<p>Some people here chose GWU over GT.. I think Buffetmaster or whatever hes name was did, or at least he had stats on the GT level..I prefer the setting and atmosphere of GW to GT but I may consider transferring after a year or two for the prestige like you mentioned. For International Relations they are both top notched programs though GT is just a bit above.</p>
<p>Im probably not even going to apply</p>
<p>Believe it or not there are people who prefer GW to Georgetown. My D was one of them. She wanted to be right in the city. She thought GW had a more vibrant feel to it. It also had a wider variety of programs. She felt the staff at Georgetown was cold and didn't care for the campus or the constant sound of airplanes flying directly overhead. GW was her first choice even though she had the stats to attend more "prestigious" schools. To tell you the truth, the average person outside of D.C. doesn't know the difference between Georgetown and George Washington. They get them confused. I think my D made the right decision. You shouldn't pick a school to impress other people. It has to feel right to you.</p>
<p>GW didn't give me nearly enough money to even consider it as an option. Luckily, Wellesley (one of my top choices) did. In fact, at Wellesley, I'll be paying about 1/3rd of what I would have had to pay at GW. (Thank goodness for financial aid!) I would definitely consider GW for grad school, though.</p>
<p>As much as I liked the idea of being a polisci major in DC, I know the resources of the Boston area will probably offer quite a few opportunities as well.</p>
<p>i'm sure the "people" researchmaven were given some top $$$ if they were able to even get in at g-town, they would have been given SOMETHING at g-dub- maybe this was a reason you're daughter transferred----i'm sure 4/5 of those people that you were talking about transfered or chose g-dub for financial not preference/prestige reasons----you think G-dub is warm????-its not known to be---i think the whole jesuit atmosphere would be warmer---unless you are talking about elitism issues (well at least G-town isn't pretenscious!)---although you are right some people who are less familiar with the college system will cofuse the too--perhaps thats the reason GW changed its name from Columbian University ???- no that was done along time ago jk</p>
<p>I still don't get why you're still bashing GW, armcp.</p>
<p>eh, the "prestige" of georgetown would obviously be nice, but i definitely agree that gw has a very different environment that a lot of people prefer. in my opinion, it's much more diverse personality-wise, the residence halls are waaaaay better, and gw has amazing administrators. it's true that the <em>secretaries</em> and such can be a pain, but the top ADMINISTRATORS are very accessible -- much more so than many schools. they go above and beyond to help you -- something that is not common at many schoosl, large or small.</p>
<p>armcp-I suggest you stay on the Tulane boards. Stop looking to the past and look to your future. Stop wallowing in your bitterness towards GW since you couldn't afford it. This is not a productive way of dealing with dissappointment.</p>
<p>Researchmaven, I wonder what percentage of students at GW pay the whole tuition? Do you know that stat? I know we will be joining that elite group!</p>
<p>we are also paying full tuition for our son. How sad is that?</p>
<p>according to USNews, 39%of undergrads at GW are determined to have financial need. The average aid package (I think from 2004) was $30,891.</p>
<p>We opted for another school as well. In the end, the cost of GW wasn't worth it compared to the other options.</p>
<p>I actually had to make an agonizing decision whether I wanted to go to GW or Georgetown. On academic merit and rep, the SFS at Gtown clearly wins over GW Elliott, but I just kept feeling like I liked the environment and social situation at GW a lot more than Georgetown...especially when factoring in that I am gay and Georgetown is a Catholic university. Plus GW offered me a half-tuition merit scholarship. </p>
<p>However, I sort of realized that with friends already at GW and me being practically walking distance to GW next year that that shouldn't really effect my decision. I'm sure a lot of my friends will be GW students anyway, it's just sort of the nature of DC...especially if you're someone who's a little more outgoing and adventurous. So I just sort of figured, whatever, I'm not going to Georgetown so much as I am going to school in DC, in my estimation. </p>
<p>If Georgetown sucks, however, I am transferring to GW. period. That being said I don't think it'll be a problem, though I will envy forever GW's superior food and housing options!</p>
<p>That being said, I think a lot of the "differences" between the two schools are mainly mythical at this point. Granted there is a segment of the Georgetown student body that rarely leaves the neighborhood or even the school gates...but there definitely are a lot of students who spend as much, if not more, time out and about in the city itself than the GW kids. It's really all what you want to do with your four years in DC.</p>
<p>I think you made the right choice trying GT SFS over GW if you can bare it its worth it for the superior academics then prestige. I always thought GW's food options were weak, seems like its expensive and hard to get a nutrious meal since there is no real cafeteria</p>
<p>" I always thought GW's food options were weak, seems like its expensive and hard to get a nutrious [SIC] meal since there is no real cafeteria."</p>
<p>As a parent, I can't help but agree. I was appalled at the idea of no dining facility for the students. Eating together for meals is a great way to meet your fellow students across the schools. Looking at the prices of the Market in the Student Center and also at the closest supermarket to GW, I was appalled at the prices. No wonder that most of the students' rooms that we were shown during the tours had stockpiles of ramen noodles, pasta, and very little else in their pantry areas of the rooms.
We also did not see the same degree of physically fit students at GW that we witnessed during our last 2 years of college visits.</p>
<p>Motherdear- The comment about "physically fit" is so untrue. GW has a great health and wellness sports facility and it is well used. As to the dining, here's the latest news about changes to J Street from the GW Hatchet: "Our research on campus told us that while students like the a la carte style choices in retail restaurants, they missed having a campus restaurant where they could sit and have a relaxing meal with their friends and have numerous meal choices available to them." She said J Street Caf</p>
<p>It is the only school that we visited that charged a usage fee for the non-intercollegiate athletes to use the athletic center. My family thought everyone looked out-of -shape and pudgy as compared to the students at other schools. I hope the J Street Cafe will alleviate the lack of a dining hall.</p>
<p>There is no fee to use the Health and Wellness Center (the facility for non-DI athletes). Helwell is actually more spacious and has more amenities than the Smith Center (the facility for our athletes). There is also a free work-out incentive program where they design a work out for you and every time you complete it, you earn points towards prizes. There is, however, an extra fee for taking group fitness classes.</p>
<p>Yeah as far as I know there is no fee for the workout center and I have to say a lot of the girls from GW I met were all very in-shape and good looking</p>
<p>it is not hard to keep in shape at GW at all; i think the unathletic/out of shape people here are just lazy. i run outdoors all the time. dc is very much a walking city. you can sign up for gym classes every semester, though they don't count towards graduation. if you join an athletic club, i know they work your a** off every morning; my friend joined crew and it whipped her into shape in a matter of weeks!</p>
<p>motherdear -- gw did not "make" anyone out of shape or pudgy... we are responsible for our own health and bodies, after all. anyone, at any school, has the <em>ability</em> to drink every night, eat ramen noodles, and develop beer bellies. unhealthy lifestyles are not exclusive to GW; college students eat like horribly and get "pudgy" all the time. </p>
<p>if you have a problem with the food, buy your food at safeway (at the watergate complex). i am a total health freak / exercise fanatic and i mostly buy my food from there.</p>