USC vs George Washington for political science: which is better for DC internships and networking?

The biggest practical tradeoff is everyday access versus broader reach: George Washington puts you in the middle of Washington, D.C., where internships on the Hill, at agencies, think tanks, NGOs, and advocacy groups are part of normal semester life, while USC offers a powerful alumni network and major-school resources but not the same immediate pipeline into federal policy work during the academic year. For political science focused on government or policy, GW has the clearer location advantage. At GW, it is much more common to build your resume through part-time internships during the semester because offices are nearby and the university is deeply tied to D.C. employers.

That matters a lot for networking. At GW, guest speakers, alumni panels, policy events, and employer connections are woven into campus life in a way that is hard to replicate elsewhere. You are much more likely to meet people working in politics and policy as part of your weekly routine, not just through occasional trips or summer internships. For a student who wants federal government, campaigns, public affairs, international affairs, or nonprofit policy work, that proximity is a real career advantage.

USC still has real strengths. Its alumni network is famously active, the school has strong resources, and being in Los Angeles can open doors in state and local government, public policy, media, communications, entertainment policy, and advocacy spaces. If your interests lean toward California politics, political communication, public affairs, or a more interdisciplinary path that could connect politics with business, media, or law, USC can be very compelling.

But on the narrow question of D.C. internships and political networking, GW is ahead. You would not need to wait until summer to access many of the opportunities that matter most in government and policy, and that can translate into more experience and contacts by graduation. Between these two, GW is the better pick for a political science student whose top priority is building a career through D.C.-based internships and networking.