<p>This cover story in a DC paper might be of interest to prospective GWU students:</p>
<p>Wow, $50K/year. As a parent, it is hard to think that one year's COA is more than I paid for my first house, many years ago. </p>
<p>How do you students feel about the debt load you would be expected to carry after 4 years?</p>
<p>its not nearly as bad as the sticker price. there's actually a pretty decent amount of aid. i'll be paying about 9,000 a year, it that, after a few outside scholarships plus university aid.</p>
<p>Yeh...but, when the the president of the college says that if it wasn't for the tuition deposits, the school could go "bankrupt." That is when you know WE HAVE A PROBLEM. Right? This is truly amazing! But, I think GW is worth the price.</p>
<p>I , too received a merit scholarship, and therefore pay less than most college students. In reality, GW is only a few grand more expensive than most private universities, and I look at it this way: in general, people pay more to live in Washington DC than in, oh let's say, upstate New York or the mid west. It does not seem out of line to pay a little more to live in a city that is known to be an expensive place to live.</p>
<p>daphnetaggert, gw is more along the lines of being 10 grand more expensive than most top 50 private schools (and it's not in the top 50 either). i would say that most people would agree that la and ny are somewhat more expensive to live. they have better private schools that offer tuition that is significantly lower that gw's. i think gw is a SCAM unless you are receiving substantial grants or merit scholarship from the university or for some reason know you can really take advantage of being in dc for 4 years.</p>
<p>agree, armcp. GW has THE BEST publicity stunt going! they have been able to create an incredible public image, with an awesome website, GW banners all over the buildings of downtown, and the illusion they are as good as their PR dept. says. it's a fine school like many others, also some right there in DC with a reasonable, not-out-to-sucker-you pricetag. there is a real human phenomenon that says we THINK something is better because it COSTS MORE!</p>
<p>Most expensive University, but best need-based financial aid. I received both need-based and merit based financial aids, and my expenses including tuition,food and room for a year total to only 5k$. Do not judge a university by its tuition.</p>
<p>do not judge your aid package as the standard aid package that everyone gets. i received zero aid when i applied. i do agree, however, that in your situation gw was probably a good deal.</p>
<p>Happycollegemom-Your D obviously attends American and you are prejudiced against GW and armcp I remember you loved GW until you didn't receive the aid you wanted. I just want to remind all members that many people posting are not as objective as you may think and have a personal ax to grind.</p>
<p>i believe i am posting on a thread entitled " the most expensive college in America." ALL DC schools are terrific, INCLUDING GW. and there are TONS of awesome schools all over the US...and none charge what GW does for a decent, second tier education. i think it's way overpriced and i think kids need to know that. and they, like many others don't quite offer what they say they do, in terms of financial aid. one's best shot at GW is early admission, but that is extremely risky for a legally-binding agreement for a total cost/year of near $60,000. i don't think ANY school is worth that. and altho their endowments are high, etc. the Washington Post carries many articles of their strained town/gown relations, as they buy up DC, which of course they can afford to do. there have been other articles showing a less-than-concerned commitment to the student body, in favor of real estate. my PREJUDICE, as you say is about rip-offs of any kind.</p>
<p>For anyone who doesn't have the means to send their child to a 50,000 dollar a year school without considerable financial strain then GWU isn't a good value. If 50,000 won't hurt you or not much more than would another comparable academic institution then it's a fine school to send your kid to. And if you get good financial aid then it's a great option. </p>
<p>GWU is a great school in a great location (where, incidentally, everything is expensive). It is also in one of the best locations within DC. Not even Georgetown and American can beat Foggy Bottom's metro stop for convenience. I also think that when people are throwing the number 50,000 a year they aren't considering the fact that TUITION is 39,000 - not 50,000. Don't be deliberately confusing just to make a point. Also, tuition is fixed so it doesn't see the average 4% rise at nearly all other colleges, public and private. Lastly, if you get good financial aid it is usually guaranteed for all four years of attendance. </p>
<p>I am an individual student attending GWU and I got a FANTASTIC financial aid package as a transfer student so don't let the tuition cost discourage you from applying. I don't get help from my parents at all. </p>
<p>In response to armcp's: gw is more along the lines of being 10 grand more expensive than most top 50 private schools (and it's not in the top 50 either)...</p>
<p>GWU is within the top 50 private schools. It isn't within the top 50 schools ranked on US News but that is because there are some great publics listed there too. And it isn't that far off from #50 even including the publics - it's at #54 right now. </p>
<p>Also - I thought that everyone on CC disagreed with the rankings and thought they were good as only a guideline. Whatever happened to fit? GWU is a great fit for me. My first choice, Georgetown would have been a great fit too.</p>
<p>P.S. I happen to like those blue banners on GWU buildings. It makes it feel more "campusy" to me - but I guess I'm just another shallow, rich socialite for that opinion.</p>
<p>happycollegemom-Just about every city college has difficult town/gown relations. Columbia is currently fighting against neighbors to expand its campus and New Yorkers are always complaining about how NYU owns half the real estate in the city. I could go on with numerous other examples from other big cities. The articles about "GW most expensive college" are just using sensationalism to try to sell more papers. I and many others have found GW to offer very generous financial and merit aid.</p>
<p>it is a privilege to go to school in the nations capital and I'm willing to pay whatever the sticker price is to experience what dc has to offer me </p>
<p>no matter what they say you will not get the same experience in the Midwest be it northwestern or Notre dame then at gw's foggy bottom
my brother goes to school here and while other kids are getting drunk every night(not to say that gw or any college students don't do this) he is attending Hilary Clinton's and Barak Obama's campaign parties costing 500$ a person, but since he is a dc student it costs him 5$
kids who school in dc are just more cosmopolitan </p>
<p>I'm going to do whatever it takes to get myself into gw
sticker price or not-it is the experience and the life lessons you will get and learn here</p>
<p>i'm trying to be balanced- however as far as college admissions goes objectivity is virtually non-existent... everyone wants to sell their own school. i admitted to louis21 that in his case gw was a good deal. i was also touting their endowment as well in a different thread.</p>
<p>I always appreciate a good devil's advocate - but only when they stick to the facts. Thank you anyway for bringing a different set of eyes to the table. No one school is perfect and I don't think that any school outside of one in the top ten "brands" is really worth 200,000 worth of debt and even then something to be seriously, seriously considered and compared with your projected annual salary.</p>
<p>For someone who has the means to comfortably shoulder the 50,000 dollar price tag, has the grades to get in, and wants to be in DC - hey, why not? GWU is a great school. Great professors, great classrooms, great location, great amenities - worth applying to and seeing what kind of aid you get. I don't regret my decision and I had the same financial worries that everyone else had.</p>
<p>smiledarling - for someone who has the means to comfortably shoulder way way less than $50K, has the grades to get in and win a scholarship or has the financial need to receive the grants, and wants a fantastic college experience in a city environment, hey, why not? GWU is a great school.</p>
<p>GW cost our S less than the instate cost of our public uni. And I think there are a lot of people who get scholarships from GW. They're expensive at full price, but extremely generous to students they want to attract or to support.</p>
<p>Um, sure :)</p>
<p>I go to GWU and I don't have the means to comfortably shoulder 50k/year tuition. I'm living off merit aid, scholarships, need based aid, Army Reserve tuition assistance and the Montgomery GI Bill but it's all worth it and I'm happy at GWU. </p>
<p>My point is that everyone should apply regardless of cost because you might just get a really good financial aid package.</p>