<p>I've attended GW as an undergrad and law school student. </p>
<p>Ask me anything you'd like.</p>
<p>I’ll start out:</p>
<p>1) What’s it like?
Fun, expensive, liberal, political, filled with things to do in the city.</p>
<p>2) How is the financial aide?
It varies by person. I didn’t get one red cent. (Middle class family.)
I’m hundreds of thousands in the hole already. (Yes, I had a great high school GPA, and started GW strong… still got nothing.)</p>
<p>3) What’s the social life like?
There’s plenty to do. Party nights are usually Thurs.-Sat. Most people go out to bars/clubs, with house/dorm parties relatively rare. There are a lot of (seemingly) wealthy people who spend a lot of cash on things (shopping, going out, etc.).
Liberal. Students are very competitive with each other. Most people have/want/are envious of some cool unpaid WH internship. </p>
<p>4) Do most students get internships?
Get? No. Want? Yes, basically. WH internships are very, very competitive.</p>
<p>5) What’s Greek life like?
Until a few years ago, it was relatively lame. There’s a Greek Row townhouse now that seems to make it slightly more popular. Plenty of people are in Greek life, but it’s not a huge part of the school. People are far, FAR more into politics than greeks.</p>
<p>6) Was GW your first choice?
Actually, no.</p>
<p>7) Would you recommend going to GW?
It depends on what you’re looking for in a school. If you want a traditional college experience (affordable, easy shopping, suburban campus, chill atmosphere, etc.), then no. If you want clubbing and internships (or trying to get them) and a very intense, pressure-packed city, then yes. I don’t recommend GW for the naive, or the conservative, or those who aren’t super ambitious. It’s a stressful college to go to,… not so much because of it’s prestige (which isn’t exceptional), but because of the city, intense competition, and overall unfriendly atmosphere.</p>
<p>The city and the college on the outside seem very friendly-- hustled, hurried, and generally dirty and lacking basic manners. It’s loud, dirty, and a PITA to live in. </p>
<p>HIGH cost of living (!!!). Very, very expensive college. Pain in the butt commuting (crowded, late public transit… and terrible traffic). Not a friendly city.</p>
<p>8) What’s the most popular major?
By far, it seems like everyone you meet is studying International Affairs. </p>
<p>9) What’s the best thing about GWU?
They have tons of unique and exceptional events. There are a plethora of world leaders, gov’t figures, and general “cool” people as guest speakers. Note that you won’t always get in - some events are small events, or open only to media, or sold out, or otherwise not open to you. There are a good number of events you can go to, but don’t go to school there expecting to meet every cool person you hear goes there. You won’t.</p>
<p>You PAY for the experience. And, you’ll likely be paying for the experience for decades. I’ll be paying for it the rest of my life in student loans (ok, only until I’m 50+ years old).</p>
<p>10) Would you choose it again?
Probably not. It’s just too expensive. And, it’s not a “friendly and fun” college. I would have much rather have gone to some public college, studied abroad, and partied and generally had a good time.</p>
<p>That’s not to say that there aren’t good things about GW: the location (the main draw for the school), the events, the name, the guest speakers, etc. But, I can’t say that it’s worth $200,000+. </p>
<p>If I were to get a full ride, I’d consider the school. Elsewise, no. </p>
<p>Yes, I had plenty of “cool” experiences that most college students don’t get…
but frankly, for $200,000+, I could:
- pay to have lunch with the Dali Lama
- tour the entire world
- trek on an expedition to Antartica
- get spa treatments daily
- go to dozens of concerts and major events
- pay to meet some celebrity or have a VIP room in a few dozen nightclubs
- Or, buy a house, a Hummer, and tens of thousands in bling and excess crap.
- … and still have money to put away for retirement.
Will GW pay off for me? Um, no. Will it pay off for you? Maybe, that’s your call.</p>
<p>My stats:
- high school GPA - over a 3.7/4.0 at the very least, I don’t remember how high exactly.
