<p>I'm a rising senior trying to decide whether or not to apply to GW. I love the location and the programs it offers, but I'm a little concerned that it might not the be the right "fit" for me. I've heard that it's very Greek and social life revolves around going around to bars, which is fine but really not my scene. I'm a little more nerdy and hippie-ish than I think most people at GW would be, but I'm hoping that if there's diversity at GW I'll still be able to find people more like me to hang out with (I don't mean to imply that I'm not open to being around different people, just that I want to be able to find people with similar interests). Do people who aren't typical for GW students still find a place at the school?</p>
<p>Don’t worry about it being the “right fit”, as you’ll always be able to make anywhere. On top of that 99% of the students from GW are from out of state and there are also international students making GW very diverse. If the people you heard from are part of Greek Life and hang out at bars, then that is what they’ll tell you about since their lives mainly revolve around those things.
Remember, there will always be partiers, nerds, greeks,…etc on all college campus.</p>
<p>It seems all of my daughter’s friends have been made through the clubs and organizations she has joined. I can’t tell from your description of ‘nerdy and hippie-ish’ what your interests are, but I would take a look at the list of clubs and see if any might interest you. If there is one related to your possible major, that is one way to find a like-minded group. Service activities are another way to meet people, if that type of thing interests you.</p>
<p>I did a search on Greek life at GWU, and I don’t know how accurate wikipedia is, but it says 22% of students are Greek. That doesn’t seem to be a huge number to me. There are a lot of professional and service Greek organizations also, which are not the same as the social fraternities and sororities.</p>
<p>It may not sound like the Greek community is huge, but the presence is extremely palpable. Not gonna lie. GW has all types of students with various interests, but it’s not a super artsy/quirky place. You will definitely be able to find people that you get along with, but GW has a vibe that is really difficult to understand if you aren’t a student.</p>
<p>Have you visited? You might be perfect for the Mt. Vernon campus. But OTOH, don’t discount Greek Life- it’s great. There is a lot to be said for the friendships made, and the Greek orgs have very different personalities- you might find one you like.</p>
<p>2nd. i was a greek. it’s a lot different than what you read, or see in movies/tv, or what people “tell you” it’s like. especially since gw is such a nontraditional school.</p>
I actually did visit a few days ago, and while it’s not the perfect fit personality-wise, I really liked the school and I think I’m going to apply.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your help guys! I guess I’m just going to apply and if I get accepted and am not sure, hopefully an overnight visit will give me a better idea of the vibe of the school.</p>