GDS FAQ

Georgetown is an extremely safe campus, and students are never permitted to go anywhere by themselves. Instructors and Residential Assistants supervise students throughout the day and night. Dorms may only be entered by authorized personnel, and are staffed by additional security staff.

3-Week Policy Workshop: Students should arrive in the afternoon/evening of June 16th and depart on July 6th. Students should arrive between 4 PM and 8 PM on the 16th and must depart before 10:00am on the 6th. These timetables will be confirmed closer to the start of camp once we confirm housing details with our partners in ResLife.
2-Week Policy Workshop: Students should communicate to camp staff whether they will attend the first two weeks or last two weeks of the camp. If attending first two weeks, students should arrive on June 16th between 4 PM and 8 PM. If attending the last two weeks, students should depart before 10:00am on July 6th.
GDDI Fellows: Students should arrive on June 16th. On July 7th, a chartered bus will take students to Hanover, NH for the second leg of the program. Students should plan to depart from Hanover on August 3rd. Information about travel from Hanover can be found here: http://ddidebate.org/transportation/

If students need to arrive exceptionally early or depart exceptionally late, we will do our best to accommodate them, but you should certainly confirm that we can assist you with the necessary arrangement before finalizing your travel details.

The closest airport is Reagan National Airport (DCA). (new window)
A cab from airport to campus should cost about $15-30, including tip. DC cabs generally do not take credit cards, so please bring adequate cash if that is your plan. Alternatively, your student can take the metro to Rosslyn and then take the GUTS bus to campus.

The second closest is Dulles National Airport (IAD). (new window)
A cab from airport to campus should cost about $60. Booking a SuperShuttle (new window) may also be economical. It is possible to economize a great deal by taking the metro from the airport to Rosslyn, then taking the GUTS bus (new window) to campus from the Rosslyn location. (new window)
Given the inconvenience and potential confusion, however, using bus lines isn’t recommended. If your student does encounter any problems en route, we will provide a phone number for students to call on the first day of camp.

Traveling into and out of the Baltimore-Washington Airport (new window) is less convenient, and thus not recommended. It does, however, service several discount airlines, such as Southwest Airlines. The cab will be quite expensive, but this might represent a net cost savings if you’re a frequent Southwest customer.

Parking is $25 per day in the Southwest Garage. Otherwise, there is two-hour street parking near campus. If you wish to help your child move in, you may want to find street parking close which is on 35th St. between N and O, but be aware that this can be tricky.

My child would like to take the train. How should this proceed?
Amtrak services Union Station (new window) in DC, which is a possible travel option for students on the East Coast. Upon arrival in Union Station, proceed to the cab line immediately outside Union Station. A cab to the front gates of Georgetown University should cost under $20.

Students will be strongly encouraged to call their parents/guardians immediately upon arrival. We will quickly follow up on any significant discrepancies between expected arrival and actual arrival.

Dormitory Information has not been finalized yet.

Students should bring the following items:
-Bedding (Twin XL)
-Pillow
-Towels
-Toiletries
-Clothes (casual – DC has hot and humid summers!)
-Laptop w/ Microsoft Word (Microsoft Word is crucial to a debater’s success)
-Laptop charger
-Debate Supplies (pens, flow paper, timer, etc.)

Residential students are provided with a mobile GOCard at the beginning of the camp. The card is used to access the dorm, gym facility, etc. It also has a declining balance that can be used across Georgetown’s campus dining facilities. Students are responsible for monitoring their own balance and ensuring that they have enough money left on the card.

Students can access the laundry room in their residence hall throughout their stay. The link here  (new window)has a guide on how to download the Speed Queen app and load funds!

For the 2024 GDS, all labs will focus on Policy Debate.

The Policy Debate camp is highly recommended for all students, regardless of their debate background. The speaking, research, and critical thinking skills strengthened in Policy Debate translate well to other debate events!