Please tell me about GMU for OOS student for Computer Science

[Anonymous]

My son is thinking of majoring in CS. He has about a 3.7 UW GPA (a handful of APs) and a 1360 SAT. Is GMU a good option? What is it like for an OOS student (from Northeast)?

[Anonymous]

My son is CS at GMU. Scores and grades about the same, but in-state. Can’t speak to merit for OOS. I think Mason gives some, but doubt you would get costs down to in-state.

What else do you want to know? It has great internship and job placement in the DC area. Well regarded program.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the response.

I don’t know much about GMU, but see it mentioned as an option for CS. Is the school mostly local students (I assume most from VA)? Do people go home on weekends? It seems like a quickly growing school, is that fair to say? Is there a good sense of community, in the traditional college experience sense? Would you describe the campus as suburban or rural? Is there any college town area in walking distance from campus?

Also looking at Rutgers and Boulder, for comparison.

Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the response.

I don’t know much about GMU, but see it mentioned as an option for CS. Is the school mostly local students (I assume most from VA)? Do people go home on weekends? It seems like a quickly growing school, is that fair to say? Is there a good sense of community, in the traditional college experience sense? Would you describe the campus as suburban or rural? Is there any college town area in walking distance from campus?

Also looking at Rutgers and Boulder, for comparison.

Thanks again!

It used to be a commuter school, but has evolved. We live locally, but DS lives on campus and I never see him. Statistically, students break down as 1/3 on campus, 1/3 off campus housing, and 1/3 commute. It is very much suburban, just outside the DC beltway. Easy metro ride downtown, ample shuttles and buses around Fairfax for shopping and going out. Shopping center you can walk to across the street and walkable to Fairfax City with lots of shops and restaurants, etc.

[Anonymous]

When it come to CS, Business Information System (BIS) or Cybersecurity, GMU is just as good as others. I have one son graduated from GMU in CS in 2019 and he is now working remotely for a financial company for 160K/year. My older son who graduated from University of Michigan in CS in 2018 and he is working for a local company in the DMV for 125K/year. I had to pay 70K+ for University of Michigan versus less than 28K for GMU in-state. Looking back, my older son felt it was a waste of money. He could save over 160K+ over four years by attending GMU.

YMMV

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When it come to CS, Business Information System (BIS) or Cybersecurity, GMU is just as good as others. I have one son graduated from GMU in CS in 2019 and he is now working remotely for a financial company for 160K/year. My older son who graduated from University of Michigan in CS in 2018 and he is working for a local company in the DMV for 125K/year. I had to pay 70K+ for University of Michigan versus less than 28K for GMU in-state. Looking back, my older son felt it was a waste of money. He could save over 160K+ over four years by attending GMU.

YMMV

this is key. Anecdotal data <> statistics.

I graduated from a no name state univ, non stem, and started making six figures by 30. My sibling graduated from a public ivy, stem degree; has never broken six figures.

Statistically, I'm an anomaly.

[Anonymous]

I've had a few close friends of my kids' go to GMU now and in recent years.
The biggest advantages to GMU is that a) it's a really diverse school which I think prepares CS students well for worklife--they are going to regularly work in teams of students that are quite different from them; b) it has access to great, frequent, growing and diverse internships. Your kid could do internships throughout at so many different types of places--public, private, consulting etc. to get a network and a feel for their preferences, and c) there's an entrepreneurial bent to a lot of the classes/programs/students. I think it's helpful that it's good students but not just academic superstars too--everyone who has an idea thinks they can do it rather than thinking it's only for the top kids. I think it's really good for careers. If you don't have an in-state option with similar qualities/access, I'd recommend it. GMU does provide some merit aid/tuition discounts for OOS students.

The biggest downside to GMU is that it isn't a classic residential campus--it's outgrowing a commuter reputation and has a very large graduate population that drives in for late afternoon/evening classes.

However, there are a lot of undergraduate students living on campus though and they seem to have fun and there are plenty of school events etc. A lot of students go into DC for weekend nights. It's what you make it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've had a few close friends of my kids' go to GMU now and in recent years.
The biggest advantages to GMU is that a) it's a really diverse school which I think prepares CS students well for worklife--they are going to regularly work in teams of students that are quite different from them; b) it has access to great, frequent, growing and diverse internships. Your kid could do internships throughout at so many different types of places--public, private, consulting etc. to get a network and a feel for their preferences, and c) there's an entrepreneurial bent to a lot of the classes/programs/students. I think it's helpful that it's good students but not just academic superstars too--everyone who has an idea thinks they can do it rather than thinking it's only for the top kids. I think it's really good for careers. If you don't have an in-state option with similar qualities/access, I'd recommend it. GMU does provide some merit aid/tuition discounts for OOS students.

The biggest downside to GMU is that it isn't a classic residential campus--it's outgrowing a commuter reputation and has a very large graduate population that drives in for late afternoon/evening classes.

However, there are a lot of undergraduate students living on campus though and they seem to have fun and there are plenty of school events etc. A lot of students go into DC for weekend nights. It's what you make it.

My DS was a Computer Game Design major and lived on campus all four years. Anything in data, computer, engineering or cybersecurity is excellent at GMU. Be sure to look into the Manassas campus where the VSGi (Virginia Serious Game Design Institute) is located and Mason Korea. Both have a set of the art facilities. Also check out GMU’s Cybersecurity program. My DS had internships every summer and was hired by Zenimax Softworks before graduation

[Anonymous]

I've hired kids from there in CS. They are good hires.