost to your family or to you later.

The actual award letters, not the general policies, will show whether that distinction affects your family’s out-of-pocket cost.

When both offers arrive, calculate a comparable annual figure for each: total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships, then list required student loan borrowing and expected work earnings separately. If the calculator or final offer does not reflect a significant change in circumstances, submit a documented appeal to both schools before deciding.