What a friend would tell you
What GW is looking for
GW tracks demonstrated interest closely: visit, attend sessions, engage with admissions. ED applicants get a significant advantage. The strongest applications connect career goals to DC institutions (not vaguely 'policy' but specific agencies, think tanks, or NGOs). GW wants students who will intern aggressively and leverage the location, not just enjoy it.
What students wish they'd known
There is no traditional campus: Foggy Bottom is a DC neighborhood, and the college experience feels urban-professional rather than collegiate. Housing is expensive and tight; many students live off campus in pricey DC apartments. The sticker price is among the highest in the country, and financial aid packages have a reputation for gapping. Students who want a campus bubble or strong school spirit will feel something is missing.
GW might be a fit if...
- You want to intern at the White House, State Department, or a K Street think tank while earning your degree
- You thrive in a city where your classmates are networking at receptions, not tailgating at football games
- You are drawn to political science, international affairs, or policy and want DC as your campus
GW Admissions Strategy
1.4x
Early Decision Advantage
Early Decision admits at 1.4x the RD rate. The trade: ED is binding. Apply only if you'd say yes on the spot.
Early Decision: the numbers
GW's Early Decision acceptance rate is 66.0% vs 47% overall. ED is binding. If you are admitted, you are committing to enroll. This signals strong commitment and gives a meaningful admissions advantage.
Deadlines: ED November 1 · RD January 5
Deadlines: ED November 1 · RD January 5
Test Policy
Test-optional
You choose whether to send scores. A strong score helps your case; a weak one is better left off.
Demonstrated Interest
Yes (Important)
Not tracked. Skip the info-session circuit and put those hours into the application itself.
Interview
Not offered
Yield Rate
34%
Only 34% of admits choose to enroll. The waitlist moves more than you'd think; if you land on it, make your interest loud.
Want the strongest possible application to GW, plus better odds and merit offers everywhere else you apply?
Join the free one-hour workshop from two Harvard grads who have helped 3,000+ students get in. Parents welcome.
Cost & Financial Aid at GW
$68,000
Sticker Price
$24,000
Avg Merit Aid
Need-aware admissions. Meets 100% of demonstrated need. 68% receive financial aid.
For context: GW spends about $16,000 per student per year on instruction and student resources, right around the $15K national average.
What GW Graduates Get
$55,000
Avg Starting Salary
90%
Employed or in Grad School
76%
Graduate in 4 Years
The 4-year number is the on-time rate; the 6-year rate (85%) is the one schools usually advertise. A wide gap means many students pay for extra semesters.
GW Campus & Culture
The Campus
GW's Foggy Bottom campus occupies 43 acres in downtown Washington, DC, with no defined boundary between campus and city. Buildings range from renovated townhouses to the blocky 1970s Gelman Library and the newer Science and Engineering Hall (2015), a glass-walled research facility. The White House is six blocks east; the State Department is across the street.
The Social Scene
Highly social; DC nightlife; Greek life prominent; internship-focused culture; less residential
GW Traditions & Trivia
Carillon Fight Song
Twice a day, at 12:15 pm and 6 pm, the carillon at GW rings out the GW Fight Song over the Foggy Bottom neighborhood, marking the rhythm of the academic day.
Day of Service Convocation
Every fall, the incoming class and returning students spend their first day together doing community service across Washington DC before the academic year officially begins.
Academics at GW
What GW is known for
Washington, DC location; strong political science and international affairs; career connections; preppy culture
Most popular majors at GW
Standout programs
Political Science, International Affairs, Business, Economics, Public Affairs
How the curriculum works
Liberal arts core with professional school options (business, engineering, medicine track)
Recommended high school courses
AP/IB in government, history, economics, English, mathematics
Notable GW Alumni
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Transferred to GW from Vassar, GWU class of 1951
Colin Powell
MBA from GWU, became Secretary of State
Alec Baldwin
Attended GWU briefly before transferring to NYU
Kerry Washington
Scandal and Django Unchained star, GWU class of 1998
J. Edgar Hoover
Founded the modern FBI, GWU Law 1917
If you like GW, also consider
Georgetown University
Higher selectivity, six blocks away, stronger brand, Jesuit mission
American University
Same DC location, stronger public service focus, more campus feel
University of Virginia
Two hours south with traditional campus culture and comparable political feeder pipeline
Tufts University
Similar globally-minded students, Boston suburban location
Johns Hopkins University
DC presence through SAIS, stronger research reputation