NYU GLS vs. GWU Elliott School

College Search & Selection
1

I just got accepted to both schools and programs recently, and I am struggling to choose between them. I read a lot of forums and articles and comments for both schools and programs already, but I am more conflicted than ever. Please help.

Info:

  • I want to study international relations and/or political science.
  • Want to minor/study Arabic language (not literature).
  • I’m an international student with no US residency or citizenship.
  • Want to get jobs in government or UN or maybe large corporations.
  • Want internships

NYU:

  • GLS program (second choice because I didn’t get into CAS)
  • no scholarships or aid
  • first year in Florence (will have to pay extra)
  • i want to go IR major but its an honors major and will be competitive so there is a chance I wont even get it.
  • I’ve heard that GLS isn’t for people who already know that they want politics and that it is very expensive, to top it off
  • i would want internship in UN or other large corps in NYC
  • I’ve heard NYU students are more accepting and liberal (I dont even remember where I heard this from)

GWU:

  • Elliott School
  • Politics and Values Program (a selected elite group with small classrooms instead of large lecture halls and no exams or textbooks --> I’m excited)
  • some scholarship
  • I’ve heard it has no school pride (important to me) and not much support for sports
  • I’ve heard there is a “rich kids” problem and I’m not a rich kid
  • because I’m an international female student and not white I might have trouble getting internships in government institutions (whole Trump thing but I’m just speculating)

Please help me I have to decide soon.

2

GW sounds like the better fit for you!

3

i’m literally in the exact same situation!!! if anyone has advice it would help so so much I’m having a hard time deciding which school is better/more prestigious/will overall contribute more to my success in the long run

4

Uh, NYU also doesn’t have much school pride or sports and is full of rich kids.

At least at GWU, you got in to a good program.

And look for internships at international organizations. Tons of them in DC.

BTW, if you’re not rich, how are you affording either?

5

That seems to be dealing a lot in blacks and whites. The schools seem very similar in their socioeconomic composition; for me, the true conflict is whether or not GLS is good enough to pass on Elliott.