Are you from Wisconsin? Is that why you chose it? You did not give stats - but assuming it’s a financial advantage, that’s why you’d go.
Forget rankings - madison a small city with a campus. GW is beyond very urban - doesn’t even have dining halls. Where do you want to be? Which environment.
In theory, GW will be better - but you’re also in DC and everyone wants to do what you want.
My daughter is you - we just went through this. She applied to 21 schools - and is going to #16 ranking wise of 17 she got into. So let me give you some initial thoughts:
- Find out the size and environment you want. If you are in Wisconsin, go check out UW, a mid size school and a small school - like Beloit or Lawrence Do you want urban (like GW - maybe go see Marquette Or UW MIlwaukee if one is or suburban.
My daughter hated GW and Gtown had no merit aid. So it was out - because I wasn’t paying $80K for her to go to school. What re your finances? What can you afford or most importantly what are your parents willing to afford? Have them run the NPC.
So both these schools will be solid - and one can’t say up front one will produce more jobs than the other. It will be up to you.
But great schools for language and International Relations. My daughter loved American but they didn’t love her with enough aid and frankly, she’d have been one of many there.
I think IR wise the best public she got into was UGA. They are very strong. She also got into Hamilton Lugar at Indiana - also a great school for your desires. They have one of the language flagships too.
The Language Flagships: Indiana University Bloomington
Maryland is a right outside of DC choice.
You will find great schools in Boston, Florida (Florida State is strong - and cheap and if you have a 31 ACT, even cheaper). Arizona. Elon. You can be successful anywhere.
For my daughter it came down to do - U of South Carolina Honors and College of Charleston. She chose Charleston. But she will be a Fellow and International Scholar - so while it’s 16 of 17, she’s not just a student - but she will have a corporate or diplomatic mentor and access to other opportunities reserved for a few. So at American she might have been one of a million but hopefully at Charleston her relationship will be special - and yes, they place people with the state department, etc.
One other thought - we toured Washington & Lee (small rural) and I have no fact to back it up - but we met with the Politics Professor - great guy -and he said per capita, the top two colleges feeding government are Sewanee and Washington & Lee - so there you go.
Lots to think about but first thing’s first.
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What type of environment do you want?
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What can you afford (run a net price calc or have your parents do so) at an Ivy and GW.
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What does your family want to afford - which is most important.
Don’t worry about comparing two random and different schools for cost. You need to build a list that will work for you over four years, not for US News so they can publish a magazine.