Is Penn State or George Washington better for political science?

The biggest practical tradeoff is campus environment versus direct access: Penn State gives you the full traditional Big Ten college experience with a large political science department, while George Washington puts you in downtown Washington, DC, where internships, think tanks, federal agencies, campaigns, and policy organizations are part of everyday student life. For political science specifically, GW’s location is a major academic and career advantage because many students connect coursework with internships during the school year, not just over the summer. Penn State is strong academically too, but its opportunities tied directly to government and politics usually take more planning and travel.

If the question is which school is stronger overall for political science, I’d give the edge to George Washington. Its political science program benefits from being in the middle of the city where American politics actually happens, and that matters a lot for networking, guest speakers, research access, and semester-time internships. For a student who wants to explore government, public policy, international affairs, campaigns, or advocacy in a hands-on way, GW has a real built-in advantage.

Penn State is still a solid option, especially if you want a big, spirited campus, more of a classic residential college feel, and a broad university with lots of resources. It can be a very good place to study political science, and students do go on to law school, public service, and policy work. But for this specific major, Penn State’s strengths are more about the size and breadth of the university than about proximity to the political world.

One other factor that matters in practice is cost. GW is often significantly more expensive, and that can change the equation quickly. If Penn State would be much more affordable for you, it may be the smarter choice even if GW has the stronger political science setup.

So in a straight head-to-head on political science, George Washington stands out more. Penn State is the better choice only if the financial gap is large or you know you want the classic large-campus experience enough that it outweighs GW’s DC advantage.