- ACT: 30+
- AP Tests: mostly 4s and 5s
- A good number of AP and honors classes
- Solid extracurriculars: international volunteerism, summer school, independent research projects, sports, … blah, blah.</p>
<p>What is dorm life like?</p>
<p>Crowded! And they tend to run out of good rooms fast. People boast about their dorms: some are better than others. Some are newer (Ivory Tower), and some are older (Thurston). Some are loud party houses (Thurston), while others are more mellow (Mount Vernon Campus, relatively speaking). Community showers and bathrooms are gross. Dorms are noisy, and often smell (of various things I won’t mention). You’ll hear/see plenty of drunk people stumbling in at all hours. You’ll probably want to go to the library to study. The air conditioning never seems to be turned on in time, so you’ll be hotter than hell for a while. Same with the winter- heat isn’t on in time when the weather keeps going back and forth, so you’ll freeze for a while. </p>
<p>Social and a good way to meet people. Most people want to live on campus, or at least in Foggy, just so you don’t have to commute. Some dorms (Ivory Tower) have restaurants in the basement, which is really handy.</p>
<p>What dorm should I live in?</p>
<p>Ivory Tower is newer, convenient, and has restaurants in the basement. I’d suggest it.
HOVA is kind of far.
Guthridge is ok- tends to be more space, though an older building.
Schenley- Older, hasn’t been updated in recent history I don’t think.
Fulbright- Not my style.
F St- For seniors. Nice for a dorm, though it might be farther from Acad Cntr classes.
City Hall- farther away, sometimes overcrowded.
Potomac House- newer freshman dorm, fairly good choice.
Thurston- freshman dorm, party central. Among the most social (and, often, loud & crowded) of the dorms. But, if you’re a freshman, you probably want social to meet people.</p>
<p>If you don’t like your dorm (loud, don’t like the roommate, etc.), put in the room change request NOW. You won’t magically start liking it in the middle of the year, and there’s no sense in being miserable.
Try to find your roommates ahead of time. If your personalities clash or your lifestyles clash, consider switching rooms. If you study all the time, and they party all the time, it ain’t gonna work out. Your RA might suggest you wait and try to work things out-- DON’T. Seriously, if you annoy each other the first few weeks, just switch. Tell your RA that you are absolutely certain you want to switch, and just do it. Don’t let anyone talk you out of switching if you absolutely disdain your dorm, your roommates, etc.</p>
<p>Where should I get groceries?</p>
<p>On campus is often expensive. You could either go around the city and haul junk back, or rent a car and go to the suburbs. You could also sign up for an online grocery delivery company. More likely than not, you’ll eat out on campus… a lot. I’d plan a trip (rent a car, go with friends, find a freshman shopping field trip) out to the suburbs to a Target/Walmart/etc. and buy some basic grocery staples in bulk. Or, grocery delivery… pricey, but less of a pain than hauling groceries around the city.</p>
<p>Where should I buy books? How much will they be?</p>
<p>I’d get them used, of course. You’ll likely find cheaper deals online, like with many things.
Look into book rentals (typically online). Books are expensive, and at GW, they’re no exception.</p>
<p>The least I ever spent for books was over $500. The most I ever spent for books for one semester was over $2000. Yes, like everything else at the school, it’s expensive. I’d say $1000 is about the expectation for most people a semester. (I took some classes where used books weren’t an option. Also had a few lab classes.) You’ll at LEAST want to budget $500-- chances are, you’ll at least double than a handful of semesters. If you rent them or find cheap online books, you could save a good bit of cash.</p>
<p>GWU is one of my top schools, then American. Which one is better?</p>
<p>What’s the dating scene like?</p>
<p>People joke here that guys are either gay or Jewish. We have a nice, strong Jewish student center (Hillel), who participates in Birthright Israel. Also, we have a large and active Outcrowd (and several other gay organizations… they have some popular theater productions, movie nights, etc.). No one I went to school with that I know of has gotten married. I don’t know a whole lot of people who date long-term relationships. It seems like there are more casual dates, one night hookups, or simply people being too busy/interested to date. You’d be more likely to find potential dating partners outside of class (nightclubs, bars, Hillel, Newman Catholic Center, or some special interest group).</p>
