Getting Academic Help

As many of you know, I am an International Affairs major concentrating in Global Public Health. I am also currently on a pre-med track, meaning that I am fulfilling requirements to apply to medical school (scary, right?). I decided on this last year (my freshman year) as I was thinking about where I could head in the future.

This year, I am enrolled in Chemistry 11 and Biology 11, both classes for science majors as opposed to the "Baby Chem" or "Baby Bio" that could count towards my science requirements in the Elliott School. Since I am not a science major, these classes don’t count towards my major but they do help accumulate elective credits and can count for 2 science classes. At the beginning of the year, I felt very overwhelmed. Many kids in these classes for science majors have already taken the class in AP form during high school but weren’t able to test out of it.

It took me a lot of courage to fess up to the fact that I wasn’t going to be able to do the work unaided. Chemistry had been giving me the most trouble, and I was deciding whether to keep it in my schedule or drop it. As the deadline was coming up to drop (without “withdrawing” from the course, where a W is on your transcript showing you dropped it), I thought harder and harder about the decision. I finally decided to email the Chemistry Department and ask to see if there were any older students available for tutoring. I was in luck and have found a tutor and feel much more equipped to tackle Chemistry this semester!

Tutoring resources abound at GW- everyone wants you to succeed! Not only can you email the department, but there are lots of places to look if you're worried about your stacked class schedule or just need motivation to keep up on reading. Check out the GW Tutoring Initiative, Exchange on Campus, and the GWU Tutor Database (not yet utilized but check back in the future!).  

Questions? As always, shoot me an email! marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu

- Marisa

From the Live Music Capitol of the World to the Nation's Capitol- An Austinite Speaks

Howdy y’all!

 

My name is Brandon Moore and I am a new admissions blogger and if you couldn’t tell, I’m a Texan, hailing from the amazing city of Austin, Texas.

I am a freshman and have already (in the first 6 weeks or so) transferred out of the Elliott School of International Affairs (ESIA) to the Columbian College of Arts (CCAS) and Sciences because I have come to the resolution that my passion in life does not lie in that realm of study. I tell you this to say that you don’t have to make up your mind on what you plan to become/study when you are applying, but I would say it is much easier to get out of ESIA than to get in, so shoot for the stars (Elliott) when applying if you have any inclination towards international relations. The ESIA is a prestigious, great, and rigorous program, but just not where my heart lies and not for everyone.

On that note, I will now be double majoring in Environmental Studies and Organizational Sciences within the CCAS. I am already pretty involved on campus and have joined the College Republicans (he few, but proud), Colonial Brass (the basketball pep band), and am currently seeking a position as a STAR (the student tour guide positions, if you toured or will tour you had or will have one, hope its me)

Home sweet home 

I love to hang out with friends, discover different parts of DC, catch a GW volleyball game, play tennis on the Vern, and try to find some good/real Mexican food in this city (there are some hidden gems, but I’m still searching)

I decided to become a Colonial kind of by accident, but I believe fate brought me here. I visited the summer before my senior year with a government class program and visited GW, Georgetown, American, and UVA.  While the other schools were nice, GW honestly caught my attention and stole my heart. I knew this was one of the schools that could change my life. While my heart said GW, my mind said Duke. I applied to Duke early decision and was deferred to Regular decision, where I was then denied. While I was overwhelmed by not being able to study in Durham, I knew there was a place out there for me beyond UT Austin. I submitted my application to GW an hour before it was due (DON’T EVER RECOMMEND DOING, WAS SCARED TO DEATH BY SNOWPOCALYPSE) and found out I got in 3 months later and the financial aid package sealed the deal. It was actually CHEAPER for me to go to GW than attend my flagship school. The choice was obvious.

So in conclusion, I hope you learned more about me and feel comfortable asking me anything and everything and I will keep posting about your possibly your questions and my life here at GW. Apply to GW (the earlier the better J) if you have any thought of coming here, shoot for the ESIA if you want to study international affairs, and don’t rule out GW based on the price tag because you might be surprised at how great their financial aid is and that it might even be cheaper than staying at your flagship school. Feel free to email me (e-mail is below) and I will respond quickly. Hope to hear from you soon, meet you on a tour, and/or welcome you to campus in the fall of 2011!

