WashU v. GW Forum

[sibley]

I wasn't going to do one of these polls because I don't want to be too biased, but I'd like to know what people have to say so please take a look!

11k scholly at WashU
15k grant at GW

I have a strong bias towards the Northeast, and a strong bias towards big cities (I went to UG in a city that was only 100k smaller than St Louis).
I'm leaning towards immigration law but may also want to do intellectual property or whatever else strikes my fancy. So I'd like to keep my doors open but also be able to indulge the interests I know I already have.

COL for me between the two will end up being similar due to various personal factors more than anything (STL housing is cheaper, DC flights are cheaper and DC is closer to family, etc)

Visited WashU and thought it was absolutely gorgeous and very positive and liveable (didn't explore the city), but am leaning towards a more adult lifestyle - less campus life, etc.

Any recommendations? I'm curious about job prospects and summer internship prospects but am not entirely sure how to go about comparing.

[sibley]

Couple more votes please.

[romothesavior]

You know where I stand.

[sibley]

You know where I stand.

On the golf course in the park next to WashU, I think.

[romothesavior]

You know where I stand.

On the golf course in the park next to WashU, I think.

Soon. Very soon.

[Emboss]

Go to Wash U. You loved the campus, and you're right to love it--it's stunning. The law school is improving on all metrics under the two new deans, and they're bound to pass USC in the rankings within the next three years, at which point the school will start to get much more recognition than it currently has and than GW currently has. Wash U's reputation (lawyer-judge, academic) is significantly higher than GW's and a bit higher than USC's at present. The student profile of all 3 schools is comparable. You should do extremely well at either GW or Wash U, though, so lucky you.

[meddlingkid]

I voted GW. Or I think you should reapply next year with a revamped application.

[romothesavior]

You know I love WUSTL. You know I do. And I voted for it just out of bias.

...but out of fear that I am becoming a WUSTL troll, I will say that it sounds like GW may be best for you. (Although I'm not nearly as bad a WUSTL troll as emboss. I think every one of his posts is Wash U-related! haha) You seem like you want to be closer to your boyfriend and you want to be in a bigger city. It just seems like WUSTL is more of a risk for you, in that you may discover you don't like the city or you can't stand being away from your BF. I do think WUSTL is a better school overall, but I don't know if it is so much better than GW that you would be making a life-altering mistake by going to GW instead.

I still hope you choose WUSTL, but I can certainly understand why you'd pick GW.

[Cupidity]

I was fairly dissapointed with the information regarding the 15k need-based loan. I called about it, and they said they would review it based on FAFSA on a yearly basis... Considering GWU costs roughly 10-15k more per year than any of its peer schools in the 15-30 range, the 15k a year merely makes it equal to sticker at a place like BU/Fordham or WUSTL--not to mention there is a chance it is the only 15k you will get all three years. If the $$$ are your deciding factor, the 11k at WUSTL is a better deal, but honestly, when you consider the debt you are looking at, neither offer really changes the end price by much--go to the school you like better in the market you like better.

[sibley]

I was fairly dissapointed with the information regarding the 15k need-based loan. I called about it, and they said they would review it based on FAFSA on a yearly basis... Considering GWU costs roughly 10-15k more per year than any of its peer schools in the 15-30 range, the 15k a year merely makes it equal to sticker at a place like BU/Fordham or WUSTL--not to mention there is a chance it is the only 15k you will get all three years. If the $$$ are your deciding factor, the 11k at WUSTL is a better deal, but honestly, when you consider the debt you are looking at, neither offer really changes the end price by much--go to the school you like better in the market you like better.

I'm planning to ask about the likelihood of losing any money tomorrow. but 15k was the max to be given this year... in the last few years it was 18k and 19k. I suspect if the economy improves that amount will go up and I don't feel like it could go down more than 1k or 2, but I'd like to know.

As for cost, it'll actually only cost me $2000 more a year than WashU. The tuition is no higher and pesonal circumstances would make WashU pricier for me (plus all that summer internship travel). That's not even counting the fact that I'll need a car and car insurance for WashU, most likely.

[NeXP]

I was fairly dissapointed with the information regarding the 15k need-based loan. I called about it, and they said they would review it based on FAFSA on a yearly basis... Considering GWU costs roughly 10-15k more per year than any of its peer schools in the 15-30 range, the 15k a year merely makes it equal to sticker at a place like BU/Fordham or WUSTL--not to mention there is a chance it is the only 15k you will get all three years. If the $$$ are your deciding factor, the 11k at WUSTL is a better deal, but honestly, when you consider the debt you are looking at, neither offer really changes the end price by much--go to the school you like better in the market you like better.

How's this? It looks like GW costs almost exactly the same amount as Fordham. BU's tuition is about $4000 less.