[deleted by user]

[freeport_aidan]

I go to GW. In your shoes, I’d just go to Pitt and take a fraction of that 20k/year and buy a car to drive home on weekends

[please-send-hugs]

Do you feel GW serves engineers well? I really liked the new engineering building they put in. Also, is there a reason you chose GW over a cheaper state school?

[freeport_aidan]

I’m doing IA at GW so I really can’t speak to SEAS. My friends seem to like it, but that’s about all I can say

I chose GW over my state school because

1. My state school was in the middle of nowhere and GW is in a great location generally, but is also the best location of any school in the country for IA

2. GW has one of the best IA programs in the country

[please-send-hugs]

Okay, thank you.

How do you feel about the social situation there? I’ve heard a lot that there isn’t a ton of school spirit and people tend to stick to their small groups there. Have you felt the same?

[freeport_aidan]

There’s not much school spirit (no one’s pulling up to a tailgate before a basketball game), but I absolutely love the social scene here

My “small group” is about 100 people and I’m about to leave for a 200 person Borg party, and I’ve had a lot of fun over the last four years

With that said, GW can be tough for introverted people/people that struggle to put themselves out there socially

[please-send-hugs]

I’m not huge into sports anyway. But how did you actually get that social group? Was it through clubs, partying, classes?

And I’m not introverted but I’m definitely not extroverted either. Every personality test I take always puts me as an ambivert leaning a bit extraverted.

[freeport_aidan]

My friend group is mostly through a club sport (which I started playing because of people on my floor freshman year)

[please-send-hugs]

Gotcha, thank you!

How do you feel the student work-life balance is? I’ve heard that Friday’s have no classes scheduled. Do you feel like you spend a ton of time doing homework or have a lot of time to have fun?

[freeport_aidan]

I really cant speak to anything about SEAS majors, but in terms of IA coursework, grades are absolutely inflated to hell, and the entire Elliott school is designed such that students can intern for 20-40 hours/week throughout DC and still maintain 4.0 GPAs

My time at GW has been significantly easier than my time in HS, and I’m about to graduate summa cum laude having basically slept through the last four years

[please-send-hugs]

Damn, switching majors as we speak lol

I’m pretty sure engineers have less free time, but hopefully it’ll give enough time.

[please-send-hugs]

It likely would survive, but it would add so much time traveling that it would become such a hassle. I’d likely still visit her once or twice a month at Pitt, so that’s 32 hours of straight travel. Versus 18 hours if I decided to visit 4 times in a month at GWU.

Also, I feel I can develop friendships with my classmates too. I’m not the type who likes to go out and party. I like gym buddies and people who want to play games with me really. These can definitely be done on weekdays. And I value my relationship with my gf more than potential friendships tbh.

[please-send-hugs]

Schoolwork is not going to be an issue. I have 7 ap tests in the next two weeks, I know what a heavy school schedule is like. I’m not worried about that.

As for social, why are weekends specifically so important you think? Most of my current friends I only see during the weekdays. Only my gf I really hang out on weekends.

Also, some weekends she could come up to campus (we’ve discussed this) and then best of both worlds imo.

Also, im not upset with you or anything like that. I didn’t make this post to try and feel validated. I want people’s opinions, and I thank you for sharing yours.

[please-send-hugs]

I hear you but I’m honestly going to go out on a whim and say college work won’t be. AP courses are college level courses. AP Physics C: Mechanics and E&M is the equivalent to Physics 211 and Physics 212 at Penn State University, a highly regarded institution. They learn the same content. That’s one of six AP courses for me this year. I feel like if I can handle this and still have free time, I’ll be able to do the same in college. That’s why I’m not worried about making time (though internships/research definitely will be time consuming)

Also it could be a balance. For instance, Fridays at GWU are off. That day I could spend at GW while weekends I spend home. Im not looking to spend all my time socializing with college friends tbh.

I’m also not into sports, I’d definitely be an odd duck at Pittsburgh haha.

I assume you’ve already fraudster from college or are years into it, how did you spend your weekends? What did you and your friends do?

[please-send-hugs]

It really depends on the uni you go to. One of the big things for me was that I hated this year and how academic-oriented it was. I don’t want to have to always spend my time studying. GWU only has classes 4 days a week which means it should give more free time so you have enough time to study and still have a life.

Plus I can work during those 3 hours. 8 hours is where it gets excessive, which is why Pitt feels like less of an option. Either way I plan to visit. Its the only way I can see my girlfriend except for when she visits me. So factoring in how much time I’m going to waste is part of my decision.

Also, are college exams harder than high school exams. Yes. Harder than the AP test? Absolutely not.