<p>Very few people here seem interested in marrying young. Most plan to go to law school or into high-pressure careers after graduation, not marriage and kids. </p>
<p>The dating scene isn’t particular big here, except for random meeting people at clubs, or short-term flings. Sure, there are exceptions, but it seems less the norm. It’s not a school where anyone has even heard of a “Mrs. Degree”… AT ALL. People here seem to expect to do traditional things later in life, if ever (marriage, kids, buy a house, buy a car, etc.). People like to travel, and travel often; be unattached (to a spouse, a house, a car, etc.). I guess if marriage is your thing, you could look for it here.</p>
<p>r0kAng3l-</p>
<p>What major are you looking at?<br>
What’s luring you to GW?</p>
<p>GW-
More of a power player locally in gov’t and int’l relations, it seems. GW has more events and guest speakers on campus, it seems. ESIA is well respected. Seems like GW is flowing with far more money. GW owns a lot of property in the area. City campus. If you want internships, go to GW- no doubt (again, if they offer a nice scholarship… otherwise, don’t fork over that much cash for an unpaid internship).</p>
<p>American-
Better ranked overall undergrad, I believe? Further up North in the district. Rather far from anything DC-ish- gov’t, World Bank, etc. We used to joke that American U. was in China because it seemed so far away from downtown. More traditional “suburban-feeling” campus.</p>
<p>I’d go to whichever you get the highest scholarship at. </p>
<p>Law school:
GW: higher GW, better international ties, better law school ranking.
American: #47 ranking. Yeah. Wouldn’t go there for law school.</p>
<p>Do you have any advice for me?</p>
<p>If you go to GW, have fun with it!</p>
<p>Don’t worry excessively about the classes or the social scene.</p>
<p>Go to museums, local events (like the free Kennedy Center jazz hours), and explore the town like you own it. Do as much regional travel as you can. Ignore the opulence and excessive spending that many students do. Don’t take out tens and tens of thousands in student loans!(!!!). Relax. Don’t feel the need to get an unpaid internship every semester- do it some, but give yourself some time to have a standard college experience. Don’t be a ■■■■■■■ or a ******- live and enjoy it. Make good, true friends. Have fun. Don’t do anything stupid. Go to the cheesy orientation sessions, at least a few faculty lectures, and other campus events. Live it up while you can- you may actually miss the place one day.</p>
<p>What’s more, if you don’t like the school, transfer out. Don’t stick it through. A “better” ranked college isn’t worth being miserable for. If you don’t like GW, transfer first thing… it’s no big deal. You could always reapply, but even if you don’t… college should be among the best times of your life. Make sure it is, no matter what school you go to.</p>
<p>What’s the student body like?</p>
<p>Here’s what they SEEM like (not necessarily all are like):
Political, wealthy, spoiled and whiny, like to party, like to kiss up, like Uggs/Northface/other pricey trends, not particular good at fashionable clothing, not particularly gorgeous, from New Jersey or New York, stubborn, liberal, aggressive, like to go out, either Jewish or non-attending, like all things urban (from Urban Outfitters to Upper Eastside Manhatten).</p>
<p>Will GW help me land a job?</p>
<p>Maybe. It depends on your field, your location, your resume,… etc.
The school name has helped me land interviews and gigs, but I also had relevant experience aside from that. No school name alone, sans previous experience, can make employment a cinch. I will say that I have a lot of friends who have had trouble finding jobs, and others who are stuck in low paying jobs with HUGE student loans from GW. Others have found “cool” jobs, but not all gov’t or similar jobs pay well. Overall, sure, going to a “good” school has helped me land interviews.</p>
<p>Well I’m not going into Law… Well I’ve thought about it but I don’t know</p>
<p>Arokangl31-</p>
<p>Art? Science? Poli Sci? You’ll want to have some idea of it, since a school that’s great for Int’l Affairs might not be the best place for art. I’d choose GW over American if you want to be in the heart of the city, closer to internships. GW has a fairly good reputation for itself internationally. It’s a very liberal student body, and feels more like a city than a campus. (If you’re extremely conservative, I doubt I would pick GW if I were you.) If a traditional college experience is important, go with American. Have you visited either campus? If possible, that can really help you decide. I would apply to both, and see which offers more aid.</p>
<p>Are you looking for a traditional college campus (American), or a city campus (GW)?
