This week is NACAC week (that’s the National Association for College Admission Counseling), and this year’s conference is being held in Baltimore, MD!
Follow along as I visit some beautiful college campuses in Washington, DC, and Baltimore this week. I just wrapped up Georgetown and American, and now we’re headed to:
George Washington University
GW’s Foggy Bottom campus is right in the heart of Washington, DC, just 4 blocks from the White House.
Why is this school awesome?
Olivia: GW is all about the energy: big city energy, high achieving students energy, political energy, collaborative energy, you name it. The university is laser-focused on outcomes; they want their students to graduate on time (or early) and be so prepared to enter their chosen fields that they can quickly land high-paying jobs or coveted spots at prestigious graduate schools doing exactly what they want to do.
Plus, the location right in the heart of DC is pretty unbeatable for anyone who wants to build up their network as an undergrad. GW gets visits from loads of interesting political and business figures simply because it’s so easy for those professionals to walk over to campus to give talks and network with students.
Favorite spot on campus?
Olivia: Hands down the City View Room from the top of the Elliott School of International Affairs. I could stand on the deck and star at the Washington Monument for hours… and almost did!
We got a stunning sunset view of the Washington Monument from the rooftop of the Elliott School.
5 words to describe campus?
Olivia: URBAN (in all caps), modern, high-tech, energetic, pre-professional
Kogan Plaza is a popular space for students to gather—they were hosting a study abroad fair when we visited!
The "typical student" is...
Olivia: A self-starter who reaches out and grabs the many opportunities available to them. Collaborative, excited to share resources and grow together with other students, passing on what they’ve learned to those coming behind them. A big dreamer who becomes an overachiever through their time at GW (one student said sometimes it feels like half the campus aspires to be president someday).
International perspective?
Olivia: If you read my recent posts about Georgetown and American, you know the drill about how Washington, DC, is one of the best places to study anything related to international or global affairs. GW turns this up another notch by the simple fact that they’re in the middle of everything. The Elliott School of International Affairs is the largest school for international affairs in the country, and is a big draw for many US and international students alike.
GW has about 13% total international students on campus, slightly higher than both Georgetown and American. Study abroad is also a huge component of many students’ experiences and is available for students of any major, including engineering, business, and STEM areas.
GW’s Elliott School of International Affairs emphasizes building leaders for the world.
Special programs/offerings applicants should consider?
Olivia: Within the School of Business, every student participates in the Business Leader Development Program, a 4-course series that emphasizes leadership and developing practical professional skills, including a required internship.
The business school also offers a couple fascinating global programs: the ACE Triple Degree Program (standing for America, China, Europe) in which students spend their first year at GW, their second and third years abroad in China and Europe, then return to GW for their final year of college, ultimately earning 3 complete undergraduate degrees from their 3 universities. And the Global Bachelor’s Program, which involves 3 separate study abroad experiences, with the option to complete an internship abroad as well.
In the Capital Markets Trading Room, GW School of Business students learn to analyze stock market trends.
Tips for the application process?
Olivia: Do your research on which schools/programs are most important to you! GW does ask students to apply directly into a particular school, however they don’t force you to stay there. Students can apply to transfer schools at the end of their first year, and as long as you’ve taken the introductory classes you need and maintained a good GPA, you can easily make that transition.
Also, emphasize your readiness for an independent, career-focused education. There are so many incredible opportunities available to you at GW so the admissions office wants to visualize how you will take advantage of those opportunities.
GW’s School of Media & Public Affairs often hosts CNN roundtables and other important political events.
Fun facts?
Olivia: GW’s official mascot is literally George Washington, although the name of their athletic teams was recently voted to become “the Revolutionaries”. Also, the school only recently established its 3 all-you-can-eat dining halls on campus, in response to some students experiencing food insecurity in recent years. It seems to be a great success, and I thought the food was pretty good!
We ate at the Market at Shenkman Hall. The food didn’t blow me away, but it was pretty good and offered lots of variety.
I genuinely couldn’t stop taking pictures of (and with) the Washington Monument!
Tomorrow we leave DC and head up to Maryland to see: