I’m deciding between Bates and GW. I like the academic reputation at Bates but I’m concerned that it might be too small and not diverse enough. Meanwhile, I like GW’s location and diversity but I’m concerned about the higher student teacher ratio and the lower academic ranking.
Like I recommend to other prospective students in the same shoes as yourself: you need to make of list of things that are important to you- things you want a university to have, and then rank them between the two. No one can tell you which is “best” for you, especially since it’s not something quantifiable (by us, anyway). You ranking your desires will help rate each one apples-to-apples. If there’s a trait that you want but don’t know how GW ranks, that’s where we can help: school spirit, social atmosphere, student involvement, etc. Don’t expect a whole lot of help on the topic of Bates, however.