<p>I love GWU. I'm planning to attend. I love the atmosphere, the internships, everything. But it seems like everyone I talk to or hear about is planning to transfer to Georgetown.</p>
<p>If I go to GWU, Will I actually have friends and people that STICK AROUND?</p>
<p>PLenty of us are staying</p>
<p>D is still there after 3 years. Only one of her original group of freshman friends transferred...and she did that to be closer to her boyfriend! About the Georgetown transfer thing, many students that do transfer there, originally had Georgetown as their first choice but either weren't accepted or didn't go for some reason. Both schools are very good. GT has a different vibe, more enclosed campusy feel and some excellent programs that GW doesn't offer...accordingly many have very valid reasons for transferring. Both schools participate in the consortium, so GW students can take some classes at Georgetown and other DC area schools.</p>
<p>My daughter, and all her friends, just finished freshman year -- and no one is leaving. There was some initially grumbling from her about wanting to transfer to a smaller school, but I wrote that off as typical freshman angst. (I don't know many kids who DIDN'T consider transferring somewhere else as freshman.) She ultimately fell in love with Washington and the urban campus at GW, as well as all the options it offers.</p>
<p>I was instructed by my friends that just finished their freshman year, to hold on, that they all entertained leaving their schools, and that is part of being a freshman. It's like a riite of passage. I will be taking their word seriously. I love GW</p>
<p>I'm leaving...but there is no way in Catholic hell that I would go to Georgetown. I have friends there and I have been to the campus quite a few times (it's quite beautiful except for that grotesque library), but I think GW has a lot more to offer. Unless of course you want to pursue more classical disciplines; in which case Georgetown would be the better place to be.</p>
<p>qwilde:</p>
<p>why are you leaving GW? And...did you find it difficult to leave?</p>
<p>With all due respect the question is a little silly, you are implying that the vast majority transfer out! Simply not true, in fact its a measly 4% that transfer out or less, so of course there are 96% of the people you meet in your first year will be there for the 2nd, the 3rd and the 4th!!</p>
<p>Uh, yes. People stay.</p>
<p>Um duh! I don't know a single person that transferred to Gtown. Maybe some people think about it, but GW is a great university and I encourage you to read this [url=<a href="http://gwblogspot.blogspot.com/%5DGWblogspot.com%5B/url">http://gwblogspot.blogspot.com/]GWblogspot.com[/url</a>]. Get some more perspective.</p>
<p>There is a 97 per cent retention rate. Not shabby.</p>
<p>Well, there is only a 90% retention rate for freshman...is this 97% that everyone keeps saying for ALL undergrads?</p>
<p>Straight from collegeboard: Percent of students who return for sophomore year: 90%</p>