Admitted to undergraduate Honors Program at both schools. The fact that the campus experiences would be opposite ends of the spectrum is not a factor, and assume that scholarship money makes their respective cost a wash. I’ve seen that GW (Elliott) is ranked 8th and W&M 16th in the most recent survey for undergraduate IA/IR, but how do they truly compare from the perspective of (1) curriculum, (2) faculty, and (3) reputation in the hiring market for internships and beyond? My sense is that GW places more balanced emphasis on academic curriculum and practical training, whereas W&M, where IA is a liberal arts major (not its own school like Elliott) places greater emphasis on theory/research, etc. But I could be mistaken. All insights are welcome–thank you!
At George Washington University you have the opportunity to switch schools if you don’t end up wanting to study international affairs, so I wouldn’t worry too much about being “boxed in.” Also, GWU is ranked #1 for internships by the Princeton Review in 2016 and their Elliot School is surrounded by amazing government buildings, these may be important factors that help influence your decision. William and Mary is an amazing institution, so I am sure they have their own advantages there, but if you want to study international affairs, four blocks away from the white house in D.C. is a huge advantage. Like you, I have recently been admitted to the Elliot School, and what helped determine my decision was the “Inside GW” day. I would highly recommend attending admitted students days if you are still on the fence.
Hope this helps!
My daughter was originally considering UMD - College Park in addition to GW. UMD has an International Affairs concentration under their Poli Sci major. What ultimately tipped the scales was the sheer variety of courses and majors available at GW as a result of having a full IA school. My older daughter just graduated from GW (International Affairs with a concentration in International Development.) She had professors who were former ambassadors and had done research in multiple fields. One of her Econ professors was replaced at the last minute because he was appointed to an advisor for Obama on Chinese relations! That coupled with the opportunities for Internships make GW a unique opportunity if you really want to study international affairs.(the IMF and World Bank are so close to campus their day care program children walk right through Kogan Plaza.) I really have no idea how William and Mary stacks up in terms of reputation for hiring, but I know my daughter graduated early and has a job!
@Mbmama -Wow thanks for that info! My dd is an admitted student to IA/ Elliot at GW. She is deciding between that and Fordham in NYC. (she is debating a career in Impact investing vs IA). She loves the city, but does like the idea of a trad campus that Fordham offers. Clearly, the coursework at GW will be much more interesting. Can you speak to two things: what types of jobs do graduates of GW Elliot/ IA get (to help her know what that path could look like), and how was the social/college/campus life for your girls? Thanks!!!
@NJmom8 DD #1 is my recent graduate (a semester early due to AP credits!) DD#2 will be in the Class of 2022. A lot of the graduates that she knows go into politics in one form or another (Legislative Aids on the Hill, NGOs, consulting firms.) My daughter has had internships in our congressman’s office on the hill, with the DNC, American Jewish Committee (office of government and international affairs) and SKDK Consulting and is currently working for a congressional campaign in Northern Virginia. DD #2 will be studying IA as well with a focus on International Conflict Resolution.
If you want more of a campus feel, the Mt. Vernon campus is just a 10 minute shuttle ride from the main Foggy Bottom campus and is beautiful and has a more traditional feeling. It’s great for freshman year and makes for a nice transition to college life. That said, there is a campus “vibe” even to Foggy Bottom and you know you are in a college campus when you walk around.
There is always something to do and many clubs and organizations to join to meet people. The city is so vibrant, they often just want to explore. Students are required to live on campus through Junior year so that helps keep them engaged in campus life too (most Soph/Junior dorms have kitchens in the units.) As you can tell, people who love GW are passionate about it! There is a GWU Parents Facebook group that you can ask to join and many similar questions have been asked if you want to see other people’s experience. Hope this helps!!