Advantages & Disadvantages of Studying in Washington D.C.

You think about studying in Washington D.C. but want to get additional information on student life, career prospects, extracurricular activities, housing, living costs, nightlife and much more before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you the pros and cons of studying in Washington D.C. in the following chapters.

Study in Washington D.C. – Overview

Advantages of Studying in Washington D.C.

1. Many different universities and colleges in Washington D.C.
2. Students in Washington D.C. can specialize in rather exotic majors
3. Pretty high quality of education in Washington D.C.
4. Many good guest professors in Washington D.C.
5. You can meet many students from all over the world
6. Studying in Washington D.C. can be great for your résumé
7. Graduates in Washington often find decent jobs rather quickly
8. Many student jobs in Washington D.C.
9. Students in Washington DC have many opportunities to do internships
10. Interesting nightlife in Washington D.C.
11. You can join student clubs and engage in extracurricular activities
12. Students in Washington D.C. experience real seasons
13. Many decent libraries in Washington D.C.
14. You will find many recreational spaces in Washington D.C.
15. Students in Washington D.C. can build a strong business network
16. Washington D.C. is located at the coast
17. Students in Washington D.C. can enjoy decent public infrastructure
18. Easy to get around in Washington D.C.
19. Washington D.C. is a rather relaxed student city
20. Washington D.C. is a tolerant place
21. Many people will envy you for studying in Washington D.C.

Many different universities and colleges in Washington D.C.

One advantage of studying in Washington D.C is that you will have many colleges and universities to choose from and can just go for the one where you feel most comfortable while students in smaller towns often don’t have this luxury since there will often just be one university and not much selection in this regard.

Students in Washington D.C. can specialize in rather exotic majors

Not only will you have the choice between many different universities, but you can also choose all sorts of rather exotic specializations and may be able to become a real expert in your field.

Pretty high quality of education in Washington D.C.

You should also know that many colleges in Washington D.C. are pretty good compared to the rest of the US and you can therefore be sure that you will not miss out on anything in this regard and that you can get solid education which will make it relatively easy to find a decent job later on.

Many good guest professors in Washington D.C.

Since Washington D.C. is well-known all over the world, there are also many decent guest professors and by attending those lectures, you can get a different perspective on certain things and this can really make your studies more interesting since you can get a more comprehensive picture of reality.

You can meet many students from all over the world

Washington D.C. is also a pretty popular place for many international students and you can therefore meet many people from all over the globe and can have many interesting conversations with people from all over the world while students in Nashville and other less popular places often don’t have this luxury.

Studying in Washington D.C. can be great for your résumé

Since there are many reputable colleges in Washington D.C., studying in Washington can also be great for your résumé and you may therefore be able to benefit from it for your entire professional life and may be able to climb the corporate ladder rather quickly.

Graduates in Washington often find decent jobs rather quickly

Studying in Washington can also help you find your first job in a rather easy manner since big corporations know that education levels in this region are pretty decent and will therefore be pretty eager to hire you, sometimes even directly from campus and you may therefore not even have to apply for jobs in an official manner.

Many student jobs in Washington D.C.

Studying in Washington D.C. can also make quite a lot of sense in case you want to make some additional money on the side since you will find many student jobs and can finance your degree with those jobs at least to a certain extent.

Students in Washington DC have many opportunities to do internships

Another upside to studying in Washington D.C. is that you will also have many big corporations that offer internship opportunities and by working as an intern, you can gain some valuable work experience which can help you find a decent job later on since you will already have a foot in the door.

Interesting nightlife in Washington D.C.

Student life in Washington D.C. can also be great since you will find many decent bars and clubs where you can hang out with many interesting people of your age and if you are a party person, you will also find many locations where you can party until the early morning.

You can join student clubs and engage in extracurricular activities

There are also many student clubs and organizations you can join so you can join extracurricular activities and those activities can make your student life much more interesting since you can not only get your degree but can also do good for society at the same time.

Students in Washington D.C. experience real seasons

Since summers are pretty warm while winters can be pretty cold, students in Washington can also experience real seasons and can go swimming in summer and skiing in winter while students in Dallas or other warmer places often get fed up with warm weather in the long run.

Many decent libraries in Washington D.C.

You will also find many decent libraries and other quiet spaces in Washington D.C. where you can study and prepare for your exams in a pretty efficient manner so you can get the best grades possible.

You will find many recreational spaces in Washington D.C.

Another benefit of studying in Washington D.C. is that you will also find many parks and other recreational spaces where you can sit down on a bench in public and can study in a pretty peaceful atmosphere while getting enough oxygen so your brain can work in the most efficient manner.

Students in Washington D.C. can build a strong business network

Since there are many influential people living and working in Washington D.C., students also have a rather easy time getting in touch with many important people and can build a strong business network rather quickly which can help them succeed in the corporate world since the more people you know, the easier it will be for you to climb the corporate ladder.

Washington D.C. is located at the coast

Since Washington D.C. is located at the coast, you can also go surfing, swimming or just relax at the beach while students in Fort Worth and other places not close to the coast will just not have this luxury and may secretly envy you in this regard.

