<p>I’m a freshman at GW too, majoring in political communication. While GW is certainly expensive, and they try to nickel and dime you when it comes to things like housing and food, I had an EFC of almost zero and ended up with a great financial aid package. It really depends on luck and whether you get merit aid. For some of my friends, GW was cheaper than a state university, while others are taking out a lot of loans. I do think you get what you pay for - the housing is amazing and the university has a lot of services and resources if you know where to find them.</p>
<p>GW does have the “snobby rich kid” stereotype. It’s true to the extent that there are a lot of rich kids at GW and you might be surprised how much money people spend if you’re not from a wealthy area. But I haven’t seen anyone go really overboard in terms of spending money, and there are a lot of ordinary, middle-class people.</p>
<p>Honestly, you’re right that there’s no school spirit. I have still been unable to persuade a single one of my friends to attend a basketball game with me. But even though students don’t show their school spirit as openly as at other schools, almost everyone I know loves their experience at GW and has a lot of pride in their school. As for the campus, it is different from what a lot of other schools have, but it is still a distinctive campus. Yes, there are random international agencies across the street from the dorms, but you still know when you’re on campus and the area is dominated by college students. I shared your concerns about the campus at first, but now that I’m totally immersed in city life, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love being able to walk to the Lincoln Memorial and all the museums, being an easy walk from my internship and having the chance to explore Georgetown, Dupont Circle, and Chinatown on the weekends. I would never trade GW’s location for a boring, isolated campus like Georgetown or AU has. </p>
<p>I agree with Spoonster about partying. There is a lot of partying but no one prioritizes it over school. The “work-hard, play-hard” mentality is dominant. The majority of students take their schoolwork very seriously, do internships, and are involved in at least one extracurricular activity, but on weekend nights when the work is done, we will go wild. I do think there is some pressure to drink. I know one our two people who are very opposed to partying, and they’ve had a really hard time making friends. But if you’re open to new experiences and aren’t judgmental of drinking, hooking up and drugs, people will respect your decisions. It’s easier to avoid partying if you don’t live in Thurston (the biggest dorm), especially if you live on the Vern).</p>
<p>I don’t find the professors hard to deal with at all, but I got very lucky this semester. The administration is a hassle but I think that’s true of any college.</p>