Why are you looking at American, why GW, and why DC? If you list what you see in them, I can tell you if the schools and city really would live up to your expectations for them.</p>
<p>International Relations or Pol. And yup I’ve visited both of them.</p>
<p>Do you like sports?</p>
<p>GW isn’t particularly sporty.</p>
<p>GW has NO football team. (They did once 50 years ago, but don’t now).</p>
<p>GW has a fairly decent basketball team, but the games aren’t particularly of interest to students. They struggle to get students to fill the stadium, even with free or cheap tickets.</p>
<p>Wow gwgrad, this is amazing! I haven’t gotten through reading all your posts yet, but the ones I’ve read are really helpful to read! (:</p>
<p>To start off, I completely understand how you feel about the financial aid. They gave me 20K, but that’s ittt. That might sound ungrateful, but it was freaking hard sending in that deposit knowing I would have to come up with $35,000 to go to school. Especially when I turned down full rides to UF, Howard, USC, U of Maryland, among others. My parents definitely weren’t too happy at first, but they’ve gotten more supportive (they had a blasttt at CI, lol). Anyways, I’m hoping the loan I’m having to get pays off in the end, and that I don’t regret this decision. </p>
<p>Right so, down to business:</p>
<p>1.) How was the GPS (Guide to Personal Success) Program for you? Was it helpful at all and was your guide ever of much use? It doesn’t seem like anyone on the C/O 2014 Facebook page is putting much stock in it…</p>
<p>2.) Which sororities have a decent reputation? More specifically, do you have any thoughts about Alpha Kappa Alpha? I’m thinking about rushing in the fall (:</p>
<p>3.) I’m in the Elliot School so to get the science requirement out of the way this semester, I’m taking Contemporary Science for Non-Science Majors. Any experience with this course? Also, my lab time is Tuesday from 8 til 9:50 at night. This may sound silly, but do labs meet EVERY Tuesday or off and on?</p>
<p>Sorry this turned out to be so long! And thanks in advance! (:</p>
<p>I’m in Color Guard. I’ve done other sports but not enough for me to want to do it in college.</p>
<p>Britty3092-</p>
<p>I’m glad it’s helpful. $20,000 is pretty good for them. My friend who came from a poor (single parent, siblings, teacher salary) graduated with ONLY $50,000 in student loans and he was lucky. If you have $20,000 for 4 years, that’s $80,000. I’d have done anything for that. With that said, there’s still the other half to pay for. Apply for scholarships early and often. Consider finding a job with tuition benefits. Look into gov’t or teaching or other jobs that forgive loans NOW… don’t wait. Fed. Student loans are good to have- easier to consolidate, able to teach/etc. and have forgiveness. Private student loans are brutal… avoid them as much as possible. Don’t forget that you CAN transfer to a cheaper school… if you don’t love GW, consider transferring. Think of how much college is going to cost you… now, double it—that’s a more realistic amount. If your financial aid doesn’t increase next year, you can always transfer to a cheaper school. I wish I had either transferred to a cheaper, more chill school, or gone to a school that gave me scholarships (merit based) in the first place. In NO WAY was GW worth the insane amount of loans I have. Not that I didn’t enjoy some of the school experiences, but no college experience is worth over $100,000. EVER (!!!). Never, never, never!!! That’s a LOT of money. With interest, student loans that big keep getting bigger and bigger… and it’s very, very unpleasant and not worth it. You could buy a house and a Hummer for that in parts of the country. Keep that in mind. And, if costs keep looming, you can always transfer. Until then, relax and enjoy it.</p>
<p>Colonial Inauguration is fun. They school pulls out all the stops and TRIES to impress the parents. CI is very, very costly for the school. They want the parents to enjoy themselves and pay. GW listens to who has the checkbook. If you complain about something and it’s not being handled/fixed, have the parents call in. Most GW students think “I’m pay $50,000 for this… it should be done immediately.” Helicopter parents are everywhere. Red tape is everywhere. Try to handle some things yourself, instead of whining to parents and making them call in. If all else fails, have the parents call the parent’s office. It gets things done, often faster… but try to follow the standard procedures first (like dorm maintenance, for example). </p>
