compare & contrast between GWU and American

hyeonjlee · 07-17-2009, 12:14 AM

These two schools seem fairly similar in their orientation and advantages. How would you compare and contract between the two. Those of you who had a choice between the two, which did you choose and why?

applicannot · 07-17-2009, 10:31 AM

If you post this on each of the boards, you'll get contradicting answers...

mini · 07-17-2009, 11:43 AM

In the very largest sense, they are not similar at all. The majority of students at GW are in the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, they have an undergraduate program of engineering. Put them together, and that is 60+% of the undergraduate student body. At American, students in the arts and sciences are in the minority. Yet even though the total student body is 40% or so smaller at the undergraduate level, there are actually more students in the School of International Service at AU than there are in international relations at GW (AU's school is the largest in the nation); and when you add the business school, and schools of commuication and public affairs, you end up with two universities that have much less in common than one might initially think. If they weren't both in DC, I'm not sure they would be compared that often.

hello5 · 07-17-2009, 05:39 PM

MY S was accepted to both. He really was into an urban campus--his favorite was NYU, but GW just didn't do it for him. Even though it's in a city, the campus is self-contained. The only vibe for him was one of a college, not a city, but without the open space that "non-city" colleges have. NYU was fine because it was integrated into the city so it didn't need to have "open space". (if that makes sense).
The programs he is interested in are comparable and he just didn't feel that the additional cost to attend GW was justified. He's very happy with his choice of AU.
FYI- According to Naviance the avg. GPA of students from S's HS admitted to AU was 3.96 GW was 4.09 Avg. ACT at AU was 29

tortoe · 08-01-2009, 12:10 AM

GW seems to have less of a community. There is no dining hall, like at AU. Futhermore, there is not much of a campus. Yes, there is the mount vernon campus but it is very hard to get to unless you are on a GW shuttle bus.

AU has a more campusy feel, but is more in the suburb part of DC. There are houses with lawns and such surrounding the campus, where as GW is in the middle of the city. It is more high rises and it is down the street from the State Dept, and other downtown intership hot spots.

GW's dorms are much nicer, but many freshman are forced to live on the mount vernon campus, and the dorms on the foggy bottom campus are spread out. AU is more compacted with students on campus living close to one another, and the Tenelytown campus is a short 15 minute walk.

So pretty much, GW has less of a college feel because it has no dining hall, central quad area, and the dorms are spread out. AU has more of that feel, but you are a little bit outside of the downtown area. You need to take a metro ride to downtown, where as with GW you just need to walk a few blocks over.

applicannot · 08-03-2009, 12:46 AM

Er... GW definitely has a dining hall... actually, it has a couple. And only about 300/2500 freshman live on the Vern. But other than that, AU has a much nicer campus, if you like that kind of thing. It's very green and the natural amphitheater is just short of beautiful. It looks absolutely fabulous - and very collegiate - in the spring.

boysx3 · 08-03-2009, 07:52 PM

They are both very good schools and offer the same opportunities. The schools just have very different vibes and you need to decide for yourself what environment you want.

Debruns · 08-05-2009, 08:38 AM

I think that's true, my daughter toured DC colleges this week and she told me she didn't like GW, it just felt like a building to her, while other colleges had a more "collegiate" feel. I think that is a personal thing, but it's good to visit first before you go.

jamesnew · 08-06-2009, 12:36 PM

Interesting, do you feel,I dono IMO from what I've observed so far, that GW has more prestige? I think it not because of its merits but more for the name?

George Washington University, when you say it, most people go oooh... but when you say American University, people get a bit confused ( def. not all especially ppl who know a fare share abt good unis) and even confuse it with other American universities or think you are going to one of 4000 American universities, or take time to ring a bell! Hmm what to do you think? Could the name be a factor?

zuitar · 08-07-2009, 08:48 PM

i agree with you Jamesnew! it's because of the name!

jamesnew · 08-08-2009, 01:24 PM

I really think so too... I guess there is nothing that can be done about that now, lol.