GW Elliott Graduate Living

[Missie]

I will be attending GW Elliott School for my master’s in international affairs. I have a number of questions regarding the school, neighborhood, and the city itself. I would appreciate it if anyone can answer my queries in the following categories.

Housing: From my communication with the GWU Housing, it seems like only the Aston houses GWU graduate students. What other housing options are available near the Elliott School? I understand that because of GWU’s location in Washington, DC, it is difficult to find an affordable, yet safe housing. Are there any nearby off-campus apartments that are furnished?

Safety: For my undergraduate degree, I had attended a large state university in a safe Midwestern college town. I currently live abroad in one of the largest metropolitan cities in the world, but it is still safe. From what I heard about and read online, it seems like Washington, DC is a city that has severe crime and safety problems. I will be spending most of my time in Foggy Bottom, but which neighborhoods should I stay away from? Is safety a problem at GWU and Foggy Bottom? Is it dangerous for anyone, especially a female, to walk outside at night? I am used to walking outside after sunset without any fear of being harmed.

Jobs/Internships: It seems like the ESIA is more career-oriented when compared to similar programs of other schools. How helpful is the ESIA Career Services when it comes to helping students find daytime internships and jobs? I understand that the classes are in the evening, so I would definitely want to use the daytime to build my resume.

[bsack]

depends on what you're willing to pay. if you're a big dollar baller, you can try "the avenue" on I street, which is luxury level and located within campus right next to foggy bottom metro. something a little less ostentatious but still on campus like "the statesmen" (just a couple of blocks from elliott) would be about $1700 for a studio. there are a bunch of other options that are off campus but still within foggy bottom. nonetheless, despite a few complaints, DC has pretty good public transport, so don't feel obligated to live in the immediate vicinity of the elliott school/foggy bottom. reaching school by metro is in fact the norm for many grad students in DC since the distances are fairly short and quick (the main part of DC isn't particularly big geographically speaking). adams morgan for example is a bit more affordable and ideal for a 20 something. also, keep in mind that since GW is basically in the southwestern chunk of DC (the address for GW is technically in the northwestern "quadrant" of dc, but GW is in the southern edge of NW), many neighborhoods in Virginia like Rosslyn and Alexandria will be geographically closer to the Elliott School than many parts of DC proper, so don't hesitate to apartment hunt in VA.

You'll be fine. You're in Foggy Bottom 5 blocks away from the White House. Crime isn't really a huge issue in Foggy Bottom and much of NW. just stay away from anacostia and you should be good. you'll know intuitively what the bad neighborhoods are once you get there, so i wouldn't stress out too much about it. just don't do anything dumb, keep your wits about you, and you should be fine

undergraduate career services are handled by one central GWU office for all majors, so i can't really speak to what the graduate elliott career services are like. 

Edited April 26, 2016 by bsack

[ErmahgerdAdulting]

Washington DC is a lot more safe than you might expect! I remember that was a huge concern for me when I moved here and I've never been mugged or anything. That being said, you should always be aware of your surroundings, whether you're walking across the street from the White House or if you're out late on H Street (perfect example of an adorable and vibrant neighborhood that can get sketchy in certain parts). For some perspective, I'm a woman and I feel comfortable running at night through most parts of NW DC, including Foggy Bottom. 

My rule of thumb is that the closer you live to a metro, the safer you'll be. It's commonsense, there's just more development in areas directly surrounding a metro station. I can't speak to furnished housing, but I would also consider looking at neighborhoods in Arlington and either biking in to town or taking the metro. Rent can be significantly cheaper out in VA and you'll be on the same metro line as GWU, so the commute is about 20-30 minutes depending on how far out you are. 

Also, be aware that pepper spray is a banned substance in some federal buildings! I purchased pepper spray when I first moved here because like you, I was very nervous about crime. I've never had to use it, but it did cause me some embarrassment when I tried to get through Capitol security with my pepper spray in my purse...