<p>So I've been accepted to both schools and I really do not know which to decide.
I really like the college campus feel of maryland but i wanna do poly sci and at gwu that is very prestigious. also my parents want me to go to gwu because its better academically, but i think ill enjoy my four years more in college town like umd. any feedback (pros/cons, facts) would help a lot =)</p>
<p>Well…first of all, I would say George Washington does NOT have a better academic reputation than the University of Maryland.</p>
<p>Looking at the USNWR rankings (no, rankings aren’t end-all-be-all, but if we’re talking prestige…), GW and Maryland are tied for spot 53 for overall quality. Within MD, I would say UMCP has a slightly BETTER reputation overall as the flagship institution for the state and therefore the top choice for many of the state’s best students due to it being the best education at the best cost.</p>
<p>I don’t know how poli sci ranks specifically, but MD’s poli sci program is also well-regarded. Gov and poli sci at MD is a “limited enrollment” major, meaning they screen applicants and only allow the higher-stat kids most serious about government to major in it. I enoyed the government classes I took here very much…I think the profs and TAs are EXTREMELY knowledgeable and very invested in their students, whether the class is big or small. The government students themselves tend to be on the brighter, more involved side.</p>
<p>The one negative is that the quality of the advising in behavioral and social sciences is poor. There is definitely a lot of administrative folk to sift through, hard to get anything done, etc…</p>
<p>I think the most important thing about college is that you feel comfortable with your choice and enjoy your time there. There is not a huge academic difference between GW and MD, but there is a huge social difference…the two schools are worlds apart…GW being a typical “city” campus with a lotta rich kids (decently smart rich kids, but it IS a private school in the city!)…MD more of a mixed bag and with more of the traditional college atmosphere (campus, sports, etc.). </p>
<p>Honestly, it seems like you’re leaning towards MD, and I say, go for it!! Is one more/less expensive than the other? In that case, going to the cheaper one could help you save for grad school.</p>
<p>If you’re having reservations about the academics, call up the schools and ask for course catalogs from previous years (or ask where you can find this online). Check out the courses and see for yourself if it offers what you’re looking for. And trust me, the profs are great :).</p>
<p>^I think UMCP makes some good points.</p>
<p>If I were in your predicament, one of the most important things I would consider is cost…I’m not sure if you live in MD, but Id MUCH rather pay 8k a year for tuition at Maryland than 40 k a year for tuition at GW…</p>
<p>im from new york and you guys are right ultimately its gonna go down to where I feel the most comfortable regarding campus and the social atmosphere. I have yet to visit either school, but Im hoping to get a good taste of each school’s lifestyle and thats what most likely will influence my decision.</p>
<p>On another note, I heard campus housing on everywhere but south campus for umd is awful, while gwu has some of the nicest dorms in the country.</p>
<p>UMD does indeed have crappy dorms, though they are comparable with many other public schools’ dorms. They are also in the ugliest part of campus behind the stadium, lol. South campus is nice - nice dorms, picturesque location and all that - but not all students get a chance to live there (I didn’t).</p>
<p>However, the sense of community in MD dorms is huge. There’s nothing like living in the freshmen highrises - ~3-4 dorms clustered near each other, each holding hundreds of students, and 3 different “circles” of these communities in the same area on campus, making 9+ dorms total within feet of each other. Talk about the sheer energy.</p>
<p>I personally didn’t factor dorm quality into my decision at all, though :P.</p>
<p>well, thank you for all your advice! ill be visiting and staying over at umd in mid april so ill let you guys know what my decision is!</p>
<p>I’d say go with GW becuase you’ll be in DC. I just think that a private institution in DC is going to have a lot more recognition in the area of poli sci (in the country and in the world). If your a poli sci major, you’re gonna want to make connections and get internships. It’ll be much easier to do that if your in DC. Plus, because you’re in DC, it’s gonna be more likely that you’ll run into a “political enthusiast” that’ll have those connections or can help you jumpstart your career. But, if money is an issue, I would go with the more cheaper one. But, just think about it like this: either way, you’re going to have a good education and UMDCP is still close to DC and you’ll have plenty of opportunities.</p>
