5 Reasons Why I Chose To Go To George Washington University
Now that my time as an undergraduate student is about to end, I cannot help to think back to my life changing decision to go to GW. Weather you have not yet decided where to go to college or you are planning to change schools, I hope that this article can help you clear your thoughts about this important next step. Keep reading for the main reasons why I chose to go to George Washington University!
1. The Holy Grail Of International Affairs
Ok, I might be exaggerating a tiny bit but in my opinion GW is THE place to study International Affairs and Political Sciences. I mean we are the most politically active university in the country for a reason, right? Every year important heads of States, government officials and politicians come to the campus for conferences and panels, and guess what? Students can attend those conferences for free!
On top of everything, my lovely Elliott School of International Affairs is at the center of all action: three blocks away form the White House, it is across the Organization of American States etc… I could go on and on about all the amazing things that all IR people like me die for. And if you are interested in International Affairs, I can guarantee you this is THE place to go, although I am still waiting for a visit of Justin Trudeau and not necessarily because I am interested in Canadian politics –insert wink-.
2. Foggy Bottom? Oh yeah…
I already established that for IR and Poli Sci majors like me, GW is the place to go but it is important to state also another big reason and that is the university’s campus. I know it is cliché but seriously if you are going to be spending the next four years in one place it better be awesome and Foggy Bottom offers exactly that -not Foggy Longbottom like I used to call it-. It is located in the heart of DC, where all the big government buildings are, and it is extremely close to the National Mall.
My favorite part is that we have our own metro station, which means that you can go ANYWHERE and you will never feel stranded. Ok, maybe that is a tiny stretch because sometimes the metro lines are awful but you still get to be able to go somewhere! You will have access to all the great things that DC offers, yes I am talking about the delicious food from all the corners of the world, and you can go to the gazillion of free events and concerts that are all year long. So if you are a fan of History, culture, arts or just love to BE part of future History, GW is the place to go…. You might even bump into a celebrity once in a while.
3. Say Hello To Incredible Opportunities
As you probably have noticed, GW is located in a very special place, where very special and important people work, which means that during the four years as an undergrad you will have amazing internship opportunities. Awesome right? This is one of the greatest advantages of living in DC, you can work for the Hill, incredible NGOS, companies, you name it. This was definitely for me a great incentive to go to GW, because not only I would have a great education but I will also start to build an amazing resume.
4. My Only At GW Moment
Every GW student or prospect student knows that during the four years of undergrad there will be a hundreds of experiences that you will only get to experience at GW. For me knowing that I could run to the White House after the President’s election (we are not going to discuss this past one) or that I could attend to events that would enter in the history books was definitely part of my decision.
I was looking forward for those moments and I am very glad to say that throughout my years I had my good share: I helped to set the stage for The Fray concert and touch their instruments, meet Katheryn Bigelow, go to the GW inauguration ball, and the best part is that my graduation will be at the National Mall! These are experiences that I am certain that I will never forget and I hope that if you chose to GW you will have even better Only at GW moments.
5. Close to Home
This is probably an aspect that is not very relevant to many, but for me being close to my family was important in my decision to choose a university. Coming from a Hispanic family, we are all about being close to each other, especially since I had my five year old little sister that I wanted to be able to see grow. Because GW is so close to Maryland, where my family lives, I got to experience the best of both worlds: live on campus and at home.