Why hasn't GMU surpassed UVA, W&M, VT?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's strange people are calling GMU "Maga" -- to my dismay, my wife was adamant that we cross them off the list due to their obsession with DEI and reputation of accepting basically anyone (90% acceptance rate). One look at the kids in public school and you immediately know why you don't want to attend a university with a 90% acceptance rate.

It's a terrible approach for a university that otherwise has potential to be a strong school. I'm sure they have their strongpoints, but until they stop pandering to an outdated Affirmative Action approach, and stop being the "13th Grade" with a 90% acceptance rate, they are just shooting themselves in the foot.

"We proudly accept nearly 90 percent of undergraduate applicants, because we believe in inclusivity over exclusivity."
https://www.gmu.edu/freshman/apply

"George Mason University and its President are fully committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, and support the successful implementation of the University's Affirmative Action Program"
https://oacc.gmu.edu/eeoaa-statement

"George Mason University recognized for commitment to access, diversity and inclusion"
https://www.gmu.edu/news/2024-10/george-mason-university-recognized-commitment-access-diversity-and-inclusion

What’s wrong with a school that is accessible to many students? Especially students who historically were excluded from an affordable and solid education.

Everyone here on the DCUM university board knows what's wrong with it. It GMU wants to be a community college dressed up as a university, that's their call. But as to why they aren't competitive with VT, UVA, WM ... well, this is exactly why.

Dude - you know nothing about GMU. GMU was below 50% right after the Final Four appearance - the school knows how to play the exclusivity game. It was 60ish % 10 years ago. The school said no to expanding the Basket Ball program when GMU could've raised the most money. The Final Four BB coach didn't even ask for a salary hike - he just wanted upgrade to the existing facilities. Think Duke who rode their Basketball team. Or VT who rode their Football team.

You really don't know the academics of GMU - GMU's CS and Econ department published more papers then either VT or UVA. And GMU law is tied with WM on the latest ranking. Still a community college?

DCUM are filled with snobs that are constantly trying to game the system - they just want bragging rights. We should be proud to have GMU.

And perhaps it was a better school at that time. Apparently GMU has decided to go the community college / "13th grade" route. No one will be convinced that a GMU degree means anything when they are explicitly adopting a "we'll take practically everyone" approach. Every high school kid can look around his high school and know with certainty that a school that doesn't accept 90% of their classmates, but uses selective criteria to take the best students, is going to be a stronger school academically.

Look -- I genuinely wish GMU hadn't decided to throw open its doors and accept practically everyone. I would love to have a top-tier VA state university right next door as a viable option for my kids. If they turn things around I'll be cheering for them. But they've shot themselves in the foot with this approach and every parent and student knows it.

They don't really need to change they are already #1 in the state in certain departments depends on how you measure or which ranking;

You want them to be great by rejecting people and you may get your wish. The downside of educating all people is that they run out of parking or space. Unless Virginia decides to fund expansions as before - you will see a very exclusive school in the area.

But very sad that your measure of a great university is just on how much they reject people;

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yet the test scores and high school GPAs of first-time freshmen at GMU are virtually identical to those of freshmen at JMU, according to numbers from SCHEV. The quality of GMU students is high. The students with lower qualifications most likely are at community college or other lower-ranked universities.

Probably at expensive private schools that are exclusive with the bottom of the barrel applying. If that makes them feel better I guess it's worth the money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's strange people are calling GMU "Maga" -- to my dismay, my wife was adamant that we cross them off the list due to their obsession with DEI and reputation of accepting basically anyone (90% acceptance rate). One look at the kids in public school and you immediately know why you don't want to attend a university with a 90% acceptance rate.

It's a terrible approach for a university that otherwise has potential to be a strong school. I'm sure they have their strongpoints, but until they stop pandering to an outdated Affirmative Action approach, and stop being the "13th Grade" with a 90% acceptance rate, they are just shooting themselves in the foot.

"We proudly accept nearly 90 percent of undergraduate applicants, because we believe in inclusivity over exclusivity."
https://www.gmu.edu/freshman/apply

"George Mason University and its President are fully committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, and support the successful implementation of the University's Affirmative Action Program"
https://oacc.gmu.edu/eeoaa-statement

"George Mason University recognized for commitment to access, diversity and inclusion"
https://www.gmu.edu/news/2024-10/george-mason-university-recognized-commitment-access-diversity-and-inclusion

What’s wrong with a school that is accessible to many students? Especially students who historically were excluded from an affordable and solid education.

Everyone here on the DCUM university board knows what's wrong with it. It GMU wants to be a community college dressed up as a university, that's their call. But as to why they aren't competitive with VT, UVA, WM ... well, this is exactly why.

Dude - you know nothing about GMU. GMU was below 50% right after the Final Four appearance - the school knows how to play the exclusivity game. It was 60ish % 10 years ago. The school said no to expanding the Basket Ball program when GMU could've raised the most money. The Final Four BB coach didn't even ask for a salary hike - he just wanted upgrade to the existing facilities. Think Duke who rode their Basketball team. Or VT who rode their Football team.

