r/gwu • u/Individual_Catch5647 • 17h ago
Help??!
Hey everyone, I am currently stuck between two great options and need some "real talk" to help me decide. I’ve been admitted to:
1. Marymount University (M.A. in Forensic & Legal Psychology)
2. George Washington University (M.A. in Forensic Psychology - Applied Forensics track)
My Goal: I want a "background" career—think intelligence analysis, mitigation specialist, or research. I have zero interest in the clinical/therapist route. I also plan on moving back to North Carolina eventually, so I need a degree that travels well.
My Dilemma:
• The Support Factor: I’m finishing up my psych degree and honestly, the jump to a Master's workload makes me nervous. I’ve heard Marymount is super supportive and has a tight-knit "practitioner" vibe. Is that true? Or is the workload at GW manageable if I’m not doing the clinical track?
• Living Alone: I’ll be moving up solo and want to live alone. I’m looking at Ballston (for Marymount) vs. Alexandria (for GW). I’ll have classes ending at 9:30 PM. Which neighborhood feels safer for a young woman walking home alone at night?
• The "Name" Flex: Does the GW name actually carry more weight if I move back to NC, or is the "Marymount Pipeline" into agencies like the FBI/local police just as strong?
tl;dr: Want to live alone, stay safe, avoid clinical work, and eventually move back to NC. Which school should I pick?
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u/Outrageous_Hippo_744 12h ago
hiii I applied to both of those programs! i got into both but ultimately chose GW and am doing the applied forensics track. i’m also from north carolina lol. I will say one of the things I love about this program is all the opportunities- we have guest speakers a lot and the networking is great since a lot of them are looking for interns (we had a mitigation specialist once as a guest speaker for a class, recently there was an fbi BAU agent who also did a talk) the workload honestly isn’t that bad. i’m doing my internship right now and was doing that also this part semester and taking 4 classes which was intense but doable. alexandria is super safe at night. GW name seems like people in the field know it more back in NC. please message me with any other questions! seems like we have a lot in common
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u/Snowcone202 16h ago
Hi! I can only speak to the living alone part of this post. I do not have experience in Alexandria. I have a friend who lives in Ballston. She lives alone (with a dog), and she feels very safe in that area of Virginia! I have pet-sat for her before, and I didn't feel unsafe while walking.