George Washington University vs Rutgers for political science: which is better for policy and government opportunities?

The biggest practical tradeoff is access versus value: George Washington puts you directly in Washington, DC, where policy and government internships can be part of your normal semester, while Rutgers usually offers a lower-cost path and strong academics but with less day-to-day proximity to federal institutions. For political science focused on policy and government, GW has the clearer built-in advantage because its location feeds directly into coursework, networking, and internships. Rutgers is a solid option, especially for students interested in public policy through a broader state-government or research-university setting, but it does not offer the same constant exposure to the federal policy world.

At GW, the political science and policy ecosystem is unusually tied to the city around it. Students often intern during the academic year on Capitol Hill, at federal agencies, think tanks, advocacy groups, and nonprofits because those opportunities are physically nearby. That matters more than people sometimes realize, since being able to work part time during the semester can lead to stronger relationships, more relevant experience, and easier networking than trying to compress everything into summers.

Rutgers has real strengths too. It is a large public research university with strong faculty, a respected political science department, and access to internships in New Jersey state government, public service organizations, and the New York metro area. If you are interested in state-level policy, public affairs, or want a big-campus experience with lots of academic options, Rutgers can absolutely work well.

The difference is that GW is more immersed in the policy world on a daily basis. For a student who already knows they want government and policy exposure early and often, that environment tends to be more efficient and more professionally connected. Rutgers can still get you there, but you will likely need to be more intentional about building that path rather than having it integrated into campus life.

So for political science specifically aimed at policy and government opportunities, I would pick George Washington if the cost is manageable. Rutgers becomes the smarter choice if the price gap is substantial, because it is still a credible place to study political science and launch into public service, just with less immediate access to the federal policy network.