How can I compare the affordability of Georgetown and Fordham beyond their listed tuition?

Compare Georgetown and Fordham by turning each financial-aid offer into the same four-year net-cost worksheet. Count only grants and scholarships as reductions in price; federal loans, parent loans, and work-study are ways to pay, not discounts.

Start with each school’s billed costs: tuition, mandatory fees, housing, and meal plan. Then add realistic non-billed costs: books, travel home, personal spending, and local transportation. Georgetown’s Washington, D.C., location can mean substantial everyday and travel costs, while Fordham’s total can vary notably by campus, housing choice, and whether you can commute to Rose Hill or Lincoln Center.

Subtract institutional grants, outside scholarships, and any federal or state grants. Check whether each scholarship is renewable for four years and what conditions apply, such as maintaining enrollment status or a minimum academic standard.

Also compare health-insurance charges, which may be waived if you already have qualifying coverage, plus annual tuition increases and the cost of borrowing. A school with a larger first-year grant may still cost more if its aid does not rise with tuition or is not guaranteed to renew. Ask each financial-aid office to explain any major difference in the two offers and whether a competing offer can support an appeal.