<p>I am stuck between GW and Fordham. My intended major is history/political science, with a pre-law track. I absolutely love GW and all of the opportunities in Washington DC, but am concerned about the living situation at GW. Fordham has a great campus, a great student body and is a little cheaper. What do you guys think?</p>
<p>Go to GWU.</p>
<p>George Washington has some of the largest and most well appointed dorms in all of the college dorm universe. Its in Foggy Bottom adjacent to the White House on one side and the State Department on the other. Its ground zero for politicos. Its got the fabulous Elliot School. Its got unbelievably famous and amazing professors. Thats the good news. The bad news is its bureaucratic (I have heard nightmares about class scheduling and they way they treat students once there), its very expensive…the most expensive school in the United States, bar none, and its amazingly competitive and cutthroat. Its decidedly NOT Catholic and has a lot of Georgetown wannabes and very wealthy kids. DC is an expensive city. Its a quasi urban campus…and only basketball which is not played on campus. Its an entirely different feel than an enclosed campus with sports like Fordham. </p>
<p>How do I know? Let me count the ways…used to live and work in DC very near there. I have friends with kids there now. Been on campus so many times its like an old neighborhood to me. On and on. Its a fabulous school, but not for the meek and faint of heart. Also, the opportunities are there for the aggressive and those with super high grades, but the competition for internships is wicked, and you also have to deal with competition from Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, American U and Maryland…and sometimes UVa and Richmond. Its not like picking strawberries in a field of acres and acres. </p>
<p>Fordham is a very strong History Department and decent Poli Sci department. The internships are more likely with NGO’s or United Nations or anything else you can scare up. Some Fordham kids have done very well, even finding jobs on Capitol Hill or with think tanks. Its all about your gpa and contacts. Fordham is cheaper. New York is expensive too, but being an enclosed campus, you can insulate yourself from the big money spenders on Fifth Avenue and Manhattan very easily. Fordham is competitive but I would never say cutthroat. Fordham is smaller than George Washington and your professors are less likely to treat you like a number or be disinterested in your overall welfare. Most Fordham profs are very caring and supportive and will be happy to mentor you. </p>
<p>So, it comes down to which city you prefer, what you really want to do…if its just law school, then I think you should go where a) you will spend less money on undergrad cost and b) where you are likely to have a higher gpa and better success because getting into law school is purely a numbers game: gpa and LSAT score. All that “holistic approach” stuff is bunk. Its a numbers game. Everyone at GWU is either med school bound or law school bound. How do you spell HYPER? Great school…phenomenal opportunities, but a different environment. Just saying…</p>
<p>Fordham does very well with law school placement…BUT…its all about your gpa and LSAT score, again. And you can go to Fordham Law or George Washington Law or Georgetown Law or Columbia Law or NYU Law or where ever you want to go…from Fordham, just as well as GWU. IF you have the stats and scores.</p>
<p>Fordham is a great environment, a lot of fun, sports on campus, a gated campus with lush trees and lawns, its NYC, its Jesuit, and its cheaper than GWU.</p>
<p>“Fordham is competitive but I would never say cutthroat.”</p>
<p>I love hearing that! :)</p>
<p>GW - tuition + room and board = $51,730
Fordham - tuition + room and board =$49,551</p>
<p>Not that much of a difference since GW does not raise tuition for enrolled students. They are both very expensive!</p>
<p>Agreed, fine form. But I thought GW was more like 53 all-in.</p>
<p>GWU has very great reputation for being next to Urban areas in DC.
Great opportunity to get internships from there.
Very friendly people too. </p>
<p>GWU isn’t all that cutthroat, but it will be academically competitive with Georgetown and UVA.</p>
<p>I visited GW and decided not to apply. I’m now a student at Fordham.</p>
<p>I didn’t like GW because it had a very fractured atmosphere; there is no unified campus and no common dining hall. Also, my tour guide complained about the advising program and bureaucracy of GW. And, like Ghostbuster said, GW REALLY felt like a Georgetown wannabee. </p>
<p>Now, one could say that Fordham is an NYU or Columbia wannabee. But I would disagree because Fordham’s identity is so drastically different from NYU and Columbia while GW and Georgetown share many qualities (Now, if you said Fordham was a BC wannabee…)</p>
<p>I also didn’t like that GW is in a very wealthy district of DC (something I also disliked about Georgetown). In contrast, Fordham is in a vibrant community full of immigrants and diversity - it’s truly a unique college experience. And, wealthy Manhattan is only 20 minutes away. </p>
<p>Both are great schools, though. It’s all about personal preference. Good luck!</p>
<p>To clarify: I have huge respect for George Washington and its vast alumni base. They are one of the best colleges in the United States. Its just a different environment and experience. George Washington has a distinctly NYU feel to it, though its in Washington DC. For some that is exciting and vibrant, for others, its not what they are looking for. If you got into both, congratulations. But pick a school on where you think you will be happiest and thrive, not on national rankings.</p>