-Brandon 

brmoore@gwmail.gwu.edu

The Much Anticipated White House Tour!

Finally, after an entire academic school year and almost two years into the second, I have made it in the White House! Ever since looking at GW, I have thought about how cool it would be to get on a tour. Little did I know how easy it was! My sister is visiting this weekend and it was the perfect opportunity to finally get in on GW's neighbors' house. Everyone should take advantage of this as it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to step foot in the house where our leaders of past and present have lived.
How to get a White House tour on your visit to GW: Requests must be submitted through one's Member of Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance. To contact your Representative and Senators, please call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at this number (202) 224-3121. If you want to visit the White House and are a citizen of a foreign country, please contact your embassy in Washington, DC for assistance in submitting a tour request.

Diagram of where the tour will take you

Library (collection of 2,700 American history books by American authors)

State Dining Room (used during formal dinners for visiting heads of state)

Above are pictures of my two favorite rooms. Though I wasn't able to bring in a camera (or chapstick.. they are very strict), I was able to find those on the internet. The coolest part about seeing these rooms in real life is that I now am able to recognize them in looking at the White House Flickr page!
If you have any questions about things to do in DC while visiting GW, email me! marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu.
-Marisa

他の言葉で話すことについて・Speaking in Tongues

In this post, I want to offer readers a look inside a particular academic experience I've had here at GW. Unlike some past and upcoming posts, this will focus my experience with a department rather than a class or a school.

For clarity's sake and so I don't lose anyone, the makeup of the teaching and research sides of universities (as opposed to financial or administrative spheres) works like this. Professors are attached to departments made up of various faculty members working together under a chairman. Every academic period (for us, this the semester; some schools go by quarter or trimester) professors are assigned classes, and these often change up.

So, given the amount of "churn" in the system, it really says something that every single class I've taken with GW's Department of Japanese Language and Literature has been really outstanding. The first class I ever attended here was a Japanese course, and from then on I've stuck with it without taking a break.

A few weeks ago, I started my fifth semester of Japanese here. While it isn't a language that's that commonly studied or one with a lot of opportunities to practice, if you want to find opportunities the department is very helpful. There's a language chat room up at our Mt. Vernon Campus (affectionately, "The Vern") every month and the department also hosts some "chat rooms" hosted by faculty.

I've stayed in the regular course track throughout my time here, but for those who are lucky enough to be able to stay in DC over the summer following their freshman and sophomore years, there are many language classes available. (My professor from Tibetan Buddhism last semester even teaches interested students Tibetan--talk about a unique opportunity!) For its part, East Asian Language and Literature (the umbrella department for Asian languages) offers "intensive" courses that meet more times a week and allow for quicker advancement.

In the next few posts, I'll run you through what homework looks like, introduce you to the syllabus for my current Japanese course, and hopefully be able to offer some insights into what language study offers GW students.

質問があれば、私にメールしてください。(e-mail me if you have any questions.)
Adam

AIDS Walk Washington 2010!

I participated in the AIDS Walk Washington last weekend with my professional foreign service sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon. It is a 5K fundraising walk and timed run benefiting the Whitman-Walker Clinic, a non-profit community-based health organization which provides dependable, high-quality, comprehensive and accessible health care to those infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

Getting ready for some powerwalkin'

Some stats:

• The CDC now estimates that more than one million Americans are living with HIV. Up to one-third of them do not know they are HIV-positive.
• It's estimated that one in every 20 adults in the District of Columbia is infected with HIV.
• DC has the highest rate of new AIDS cases per 100,000 people in the United States -- a rate that is 12 times the national average.
• In DC, African-Americans account for eight out of every 10 cases of AIDS.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

It was a sunny walk down from Freedom Plaza, around the Capitol, and back! The walk raised more than $700,000 for the clinic. My professional sorority was not the only GW student organization to participate- we had representatives from GW's Student Global AIDS Campaign, Voices for Choices, the Generic Theater Company, the Multicultural Student Services Center, Alpha Phi Omega, and Alpha Epsilon Phi! We definitely cheered out Georgetown, American, Howard, and UMD.