<p>There is a much larger faculty at UMD, many of which have extremely strong connections throughout government, etc. “You’ll be in DC” via a 20min metro ride from UMD. The campus feel is apples and oranges–at GW, you’re in the middle of the city, and I believe a much less feeling of a campus “community” than being on campus at UMD. IMO, UMD gives you the best of both worlds…a campus community that is close to the city. I agree with the others who’ve said that it is incorrect to say that GWU is stronger academically. You’ll have the “prestige” of knowing that you went to (at least as recent as 2009) as the most expensive college in the USA. For the difference in price (and there still will be one–OOS at UMD isn’t as much $$ as tuition at GWU) I don’t think the value is there. You are right—you need to go be on each campus and see which one “feels” like where you belong.</p>
<p>Regarding GWU’s campus, is it just buildings spread across Foggy Bottom? or is there an actual campus with its own entrance in grounds?</p>
<p>Take a look via Google Earth at GWU (2121 I St. NW, Washington DC) vs. UMD (College Park, MD 20742). That will give you an idea of the different campuses…</p>
<p>As everyone has said, the two schools are very different. I’d definitely recommend visiting each school to get a feel for them. As APM said, they are apples and oranges. Generally speaking, UMD is more of a “typical college” feel… where GW is a city school and very different. (for example: GW doesn’t have an actual “dining hall” where all the students eat, per se)</p>
<p>Yeah, I am leaving both options open. Even though I keep saying I love the college atmosphere feel of Maryland I might come back from my trip down there saying I am going to GWU. Graduating from there gets you so well connected with many internship possibilities etc and that is very tempting. This decision is so hard lol I hope I make the right one.</p>
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<p>MMmmm…I have never heard anyone in MD say GW lands you better internships that UMCP.</p>
<p>Many of my friends at MD have internships with the federal government, with nonprofits, with think tanks, working on campaigns, etc. There are even a variety of selective internship programs at Maryland where you take a class 1 semester and intern on the hill the next…</p>
<p>The ONE benefit I can see (academic-wise) to attending GW is that of course it is closer in proximity to DC being, well, in DC. The only thing that means is that transportation to mid-semester internships is easier. My friend who has a Spring semester internship in DC had to schedule her classes fairly carefully to make sure she had time to make it downtown and work a substantial amount of hours. I imagine you could be more flexible if you attended a school that was already downtown ;).</p>
<p>But again that doesn’t affect internship RECRUITING and certainly DC-area internship coordinators reach out to all schools in the area…ESPECIALLY Maryland, since it is much larger than any of the schools in DC proper.</p>
<p>I was a little dismayed by the post about how GW is a “private school and therefore more respected” (that is just flat out not true). I decided to keep my mouth shut for a bit but I really don’t want people reading this thread from other states and thinking GW is seen as a superior school. It really isn’t and I truly believe the academics are equivalent.</p>
<p>Again I would look at the course catalogs…perhaps GW offers more courses in an area of your interest. </p>
<p>But I would not think internship opportunities would be a factor.</p>
<p>I have my own reservations about MD, indeed. It is definitely a large school, there is definitely a lot of bureaucracy, the quality of your actual advisor is hit or miss, usually miss. In terms of career center type services for the gov and politics school SPECIFICALLY, I wonder if they suffer the same problem of being “bloated.” Intro classes can be large. Etc. I actually don’t enjoy the classes in my major (English) due to the large size even up into upper-levels. However, I haven’t found that to be the case at all in gov and politics and have enjoyed every single class I’ve taken in that department. So, I am speaking in as unbiased a way as possible.</p>
<p>what about maryland’s housing? i got in for spring at maryland and i actually am loving the idea of freshman connection. the idea intrigues me it does not steer me away from umd. However, i have heard that housing for me is not guaranteed for spring 2011</p>
<p>Hm. That changes things a bit. </p>
<p>I personally would choose a school that offered me Fall admission over Freshmen Connection. Housing seems like it might be difficult, since one generally signs a year-long lease with an off-campus apartment complex, so even if you were offered housing for the Spring, you may have trouble subletting your apartment. </p>
<p>But there’s quite a long thread on here that may contain some answers (I think on the first or second page) if the idea intrigues you. </p>
<p>Maryland admissions can probably also tell you what your options are.</p>
<p>I got in for FC too, its hard to find an apt just for fall semester so im prob just gonna leese it for the year. Im torn between maryland spring admit and miami fall. Miami is much more expensive, tho i am out of state for both</p>
<p>alex march? we facebook imed lol</p>
<p>haha thats pretty funny, makes alot of sense now. i remember you saying you were interested in GWU also. i guess this site is more popular than i thought</p>
<p>haha yeah. well for maryland we need to find a room!</p>
<p>If both schools were free, you should choose GW. Maryland is a middle of the road state school in an unflattering area.</p>