George Washington University
| Total Grad Surveys | 31 |
| Females | 16 |
| Males | 15 |
| Avg years at University | 1.7 |
| Research Quality | B (6.9) |
| Research Availability | B (6.8) |
| Research Funding | B- (6.0) |
| Graduate Politics | B (6.9) |
| Not Errand Runners | B- (6.4) |
| Degree Completion | B (7.2) |
| Alternative pay [ta/gsi] | B- (5.9) |
| Sufficient Pay | C (4.8) |
| Competitiveness | B (7.0) |
| Education Quality | B- (6.3) |
| Faculty Accessibility | B (7.0) |
| Useful Research | B- (6.5) |
| "Individual" treatment | B- (5.9) |
| Friendliness | B- (6.3) |
| Safety | B (7.1) |
| Campus Beauty | B- (6.3) |
| Campus Maintenance | B- (6.3) |
| University Spending | B (6.5) |
| Extracurriculars | B (6.7) |
| Scholastic Success | B- (6.3) |
| Surrounding City | A (9.6) |
| Social Life/ Environment | A- (8.7) |
Sufficient PayC
Surrounding CityA
Great academics and teaching style, terrible school overall, Outside the Academic faculty. The staff does not care about you do not go to this school it is not worth the money.
I took the M.S. IST program as a continuation of my Information Systems undergrad. This program gives a strong business focus, but little technical work. You will learn the management techniques and technical theory well, but don't expect to technical skills.
I met very few students in the program who knew any programming languages, let alone SQL (which, in my opinion, is quite necessary in an Information Systems program). Furthermore, the introductory database course, which I was able to bypass, taught Access (I hear) instead of something substantial like oracle or SQL Server. Even the "technical-sounding" courses are lacking in technical work.If you're looking for a great business degree with a technology management focus, this would be a great program for you. If you want to advance your technical skills with information systems practical ability, you're likely better off in the computer science program.
Demanding, definitely. But a great place to have fun, too. The coursework is quite challenging and helped me understand how much I did not understand as undergrad. But profs are helpful (and some _very_ helpful) and want you to succeed. Thesis topics are cutting-edge research, but not Nobel stuff.
The faculty was very nice and the course work was not difficult. The financial aid people were horrible to work with, unresponsive and just uncaring. I have never had such a problem before.
This is a brief review of the MSIST program in the school of business at the grad level. In short this is a good program, and taking courses off the main campus downtown is a money saver. In terms of the quality of subject matter though, much of what you will be taught is rehashed since if you work and come from industry (as most of the students in the program do) you've heard it all before. The teachers though were a real mixed bag. The most glaring thing was it was polarizing, the teachers were either VERY good to exceptional, or they were on the other scale just downright useless, laughable, irrelevant, boring and clueless. So they were either exceptional or really bad. Luckily most of them were of the former. Probably one of the best things about the program is the student body and the contacts you will make from others who are usually from all over the world and work in many different places and companies. It gives you a fantastic opportunity to network and find out what is going on in industry. Administration is a bit weak. I'd recommend the program if you've worked in industry for a bit instead of coming right out of undergrad, but that's not to say you can't do it without years of work experience cause there were a good number of students who went straight into the program from undergrad that I met. Unfortunatly the department staff seemed to have its own internal politics, and it made its way into the classroom which really shouldn't happen. But for an off campus evening after work program, it's a pretty good deal.
Overall most faulty and staff are rude and not helpful. Within the Master of Public Health (global health) program, the faulty members are more concerned about their real jobs. They seem to teach at GW for extra cash or to have something else to put on their resumes. When you really need the help, they are not there for you.
GW GW GW ! I enrolled in the acelerated MBA progam and it was very structured and fast paced. Together with a tough full time job, one of the many skills you learn is how to be disciplined. The faculty are very knowledgable and have strong contacts.You get to meet CEO, CFO etc through your projects. By the time the first year is over, you would have covered almost 12 courses with 8 left to go. They now have an improved program which is great ! My cohort was so diverse with students from different cultures and different industries. I am so glad I chose GW for my MBA. Its a great school and I am proud of the Degree I recieved.
The GW MBA is a great program. I recommend it to anyone. There are advanced finance classes here that other programs don't offer.
“I love the MBA program, all the classes I've taken and the professors. I highly recommend the GW School of Business!
I'm a grad student in Compuer Science at GW and although it is expensive, the education I am receiving is WELL worth my money. The night life here is great, but if you do come here be prepared to study hard, or fail out.
The vast majority of the classes and faculty were great; however, the administration of the classes was unorganized and difficult to navigate. It was extremely difficult to determine what classes were available and add or drop a class. At the end, I received a great education that has given me a lot of confidence on my latest assignment; however, it didn't have to be that painful.
I am new comer but I have recieved many emails from my director of this program. They pay much attention on students' career. I like this niversity and I like The Elliott School.