You really don't know the academics of GMU - GMU's CS and Econ department published more papers then either VT or UVA. And GMU law is tied with WM on the latest ranking. Still a community college?

DCUM are filled with snobs that are constantly trying to game the system - they just want bragging rights. We should be proud to have GMU.

And perhaps it was a better school at that time. Apparently GMU has decided to go the community college / "13th grade" route. No one will be convinced that a GMU degree means anything when they are explicitly adopting a "we'll take practically everyone" approach. Every high school kid can look around his high school and know with certainty that a school that doesn't accept 90% of their classmates, but uses selective criteria to take the best students, is going to be a stronger school academically.

Look -- I genuinely wish GMU hadn't decided to throw open its doors and accept practically everyone. I would love to have a top-tier VA state university right next door as a viable option for my kids. If they turn things around I'll be cheering for them. But they've shot themselves in the foot with this approach and every parent and student knows it.

They don't really need to change they are already #1 in the state in certain departments depends on how you measure or which ranking;

You want them to be great by rejecting people and you may get your wish. The downside of educating all people is that they run out of parking or space. Unless Virginia decides to fund expansions as before - you will see a very exclusive school in the area.

But very sad that your measure of a great university is just on how much they reject people;

The measure of a university should be how much they improve the education, character, and capabilities of those who matriculate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet the test scores and high school GPAs of first-time freshmen at GMU are virtually identical to those of freshmen at JMU, according to numbers from SCHEV. The quality of GMU students is high. The students with lower qualifications most likely are at community college or other lower-ranked universities.

Probably at expensive private schools that are exclusive with the bottom of the barrel applying. If that makes them feel better I guess it's worth the money.

DP. Exactly. There are certain families who would rather pay outrageous sums for the "prestige" of sending their kids to mediocre private schools. It truly boggles my mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GMU has already surpassed - its #1 in the most number of students in the State.

Read Malcolm Gladwell - most schools are keeping it exclusive by not allowing more students. He gave his example: U. of Toronto has 70k students and the T10 barely grew. GMU grew and continues to grow for the purposes of education not being exclusive.

And stop calling it a commuter school - look at the rankings in some of its majors; Look at the number of Nobel prizes it won - it's more than the rest of the State combined. It's a world class university for blue collar workers .

My kid went there for undergrad math degree, surprisingly, kid felt the professors there were top notch. Kid went there for first semester after a year of traveling abroad intending to transfer to UVA soon after but ended up liking it. The only issue, the campus needs more oomph.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the number of Nobel prizes it won - it's more than the rest of the State combined. It's a world class university for blue collar workers .

GMU has won zero Nobel prizes. Buchanan won when he was at UVA and years later became GMU professor. Smith received the award while he was at George Mason, but it was for work He had done at Arizona.

So what?! The fact it attracts Nobel recipients is a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the number of Nobel prizes it won - it's more than the rest of the State combined. It's a world class university for blue collar workers .

GMU has won zero Nobel prizes. Buchanan won when he was at UVA and years later became GMU professor. Smith received the award while he was at George Mason, but it was for work He had done at Arizona.

So what?! The fact it attracts Nobel recipients is a thing.

The prior post was incorrect. Buchanan didn't win while he was at UVA. He won while at GMU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the number of Nobel prizes it won - it's more than the rest of the State combined. It's a world class university for blue collar workers .

GMU has won zero Nobel prizes. Buchanan won when he was at UVA and years later became GMU professor. Smith received the award while he was at George Mason, but it was for work He had done at Arizona.

So what?! The fact it attracts Nobel recipients is a thing.

The prior post was incorrect. Buchanan didn't win while he was at UVA. He won while at GMU.

+1
Nobels are considered awarded to the person/institution where the recipient is currently teaching. Thus, both men won while at GMU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the number of Nobel prizes it won - it's more than the rest of the State combined. It's a world class university for blue collar workers .

GMU has won zero Nobel prizes. Buchanan won when he was at UVA and years later became GMU professor. Smith received the award while he was at George Mason, but it was for work He had done at Arizona.

So what?! The fact it attracts Nobel recipients is a thing.

The prior post was incorrect. Buchanan didn't win while he was at UVA. He won while at GMU.

+1
Nobels are considered awarded to the person/institution where the recipient is currently teaching. Thus, both men won while at GMU.

GMU is an underrated gem in Fairfax - we are lucky to have a good institution available to ALL of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the number of Nobel prizes it won - it's more than the rest of the State combined. It's a world class university for blue collar workers .

GMU has won zero Nobel prizes. Buchanan won when he was at UVA and years later became GMU professor. Smith received the award while he was at George Mason, but it was for work He had done at Arizona.

So what?! The fact it attracts Nobel recipients is a thing.

The prior post was incorrect. Buchanan didn't win while he was at UVA. He won while at GMU.

+1
Nobels are considered awarded to the person/institution where the recipient is currently teaching. Thus, both men won while at GMU.

GMU is an underrated gem in Fairfax - we are lucky to have a good institution available to ALL of us.

Totally agree!