George Washington University  -  GW

GW students overwhelmingly agree that their favorite part of the university is its Washington, DC location. “Just four blocks from the White House, the typical freshman experience takes place each day around 7:15am when Dick Cheney's motorcade rolls by Thurston Hall, the largest freshman dorm,” writes a sophomore fraternity member. Because they're in the heart of DC, students are integrated into the real world when they arrive on campus freshman year, and they must quickly learn to adapt to independent city life. “The freshman year experience can be a bit daunting to those not used to cities and just nervous about college in general," writes a sophomore from Illinois. "In my opinion, there are no successful programs that really get freshmen to feel a part of the campus.”

Students say the size of GW is just right, as the medium-sized population living on the compact campus allows for frequent run-ins with acquaintances. A freshman psychology student says, “It's also small enough that people know who you’re talking about if you mention someone random you know…like [at] a big high school.” The Mount Vernon campus, located just ten minutes from the main Foggy Bottom digs, offers a more tightly-knit community and has a less city-centric feel, according to undergrads. “Whereas the main campus is urban, Mt Vernon has a nice quad and all the sports fields,” writes a freshman Honors student. “The [Mt. Vernon] campus is much more laid back and relaxed. Since it’s a smaller campus, you get to know a lot of people pretty well.” Students say the college lacks a sense of unified school spirit since there isn’t a football team and the enthusiasm surrounding Colonial sports is limited.

Other than the large lectures in intro classes and gen-eds, class sizes at GW are fairly small and students are able to build relationships with professors. Many rave about their professors and the fact that they have extensive real-world experience. A sophomore journalism major comments, “My econ professor would talk about calculating the nation's gross domestic product - and then he'd go do it that afternoon for the government!” Since professors have serious networks in their fields and the DC community, students take advantage of their connections when they're on the hunt for internship opportunities. Some say that having instructors who are professional bigwigs can have its downfalls, though. “The drawback is that they are not as practiced in the classroom setting, and this sometimes hurts their teaching ability,” writes a freshman studying economics.

Though many of the students are from well-to-do Northeastern families, GW attracts people from across the nation and a substantial contingent of international students as well. Undergrads say there is a large Jewish population and that students from nearly every religious group, ethnic background, political affiliation, and sexual orientation are present on campus and accepted by the student body. Some contend that those from lower-income families do face additional difficulties at GW: “Unfortunately, I have to admit that those [who] are of lower socioeconomic status usually feel out of place because there is a small minority of them. Usually the discrimination is discrete, but not unfelt by those who end up feeling inferior.”

Students say that the most popular on-campus extracurriculars are political groups. A sophomore majoring in international relations writes, “GW is in the nation's capital, so though many students are left-leaning politically, both Democrats and Republicans are vocal and have many outlets for their beliefs on this campus.” Greek life is another option that students say provides a small community feel within the institution's urban setting. Off campus, the city gives students more than enough entertainment to keep them busy for four years. Many say they hit up clubs and bars anywhere from two to four nights a week, but there are a lot of options beyond the typical nightlife spots. “There's so much to do in the city that you'd have to try not to have something you could do,” states a freshman. “There is theater, great food, the monuments, movie theaters, and all kinds of things you can do without drinking.” With DC's numerous urban attractions, professional opportunities, and knowledgeable professors at their fingertips, it isn’t hard to see why students are so passionate about the unique GW experience.