Is there any reason not to go to George Mason?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All these posts seem to be about law and policy majors at Mason. How about undergraduate majors in biology, bioengineering and related fields? Does a Mason degree hurt finding jobs upon graduation compared to the other higher pedigree schools in the DMV area (say UMD)? Thanks.

I don't know about biology generally but for environmental biology, they seem to have a good program. My friend's son is there and did a semester off campus at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation. Getting a lot of field experience and now doing a semester study abroad with an environmental focus. His mom has a PhD and works in the field and is happy with the program which means a lot to me.
https://smconservation.gmu.edu/programs/undergraduate-residential-semester-away-programs/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's super expensive for what you get IMO

isn’t it in line with other in-state VA schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these posts seem to be about law and policy majors at Mason. How about undergraduate majors in biology, bioengineering and related fields? Does a Mason degree hurt finding jobs upon graduation compared to the other higher pedigree schools in the DMV area (say UMD)? Thanks.

I don't know about biology generally but for environmental biology, they seem to have a good program. My friend's son is there and did a semester off campus at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation. Getting a lot of field experience and now doing a semester study abroad with an environmental focus. His mom has a PhD and works in the field and is happy with the program which means a lot to me.
https://smconservation.gmu.edu/programs/undergraduate-residential-semester-away-programs/

The College of Science is very well regarded. The SciTech campus in Manassas has one of the very few Bio Safety Level 3 labs in the country, funded directly by NIH. There are tons of opportunities for students to get hands on research experience from well regarded scientists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's super expensive for what you get IMO

isn’t it in line with other in-state VA schools?

Of course it is. Never heard GMU being described as super expensive for in state. Weird comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's fine. It's sort of a manufactured university setting. No traditions. Student Life is not a priority.

I suspect PP meant this as a negative but the vast majority of universities in other countries don't give two hoots about traditions, student life, frats, football and all the nonsense whose primary reason is to build a brand and eventually charge more. Most focus on educating students so they can go out and get jobs. GMU (or is is GM now?) does a fantastic job at that!

DP here. WTH kind of student does not want to actually have the college experience? It doesn't have to be frats or football games, but something? Anything? Do they not want or need human interaction?? That's.....odd.....

Mason is not the same as colleges overseas, though. Overseas is well, overseas.

Mason is for kids who want/need close to home, even if they are not commuting. Though it seems primarily still a commuter school.

Interesting. I'll have to tell that to the 2,774 foreign students there (7.2% of the school's population) as well as to the 8,600 out-of-state students (22% of the school's population). Perhaps you also didn't know that GMU is the most diverse university in the commonwealth? And its largest R1 University?

Mason is for kids who seem to prefer closer to home, and still has a large number of commuters. Did you read the previous statement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's fine. It's sort of a manufactured university setting. No traditions. Student Life is not a priority.

I suspect PP meant this as a negative but the vast majority of universities in other countries don't give two hoots about traditions, student life, frats, football and all the nonsense whose primary reason is to build a brand and eventually charge more. Most focus on educating students so they can go out and get jobs. GMU (or is is GM now?) does a fantastic job at that!

DP here. WTH kind of student does not want to actually have the college experience? It doesn't have to be frats or football games, but something? Anything? Do they not want or need human interaction?? That's.....odd.....

Mason is not the same as colleges overseas, though. Overseas is well, overseas.

Mason is for kids who want/need close to home, even if they are not commuting. Though it seems primarily still a commuter school.

Interesting. I'll have to tell that to the 2,774 foreign students there (7.2% of the school's population) as well as to the 8,600 out-of-state students (22% of the school's population). Perhaps you also didn't know that GMU is the most diverse university in the commonwealth? And its largest R1 University?

Mason is for kids who seem to prefer closer to home, and still has a large number of commuters. Did you read the previous statement?

Sounds like about 30% is OOS which is similar to other options that are not considered commuter schools in DMV area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's fine. It's sort of a manufactured university setting. No traditions. Student Life is not a priority.

Read before posting. GMU was started in 1949 as part of UVA and was part of UVA until 1966. UVA has plenty of traditions. And my GMU students thought student life was wonderful for all four years.

This is another post that did not seem to address PP? So odd.

Is this an ad for GMU? Is there a marketer afoot?

[Anonymous]

A lot of good reasons and benefits to choose it.
Also Northern VA >>>>>> Harrisonburg.
It's a good option.

However many kids also want to go further away from home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's fine. It's sort of a manufactured university setting. No traditions. Student Life is not a priority.

I suspect PP meant this as a negative but the vast majority of universities in other countries don't give two hoots about traditions, student life, frats, football and all the nonsense whose primary reason is to build a brand and eventually charge more. Most focus on educating students so they can go out and get jobs. GMU (or is is GM now?) does a fantastic job at that!

DP here. WTH kind of student does not want to actually have the college experience? It doesn't have to be frats or football games, but something? Anything? Do they not want or need human interaction?? That's.....odd.....

Mason is not the same as colleges overseas, though. Overseas is well, overseas.

Mason is for kids who want/need close to home, even if they are not commuting. Though it seems primarily still a commuter school.

Interesting. I'll have to tell that to the 2,774 foreign students there (7.2% of the school's population) as well as to the 8,600 out-of-state students (22% of the school's population). Perhaps you also didn't know that GMU is the most diverse university in the commonwealth? And its largest R1 University?

Mason is for kids who seem to prefer closer to home, and still has a large number of commuters. Did you read the previous statement?

Sounds like about 30% is OOS which is similar to other options that are not considered commuter schools in DMV area.

Exactly. Large OOS cohort; large international
cohort, which us exactly what my GMU kid experienced in dorms and in class

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's fine. It's sort of a manufactured university setting. No traditions. Student Life is not a priority.

I suspect PP meant this as a negative but the vast majority of universities in other countries don't give two hoots about traditions, student life, frats, football and all the nonsense whose primary reason is to build a brand and eventually charge more. Most focus on educating students so they can go out and get jobs. GMU (or is is GM now?) does a fantastic job at that!

DP here. WTH kind of student does not want to actually have the college experience? It doesn't have to be frats or football games, but something? Anything? Do they not want or need human interaction?? That's.....odd.....

Mason is not the same as colleges overseas, though. Overseas is well, overseas.

Mason is for kids who want/need close to home, even if they are not commuting. Though it seems primarily still a commuter school.

Interesting. I'll have to tell that to the 2,774 foreign students there (7.2% of the school's population) as well as to the 8,600 out-of-state students (22% of the school's population). Perhaps you also didn't know that GMU is the most diverse university in the commonwealth? And its largest R1 University?

Mason is for kids who seem to prefer closer to home, and still has a large number of commuters. Did you read the previous statement?

Sounds like about 30% is OOS which is similar to other options that are not considered commuter schools in DMV area.

Correct. That figure plus the 7.2 to 9% figure of international students matches UVA's stats (I had kids at both at the same time)