<p>I know these are two different schools completely. My son is conflicted as to which one to choose, money is almost identical. </p>
<p>We visited GW last week and he LOVED it. He loved the city, the campus, and the students he met. He is VERY concerned about the political climate there, as he doesn't have a political bone in his body. He is looking at a communications major, and a creative writing minor. Possibly law school in the future, but right now he is a firm undecided. He said that when he was walking around the campus, he could imagine himself enjoying his time there... but he feels that GW is no place for creative writers (not that he's decided that it's what he wants to do with his life, but it's a talent that he'd like to develop and pursue on a college level.) He feels that the student-run shows there are mainly political programs, and their internships are mostly in government offices, and their student activities are nowhere near like the ones at UNC.</p>
<p>UNC has everything he's looking for in terms of academic programs/clubs and activities. He spoke to a communications director who said that he'd probably get accepted into their screenwriting minor which is great, and he likes the student-run TV shows. The Daily Tar Heel is prestigious, and UNC has this very unique internship in Hollywood where he could work as a writer. Everything sounds great... but when he visited he didn't see himself there. He's not exactly the "lets go tarheels" type and feels that fitting in there may be more difficult. Also, he always envisioned himself in an urban environment, which Chapel Hill is not.</p>
<p>So..what's the right choice? Go with your gut, and go to GW where you think you will be happier? or go to UNC, where academically and on paper it's the perfect school and offers opportunities that GW does not.</p>
<p>I know fit really matters, but I think that the purpose of college is to get the best education, from the best school that provides it. Thats actually why my d chose GWU from some small Lacs that she thought she might have preferred from an atmosphere point of view. Now she is thrilled to have chosen out of her box, but initially chose it because it made the most sense.</p>
<p>On the flip side, several of my friends and I feel we made big mistakes when we chose our “UNCs” over our “GWUs”. We wanted to challenge ourselves academically, but in the end, there’s so much more to college than just academics.</p>
<p>And although DC is a very politicized city, I’m sure your son will find many non-political activities to get involved in, due to the fact that DC is such a national hub of activity. And there are both ‘non-political’ students like him, and students who came to DC as ‘non-politicals’ but grew more interested as they saw the workings of the political world in DC.</p>
<p>That’s a tough one. It’s a shame he wasn’t able to find somewhere that combined the two. I would say if UNC has the program he wants, he should start there with the knowledge that if he absolutely hates the atmosphere/location, he can transfer.</p>
<p>I feel as if your son did not explore GW’s writing opportunities thoroughly enough. It’s true that we don’t have a screenwriting program, and we don’t have Hollywood internships, but there are plenty of opportunities for budding writers. First of all, our campus paper, the GW Hatchet, is quite prestigious and has won many awards. We have a TV station as well, GWTV, which students work for and can even propose their own programs for. Finally, there are internships for all sorts of careers, not just politics. The Washington Post and other DC publications are popular internship options for students.</p>
<p>If your son was set on a career as a screenwriter, I would say go to a different school. But if he just wants to have a solid writing education and likes the GW/DC environment, I would say absolutely come to GW.</p>
<p>Just reread your post…my first thought was he should go to UNC and follow the path of what he set out to do in collge BUT after a second read, I have changed my mind. The words “but when he visited he didn’t see himself there” really hit me and if I visited a school, even with a perfect program but didn’t see myself there…I wouldn’t go. He can get an undergrad degree anywhere in the world, but he won’t feel comfortable just anywhere. What I also told myself is that if I am really wrong and totally out of touch with myself, I can always transfer!</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for your perspectives. I appreciate all the replies to this thread and the PM’s. It truly is a tough decision, choosing between academics that seem great on paper, or an atmosphere where he feels at home and believes he will thrive. My advice to him is to figure out what is most important to him in regards to his undergrad experience, and choose accordingly. Both schools are great! I told him when he wakes up Monday morning, he needs to tell me where to send the deposit.</p>
<p>If you won’t attempt to support the tar heels, attend GW. If you’re not into sports and you come to Chapel Hill you’ll most likely become a fan of one sport or another. Sports and following a team adds more dimension to your life and your ralationships with other people. Don’t discount their effect, life isn’t all about work. It’s easy to become involved and enthusiastic about Carolina sports.</p>
<p>thecheckbook, I agree with you. The tremendous school spirit transpired by UNC is second to none (well, maybe Duke and WFU, MD) , and adds to the amazing experience he can have there.</p>