This is my first semester and I'm taking six classes and I've definitely learned a lot. First thing I learned is not to take six classes, especially not your first semester. It's a big load, but I'm handling it well and I love my classes. I'm in intro psych and my class is run like a typical high school class with hand raising and participating, and it's only fifty kids, so there's always a way out of the 270 lecture classes.
My only complaint is the language department. Perhaps it's just my class, but the Spanish course I'm taking is not very good. I took Advanced Spanish and AP Spanish all throughout high school and I feel like I'm just maintaining my abilities since the class seems a bit disorganized and the professor isn't great. Although I am also taking French and the class is amazing.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
It's definitely an adjustment, but everyone will go through those awkward weeks no matter what college or university you end up going to. The transition from high school to college is difficult since you leave home, your friends, your family, your comfortable life, and then you're thrown into a new environment. It's going to be hard anywhere. Even though sometimes I miss my friends or I'm not having a good time, I still love it here at GW and I love being in DC.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
I joke that GW is so expensive because we're paying for extra class time, not for vacations. And it's true. We don't have many vacation breaks (no fall break) and the ones we do have are short. But really, it's not a big deal because it's an excuse to make your friends visit you (you save money) and who wants to spend a month sitting around home anyways (you'd get bored).
But remember that you're not just paying for an education, you're paying for an experience and it's definitely worth it. The internships and networking opportunities are incredible. Recently I've seen the Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Junot Diaz, and Optimus Prime (they were filming Transformers 3 car chase scenes down the street from my dorm) and I know people who have volunteered with Michelle Obama on the National Day of Service (9/11) and gotten to go to a Town Meeting with Obama.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
If you're set on GW apply early because it's getting more and more competitive. My class was the most competitive they've ever had and it will only get more competitive. I think my class of 2350 was picked out of 21000.
Visit! GW isn't your typical college or university. It doesn't have a traditional dining hall (we do have J Street and many other vendors), there isn't a typical college feel, and nobody really knows where the campus begins and ends (Who knew you could have labs on K Street?). It's more of a city feel than I expected. On the college-y feel spectrum from NYU (big city school) to Bates (small NESCAC college) it's between NYU and UPenn, UPenn being more of a college-y feel.
Make sure you also ask your tour guides anything you're dying to know. They're very helpful.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Political people (duh): There's always some rally going on. Move in day coincided with Glenn Beck's March to Restore Honor, two weekends ago there was a huge liberal rally, and in two weekends Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are having their March to Keep Fear Alive/Restore Sanity.
International Affairs Majors: The Elliot Schools is highly regarded, one of the top ten IA programs in the nation I believe. Also students get so much exposure to international affairs because of all of the international students and because we're surrounded by embassies. And people really do trick or treat.
Work hard play hard: You'll find a range of students at GW and you'll sometimes ask yourself How the hell did she get into this school? but overall GW students are smart kids. They weren't the kids who shut themselves in their rooms on Saturday nights studying, but they got good grades while having a good time.
LGBQTS (and any other letters I left out): There are so many gay guys here. It sucks for girls, especially since so many of the gay guys are nice and cute (and they dress well).
Although GW is big enough that you can find your niche anywhere. You can be a hipster, a frat bro, athlete, Republican, or any stereotype you can name. Even though we're in DC, people don't talk politics all the time, though I'm sure if you wanted to, you could easily get yourself into a debate over whatever was most recently announced on CNN.
This is my first semester and I'm taking six classes and I've definitely learned a lot. First thing I learned is not to take six classes, especially not your first semester. It's a big load, but I'm handling it well and I love my classes. I'm in intro psych and my class is run like a typical high school class with hand raising and participating, and it's only fifty kids, so there's always a way out of the 270 lecture classes. My only complaint is the language department. Perhaps it's just my class, but the Spanish course I'm taking is not very good. I took Advanced Spanish and AP Spanish all throughout high school and I feel like I'm just maintaining my abilities since the class seems a bit disorganized and the professor isn't great. Although I am also taking French and the class is amazing.
It's definitely an adjustment, but everyone will go through those awkward weeks no matter what college or university you end up going to. The transition from high school to college is difficult since you leave home, your friends, your family, your comfortable life, and then you're thrown into a new environment. It's going to be hard anywhere. Even though sometimes I miss my friends or I'm not having a good time, I still love it here at GW and I love being in DC.
I joke that GW is so expensive because we're paying for extra class time, not for vacations. And it's true. We don't have many vacation breaks (no fall break) and the ones we do have are short. But really, it's not a big deal because it's an excuse to make your friends visit you (you save money) and who wants to spend a month sitting around home anyways (you'd get bored). But remember that you're not just paying for an education, you're paying for an experience and it's definitely worth it. The internships and networking opportunities are incredible. Recently I've seen the Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Junot Diaz, and Optimus Prime (they were filming Transformers 3 car chase scenes down the street from my dorm) and I know people who have volunteered with Michelle Obama on the National Day of Service (9/11) and gotten to go to a Town Meeting with Obama.
If you're set on GW apply early because it's getting more and more competitive. My class was the most competitive they've ever had and it will only get more competitive. I think my class of 2350 was picked out of 21000. Visit! GW isn't your typical college or university. It doesn't have a traditional dining hall (we do have J Street and many other vendors), there isn't a typical college feel, and nobody really knows where the campus begins and ends (Who knew you could have labs on K Street?). It's more of a city feel than I expected. On the college-y feel spectrum from NYU (big city school) to Bates (small NESCAC college) it's between NYU and UPenn, UPenn being more of a college-y feel. Make sure you also ask your tour guides anything you're dying to know. They're very helpful.
Political people (duh): There's always some rally going on. Move in day coincided with Glenn Beck's March to Restore Honor, two weekends ago there was a huge liberal rally, and in two weekends Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are having their March to Keep Fear Alive/Restore Sanity. International Affairs Majors: The Elliot Schools is highly regarded, one of the top ten IA programs in the nation I believe. Also students get so much exposure to international affairs because of all of the international students and because we're surrounded by embassies. And people really do trick or treat. Work hard play hard: You'll find a range of students at GW and you'll sometimes ask yourself How the hell did she get into this school? but overall GW students are smart kids. They weren't the kids who shut themselves in their rooms on Saturday nights studying, but they got good grades while having a good time. LGBQTS (and any other letters I left out): There are so many gay guys here. It sucks for girls, especially since so many of the gay guys are nice and cute (and they dress well). Although GW is big enough that you can find your niche anywhere. You can be a hipster, a frat bro, athlete, Republican, or any stereotype you can name. Even though we're in DC, people don't talk politics all the time, though I'm sure if you wanted to, you could easily get yourself into a debate over whatever was most recently announced on CNN.