George Washington UniversityOff-Campus Housing Summary

Written by David Glidden

David Glidden

Hometown

Fuquay-Varina, NC

Major

International Affairs (Spanish minor)

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Many off-campus apartments are really close to campus. Popular buildings such as Columbia Plaza, the Empire, Letterman House, and the Statesman are actually located within campus boundaries, while apartment buildings such as Carriage House, Claridge House, and the Savoy are only a few blocks away. Rent can range from $800 to $1,700 per person per month, matching GW’s high housing prices, though living off campus is usually harder to find than on-campus housing, which is guaranteed for the first two years. Students are required by DC law to live on campus for their freshman and sophomore years. Those living on-campus do not have to worry about buying furniture, paying for cable, or getting hooked up to the Internet. However, students living off-campus enjoy their freedom and privacy.

Students at GW find off-campus housing to be a real toss-up. GW’s housing accommodations are generally beautiful, so some students prefer to live on-campus all four years, but others want more freedom and do not mind spending the extra few hundred or thousand dollars to furnish a place. Furnished apartments are the best, but they are rare. There are exceptions, though—Claridge House has pretty reasonable prices and offers some partially-furnished rooms. Most on-campus accommodations cost about the same as off-campus housing (before factoring in extra expenses), and apartments are pretty easy to find if students are willing to look hard.