<p>I'm currently a sophomore at GWU, originally I came here to study international affairs but discovered I was much more interested in econ. My goal is to eventually pursue a PhD in economics, but I am not impressed with the department at GWU.
I'd really like to transfer to a school like UT, UMD, UMinnesota, UWisconsin, or UMichigan. All of these schools appear to have great econ faculty and programs that are significantly higher ranked than that of GW. Additionally, they are much cheaper and provide established campuses with more diversity; which, as a Latino student, is something that I feel is severely lacking at GW. My only hesitation is the fact that, while their econ programs are well regarded, these schools are often viewed as less prestigious or at least selective than GWU. Should this be a factor at all given my goal is a PhD in the field? Is it a smart move to transfer to one of these universities?</p>
<p>Why you think GWU is a higher ranking school? The schools you want to transfer to are very competitive schools and GWU is in many cases(departments) less prestigious than schools like Michigan or Austin. </p>
<p>I didn’t say GW is higher ranked, just more selective. I also feel that it is perceived to have a slightly higher caliber of students than flagship schools (although I don’t think this is true personally). UMinnesota, for example, has an econ program ranked #11 but isn’t all that competitive in terms of admission.
So will transferring to a less selective school, but a better econ department, help or hurt my grad school application? </p>
<p>Do you understand where selectivity comes from? It’s the number of kids admitted divided by the number who applied. That’s it. Private colleges like GW can encourage more kids to apply via expensive marketing campaigns and application fee waivers and other things. Some colleges just get a ton of applicants because they are a “dream school” for so many people (Harvard, NYU, etc.).</p>
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<p>“Viewed as less prestigious” by whom?? You have it backwards here. If you are applying to PhD programs, you will be developing contacts between now and when you finish your undergrad. You’ll be better off making this switch, for sure.</p>
<p>You have 2 years invested. And a lot of years to go - grad, PHD. If you are happy with your financial package where you are - and you can socially fit in - even with a lack of diversity - stay put. </p>
<p>Otherwise, if transferring, consider your home state flagship first to keep costs manageable. </p>
<p>@lots2do I do have a pretty good financial package here, but it definitely isn’t a good fit socially. I’m trying not to weigh this too heavily in my decision, but it certainly matters to a certain extent. Mainly I just want access to top notch programs and faculty.</p>
<p>UT is my home flagship which is why I threw it in the mix of prospective schools. </p>
<p>I understand exactly where you are coming from. I am a non-traditional African American student that is in the process of returning back to GWU. I transferred from GWU to the UMD’s Smith business school for the same reasons that you are considering leaving GWU. I however have experienced situations that has led me to reconsider my decision. Although UMD is a great buiness school, their bureaucracy often hinders learning. I often felt like another number there and the personal relationships that I had with GWU staff was almost non-existent at UMD. The most compelling reason that I decided to return to GWU, is the credibility that the institution’s name provides in the business world. Last summer I shopped my startup company to perspective investors. I have both institutions listed on my resume, and the comment that I recieved the most was “wow you went to GW that’s a great school”. It seemed to be interpreted that I left GW for some other the reason. Therefore, if you are considering transferring to another institution, make sure that it has better brand equity than GWU. Some perspective employers for example may also interpret that you left because you could not handle the workload. Selectivity is a good indicator of standards of the program, however historical rankings and program strength is key. Keep this in mind… The less selective Graduate business program at Howard U was ranked 50 schools higher than American U last year, however everyone in the business world will still regard American U as the better institution. </p>