Missing out on "typical college experience"?

<p>My D really loves GW (applied RD, waiting to find out) but I think she is worried if she goes to GW that she'll miss out on the typical college experience - big spralling campus, football games, etc. I'm curious if there are current students who overcame this and didn't regret NOT going to a "Big Ten" or similar school.</p>

<p>If those factors are important to her then GW is not a “match”.</p>

<p>Agreed with musicmomz, although I’m currently attending AU I feel like I did not get the typical college experience at all here and am transferring out of the school at the end of the year. Your Daughter should take in consideration, to what extent of not having an actual campus, sports, etc is she okay with. Coming from a highly spirited high school I was disappointed with the lack of spirit that AU offered</p>

<p>GW does have the traditional campus, and many students actually end up living/taking a lot of classes there. It’s called mount Vernon and is about a 15 minute bus ride from the Foggy Bottom “City” Campus. Mount Vernon is beautiful with tons of green space, and this is where most of the sporting events take place. I’m not sure about a football team, but I know soccer is a huge sport that is supported by GW students, and many students gather together to watch the games.</p>

<p>We do have a traditional campus. You know very distinctly when you are on campus and when you are off. We have a quad and a number of student spaces. People are doing things all over campus and walking around or hanging out all hours of the day/night, all days of the week. Basketball games are HUGE, hundreds of people tailgate and fill the student sections.</p>

<p>However, if having a football team and not being in a city is at the top of her criteria, she needs to rethink her decision.</p>

<p>I have to agree with the others. GW was exactly the college experience that my D wanted. She thought it was cool that her club team practiced on the National Mall. She joined various organizations and made great friends. Having grown up in a sports crazed city, she was not looking for a big rah rah football school. She could hop on the metro and go to internships for a few hours during the day between classes. I think she went to a basketball game her senior year because she had never been to one before. There were no regrets or feelings to overcome - it was the perfect place for her. It is not for everyone!</p>

<p>You said she loves GW - what does she love about it?</p>

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<p>GWU does NOT have a traditional college experience. </p>

<p>GWU does NOT have a traditional college campus. The Mount Vernon Campus is a secondary campus that’s traditional, but GWU as a school is not a traditional college campus environment. Mount Vernon Campus was an old college (Mount Vernon College) that GWU bought out in the 1990s. Mount Vernon Campus has some of the things a very very small campus has, like trees, real campus boundaries, etc. But Mount Vernon Campus have to commute back and forth to Foggy Bottom for many of their classes and student organization events. That’s not a traditional college campus experience. That’s commuting between your colleges main “real” Foggy Bottom campus and another campus. It’s not the same experience. And, Mount Vernon Campus is very small. It’s not like a big 10 sprawling traditional campus.</p>

<p>It’s a city campus. Period. GWU buildings are mixed in, to some extent, with city buildings and city apartment complexes. Yes, you see GWU banners or flags, along with students parading GWU sportswear. GWU markets it as “you can feel that you’re on campus.” Because of street sign banners? Yeah, no. It’s not a typical college campus. Yes, you can figure out if you’re too far off campus by not seeing GWU banners or looking at the street signs and realizing you’re lost. That doesn’t make it a traditioanl college campus. College campuses, except GWU and NYU and similar, don’t have commuters walking through your campus all day. College campuses, present company excluded, don’t have city apartments with working adults living on your campus. It’s different. It’s a city campus. GWU is not a traditional campus. Many people like this very fact. It’s a city-turned-campus. A campus that’s 5± blocks within a city. You’ll see students wearing pajamas to class walking around the same sidewalks with businessmen in suits on their way to some embassy job. It’s a college campus that’s part of, and inside of, a city. That’s both a good thing and a bad thing.</p>

<p>Yes, you do miss out on football games. GWU hasn’t had a football team since somewhere around the 1950s.</p>

<p>Yes, you miss out on the traditional college experience with a traditional suburban campus, tailgaiting, and a chill, college town environment.</p>

<p>You gain: DC.</p>

<p>The best thing about GWU? DC.</p>

<p>You gain DC internships. </p>

<p>Your campus has views of the Washington Monuments and DC site-seeing.</p>

<p>You can walk to the Washington Monument, White House, or Dupont Circle.</p>

<p>You can live in a dorm on the same area as the World Bank or IMF. </p>

<p>You can attend DC special events or DC Nationals games.</p>

<p>You loose the traditional college experience, and gain a power city living experience.</p>

<p>GWGrad, you’re my new buddy! :)</p>

<p>Great, Hellobaby. Or, should I say, hellooooo, babbbby. :D</p>

<p>Hahahaha! Keep up the good work!</p>

<p>My D had to withdraw after freshman year for medical reasons. After 2 major surgeries and 1+ year at home, she has started with nursing pre-reqs at local community college. She has just started that but will be debating whether to stay at CC and get RN at 2yr school than continue at 4yr school for RN-BSN or just complete pre-reqs and find 4 years schools that she will qualify for transfer to. That said, I do know that she wants to have a college experience, go away, find new friends, campus life, sports (football not required) but to be a part of that experience. I know nursing school is tough did it myself, from post-military through MSN, all while working and with family. Thus, if she can go away to school have college experience and complete her BSN, than that would be the best situation for her.<br>
Any recommendations on colleges or universities east of the Mississippi River for combo of nursing school and college experience are welcome. Thanks</p>