Students in Washington D.C. can enjoy decent public infrastructure

Thanks to good public infrastructure, you will also find most things you need as a student in Washington rather quickly and can therefore really focus on your study instead of wasting lots of time on rather unimportant stuff.

Easy to get around in Washington D.C.

Since public transport in Washington D.C. is pretty decent, you can also get around by bus and train in a pretty efficient manner and may not even need a car as a student in this region.

Washington D.C. is a rather relaxed student city

Washington D.C. is also not as hectic as many other big metropolitan cities and studying in Washington D.C. may therefore be great for you in case you don’t like classical big city life with many skyscrapers but rather want to study in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Washington D.C. is a tolerant place

Since Washington D.C. is a pretty tolerant city, you will also be welcome no matter where you come from and can also meet many interesting people from all over the US and even the world and can just have a great time in this region.

Many people will envy you for studying in Washington D.C.

Since Washington D.C. is a pretty popular city and offers high quality of life, many of your friends will envy and admire you for your plans of studying in Washington D.C. and you may therefore have a pretty high social standing among your peers.

As you can see, there are many reasons for studying in Washington D.C.

Yet, you should also know about the drawbacks of studying in Washington so you will be better able to decide whether you still want to study in Washington DC or rather want to study in a different region instead.

Disadvantages of Studying in Washington D.C.

1. Tuition can be pretty high in many universities in Washington D.C.
2. Rents are barely affordable for many students in Washington D.C.
3. Students in D.C. often complain about high living costs
4. Hard to find a decent place to stay within a reasonable timeframe
5. Students in Washington D.C. have to deal with significant financial pressure
6. You may get distracted pretty easily
7. Washington D.C. is not the safest city
8. Student jobs in Washington D.C. often don’t pay great money
9. You may need to use significant amounts of student loan debt
10. Cold winters may deter many people from studying in Washington D.C.
11. Washington D.C. becomes increasingly crowded
12. Studying in Washington D.C. may be overrated

Tuition can be pretty high in many universities in Washington D.C.

One problem with studying in Washington D.C. is that tuition is often pretty high and this means that you would have to make a big financial commitment for your degree and should ask yourself whether it is really worth it to you or not before enrolling in your degree.

Rents are barely affordable for many students in Washington D.C.

You should also keep in mind that rents in Washington are pretty high and students in Washington D.C. often have to spend far more money on housing compared to students in Philadelphia or other cheaper regions where housing costs are much lower.

Students in D.C. often complain about high living costs

Not only rents are pretty expensive, but also living costs are pretty high and this can be a huge financial burden for many students who don’t get financial support from their parents and therefore really struggle since they don’t know how they should finance their degree.

Hard to find a decent place to stay within a reasonable timeframe

Another downside to studying in Washington is that due to housing shortage, students often have a hard time finding a decent place to stay within a reasonable amount of time and you may therefore have to search for many months in this regard while students in Columbus and other less attractive places often find a decent place to stay much quicker.

Students in Washington D.C. have to deal with significant financial pressure

Due to high living and housing costs, many students in Washington also complain about significant financial pressure and have to worry about financial problems quite a lot while other people in cheaper regions have a much easier time focusing on their studies.

You may get distracted pretty easily

Since there are many exciting things to do in the Washington region, many people also get distracted from their studies and may not be able to focus on exam preparation which may result in relatively poor grades.

Washington D.C. is not the safest city

Another disadvantage of studying in Washington D.C. is that crime rates are above national average and many students in rather dodgy districts just no longer feel safe or welcome which may greatly decrease overall quality of student life.

Student jobs in Washington D.C. often don’t pay great money

While you will have many student jobs lining up for you, you should also know that many of those student jobs don’t pay great money compared to high housing and living costs and you may therefore not be able to finance your degree with your side gigs and may have to rely on other income sources.

You may need to use significant amounts of student loan debt

If you don’t get financial support from your parents or have lots of money in the bank, you may also have to use student loan debt to finance your degree and this may financially constrain you quite a lot in the future since you may have to pay back significant amounts of money.

Cold winters may deter many people from studying in Washington D.C.

You should also know that winters can be pretty cold in the Washington region and if you can’t stand the cold at all, you may be better off studying in Austin or other warmer regions.

Washington D.C. becomes increasingly crowded

You should also know that due to its increasing popularity and high overall quality of life, Washington D.C. becomes increasingly crowded and you may just no longer have enough space as a student and may also not be able to live student life in an efficient manner anymore.

Studying in Washington D.C. may be overrated

While Washington D.C. has a lot to offer, it is also a pretty expensive city and you may find places where living and housing costs are far lower while you can still enjoy decent quality of life and may be able to get far more for your money.

Top 10 Studying in Washington D.C. Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is Washington D.C. A Good City For Students?

While studying in Washington D.C. can be great since you will find high quality of education and students can also engage in many student clubs and extracurricular activities, you should also know that living and housing costs are pretty high and many students have to use significant amounts of student loan debt to finance their degrees.

Alternative Cities To Study

If you don’t want to study in Washington D.C. anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of studying in Oklahoma City

Advantages and disadvantages of studying in El Paso

Advantages and disadvantages of studying in Charlotte

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/DC

Own research.

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.