George Washington University

Where do I begin? I transfered to GW from the University of the Pacific in California - a small private university 2 hours outside of San Francisco. Pacific was a great school to meet people and college life is the epitomy of what you might expect in a eastern college (ivy, brick buildings, huge civil war era Greek houses. Students are high quality people from good families in California among them. Janet Leigh and her daughter attended (Jamie Lee Curtis) and I can go on. But it is a small university of 3500.

GW IS ALL ABOUT ACADEMICS AND LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.
I went to GW to find myself and experience "the real world". I was not a great student and I think I lacked confidence to attend Georgetown where my father had gone - I never applied. When it came to academics - I have never worked so hard in my life. Classes are taught by the Nation's political advisors, diplomats and scientists/researchers. I should think it difficult to replicate the overall balance of conservative/liberal education and access to real-time and practical study (instead of just theory) anywhere except Georgetown. Some of the professors are brutal in terms of workload and grading. They are very serious and many feel it is their duty to make sure that unworthy students never get a chance to run our Nation. THEY WILL FAIL YOU.

I was unprepared and it was very hard on me. GW is a crash course in reality. The world does not care how hard you try. You either succeed or fail. The world is a brutal and sometimes a rewarding place so if you have the chance stay in school.

YOU CANNOT FIND A BETTER LOCATION for studying Politcal Science anywhere in the world. Why do I say this? GW is two blocks from the most powerful politician in the world. Harvard, Columbia, Dartmouth, Oxford and no other school in the world can make that claim. Until America becomes second this will continue to be so.

STUDENT LIFE.
About the students. You can usually find diamonds among the rough at GW. GW is a big school and it was the first time I realized how different people from the same country can be. Not that it is bad but it is different. Again, it is a reality course. There are physcially beautiful people at GW but their harder to find. Again, I grew up in Southern California so it's hard to make a comparison. As a former Greek Council rep at my first college, I found GW lacking in this department. Some rule in DC prevents more than 6 women living in a house together (anti-racketeering law) and this prevents sororities of any significant size. If I am appointed Regent of Washington DC (DC should be back under the control of the US Congress or a Regent/Administrator) I will repeal this law.

If you do not like New Yorkers, you will have a tough time a GW. Lot's of them. I don't need to say more. You get the picture. DC is filled with all kinds of people an that is why I think it gives you exposure to the good, the bad and the ugly.

Students are competitive.
Sports. GW has the potential to be America's University but until it removes the ban on contact (really combat) sports it will be difficult. In the 1950's a patron's son became a quad in a football game and since then the university has banned varsity contact sports: football and men's lacrosse. Basketball is a contact sport so why not fund the other's (which are really combat sports)? In my view you cannot compete with your cross town rival Georgetown or John Hopkins until you offer similar sports like lacrosse. Why are sports important? They build comradery and an alumni base. Even Harvard has a Varsity football and lacrosse program because it creates even more particpation within the school and establishes rivalries. It attracts well rounded candidates and funds. I was just at GW in 11/2004 and thought the school's physical infrastructure is looking very good and I think Trachtenburg has done a solid job of building a brand about learning and intellectualism but as an undergraduate program you need to attract students who want to ASPIRE TO BE and BUILD leaders. I question whether you can do that with academics alone.

SUMMARY.
If you want the location and good academics GW is know for, the university is right for you. If you want ivy league surroundings and not as close approximity to the White House go to Georgetown. Georgetown is more refined and there is a socio-economic class distinction - its an ivy league school. It's much smaller and offers a Jesuit education but it is more insular (which is good and bad). At Georgetown, you will find teachers who probably are as excited about teaching as they are about publishing. I found myself living and going to see my friends at Georgetown quite often. I think they have a better alumni network and brand than GW today and GW will never be Georgetwon b/c they are completely different experiences. One is huge and somtetimes threatening and the other is personal, exclusive and insular.

You decide.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

I absolutely love Washington DC and certain aspects of GW. I have found great friends and people here. Obviously there are wealthy people here which can and does equate into snooty people. It all depends on what kind of groups you get invloved in, who you talk to, sometimes where you live... I came to GW purely for the Elliott School. It is an amazing school of International Affairs and the school to go to for International Affairs but.... I have decided International Affairs might not be for me and so I am considering transferring. Why? Mainly because I DO NOT believe that $40,000+ ( though the tuition is 'fixed' ) over 4 years is worth what I want and am getting out of GW. GW is a "school on the rise", but why should I and my parents shell out 40K to go to a place that people mistook for Georgetown and George Mason when I told them where I was going. My family is not wealthy, we're comfortable, but I could be going to Duke, Davidson, UNC, Wake Forest, William and Mary for less, and be getting more. As they say, tuition should not be the main consideration in choosing a school, but when you're looking at the most expensive institution in the nation, choose wisely. $24,000 a semester could more than pay for a year somewhere else.....

1st Year Female -- Class 2008

Friendliness: A+, Individual Value: C-