George Washington University

Coming to GW was the worst mistake of my life. I couldn't afford to pay for college and GW gave me the most money, so my parents forced me to attend GW. I have never received a grade lower than B+, yet I have learned NOTHING in any of my classe the entire time I've been here. I am a political science major, so that is pretty sad considering it's one of the school's better majors.

If you are not rich and Jewish or rich and Indian, forget being treated with any sort of respect or even common decency at GW. The students here are the most immature, self-aborbed, spoiled, and snobby people I have ever met in my life. This is certainly not the "real world" in any aspect. People WORK in the real world. If you go to our cafeteria, you will see that there is not one student worker on the entire first floor of J-street. This is not common at other schools - especially state schools. I was raised in a middle-class college town, and the cafeteria there is RUN by students. The only hispanic people I see on campus are the MAIDS we have for our dorms, and the majority of African-Americans are the food-service workers. The segregation both racially and socio-economically is downright appalling, though I would not say that the people here are blatantly racist.

As for religion, I have never felt so persecuted as a Christian in my entire life (probably because America IS a Christian country). While hanging up Christmas lights, I recieved more glares and hateful comments from people down the hall than I could ever imagine. It is just ridiculous, as I have never made any comment about anyone else's non-Christmas decorations on their door.

Finally, GW does not have an attractive student body. I, like most people, consider myself average looking. Most schools have average-looking people, some good looking and some bad looking people, right? Well, the majority of men at GW are scrawnier than me, and I'm 5'4 and 120 lbs. The girls, though clad in Gucci clothes that cost more than my car at home, are even less attractive.

There is a reason we were ranked in the top ten of "most unhappy colleges" by the Princeton Review. My roommates last year left the school after one semester.

2nd Year Female -- Class 2004

Extracurricular Activities: B+, Education Quality: F

The Theatre department at GW is totally inadequate. The tiny size can help foster community, but also makes it terribly "cliquish"; if you're not accepted by the clique, that's it, and they all know each other quite well so you can forget about ever getting cast. Also, the professors felt it was beneath them (not sarcasm; this is practically a direct quote from the department chair, Leslie Jacobson) to make any mention or offer any advice on the business side of the field. This leaves students totally unprepared for the most difficult and unfortunately necessary aspect of their chosen field. Professors have offered help since graduation, but always manage to dodge questions or not respond when this help is actually requested. I can't speak for any other departments, as the theatre department is pretty isolated (I'll put it this way; when I looked at my senior yearbook I was surprised to discover that I recognized practically no one), but if theatre is your chosen field, then GWU is to be avoided at all costs.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000