George Washington U vs. American U

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please compare these two colleges? My child is interested in attending college in DC. We live in Washington state (stumbled upon this site by accident via Googling something and have stayed ever since ) but not sure exactly their reputations, what kind of student does best at each, etc. She is interested in (perhaps obviously!) things like international affairs, political science, etc.

Thanks!

I think they are both excellent schools. I think if your DC is interested in political science, you really can't go wrong with either. Great profs. Great network. Lots of internship opportunities. My impression is that AU is better known in the international affairs circles than GW. But that is only one person's impression.

Good luck. Will be a long way from home, but I have no doubt your DC (and your family on visits) will enjoy the DC experience.

[Anonymous]

GWU benefits from its location, pure and simple. If she is coming all the way to DC to get a DC experience, there is no other school to consider -- even Georgetown. Georgetown and AU are fine schools in lovely neighborhoods, but is that why she would move almost 3000 miles to a city where careers are based on connections and moving-and-shaking? Heck, if she wants to be in a lovely neighborhood outside of the action she should be looking at Pepperdine and Northwestern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GWU benefits from its location, pure and simple. If she is coming all the way to DC to get a DC experience, there is no other school to consider -- even Georgetown. Georgetown and AU are fine schools in lovely neighborhoods, but is that why she would move almost 3000 miles to a city where careers are based on connections and moving-and-shaking? Heck, if she wants to be in a lovely neighborhood outside of the action she should be looking at Pepperdine and Northwestern.

This is a really odd and misinformed comment. Being within walking distance of the State Dept (GW) does not give a school an advantage over one that is within metro distance (AU).

[Anonymous]

GW is better known. My company hired lots from GW but only a few from AU.

[Anonymous]

AU is a mile from Metro. If you want to be in the city, BE in the city!

[Anonymous]

DC area native here who attended AU for grad school. 20 years ago AU lagged GWU (and both lagged Georgetown) in reputation. I think all three now are well regarded for international affairs/foreign relations, with Georgetown still being the most selective followed by GWU and then AU but not as far behind as before. AU has advantage of having a campus feel vice GWU scattered about in urban setting. I think both are also good for political science or pre law. AU has strong programs in journalism, media, and communications if that is of interest. All three offer lots of internship opportunities. If the student plans to stay and work in this area all three have name recognition and good reputations, at least in the industries I’ve worked in. I agree outside of this area AU has somewhat lower name recognition than the others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GWU benefits from its location, pure and simple. If she is coming all the way to DC to get a DC experience, there is no other school to consider -- even Georgetown. Georgetown and AU are fine schools in lovely neighborhoods, but is that why she would move almost 3000 miles to a city where careers are based on connections and moving-and-shaking? Heck, if she wants to be in a lovely neighborhood outside of the action she should be looking at Pepperdine and Northwestern.

This is a really odd and misinformed comment. Being within walking distance of the State Dept (GW) does not give a school an advantage over one that is within metro distance (AU).

Maybe odd, but not misinformed. I knew Lloyd Elliot well before they named my school after him. GW is central; the others are not. You are a short walk to State, sure, but also to the IMF, World Bank, the IDB, Interior, K Street, the Fed, OAS, OEOB, etc. If a GW grad doesn’t have a strong resume by graduation, it was by choice. The IMF and World Bank are a block from the freshman dorm.

[Anonymous]

I am a GW alum and AU alum. GW for poli sci and AU for law. Loved both. Ant go wrong. I couldn’t afford politics because I have three kids and two going to college but I have done well in business law to the point I am a multi millionaire.

[Anonymous]

Both mediocre schools. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both mediocre schools. Good luck!

If these schools were anywhere but DC, that might be true. Being physically present in DC provides cachet and more importantly access and opportunities that render your comment nothing more than DCUM (likely alcohol induced) silliness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GW is better known. My company hired lots from GW but only a few from AU.

on the other hand, my company (a big financial institution in DC) hires a lot of grads from AU and Georgetown, not so much from GW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GWU benefits from its location, pure and simple. If she is coming all the way to DC to get a DC experience, there is no other school to consider -- even Georgetown. Georgetown and AU are fine schools in lovely neighborhoods, but is that why she would move almost 3000 miles to a city where careers are based on connections and moving-and-shaking? Heck, if she wants to be in a lovely neighborhood outside of the action she should be looking at Pepperdine and Northwestern.

This is a really odd and misinformed comment. Being within walking distance of the State Dept (GW) does not give a school an advantage over one that is within metro distance (AU).

Maybe odd, but not misinformed. I knew Lloyd Elliot well before they named my school after him. GW is central; the others are not. You are a short walk to State, sure, but also to the IMF, World Bank, the IDB, Interior, K Street, the Fed, OAS, OEOB, etc. If a GW grad doesn’t have a strong resume by graduation, it was by choice. The IMF and World Bank are a block from the freshman dorm.

proximity =/= getting hired. I'm an AU grad and I know many other AU grads at the World Bank (I've been there 20+ years). I know only a couple of GW grads. Keep in mind, I'm not talking about undergraduates but graduate students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GWU benefits from its location, pure and simple. If she is coming all the way to DC to get a DC experience, there is no other school to consider -- even Georgetown. Georgetown and AU are fine schools in lovely neighborhoods, but is that why she would move almost 3000 miles to a city where careers are based on connections and moving-and-shaking? Heck, if she wants to be in a lovely neighborhood outside of the action she should be looking at Pepperdine and Northwestern.

This is a really odd and misinformed comment. Being within walking distance of the State Dept (GW) does not give a school an advantage over one that is within metro distance (AU).

Maybe odd, but not misinformed. I knew Lloyd Elliot well before they named my school after him. GW is central; the others are not. You are a short walk to State, sure, but also to the IMF, World Bank, the IDB, Interior, K Street, the Fed, OAS, OEOB, etc. If a GW grad doesn’t have a strong resume by graduation, it was by choice. The IMF and World Bank are a block from the freshman dorm.

proximity =/= getting hired. I'm an AU grad and I know many other AU grads at the World Bank (I've been there 20+ years). I know only a couple of GW grads. Keep in mind, I'm not talking about undergraduates but graduate students

Bingo, a hiring person in that cluster on Penn. ave. wouldn't look at the resume and say, "oh, look at this mediocre student from GW, I wouldn't hire him but damn his dorm is just up the block, let's hire him!" But generally speaking, AU has a better reputation/alumni network among international NGO employers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GW is where rich people send their kids who didn't get into Ivies.

There is a big gap between the Ivies and GW with far more attractive schools than GW in the middle. GW is basically for NY and NJ parents who'll pay a huge amount of money to avoid saying their kids go to SUNY-Binghamton, Hofstra, and Rutgers.

[Anonymous]

I think both are a good fit for your DC's academic/career goals.

What about social goals? I think AU has more of a college-feel, but GW has more of an NYU flavor to it (which I think might appeal to some and not others).