George Washington University Top Questions

Class participation is common. People are very outspoken and like to be seen as an individual with their own opinion. Some professors know your name... but when you select a class you select the class size, so that's up to you. My favorite classes are math classes, which aren't too interactive. Students study quite a bit... depends on your study habits. I definitely study more than I ever would have in high school. You actually have to go to the library now. The education is definitely geared towards getting a job, as most students have internships starting sophomore year. Some even have them as a Freshman. But, that's mainly because of our location and the opportunities that come up here.

Professors are really great what I am experienced so far. They are all so smart and helpful. It is a much more academically challenging school than I was expecting.

The Women's Leadership Program changed my life and anyone who is thinking about applying to GW should apply to the program!

GW has increased it academic ranking each year. I know of seniors that were graduating a few years ago when I was a freshman and they said they probably would not have been accepted to GW now. It has become much more competitive in all schools. Class participation is common and teachers do know your name, but it all depends on the size of the class. When you go past 50 students, the name knowing drops off and so does some of the discussion, but that's expected (at least from me). A lot of conversation outside of class relates to politics or current events in America and the world. This goes in hand with being in DC. Since we are in DC, there are a lot of resources for jobs. I think GW does a great job on preparing their students for the real world, whether it be in the classroom or going out to find a job. This can be through the career center, in class, out of class seminars, career fairs, and list serves. There a multiple opportunities to find a job, so when students say they're having trouble, they're not tapping the resources available hard enough.

Students tend to study in the Gelman Library, which some call "Club Gelman." Student there study with friends, take frequent smoking and coffee breaks into the Starbucks located inside the library. Adderol is also very common. Students are competitive, and there is always that very stereotypical GW student in every class who sits in the front and answers every question regardless of whether or not her or she has anything useful to say. We call them "GW tools." The Elliott School of International Affairs is a really great school filled with lots of hands on experts. My classes have lots of guest speakers such as state dept. folk, ambassadors, and other experts from the field.

GW may not be the most academically rigorous school, but it does have some of the finest and most accomplished professors in the country. How many students can say that their professor missed class because he was on CNN because he/she is the foremost authority on the Chinese economy?

Most of the professors know who I am, however you really have to make an effort for a professor to get to know you well. There is no one professor who I have had who has gone out of his/her way to get to know the students. The students are competitive, but enjoy helping each other with school work.

GW definitely has a unique ability for political science majors. Many of the professors ahve worked, advised, been open to the government community in GW. Class participation is very common, especially because so many students come here for this reason.

difficult but very interesting

Class participation is too large of a portion. Classes are either very easy or very hard, there is no middle ground. Professors are the same way, they are either great or they dont speak english.