George Mason University Top Questions

I'm involved in a religious group on campus, and I absolutely love it. Depending on what your interests are you would be able to find groups that will fit your mold and that will share the same similarities as you. School organizations, clubs, sports, and sororities/fraternities are really big on campus and you can find many different organizations that might be of interest to you.

Everyone here at Mason seems to be fairly open and accepting no matter what background. I feel like many students are fairly well off financially speaking. I feel as though many of the students are politically aware and I believe there is a nice balance between liberal, conservative, and other.

The student body is cool I guess. Anyone is sure to find someone they can relate too. There are also lots of passionate students so its easy to find something to get involved with. In the end, I dont think anyone would feel out of place.

Racial, religious and LGBT groups are very prominent on campus. Many people express their ties to one group or another but do so considerately. Because Mason is so diverse, different types of students interact all the time, it's practically impossible not to. Unlike high school, where I found ethnic groups to be relatively exclusive, everyone here can hang out with anyone else. Essentially, the combination of people maturing in college and the extreme diversity of this campus allows comfortable interactions with anyone. Student wear anything and everything to class. Jeans, skirts, sweatpants, T-shirts, sweaters, button down shirts, sometimes suits if they're involved in something important around the same time. Many people feel comfortable expressing their religious beliefs in their clothing as well. These include Muslim hijabs and Catholic Campus Ministry sweatshirts, for example. There are four tables in the Johnson Center, the main food court on campus. Maybe two are filled with a bunch of people associated with the same group, whether it be a fraternity, sorority, or music students. Another table may have someone eating and working on their computer, and the last may have a couple friends talking and eating before class. Students are politically aware and active. Many students attend Mason because of its proximity to DC and thereby its proximity to politics. I know many Government and International Politics majors, International Relation majors, and people whose dream is to work in the CIA or the State Department.

At the Johnson Center, I feel the sorting of ethnicity is most evident. It's clear to see that there are groups of students who hang out at the Johnson Center but are usually of the same race. I don't suggest any solutions to it, or any causes of it. Sometimes I feel it's just the way things are.

What are your experiences with racial, religious, LGBT, socio-economic, and/or other groups on campus? Pride Alliance is small but active and is fairly well accepted by non-members. There are a lot of Christian groups but most are too afraid to do anything particularly public. What kind of student would feel out of place at GMU? No one What do most students wear to class? Clothes Do different types of students interact? No Where are most GMU students from? All around the world What financial backgrounds are most prevalent? Varies greatly Are students politically aware/active? No Are they predominantly left, right or center? Left Do students talk about how much they'll earn one day? No

I don't think that any student would feel out of place at GMU. It is so diverse, that there is a group for every body. The only group that drives me crazy are the sororities. So many of them think that they are above everybody else. I wish that there were more "down to earth" sororities. (like for stay-at-home moms that are also students, like me!)

I see students from vastly different ethnic backgrounds everyday. I have had classes also with such diverse students and also with students of a variety of religious backgrounds not just different christian backgrounds but also Jewish, Islamic and other backgrounds. However, to a degree students may connect within cliques of their own types. Sometimes i see students of different backgrounds religious/ethnicity/race interact. I do. I have never been to the dining hall. Students do come from around the world but mostly from the Northern Virginia area and the USA. I don't know about financial backgrounds. Students are definantly politicaly aware. I see an equal representation of left and right when there is a protest but i think the 'right' minded students do more campaigns around campus than the 'left'. I haven't heard much about what someone will earn one day.

What are your experiences with racial, religious, LGBT, socio-economic, and/or other groups on campus? i think a lot of guys are rude- some cultures have never heard that a guy could actually hold a door open for a lady...oh and there are always those girls who are all about the bling and the uggs that have to talk all throughout a class with each other cause they can't wait half an hour...other than that it's common to see that a lot of ppl from the same background will band together, but everyone pretty much accepts everyone else, tho i do not except those who don't hold doors open or talk throughout an entire class. What kind of student would feel out of place at GMU? no one really, all walks of life are there What do most students wear to class? anything and everything, from burkas, casual clothes, dressed up, dressed down, etc... Do different types of students interact? sure There are four tables of students in the dining hall. Describe them. full, if you're at the JC in the afternoon Where are most GMU students from? prolly right here in fairfax What financial backgrounds are most prevalent? i've met some students who's parents are able to pay right out of pocket, some that are working through school, and some who are racking up the loans Are students politically aware / active? Are they predominantly left, right or center? there's def a population of students who are politically inclined, being so close to DC especially. i always thought that mason had a suprisingly large liberal group, but i'm not one of those politically inclined ppl, so idk Do students talk about how much they'll earn one day? in passing in conversation maybe, but it's not like i've ever met anyone who won't shutup about it

Most of the students who go to Mason are rather well off. There is tons of diversity, which is cool. It getts tiring seeing the same person, with the same type of experiences and stories. It's great learn about everyone's religion, ethnicity etc. However, I wouldn't go to Mason just for the diversity. Mason tends to bank on that a little too much. But, if you come to Mason, there's a good chance you won't feel left out. I think all colleges there's something for everyone. It all depends. Students range from brilliant to clueless on any number of political, economic and eviormental issues. It isn't always topic of choice and sometimes it's hard to tell what political views people have at Mason, because they will keep that sort of info to themselves.