The George Washington University actively engages Washington, D.C., and the world. Their location in the heart of Washington places them at the core of U.S. government, policy and law. They sit where the worlds of science, technology, media and the arts converge. Their students and faculty have the unparalleled opportunity to study and work alongside leaders and practitioners in every discipline, to take part in the interchanges that shape our community and the world. The George Washington University was created in 1821 through an Act of Congress, fulfilling George Washington’s vision of an institution in the nation’s capital dedicated to educating and preparing future leaders. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in the District of Columbia. They have more than 20,000 students—from all 50 states, the District and more than 130 countries—studying a rich range of disciplines: from forensic science and creative writing to international affairs and computer engineering, as well as medicine, public health, the law and public policy. GW comprises three campuses—Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon in Washington, D.C., and the GW Virginia Science and Technology Campus in Ashburn, Va.—as well as several graduate education centers in the metropolitan area and Hampton Roads, Va.

American University is a private doctoral institution situated in a residential neighborhood of northwest Washington, D.C. Our total fall 2012 enrollment was 13,165, with 6,776 degree-seeking undergraduates, 3,464 degree-seeking graduate students, 1,766 law students, and 1,159 students in nondegree certificate programs, Washington Semester, or AU Abroad. We offer 61 bachelor’s degrees, 54 master’s degrees, 11 doctoral degrees, and a JD program, as well as 50 certificate programs at both the graduate and undergraduate level. Courses run on a 15-week semester basis in fall and spring, with shorter summer-term classes. In addition, we offer study-abroad programs and alternative breaks. More than 85 percent of our undergraduates and 60 percent of our master's students participate in at least one internship. Our student body is cosmopolitan and globally diverse, with all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 130 countries represented. Seven percent of undergraduates and 11 percent of graduate students are international. The university’s mission is carried out by 798 full-time faculty and 1,525 full-time staff. Ninety-four percent of full-time faculty hold the highest degree in their field. Among our 565 adjunct faculty are policy makers, diplomats, journalists, artists, writers, scientists, and business leaders