CMU or GW?? (PLEASE HELP)

College Search & Selection
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<p>Just some background info:
I am currently a high school senior who is planning to major in international affairs and to pursue a career in government. When I was first applying to colleges, my counselor showed me which colleges on my list I'd have a hard time getting into and which ones would be easy for me. I was told that CMU would be very difficult for me to get into as would the Elliott School at GWU since it is the university's most competitive school. After being deferred EA from Georgetown (which I was also told would be a reach school), I decided that I wanted to apply EDII at GW so I could almost guarantee an acceptance into the Elliott School, and I applied regular to Carnegie. I was accepted EDII to GW, and I just received my acceptance into CMU today (I have no idea how I got in), which also included an invitation into both the Science and Humanities Scholars Program and the Quantitative Social Science Scholars Program.</p>

<p>My question is: which school would be better for me?
I understand that I cannot reject an ED acceptance unless my family cannot pay the tuition, and as of now, GW has given me no financial aid. CMU hasn't finished up my financial aid package yet, but either way CMU would be cheaper than GW.
I just was wondering which school would be better for me because CMU is highly regarded and highly ranked in the nation but so is the Elliott School. </p>

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<p>GW. International affairs, career in government. Being in DC is primo for that. Absolutely GW. Haven’t you already passed the window in time when you can turn down GW for not being able to afford it? You should have rescinded your CMU application. You should do it right now. CMU can rescind your acceptance if they find out you are playing games with ED that way. They have some very strict rules about these sort of things and do enforce them. This is not some state school that doesn’t care about ED, and double depositing and that sort of thing. They will take action. What you have done is unethical.</p>

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<p>OP, I have to agree with cpt about both which school is better (Elliott, absolutely) and your ED issue. EDII decisions came out a month ago. Is GWU affordable even without aid?</p>