GWU vs UCSB vs UCD?

Colleges and Universities A-Z George Washington University
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<p>Hey guys!
I'm planning to become an econ major for my undergraduate studies. I got into economics major for davis and GWU, but a double major in pre-econ and accounting for UCSB.</p>

<p>I would really appreciate some insight and advice because i'm in an absolute 3-way split :(</p>

<p>My Criteria - Quality of Education, Job/Future opportunity, Prestige, Bang for Buck, Stepping stone for a prestigious graduate degree</p>

<p>Other Points - All friends are going to east coast, most family is west coast</p>

<p>I'm not much of a party person, but i do like to have fun occasionally :)</p>

<p>Thank you soo much :)</p>

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<p>I would really like you to do research on the other two schools, do not choose GWU because I feel the majority of the people on this GWU thread have and we want to go here and GWU is either or first or 2nd choices not are third or part of a split</p>

<p>sorry…</p>

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<p>acutally you know what I apologize, even though I still stand by what I said.</p>

<p>In the end choosing yoru school regardless of rank is about where you will feel comfortable,making friends, doing school work etc.</p>

<p>So I advise to just visit and really getting in the vibe of feeling aprt of the schools you visit. GW has less of the typical college campus so maybe that may not be for yo… while UCD is beautiful, big campus and a lot of activity</p>

<p>so again it all depends on you! not others opinions, because we all have our biases and it’s yours that counts.</p>

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<p>Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and help me out :)</p>

<p>The problem is about visiting the campus is that i’m in Asia, and i wont be able to visit the states until July (when all decisions are finished). GWU sounds a lot like NYU (which i really dislike because i am super spirited and i love to take pride in my school), but now having read your comment, i’m inclining towards UCSB and UCD. Any comments about the Econ programs there?</p>

<p>Thank you :)</p>

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<p>I don’t know about the programs there (sorry), but I must say that UCSD is a beautiful campus!!! If you’re into the traditional campus, good education, worth the money, and a great location then I’d definitely choose UCSD (I know… and I’m going to GW too ahhahah). Near the auditorium of UCSD, you can see the bay! And it’s seriously ALL green and the buildings are just phenomenal. I think you’d really like it, and it’s one of the top schools too. From what you’ve describe, I’d say definitely choose between UCSD if you want a traditional campus, or GWU if you want an urban campus (streets through the campus). Both have really good econ majors, so I don’t think you’ll have a problem choosing between those two. I don’t know much about UCD, but I know UCSD is better ranked.</p>

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<p>^^^^
I believe the OP was talking about Davis vs. Santa Barbara (NOT UCSD) vs. GW .</p>

<p>They are three very different environments. It’s a shame you can’t visit because your visceral reaction to each place would probably give you your answer.</p>

<p>If it’s school spirit you want (the rah rah sports type) Davis is your best bet.
Davis has the most traditional and largest campus of the three. It is located in an agricultural part of the state, and the town of Davis is a traditional college town. It is the only one of the three with a football team.</p>

<p>UCSB has a surfer/partier stereotype, but rumor has it serious students can be found . It is located in a suburban environment along the central coast of California. (Santa Barbara is gorgeous, but I wouldn’t call it a college town. The school is not actually in SB but in Goleta)</p>

<p>GW environment is very different. It is in the heart of DC, but because DC is not a huge city like NYC, is not hard core urban like NYU. While it is a city campus, it feels more like a nice city neighborhood than a downtown. There are tall buildings but no huge skyscrapers because you can’t build a building that has a higher elevation than the Capitol. Still, it looks NOTHING like UCD or UCSB, and the vibe is very different from the California schools.</p>

<p>If finances are a concern, then one of the UCs will probably be cheaper, even with out of state tuition (unless there are scholarships/fin aid in the calculation). </p>

<p>Quality of education/bang for your buck are purely in the eye of the beholder. Prestige? well if you put stock in the various rankings you can easily look them up, but if you are set on a major then you are better off looking at the offerings in your intended major at each institution. </p>

<p>One of the major benefits of GW is the plethora of internships available in DC, and the emphasis on networking and making connections for future employment. No matter where you go, the quality of your experience will depend on your initiative in taking advantage of the opportunities available. Your ability to get into a “prestigious” graduate school will depend greatly on your undergraduate GPA , test scores, and relevant experiences.</p>

<p>Good luck with your decision. I hope you get some information from all three school threads to help you make your decision.</p>

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<p>Hahah I just realized that, for some reason I saw it as UCSB</p>

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<p>My daughter is leaning toward GWU–if you go there, please let her know all the things you love about GWU. She already loves the Washington DC vibe. She wants to do something internationally–join the Peace Corps, study cultural anthropology, perhaps international relations…she’s a bit worried about the rumor of large “greek” social pressure…</p>

<p>thanks for your thoughts!</p>