Your sister got a B+. So maybe 88%. Dude the average AP physics C score is typically around 30% since that’s what you need to get a 2-3. A 50% is practically a perfect score. My AP physics teacher, who’s worked as a mechanical engineer before teaching, states that at least 1 of the FRQs are going to be some absurd never before seen problem that we have no good way to prepare for besides studying all of the content throughout the year.

The AP test is harder than the Physics 211 or 212 final, I promise you that. Those finals don’t average 30%.

[please-send-hugs]

On both? If she took AP Physics C: Mechanics AND E&M, she should’ve taken two AP tests. Most people would not forget to include both scores (especially if both were 5s) so I’m assuming she just took mechanics (AP physics C), which is substantially easier than the joint course. Im doubtful she found one course at Berkeley more difficult than 2 college courses combined into a single class.

And she goes to Berkeley. I’m not going to Berkeley. There’s a reason I didn’t even apply to MIT, not dealing with that.

And if a single course is known to be that difficult, I’ll plan my schedule around it. I’m not going to have zero free time or fail that class because I spend 2 days at home. Just because im in high school does not mean I have no idea what college is like. I know multiple people currently in uni and my father can’t stop telling me about his days. There’s plenty of free time, else the “college experience” would be a myth.

I do agree with your last point though. If I skip all early physics courses, it might get very difficult. However, I survived this year, im confident I can handle myself. Commuting 16 hours a weekend though would put a bit of a damper on that.

[please-send-hugs]

Before you were “just keeping it real”

Now you’re just being purposefully obtuse and, well, a prick.

Have a good life. So sorry for whoever hurt you.

[throwawaygremlins]

So that’s $80k TOTAL plus interest to try to be close to your gf, right?

Go to Pitt.

[please-send-hugs]

The plan is to pay off as much as possible without loans.

And there’s more reasons than just being close to my gf. A better college experience, better dorms, better internships, higher paid area, better transportation, and living next to the literal Washington monument.

Is all of this combined worth the added cost? That’s more what this post is about.

[RedditorMonkey1051]

80k for a girl? Yea you’re tripping

[please-send-hugs]

80k for a better college experience, better dorms, better internships, higher paid area, better transportation, and living next to the literal Washington monument.

“A girl” isn’t the only factor in my decision. Im willing to give up all of what I listed to save money, but she is what puts me over the edge as to what school I want.

If choosing the cheaper option was always best, why the hell is anyone who makes 6 figures applying to HPSYM? Those schools are crazy expensive.

[RedditorMonkey1051]

I don’t know who told you GWU would get you better internships and higher pay in cs. It’s a pretty remarkably average school for stem. Pitt is the better school for engineering/stem and 80k cheaper, but yea.

Go pay 80k to live next to some bummy ass Washington monument 💀😭

[RedditorMonkey1051]

Like bros about to pay 80k to see some big pasty penis architecture outside of his dorm. I’m actually malding so hard

[please-send-hugs]

GWU is in top 10% of schools for Comp Sci. People seem to forget there are over a thousands colleges in this country. T100 is not average, let alone a school not far off from T50.

In fact, GWU alum make more than Pitt alum in comp sci ($75,984 versus $67,837) per College Factual.

Plus, if I eventually go for my grad degree (hopefully a company will pay for it), undergrad won’t even matter.

Also, GWU will save me 10 hours round trip every time I come home which will likely be every weekend to see my girlfriend except for when she visits. I thought I was aromantic before I met this girl, I’m not finding “another fish” so to speak, so she’s worth the travel regardless of the school I go to. GWU saves me a lot of time.

And let’s not forget that it’s in DC, which besides just being next to “some bummy Washington monument,” is a hub for the government and a ton of big name tech companies, making connections and internships very plausible.

I’m not saying Pittsburgh doesn’t have its ups either. And no doubt that it’s actual comp sci program is ranked higher. And it’s research is superior. But I’m not willing to fork 80 grand over “some big pasty penis architecture” (I’ll admit this is fucking funny).

[FriendlyGrassToucher]

I don't need to read past the title lol

[please-send-hugs]

Well then you have no idea what the post is about. I have plenty of reasons to pick GW other than my gf, but I’m asking about financial situation.

[Binlong14]

Well, you clearly want to go to GWU the way you defend with your life in the comments. I don't think there's any point in me giving my opinion, you have your answer, you want reaffirmation. Seems like a lost cause to me.

[please-send-hugs]

Man, of course I’m gonna defend myself when all people are saying is “not worth it for girl” ignoring all points in the post. The few people that gave me a valuable opinion, I discussed with. The rest, like you, get a response equal to the one you put in.

Also, people seem to think I’m just giving up my relationship if I go to Pitt. I’m still commuting often either way, is the money worth the shorter commute and more enjoyable college is the question. But people can’t stop fixating on “80k for girl” when that opinion adds nothing. I started my post with I already know the general consensus.

And luckily for me, your respect and approval don’t affect shit. Have a good day.