<p>so ive been accepted to both and i was wondering which has the better prestige, opportunites etc... I want to go to law school as well. Im not much of a partier, just want to meet nice kids (not stuck up) and which is a better college environment?</p>
<p>Theres a whole thread on GWU vs BU --click on the CC college section under G, George Washington U. Check it out. Similar insight on the BU college section board too. Theres even a section on the CC BU site about the social life particularily one for non-partyers under "drinking scene". Both great schools. With one out of 4 residents of Boston being a college student the city is certainly a plus for things for kids to do. Good luck.</p>
<p>My vote goes for GW. It's slightly more prestigious and can offer you more opportunities within the government. With all the lobbiests, agencies, and businesses in D.C., you'll have much better options, and GW is known for having good internships for its students. From what I've heard, some students party at GW, and others don't. There's plenty to do if you don't. There's more of a campus spirit at GW, IMO, after visiting both schools.</p>
<p>BU gets my nod for prestige with a world class communications program and great schools in Arts & Sciences as well as business BU is in the heart of America's College Town with great contacts.</p>
<p>Agree that the stats are higher for BU and it has a better campus but if the original poster is interested in politics then D.C. would be the place to be.</p>
<p>"Agree that the stats are higher for BU and it has a better campus"</p>
<p>What campus? It doesn't have one. GW has a defined and much greener and prettier campus. </p>
<p>The "stats" are higher at GW. They aren't that much higher than BU's because they are similar schools, but GW has a lower acceptance rate and GW is ranked higher. Boston accepts 50% of its applicants and GW accepts 38%.</p>
<p>Six of one and half a dozen of the other. I think it depends on field of academic study and cost. Both BU and GW have some rich kids, urban campuses, and amazing opportunities. Boston has more snow.</p>
<p>Actually GWs Sats are 1370 at the high mid-range while BU is 1400. The average SAT at GWU is 1240 vs. 1300 at BU. Acceptance rate is a tricky thing. Many kids apply to schools based on location and with 5 times the number of colleges in Boston than D.C. the acceptance rates will be variable in a large school. Plus BU offers the CGS College for kids who would not be accepted into the regular program but have a special two year program with the goal of transitioning in so things can easily be skewed. Thats why its best not to talk in general that any school is better or more prestigious. Its really subjective since we viewed BU as having much more of a campus, especially all the courtyard areas along the new Student Village and Rec. Areas, West, the Bay St Brownstones and Brownstones on South campus plus the river at your back but evidently some view GW as more of a campus so its subjective same as with NYU. And GW has in room maid service? WOW. Thats worth weighing in as a factor. Bottom line---All of these are excellent schools. None is necessarilyi better but everyone wants to say their choice is better. Fit is whats important. If you snowboard than BU might be better for you but if you have a keen interest in politics they how can you not prefer D.C.?</p>
<p>GW cares more about Grades. 65% of its freshmen class are in the top 10% while BU has 60% in the top 10%. </p>
<p>I feel like a child arguing this. Both are great schools that work for certain individuals. Obviously, I'm biased, so I'm going to side on GW's side. They are very similar stat wise, so why don't we just agree that they are equal or close to it?</p>
<p>As for your assertion about Boston colleges, I disagree. DC has Georgetown, GW, Catholic, American, and Gaul within the district, not to mention Maryland is very close and many colleges are less than 1 hours away. Other than BU, there really aren't that many colleges in Boston. Yes, there's schools like Harvard, Tufts, MIT, Boston College, etc. closeby, but they aren't in the city limits like the DC schools are.</p>
<p>I agree its an apples and apples, not oranges. Again, the stats for BU proper are different than what you quote which includes CGS--College of General Studies --its a 2 yr program for kids who did not have the stats to get into BU but show potential so they have a 2 year program with the goal of transitioning them into the regular collgees therr. D.C. is all over Boston as far as weatherr. The DC weather is some of the best on the East Coast. You are incorrect though about schools in Boston. You forget Noertheaster which is very large, MIT ( a couple blocks from BU), Emerson, the Music Consevatories and many more. During Sept to May 1 in 4 residents of Boston is a college student. These threads get silly. Lets go back to the original poster and her obvious lean toward BU and support that decision without making it seem like a bad one. Thes are similar schools, great schools but not at the top 10 level, but a good fit for similar students with similar interests to attend a school in an urban environmnet so they can't go wrong with either.</p>