What's coming up next on my list of DC events? Stay tuned for my next post.. :) And keep those emails coming! marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu.

- Marisa

Cool People (In the Classroom)

Hey, so I know I wrote about guest speakers at GW, but I forgot to mention guest lecturers!  This is when a professor brings in a colleague or an expert to speak to the class about their experiences and answer questions from the class.

Last year in my Campaign Reporting class my professor brought in the creator of FactCheck.org.  He discussed starting a web business, researching political claims, and writing the truth.  It was really great to see how our lessons in class can be used outside of the classroom in a not-so traditional way.

This morning Bob Herbert, op-ed columnist for the New York Times, spoke to my Editorial and Persuasive Writing class.  He spoke to us about how the editorial board worked at the New York Times, the differences between editorials and op-eds, the future of print journalism, and many more topics!  One of his greatest testaments was that you have to work really hard to be successful in the journalism world, and take what you think is hard work and he means more than that.  And then take what you think is more than hard work and it is even more than that.  I know that sounds confusing (and daunting) but it is nice to hear the truth of the situation.  While I do not want to go into journalism, I think it is a good lesson to learn.  You have to work even harder than hard.

In my American President class Sophomore year my professor brought in Charles Manatt, former DNC chair and former Chair of the Board of Trustees at GW.  He spoke about election processes and specifically on campaign finance.  Mr. Manatt was a great resource for the class and to GW in general!

I will be sure to keep updating this post to new guest lecturers, but for now I am off to class!

If you have any questions please be sure to email me at kwollner@gwu.edu!  I love hearing from all of you!

Shireen's Tips for College Apps--Part Deux

In case you didn't read part one, let me fill you in:  I decided that I have enough authority and knowledge in the area of college applications that I took it upon myself to pass down some wisdom to you, my lucky readers.  In the first part, I discussed grades, standardized tests, and essays, so now we're on to aspects from the campus' side of things.


Interviews:  For many schools, interviews are neither required nor oft-given, but if you can snag one, it could be invaluable to your application.  GW offers interviews by admissions staff, but they fill up fast!  So if you're interested, look into it NOW!  No, look into it yesterday!


Don't be alarmed, though.  If you can't manage to finagle an interview, it's not the end of the world.  Promise.  If you're a strong candidate for acceptance, regardless of whether you were grilled by one of our mean and intimidating (total joke) admissions staffers, you'll get in.  However, an interview is something that could push you over the edge.  Like, if your app was so-so or right on the cusp, but you had an amazing interview, that could just be the deal-breaker.  


Even the action of just showing up for the interview shows that you're seriously considering the school--you made the trek out there, right?  We WANT eager undergrads, so if you show your interest in a big way like that, it'll probably pay off.  Plus, an interview adds a face, personality, and a story to your application.  It makes it stand out from the piles and piles of less enthusiastic kids' apps!


Visits:  Scheduling a visit is also incredibly important. Take it from me--I didn't visit GW before I got in, and I had no clue what I was missing!  (Or what I was in for...)  Also, admissions does keep track of who goes to their info sessions and whatnot.  Attendance at such events boosts up your eagerness rating, if nothing else.


Some people think that there's one perfect college for them and they'll walk on campus and all the butterflies will be a-flutter and a bird will eat out of their hand.  NOTHING IS MORE FALSE--though at GW, squirrels eat out of your hand!  You've heard it before, certainly, but it's so hard to get yourself out of that mindset that one college is the absolute.  Trust me, I get it completely.  Been there, done that, wrote the book (or blog!).  But it's imperative that you give each campus visit the most unbiased view possible.  And don't let the fact that it rained during your tour taint what could be your best match!  The weather is not your maker!


When in doubt, ASK!  Admissions staff are there for you to ask questions, so do it!  If only to plant your name in the back of their minds, just do it!  They are sooooooo knowledgeable, and can answer just about any question you throw at them.  And if they by some stroke of insanity can't answer your query, they will certainly direct you to someone who can.  


