After being rejected from most schools on my list, I am left with only two viable options and a safety.
University of Maryland, College Park - George Washington University
What do YOU know of those two? How are the dorms, the people, the majors, etc.?
I am particularly interested in the Social Sciences (notably, UMD-CP, apparently, has an excellent Econ. program) and Liberal Arts.
<p>u sayed: two viable options and a safety.</p>
<p>whats the third besides um and gwu?
i would vote um cause its cheaper and u can get more out of it if u want... although gwu is probably somewhat "fancier" ie the campus etc...</p>
<p>I would go to GWU. It has an incredible location in DC. There's so much to do. It has tons of internship opportunities within the city, especially for people interested in going into law, international relations, business, journalism, or politics. </p>
<p>GW is also ranked higher than UM, but they are so closely ranked that its not really worth taking into consideration. IMO, GW has a better reputation because it's so selective, but plenty would argue differently. If you are interested in international relations, I recommend The Elliot School of International Affairs at GW. It's very well-recognized for IR.</p>
<p>UM is very close to DC, but not as close as people would have you believe. If you have a car, then its a short drive, but if you depend on public transportation like most college students, it's a long ways away(an hour commute on the metro). It's much easier to get to the city at GW, simply because you are in the heart of it! </p>
<p>GW and UM are different schools, however. UM is a large state school. GW isn't small, but the average class size will be smaller. UM has a much more defined campus than GW, but GW still has a quad, etc. UM has a traditional suburban college campus, while GW is a city school located in a DC neighborhood called Foggy Bottom. </p>
<p>Both GW and UM have a community feeling, in my opinion. GW beat UM in basketball, and Foggy Bottom is packed with students during the school year. UM has a large football stadium, while GW doesn't even have a team. GW students depend on the city's theatres, bars, stores, and clubs for night-life because frat life is not big and because frat houses can't throw parties. GW students don't go out on weekdays. UM is more Greek dominated and is more of a "party school." UM is pretty diverse for a public university, so it's not as big of a party school as many state schools, though.</p>
<p>Are you in-state for UM? I think that money should play a big role in this decision. GW is quite expensive without financial aid.</p>
<p>I agree with Hoo on some points, especially if tuition is an issue, considering Maryland is much cheaper than GW. Also, I've heard from a few of my friends who are at GW (I live in MD so I know a few people there) that in the end the high tuition for GW isn't quite worth the education they are recieving- in other words- they would probably recieve the same benefits and opportunities at other schools for a better price. But take that as you will. GW is still considered a good school, though it is often compared to Georgetown. DC is a great place to go to school, and actually, Maryland isn't that far (maybe 20 min to 30 min on the Metro) from the city. Personally, I'd choose Maryland as it seems to have a more community feel, and seems to offer more "bang for your buck," so to speak.</p>
<p>I agree Willyshakes. GW probably isn't worth $46,000 a year when someone could go for $25,000 at UM. However, GW is very generous with scholarships, so there's a good chance alexander will be only paying in the $30,000 range.</p>
<p>I agree that Maryland has more of a community feel. It has a football team and has stronger athletics. GW does have a community, though, and the stadium is packed for b-ball games. Students are also everywhere in Foggy Bottom, so it feels like a college.</p>
<p>I am not considering finances, really, although I am in-state for UMD, nor do things like school spirit and sports matter that much to me. My primary interest is the relative strength of social studies departments (particularly PolSci and Econ), as well as residential/social life. </p>
<p>Location isn't an issue, as there are places in DC proper that are more distant from the nearest Metro station than the UMD campus, plus GWU's scattered dormitories negate its advantage of being in the city, as getting to the campus itself could become a major pain. Basically, it's down to relative "status" and quality of specific departments in terms of choice</p>
<p>As for my safety, it's George Mason Univ. (Northern Virginia).</p>
<p>If money is not a problem, then go to GWU. It's the strongest for what you are looking for academically and socially. I don't understand your problem with GW's dorms. They are all located strictly in Foggy Bottom. GW does not venture outside of Foggy Bottom. It's not an open campus like NYU. It would take at maximum 10-15 minutes to walk across the whole campus. The dorms are very nice, also. Both Thurston and HOVA(Hall on Virginia Avenue) are the main freshmen dorms. They both have individual bathrooms per room. HOVA is an old Howard Johnson, so it is very nice and has a pool on the roof. It's also overlooking the Watergate Complex. Thurston is larger. It is across the street from The World Bank and literally a 3 minute walk to the White House. It has a nice residential area with computers and places to study. Both of the dorms are also very well guarded to keep students safe.</p>
<p>Go to GW. It's so amazing. You won't be disappointed. I know so many people there who love it.</p>
<p>Doesn't GWU have a nasty set of general ed. requirements, including multiple lab science courses?</p>
<p>EDIT: Well, scratch that, UMD has an equally nasty set, and the number of courses I'll eliminate using AP exams is comparable in both schools</p>