<p>Delta Gamma and Phi Sigma Sigma are pretty popular. I’m not very familiar with AKA, but it’s not notoriously bad. Rush can be brutal. Sometimes people get rejected for no apparent reason- maybe someone didn’t like their shoes. I’d skip Greek altogether, and find friends that don’t require membership fees (no offense). Greek life can be good- automatic group of friends, community service, mentoring, etc. But, it doesn’t come without a hassle, peer pressure, more expenses, etc. Think it over- you could try rushing and see if it feels right for you. There are plenty of ways to meet people on campus—just be sure to meet GOOD people. Avoid people who are arrogant and would do anything to get what they want. </p>
<p>I took Contemporary Science for non-science majors. It’s not a cake walk, but certainly not the most difficult class that I’ve taken. Class and labs are weekly—it seems like I had the class twice a week, and lab once a week. (Maybe class was just once a week, I really can’t remember.) The lab took a while. It required a fair amount of studying for someone who isn’t into sciences. Plenty of memorization and trying to understand science stuff. Most people take it their first few years of college. </p>
<p>Try to avoid 8 or 9 a.m. classes. Or, Friday classes. It’s unlikely that you will want to go.</p>
<p>Don’t rely on an academic advisor (they’ll come and go many times before you graduate).
Go get a major requirement list. Talk it over with your parents (seriously). Write down what classes you need, and plan out which ones to take over the next 4 years. Keep in mind that some classes fill up- don’t save many requirements for senior year, if any. Don’t take too many electives!!! I can’t say that enough. Too many people take classes based on what days the classes meet, or if they like the classes, then take years to graduate after that. Get the requirements out of the way FIRST—only take 1 elective per semester at first. Take at least 12 hours a semester, preferably 15. If you don’t take 15 a semester, or take too many electives, you won’t graduate on time and that will be EVEN MORE MONEY that you’ll have to spend and more time to graduate. Focus on requirements first. If a required class only meets at 8 a.m. on Fridays, do it—but be sure to go to it. It’s likely that you won’t feel like going to it, so try to find an alternative day/time if at all possible. And, seriously, go get your major requirement list NOW!! First semester!!! Select major required classes. </p>
<p>I didn’t participate in GPS. Actually, I’d never heard of it. Word to the wise: make sure you’re responsible for yourself. Your academic advisor isn’t going to step in and tell you you’re taking too many classes, or you won’t graduate on time. They won’t step in and say get an internship, or work on a resume. Don’t count on anyone else, or any program, to really plan for you. Learn what departments handle what. Be nice with requests, instead of whining or pulling the “I pay $50,000 card.” There’s said to be a lot of red tape at GW. While there is some, it’s also a matter of knowing who to call, and being reasonable with your requests. Realize that there are deadlines for different things. There are procedures for different things. And, instead of flipping out on school staff whose fault something likely isn’t, be well-manned, research the situation, and seek a remedy- not a rant. Get a list of department phone numbers. Actually, write this down: look up phone numbers/websites for: dorm repair, academic advisor, financial aid, campus shuttle, campus security, bursar, housing, dining. Quickly read about how they work, and who handles what. It’s easier to get a basic understanding of the school now, than when your dorm is flooding. With that said, don’t go overboard- ease into college, and into this. Relax. Be reasonable prepared, relaxed, focused. </p>
<p>You’re there for the degree—at the end of the day, that’s it. Don’t let partying, dating, internships, jobs, friends, or taking too many electives get in the way of you getting the degree in 4 years. Don’t get caught up in what others have and what you don’t. A lot of people have a lot of money at that school, and many blow it on needless junk. (Others go into debt for $1000 designer handbags. Don’t do it, that’s stupid.) </p>
<p>Plan a reasonable budget. </p>
<p>Don’t expect to have BFFs the first day. Find good friends that you can count on, and that can have some good clean fun, too.</p>
<p>Make use of the classes at the campus gym. Go to student health if you’re not feeling good. Take advantage of the counseling center for advice, venting, and group ‘don’t stress over tests’ sessions with classmates.</p>