GWU is the worst. The professors suck, to many adjunct profs. I mean I can understand if we have adjuncts who are goo businessmen- but ours are just proffessors who could not cut it anywhere else. They get the 3000 dolars per class and go home. The Business school needs a new dean. The lady they have sucks, we need colin powell or some one of that pedigree. Its rediculous how the b-school is ran. There is no diversity and professors suck.
I am currently an MBA student in the School of Business and Public Management. The professors are ok...but, it really is what you make of it. If you're going to spend 5 grand per semester on an evening degree program, make sure that you have a place with a) good facilities, b) good professors, c) a good, caring administration, and d) a decent reputation in the work place. I love the fellow students in the program, they are all mature, intelligent, caring, fun, engaging, and great to work with.
First, the bad news: GWU's administration is the worst I have ever seen. The Alumni Association is AWFUL!!! Everything at the university is outsourced - financial aid, the individual departments' web sites, everything. They have had the same web site online for the past year - no news updates, no engaging materials to keep you coming back- just awful. When you try to log into the Alumni Association's web site - there's nothing there half the time.
I like the Biz School but, it's in a state of transition right now and will be moving into a new building next year and boy do they need that. The desks are SO TINY and the class rooms so small, that it's impossible to be able to think clearly.
I have to re-iterate about the Administration. President Trachtenberg focuses only on growth, money, and revenue. Another example of how awful it is concerns the financial aid for grad students. The financial aid process for Graduate Students is outsourced to a third party in Atlanta and the people that work in the financial aid office ARE TERRIBLE!! LET ME SAY THIS AGAIN! I currently work in financial aid and the incorrect information that these people working in the Financial Aid Office tell you when you call up is ABSOLUTELY WRONG!!! Undergrads are treated a little better, but not much. When I email the Financial Aid Office, it's answered by someone that used to work there! He has no access to student records and has to forward these emails to financial aid office anyway if there is some detail that he can't answer. Also, the web site for financial aid is the absolute worst! You can't even download the forms you need to apply for aid, you have to CALL the financial aid office, leave a MESSAGE and have them MAIL it you. Then you fill it out and MAIL it back to this place in Atlanta for processing. If anything goes wrong, they don't even call you to tell you - they MAIL it to you to fix. Dear God! UGGHGHGHG
The campus is just a campus. Nothing special. The Student Store is about 200 degrees, so when you go in there, you'd better be prepared to sweat.
For the good news, the MBA Program provides a lot of flexibility - I can take 8 courses in any area I want-political science, public policy, marketing, finance. Salma and Al, who run the professional MBA program are amazing!!! They are so quick to respond to our questions and concerns but are often held back by Administration. See my theme? My fellow students are GREAT! As stated before, I would not trade them for anything. But, again, it's what you make of it when you get there. It's in the middle of DC so internships abound. Just check carefully GWU before you go...and the price tag for undergrads is NOT worth it!!!
My name is DIN Merican. I am from Malaysia. I graduated with an MBA in International Business from GWU in 1970. The programme was excellent with very dedicated professors. GWU gave me the freedom to choice my courses as I saw fit. I chose them in consultation with my Academic Advisor, Dr. Philip D.Grub.
I am proud that GWU is today making greater progress in academic excellence and reputation. Our alumini community is strong and global.Washington DC is a great place to be if you want an international perspective, and wish to understand American democratic governance system.
I went to the Elliot School and had a good time. The Elliot School focuses on preparing you for a job, not doing research that will keep you in academia. I did take a lot of political science classes and those were preparing the students for academia, though.
One of the main reasons I chose the ESIA was because it had a 'group project' for half of a semester instead of a thesis. To me, this was good because I know I would have had trouble coming up with a thesis topic and such! Instead, our professor for the broad topic that was assigned said "We're going to research education in Iraq" which was a great and timely topic. I say great because it was so broad that everyone in the class found a way to contribute to their group (there were 2 groups of 4 people) and the overall project.
Another reason I liked the ESIA was it only required one semester of economics - great for someone who hates the subject (like me)!
I did feel like there was a lot of 'hype' around the ESIA - about how smart the students are, how great the faculty was, etc. But to me, it felt like some of the faculty were chosen only because of their credentials, not because they were good at teaching. This was the main downfall of the school. Yeah, those professors liked the students, but they really couldn't teach. However, these professors were (at most) 15% of the faculty. The rest, although they had 'day jobs', really did like teaching and it was great to get some 'real world perspective' on some issues.
I had one AWESOME professor who made such a sterile topic as Forming National Security Policy fun. He was an ex-Army guy who had ended up on the Hill and made every lecture funny for even the most sleepy student. I looked forward to his classes each day just because I knew it was going to be as good as the best comedy on television.Although I may say "hey, I got a good 'name' for my resume by going here," overall, I did enjoy the learning. If, like me, you end up missing the straight academic world, the ESIA has more than enough room for taking whatever classes you want (IA - International Security Studies had, I believe, only 7 classes *for* the major and the rest were electives). I ended up spending half of my time here taking ESIA classes and the other half over at the political science department. I think this really strengthened myself as I got the 'how this works' and the international side at the ESIA, then got the 'how this should work' and the acadmic/US government side at the political science department.