<p>Okay, so Boston has BU, Emerson, and Northeastern. MIT is in Cambridge. If you want to include schools neighboring DC, then we could include Maryland and JHU. O, and how could I forget HOWARD UNIVERSITY? That's another college within the district. Trust me, DC has just as many young people as Boston. You also have to think about all the grad students and interns just out of college in DC.</p>
<p>I agree that the poster can't go wrong. Both schools are very similar, but I personally believe GW is the best choice. </p>
<p>sydney is international so she hasn't visited either. She just happens to like Boston better from her research. I am interjecting my <em>opinion</em> that DC is a better college town.</p>
<p>O, and it's not fair to blame lower stats on the college of general studies. The CGS kids are apart of BU's academics as are the rest of the students. They take classes there and earn BU degrees.</p>
<p>Actually CGS kids take class in the CGS College not the School of Management, CAS, or other half a dozen BU colleges. Interestingly, by being given a chance to boost their academics, a high percentage are able to transition into the regular BU Student Body after the 2 yr CGS Program and their final two years stats are indistinguishable from peers who had a jump starts due to their SAT scores/HS records. Some kids at BU resent that there is a CGS since they feel it diminishes the overall stats but I think its nice when a school can recognize that there are smart kids who may just miss getting accepted because of a lower score but who show potential. I've known a few clowns in HS who got it together in college and became downright scholarly. Unfortuntely I'm also aware of people who do well in HS and really let things fall apart in college. So you never know where your path may take you. DC has much greater Diversity than Boston so thats a real plus to consider too. I think the city itself is majority African American where as Boston, by being a Northern city, lacks that and it is only slowly changing. Both have a lot of international students which is cool---BU has many from India, Pakastan, Israel and Thailand and I'm not sure where most of GW's internationals derive from---possibly its similar. GO GW!!! GO BU!!! Good luck to the original poster and relax in the knowlege that both of these wonderful schools will work well for you and the passion expressed on this thread demonstates the school pride of both institutions. There is actually a very large cross fertilization between BU and GW for grad school and Med School placement so you see that the comfort level at one for undergrad translates well for success at the other for grad. school.</p>
<p>Honestly whatever school you pick they are both fantastic.</p>
<p>I have about null knowledge for both these schools, but I would like to say that BU is in the area where some of the greatest institutions in the country are located. You mentioned in your query that you want to meet nice kids. I am sure you will find ALL kinds of kids in Boston area, with Harvard and MIT being in that area. Enjoy</p>
<p>My vote: GW</p>
<p>It's a stronger school in a better city. DC is bigger than Boston and has more cultural opportunities. There's also tons of young people in DC, maybe even more than Boston's.</p>
<p>no, im not international i actually come from Los Angeles. It was a little dissapointing not getting into the UC's i wanted, only santa barbara and irvine. I dont like SB's notoriously crazy party scene, and well irvine is boring. I want a change of environment and am unsure which I could be happy at. such a hard decision!!!</p>
<p>I got accepted to both among others. I'm choosing BU for reasons I put on the BU Board. Washington didn't seem like a college town to me while Boston is listed as THE college town. Also my SATs are high, in the 1500s, and it looked like I'll take Honors classes at BU and the Professors in that program had really cool backgrounds. I might want to switch from CAS to School of Mangement at some point or who knows what and BU seemed to make that easy to do. I also liked the fact that BU does not have a big frat scene/party school rep. I have never lived in a city. The people I meet from D.C. tend to live in the suburbs but the people I have met from Boston often live there in that Back Bay area. I am also into all kinds of music and the on campus concerts and other activities were broader at BU at least according to the Club sections of GW and BUs web sites. My friend's sister goes to BU and my cousin went to GW. Both were happy.</p>
<p>Princeton review ranked GW #15 for under the great college town ranking while BU was ranked #18. </p>
<p>Both are great schools. You should visit before making a decision. DC is my personal favorite, but it's not like Boston is a dump either.</p>