George Washington University Top Questions

What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

Michelle

I wish I would have been able to consider the financial strain it has put on my life afterwards. In a way, it has nearly prevented me from returning to school to continue education. Education is something that should not know boundaries yet I have felt rifted because the institutional experience comes at a cost. I feel that if this weight had been properly explained to me at that time, I would have considered other options seriously instead of relying on the prestige of the university to carry me to financial recovery; which it has not.

Eric

Before I came to this school, I would have liked to know the variety of courses offered. I took a number of courses on subjects that I did not expect to take going into college or even thought of taking, and I enjoyed everyone.

Alexandra

I wish I had known how expensive living in a city was! I found my bank account diminishing before my eyes, and unfortunately could not find a job on campus. I wish I had been a little better about budgeting my nights out and shopping sprees with friends. It's a good thing I know that for next year!

Jacqueline

I was dissappointed with my financial aid amount in my present year. My academic scholarship money and grant money were significant for my freshman year and were a major factor in selecting GW. My aid amount dropped significantly for my sophomore year, without significant changes in my parent's income. This is very disheartening, for GW makes a huge point of guaranteeing aid money for the duration of your college years, and my family and I were counting on that consistency.

Jaclyn

I wish I would have known that DC was one of the worst cities for dating. I also wish I would have known that there were large Jewish and Gay populations at this school.

Max

Food is more expensive than you may think.

Danielle

The amount of work required for engineering degrees

Jason

I wish I had known more about the honors program and what it can offer qualified students.

Alex

The lack of school spirit that the school has, it would have driven me away.

Max

The difficulty of the classes offered. The lack of academic advising on campus.

Monica

City living is different from suburb living. There's a lot of Jewish people that go here (not saying that's a bad thing). Lots of rich snobs (kind of a bad thing).

Adam

That the food situation is less than ideal.

Diana

How difficult it is to deal with the financial aid office, the availability (read: lack) of affordable off-campus housing near the university, and the fact that the biology department is highly geared toward pre-med students (I wanted to major in biology, but from an ecology point of view). I also would have liked to know that although the anthropology (my major) department is wonderful, one cannot major in linguistic anthropology (I wanted to double major in environmental science and linguistics).

jessie

What I wanted to study

Kimberly

Social life leaves a lot to be desired for students who prefer not to get drunk. It can be very difficult to find a group that shares interests with you and you can go months without ever feeling challenged to think outside of what you already know.

Jordan

The amount of general education requirements that the school requires.

Kelli

Not sure.

Aleksandr

That the math department is not fabulous. That I should use my AP credit for the core Engineering classes instead of taking them over again. AP's really do teach you the material in those classes.

Natalie

nothing really.

Anne

I wish I had known that the student population was so wealthy. There alot of really priviledged kids here, and it seems sometimes like they have no idea what it's like to actually work for something instead of having it handed to them. Also, I wish I knew that the majority of guys here were gay or complete jerks, dating isn't everything, but it can get kind of frustrating here.

Joey

When I first came to GW it took me longer than I thought to find my group of friends. When I finally found them, it was a great group of people, but I would have to say that I felt there was a minority of people that I would enjoy spending time with. There were a lot of wild kids who were away from their parents for the first time in their life, all very rich. These kids partied way too hard for me. It was not something I was used to being around.

Alma

I was fairly familiar with the school as I lived in the D.C. area and had friends that attended the college.

Brian

What I wanted my major to be.

Erin

I wish i would have known how rich some of the students that go there are

mirielle

how wonderful it would be

Margaret

I wish I had known that not all GW students are interested in political science or international affairs. There is a lot more diversity in course study here than I thought there would be. That has turned out to be a pleasant surprise.