Why is George Mason so often overlooked?

[Anonymous]

George Mason has its challenges (commuter school and UVA, W&M, VTech) but it is well positioned. Top 100 programs in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, and Nursing. I would say top 50 in Computer Science. In the DC Metro Area - lot of practical professional benefits to that. Most diverse school in Virginia - that will increasingly be seen as an asset. Someone obsessed with politics will post the right wing conservative thing en every thread. Bunch of nonsense - student body probably similar to Fairfax County politically - actually likely a little more liberal due to younger age.

[Anonymous]

It is for first gen college students + internationals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one from NOVA can get excited about it, just doesn’t feeling like getting away from home and is still a commuter college, no matter how boosters want to claim otherwise. I know kids there now and it was just “well this is the best I can do” typically after getting rejected from other va schools.

+100. I've tried to get my daughter to consider it, since it offers everything she's looking for as far as major, size, etc., but she's not interested in even looking at it, due primarily to location. Doesn't help that the few people we know who go there all commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because it's very local, suburban, and viewed as a commuter school

It's only viewed that way by people in NoVA. Students come from all over the country and world to attend GMU. I don't have kids there, but would be happy if I did. It's a very good school that only the resident snobs continue to put down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it's very local, suburban, and viewed as a commuter school

It's only viewed that way by people in NoVA. Students come from all over the country and world to attend GMU. I don't have kids there, but would be happy if I did. It's a very good school that only the resident snobs continue to put down.

It’s viewed that way by people who look at the facts.

46% of freshman don’t live on campus.

72% graduate in 6 years.

21% undergrads are part time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it's very local, suburban, and viewed as a commuter school

It's only viewed that way by people in NoVA. Students come from all over the country and world to attend GMU. I don't have kids there, but would be happy if I did. It's a very good school that only the resident snobs continue to put down.

+1. It is the most diverse university (and the largest research university in the Commonwealth) with 40,000 students. If you are so old and provincial that you can’t get beyond the hat, well that is you and, sadly, your child’s problem. My child got a great education there and has been steadily employed by Google since before graduation. Since some if the older universities in the Commonwealth can’t grow, the Commonwealth is pouring money not the next level if universities. When my DC was at GMU he had to put up with nonstop construction, the upside of which is state of the art facilities and forms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it's very local, suburban, and viewed as a commuter school

And also skews conservative, which isn't appealing to many in the immediate DMV.

Well, just the econ and law. There's not a single other department or faculty that skew conservative in the least.

There are very few department anywhere in academe that skew conservative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's basically like a bigger version of NVCC.

Not many people want to pay a university price for a community college experience.

I've not met anyone who graduated from there who would also allow their kid to attend.

Well, most people who graduated from there back when it really was a commuter school, but it had grown like mad and is now an R1 institution with a great reputation. It still has a sizeable commuter population, but a bit over 6k undergrads (+ international students) live on-campus.

It has over 40,000 students, including masters and doctoral. It is the largest research institution in the Commonwealth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because it's very local, suburban, and viewed as a commuter school

For us, it's this. Not on the radar at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it's very local, suburban, and viewed as a commuter school

It's only viewed that way by people in NoVA. Students come from all over the country and world to attend GMU. I don't have kids there, but would be happy if I did. It's a very good school that only the resident snobs continue to put down.

My husband worked at GMU for a few years and he said that a big part of the appeal to international students was the location. Three airports to choose from and embassies just a few miles away if something goes awry. Years ago it was the "other" choice for those international students who didn't get into Georgetown or GW, but by now it has such a good reputation for supporting international students that it's a first choice for most who go there.

[Anonymous]

It's a great school on many fronts, but local kids don't consider it a "real" college experience if they go. International and first-gen don't have that bias.

Interestingly, my son attends another Virginia school and did a cross-over project with GMU students last summer. He said those students were sharp and their work was really innovative. He was second-guessing why he wrote it off so quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a great school on many fronts, but local kids don't consider it a "real" college experience if they go. International and first-gen don't have that bias.

Interestingly, my son attends another Virginia school and did a cross-over project with GMU students last summer. He said those students were sharp and their work was really innovative. He was second-guessing why he wrote it off so quickly.

George Mason's rise (if it comes and I think it is happening) will come first from immigrant, minority, and international students not from multi-generation American students. Wanting the traditional college experience is a valid perspective but the decision tree is different for many immigrant and international students. My guess is Virginia Tech would like to be closer to George Mason's demographics. If George Mason does rise - the perspective of local students will evolve over time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a great school on many fronts, but local kids don't consider it a "real" college experience if they go. International and first-gen don't have that bias.

Interestingly, my son attends another Virginia school and did a cross-over project with GMU students last summer. He said those students were sharp and their work was really innovative. He was second-guessing why he wrote it off so quickly.

George Mason's rise (if it comes and I think it is happening) will come first from immigrant, minority, and international students not from multi-generation American students. Wanting the traditional college experience is a valid perspective but the decision tree is different for many immigrant and international students. My guess is Virginia Tech would like to be closer to George Mason's demographics. If George Mason does rise - the perspective of local students will evolve over time.

In what way?

[Anonymous]

No fun college town

And all the nontraditional students, coming and going, make it a very nontraditional experience. Also not fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seems like a hidden gem of a school with a top econ dept.

Its not a hidden gem or gets overlooked, there are better schools attracting better students.