Maryland vs GW for political science: which is better for internships and networking in DC?

GW has the edge for political science if internships and networking in DC are your top priority. Its location in Foggy Bottom puts you in the city every day, and that matters because many students intern during the semester at federal agencies, nonprofits, think tanks, advocacy groups, and on the Hill without needing a long commute. For a student aiming at government or public policy work, that day-to-day proximity creates more frequent and more casual access to events, employer panels, and alumni connections.

At GW, the DC ecosystem is woven into the student experience in a way that is hard to match. Professors often have direct policy or government backgrounds, guest speakers from public service are common, and the school’s political culture means a lot of your classmates are also pursuing internships and campaign, policy, or Hill work. That kind of environment helps networking because opportunities are not just available, they are constantly visible and socially normalized.

Maryland is still a very credible option, especially because College Park is close to DC and the school has strong ties to government, policy, and public service. Students absolutely do intern in Washington, and the size of the university means there are many resources, alumni, and academic pathways connected to politics and public policy. But the commute makes semester internships a bit less seamless, and the campus experience is less centered on DC politics in the everyday way GW’s is.

Cost can change the answer in a big way. If Maryland is substantially cheaper, especially in-state, it may be the smarter move because it can still get you to DC internships while leaving you with less debt before entering a field where early-career salaries are not always high.