George Mason University Top Questions

GMU is probably the most eclectic school in the east coast. Thought I haven't had the chance to visit every school on the east coast, I doubt any other school has a higher level of diversity that Mason does. I believe in some recent survey, Mason is the second most diverse college. It's not Ivy-League school, but the pride displayed at Mason seems to grow more and more as I join events that take place at Mason. Being a Commuter myself, it's difficult get to know people and make friends, rather than acquaintances here and there. But, Mason's hospitality and the accepting students make it difficult to go about your day without stopping and spending a half hour talking to classmates on the way to the library to go study.

When I tell people I go to GMU they pretty much always ask- "That's near DC, right?" and every once in a while someone will mention basketball...that's about it. It's a large school is getting bigger all the time, but can feel smaller if you take the time to connect with the people living around you. A really great thing about GMU is that it isnt stuck in the past like a lot of other well established schools. There is constant metamorphosis and growth with a real passion for what's new and cutting-edge. School pride is growing with the success of our basketball team. One thing that needs to change is the lack of advertisements for events. So many things are going on that no one knows about- except those in direct contact with those involved.

The best thing about GMU is its location. George Mason University is only about a 20-30 minute drive to Washington DC and you can always take the metro if you don't have a car. Parking and the constant construction at Mason is a problem, so if you are going to be a freshman you may not want to take your car. I usually spend most of my time at the CCM chapel on Roberts Road or at the Johnson Center, or at Ikes, the late night diner in President's Park. George Mason is a great school and I highly recommend going here.

What's the best thing about GMU? - Being near DC Name one thing you'd change - Residential/Commuter Ratio Is your school too large, too small, or just right? - Mason feels small since there are so few residential students but than it has the benefits of a big school Where do you spend most of your time on campus? - Johnson Center What college town is right! Is there a lot of school pride? There's pride among the residential students but not the commuters there anything unusual about GMU? "Distrubuted Campus" What's one experience you'll always remember? The Basketball Games!!! What are the most frequent student complaints? Parking!!!!!

this school is too commercial. Too many people coming and going that you don't know. Not a typical "college feel".

Mason is a really good school. It's a big commuter school so people in this area dont tend to take it as seriously but its not an easy school to get into so you just need to ignore that reaction. They dont mean it to be rude, Mason is just a school that a lot of kids around here go to. It's definitely NOT a college town. I mean you can have fun but its not like some universities you may have visited. Um as for administration...the school is just TOO big. There are too many students to be able to make things personal. I havent had to deal much with admin. but i have had to deal with ad visors and its nit the easiest process ever. But you go to a big school its kind of expected. most frequent complaint?? --> PARKING. Parking is ridiculous. I cant say it any diferent than that...RIDICULOUS. Its literally horrible. There is so much building going on and really it feels like the admin doesnt care. They have their parking spaces up front they dont seem to see a problem. But yeah if youre going to be a commuter i would just be ready for the situation.

This is not a college town at all. I have been to many and walked around, there need to be more things students can walk to and more food services that are delivered to dorms. Also Frat and Soroity houses need to be installed.

Mason is technically the biggest school in Virginia, but it frequently feels tiny. The campus physically is a great size: not too small, but not overwhelmingly large. Perhaps because the on-campus community is smaller, it often feels like a small school where everyone winds up being liked a lot more closely than you think. Basketball is the big sport here, especially since we went to the Final Four a few years ago. In my opinion, nothing will top that season, and our success was due mostly to the quality and combination of players that particular season, so basketball games have somewhat lost their appeal since that year. The professors at GMU are good, but much of the other faculty members are less than satisfactory. Good luck finding a competent advisor. I've actually found that some of the other members of the department may be more dependable advisors than the "advisors" themselves. Good luck with traffic. Construction is everywhere. The school is a lot of fun if you find the right people for you, and if you make an effort to make your time here worthwhile. It's not a campus-wide drunkfest every Saturday night like Penn State, but you can find parties (or have your own) and definitely have a good time.

There are quite a few things I would change about GMU. The biggest problem is the school is adding all the dorms and such to transform themselves from a commuter school to a more traditional college, but have NOTHING on the weekends. There is hardly any food open on campus and nothing to do. Because there is nothing to do or eat on campus on the weekends, the people who live close often go home, and those that don't have no reason to leave their room, so campus is DEAD. I would really like more things to be open.

The school size is just right and it is a kept secret. People always ask if they hear that I go to GMU if I commute or stay on campus. There are many interesting things about Mason and I love all the experiences that I have had since coming to Mason. There is a lot of school pride. Students complain about the food choice on the weekend.

GMU has no college town. It is in the middle of Fairfax, va. which is a business town but we do have access to all of the culture in DC the mountains of the Shenendoah, and city life. The one thing Mason REALLY needs to change is the parking situation. It is Terrible! I mean it...There are not enough parking lots for the amount of transit students and everytime you park you have to be extra sure of the regulations placed on that parking spot. These parking cops are vicious. Walking 1 1/2 miles to your car after class in the rain is not ideal and then realizing that the lot you were parked in turned into faculty parking 15 mins. earlier and now you have a $35-$55 ticket on your windshield is RIDICULOUS!

The best thing about GMU would have to be the diversity! U dont really find that at too many schools.

Honestly, I could care less about GMU. I only transferred here because its cheap, my fiance is stationted here, and I can drive to and from home. The only reason I'm here is I need to finish up my English degree.

lack of commitment and enthusiasm in school life affairs

I really liked my school. It was a good size, did not take very long to travel from one side of campus to the other. The campus is not overly crowded so you don't feel like you are packed in a sardine can while walking from class to class. I am not incredibly into school spirit, though I did enjoy cheering on the basketball team this year and watching the games. As for the biggest complain...parking is terrible. Period.

Size is not an issue, it does not matter as long as the classes dont go beyond 23 per class. GMUs administration can be generally described as conservative. However, most of them think of themselves as liberal. A variety of people have complained that most students in the school are stuck up. My opinion, there is enough room for everybody. One thing I will say about the bureocracy that a students has to go through when trying to develop an idea can be frustrating. Example, I was involved with Student Activites for an event i organized, International Trade Discussion. After a written committment from different departments on campus it took them over three months to get speakers to get paid. This makes everybody look bad. I'm thankful that they were supportive, but I made committments to have these people paid and was unable to meet it. Not a good thing at all. Another thing I would work on changing is making African language classes available.

I think my school is just right! The best thing about GMU is the location (25 min outside of DC). When I tell people I am a GMU student they all ask about the Final Four. I spend most of my time on campus in my room. For me it would be "what college town?" GMU administration is great! I worked at the SOM Dean's office for 2 years and the faculty and staff are great people. There is some school pride. I-week is my fondest memory, the exhibition of over a dozen cultures and traditions. Most frequent student complaints pertain to PARKING, or lack of.

I've been to a lot of college campuses, and Mason honestly has the best looking buildings of any campus I've seen. The entire campus is very scenic. The Johnson Center is one of the best places to hang out. Food court, study rooms, bookstore, late hours, I feel that's everything any student needs.

A large variety of academic studies are available to students. It is a very large school, approxamitely 30,000. I spend most of my time in the central building called the Johnson Center studying. Students participate in Mason week, a period designed to try to create a community feeling for all students with school spirit.

Meh, I do not really care.