That goes for me, too!  (Minus the really knowledgeable part...)  Ask away!  Any questions you got, lay 'em on me!  ShireenS@gwmail.gwu.edu


<3 Shireen

A GW Perspective from the West Coast

Hi everyone! I just wanted to introduce myself as a new blogger. My name is Marisa and I am from Portland, Oregon. I am a sophomore in the Elliott School studying International Affairs with a concentration in Global Public Health. I love walking on the mall at night, pad thai, peppermint tea, learning languages, and winter!


I decided to come to GW because of everything great DC has to offer.. typical response, right? But in all seriousness, I love the West Coast and needed to experience something else instead of living over there all my life. I imagine that someday I will find myself back on the Best Coast, residing in Seattle or Portland, but for now I am happy to experience the busy lifestyle that GW provides. The one thing that I miss most about home is my golden retriever puppy...

Summer of 2009, when she joined the fam

Portland, Oregon

Are you in the same predicament? Confused as to whether to stay close to home or "ride solo" (like Jason Derulo)? Email me at marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu and I'll help you talk it through!


Can't wait to hear from you. Look out for more posts in the future about what DC has to offer, my likes/dislikes about GW, admissions advice, what I'm involved in on campus, and more!


- Marisa

New Bloggers

Greetings!

I am pleased to announced that we have new bloggers joining the GW Admissions Student Bloggers.  In the next few weeks Brandon, Gina, Christine, Marisa, and Paul G (our new study abroad blogger) will be introducing themselves as they post about their lives as GW students. We are very excited to read what they will have to say.

I hope you enjoy reading about their experiences throughout the next year.

Have a great semester!

Arturo Carrillo
Senior Assistant Director

Shireen's Tips for College Apps

Since I know that many of you are checking out our blog to get a feel for GW and what the admissions process will entail over here, I figured I would offer y'all my sage advice on some general admissions know-how.  I've certainly done more than enough research to know what's valuable in an application, and being an employee of the admissions office (technically) gives me even more authority to speak on these topics!

SAT/ACT/GPA:  Yeah, the numbers are important sometimes.  No one's gonna lie to you about that.  If you haven't worked your tushie off as much as you should have been over the past few years, chances are it may negatively affect your admissions decisions.  That's not always the case, though!  Really!  I know some people who can CERTAINLY attest to that (haha).  But it can't hurt to delay the Senioritis as much as possible, and try your best to crank that GPA up as much as you can.  (At least for this semester!)    

For your essay:  I'm pretty jaded when it comes to admissions essays for various reasons that I won't go into, so I apologize if my words seem harsh.  

I would try not to go with the cliché, "So-and-so changed my life because he was a great person and cared about others--AND THEN HE DIED!"  Bad news, folks: it's not a shocker to anyone.  Admissions officers are pretty used to that not-so-twisted plot twist, they read a million bajillion essays in their careers.  The topic gets old, and it won't help your essay to stand out.  

Then there's also the "When I did a community service project in this impoverished nation/bad neighborhood..."  You know, the kind of thing where you became really impassioned about saving the world for a few weeks after and then life gets in the way and you forget it almost entirely?  We've all done those sorts of things, it's just a fact of life--especially since we're encouraged (sometimes forced!) to do a lot of community service in high school for various organizations or to look good for college admissions.  So I say unless your experience was unique or actually changed you, it would probably be beneficial to shy away from rehashing  manual labor.  Or you could even write about how you wish you had stayed more involved and regret letting the experience be overshadowed by the trivial squabbles of everyday life.  I think the honesty and thoughtfulness of that would be refreshing!  Just a thought, though.

Here's another thing: be yourself in that damned essay.  Don't try to add fanciful flourishes to your writing if they're just not you.  As you can tell I'm a huge advocate of casual writing.  I wrote the book!  And if you are a more academic writer, don't dumb yourself down to seem more relatable or whatever the case may be.  Just do you, baby.

I thought I'd get all I had to say about admissions out today, but it appears I've already written a lot and now I have Macro homework to do!  So I'll probably wrap this baby up tomorrow or the next day.  Nah, definitely the next day.  Until then, toodles!

Someone wrote me an email today and asked if I liked getting emails from readers.  You know what?  I do!  ShireenS@gwmail.gwu.edu

<3 Shireen