I’m a senior who applied to GW and I really like it, especially considering that I would be doing international, D.C.-y things there. However my sister-in-law grew up in Virginia and lived in D.C. for almost ten years and she told me that because GW is kind of mixed in with the city that you don’t get the “college feel” and you miss the typical “college experience” because it’s more like you’re living in an apartment in the city, not in a dorm, and there’s less of a community feel, etc.
Can any current or former GW student comment on if this is true or not?
I’m not a student but I’ve visited. Definitely don’t think it would provide a traditional college campus feel but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it is like living in an apartment in the city. The fact that GW was less like a traditional college campus inclined me to apply ED to GW over Georgetown. Hope that helped?
My brother attended George Washington University and eventually transferred to Villanova after two years. He hated George Washington University because it was the complete opposite of a traditional college experience. If you’re interested in college quads, Greek life, and ‘typical college parties’ - do not come here. You will not find what you are looking for. Also, its insanely expensive so if city life is not for you don’t waste your time. Sorry for being super blunt but I hope this was helpful! If city life is for you, however, I definitely recommend GW. DC is awesome if thats what you’re looking for!
No offense to all of the people that shared their two cents, but visiting campus or living in the city is not the same as attending the university for 4+ years. While you can get a “feel” for the campus, you miss out on the day-to-day… the stuff that makes up the “college experience.”
@collegebound1516 In order to say definitively whether or not you’d “miss out” on anyway, what exactly do you want out of college? GW, being an urban campus, will lack a lot of the structural things you might think of when you think of a “typical” college (no huge quad, no rolling fields of grass, no perimeter walls/gates, lots of non-students strolling through campus during the work week), but it still “feels” like college. You still live in dorms of anywhere from 30 to 800 people, you still walk to class, have a large dining center, there’s a huge library, and students still hang-out all around campus (at least when the weather’s warm). Students still have parties in dorms, rush fraternities, complain about professors, may or may not go to sporting events (GW isn’t know for its school spirit with relation to sports).
What is great about GW, though, is the city life. You’re blocks from the White House. You’re a short Metro or cab ride from great night life, restaurants, museums, shopping… you just can’t get that in many places. GW is also one of the best schools in the country (I think it was voted #1 this year) in internships. The economy is also on of the strongest in the nation so your chances of finding a job after graduation are a lot better than other places in the nation (if you don’t mind staying in D.C.).
Overall, GW is an awesome place for people looking for the above. If you’re more into the typical sprawling campus feel, you’ll be disappointed. If you really want to know if it’s a good match for you, tell us what is most important to you in a school, or even things you want to avoid.
GW is an urban university like NYU and BU. For many students that is a plus. There is little or no campus. “The city is our campus” is a slogan that attracts some students. Other urban universities have somewhat of a defined campus: Northeastern, Georgetown, JHU, Penn. But even there you will be involved in the city quite a lot. These schools do not pretend to offer the “traditional college experience”.
If you have reached this point in the process you need to determine what is more important to you: tailgating and drinking versus immersing yourself in an interesting urban experience.
@NHuffer I think for me the social scene/greek life is less important. I’m not normally a city person but when I visited D.C., I loved it. I think my biggest concern would be just going there and not feeling like I live at college, and feeling more like I attend classes and then just go home… it’s hard to explain, mainly because I’m still in high school. I guess maybe I’m asking if there’s a strong sense of college community and unity even though you’re mixed in with the city?
@collegebound1516 hey! I’m also a current senior who applied to GW (early decision II) I had some of the same concerns as you with not getting “the college experience.” I stayed overnight at GW for a weekend and, in my
opinion, realized it has just as much of a college feel as a grassy typical campus. The pros of the city definitely outweigh the cons. In terms of school spirit and community, I know GW isn’t huge with sports but basketball definitely is! All the games are well attended and GW is like 20 in the nation for it I believe? Also, you could always stay at the mount Vernon campus which is a typical college campus. Hope this helped!
@collegebound1516 Yes, I’d say the sense of college community is strong. It definitely did not feel like we were only there to go to class then go home. I would assume that the majority of students have a strong social life with other students, whether it’s a small group of friends or a larger one. When students aren’t in class you’ll find them studying at Gelman, getting food from one of the many spots on campus, chatting in Kogan Plaza while sipping something from Starbucks, or coming and going from an internship on Capital Hill. Thursday through Saturday nights will be a very different atmosphere on campus. From 9pm to 2am you’ll see students walking to and from parties on campus, others hailing cabs and Uber rides to head to the local bars and clubs, and you’ll realize a fair share of students play just as hard as they work.
I’m assuming all of this will put a lot of the worry you have to rest. It sounds like GW is just the school you’re looking for. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Going to GWU in DC is fabulous, as DC is not a huge, sprawling city. It would be like attending college in Boston or San Francisco, other smallish but vibrant cities that are very student-friendly. You sound like you’re up for the adventure!
@collegebound1516 You will find an initial community in your dorm and then in your activities. The Vern has a very traditional feel - my dtr wishes she had chosen the Vern for (this year) her Freshman year, but she appreciates her access to all things city by living on Foggy Bottom. She is picking up activities and crafting a community for herself which is an important life skill.
I transferred out of GW this past year. I absolutely hated the school. Compared to the university I go to now, GW does not care at all for its students, there is no type of community or student culture and there’s an absolute lack of resources and professionalism when students try to get anything done through administration, such as finaid, housing registration, etc.
I really really love the city of DC though. Will definitely go back after graduation!
Also - to a reply to the above feed, if you end up going to GW, do NOT live on the Vern. That is the absolute last place to be if you want any sense of the small feelings of culture or community at GW.
I applied to GW too RD! I am in between whether I would want an actual college campus or a college experience in the city. I really do love DC and kind of feel like that’s where I am meant to be.