Research Topic(s): n/a
Academics
I can only speak for the poly sci program and I thought it was very solid,p ractical, well organized…many of the professors have been on the front lines of big time politics…they’re not speaking in theoretical terms. That was my experience…I respect others on this site who feel differently. Some professors were great and others were mediocre. Without the location it wouldn’t be as good of a school. Those who say that it is what you make of it are right. Professors will not coddle you here…you have to motivate yourself.
I can only speak for the poly sci program and I thought it was very solid,p ractical, well organized…many of the professors have been on the front lines of big time politics…they’re not speaking in theoretical terms. That was my experience…I respect others on this site who feel differently. Some professors were great and others were mediocre. Without the location it wouldn’t be as good of a school. Those who say that it is what you make of it are right. Professors will not coddle you here…you have to motivate yourself.
Sports
Basketball is big…or at least it was when Mike Jarvis was the coach…after that, no one cares, unless you’re a member of the team.
Student Body
GW is a safety school for privileged kids who went to elite boarding schools in the north east but who didn’t assert themselves and were rejected from Brown, Columbia, Penn, etc. GW has long been considered “socially acceptable” by the rich in Conn, NYC, etc…they apparently like the fact that their kids are so close to the White House, World Bank, Fed…
Dorms
I can’t complain. I lived in Mitchell Hall and had a dorm to myself that was cleaned by housekeeping once a week.
Party Scene
A couple of years ago I think GW was named the #1 party school in the country by some publication…we all thought it was a joke. But if you want to party you’ll be able to here. These kids really know how to spend their parents money and the clubl scene in DC is definitely there although not like NYC
GW is great for career opportunities, and the surrounding city. It is a good launching pad for becoming intimate with the Washington DC seen, more so than other schools who are aloof from the city (but still in it). The opportunities and research for graduate students is phenomenal with access to DC area think-tanks, the best of the government agencies, and of course private sector high fliers. I couldn't imagine going here for undergraduate though, the facilities are not so good, you can't actually point to a "campus", and if there is school spirit I think it is wholly in the form of Crossfire on CNN.
I completed my masters degree in tourism through their on-line program. Overall it was a fine experience but the University system treats you as a number as nothing else. When I tried to withdraw from a class for medical reasons one semester, they told me I had to come in and sign a form. It took 10 minutes of trying to explain to them that I was in their distance program and couldn't do that before they finally agreed to fax it to me. Other then that, just depends on the professors you get. Some are great, some are not. I feel I got a good education but I felt throughout that as long as I wrote a check, they weren't too interested.
I got my MBA from GWU. I don't tell very many people that. I am not very proud of this school, its facility, nor the majoriy of its faculty. There are some faculty members who really care about their students learning. Unfortunately you have to ask around for these great professors. The majority are adjuncts or full time professors who don't really care. Out of this group, there are those who just feel sorry for the students who end up going to this school. They actually give out A's because because they'd hate for you to repeat this class or feel that you since you were willing to shell out $900/ credit hour, you deserve it.
You can even sJust remember this: GWU IS A CORPORATION, NOT A SCHOOL THAT ONLY CARES ABOUT MONEY!!!! THEY EVEN CHARGE YOU $100 FOR GRADUATING!!! IF YOU WANT A QUALITY EDUCATION, GO ELSEWHERE!!!
You will not find smarter, more enthusiastic, and more approachable faculty anywhere. These professors are on the cutting edge, yet they are not just willing but eager to help you learn & grow. GW's administration is not very friendly, but the political science department more than makes up for the university's failings. In addition, the department keeps attracting smarter and better students, so that you have brilliant peers to work with -- and it is collaborative, not competitive. I had funding offers from other schools; I'm delighted with my choice of GW's political science department.
- #2 Top Economics School Ranking in District Of Columbia
- #2 Top Finance School Ranking in District Of Columbia
- #3 Top School Ranking in District Of Columbia
- #4 Top Accounting School Ranking in District Of Columbia
- #7 Top Public Health
- #9 Top Journalism
- #12 Top Religion/Religious
- #18 Top Art & Design Department
Rankings GWU appears in
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Cons: the school clearly does not care about students:
?health insurance is $1400/semester but does not cover ER, specialists, or anything beyond the student health center.
?there are few to no academic services for graduate students.
?as a TA, you end up providing the missing academic services for undergraduates, like advising and tutoring.
?they pay well below minimum wage, to the point that you cannot afford to live a reasonable distance away.
?you are expected not to hold any other jobs, which compounds the low pay.
?you often are expected to work on campus well past 8pm
?the academic buildings are falling apart
?the school does not provide for research grants or stipends, so you have to fund your own research?there is a ?boy?s club? atmosphere in many departments that prevents discriminatory professors and staff from facing consequences