Anonymous wrote:GMU has been consistently ranked no 1 or no 2 in "up and coming American universities". The building never stops (know, I've got a DS there and have taken courses myself). Another dorm was just added which makes GMU the largest residential campus in VA. It's great value for the dollar and especialkly lovely during the summer. I highly recommend it. Easy parking, nice clean campus, all new buildings. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/19/AR2009081904284.html

Yes, it's always "up and coming"; I've been hearing this for 20 years. It needs to just finish "upping and coming"; it's getting boring.

GMU has been consistently ranked no 1 or no 2 in "up and coming American universities". The building never stops (know, I've got a DS there and have taken courses myself). Another dorm was just added which makes GMU the largest residential campus in VA. It's great value for the dollar and especialkly lovely during the summer. I highly recommend it. Easy parking, nice clean campus, all new buildings. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/19/AR2009081904284.html

Anonymous wrote:Actually it was for engineering, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Yes, you have to declare your first and second choice of major when you apply. Engineering and architecture are the two most difficult departments to get into. I've got the stats around here somewhere but I remember the average incoming engineer-type had a 4.00+. The admissions office also wants to see calculus completed with a grade before you apply and two languages. It's tough to get in from No. VA. Same for GMU. If you live in Nellysford VA (poorest county), it's very easy to get in - but not if you are applying from McLean. If I find those stats for entering engineers I'll come back and repost.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before I clicked on this thread, I thought for sure VT was more prestigious. I'm from NC and knew smart people from high school who went there, but had never heard of anyone going to GMU. I have recently met 2 people who went to GMU - 1 for undergrad and masters, 1 for PhD program. They are both extremely capable and smart, but I still have a hard time thinking of GMU as anything but a step above a community college. I don't know why - maybe it's only known regionally.

After clicking this thread you should still think the same thing.

+1 don't believe everything you read...there are some overly enthusiastic GMU supporters that have some sort of axe to grind.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually it was for engineering, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Yes, it would.

It also depends on the rigor of classes taken. DC was accepted last year to VT engineeringwith a weighted 3.75. However the classes that brought down his average were English and Spanish. He took the hard math and science APs. That seemed to be more important.

Anonymous wrote:Before I clicked on this thread, I thought for sure VT was more prestigious. I'm from NC and knew smart people from high school who went there, but had never heard of anyone going to GMU. I have recently met 2 people who went to GMU - 1 for undergrad and masters, 1 for PhD program. They are both extremely capable and smart, but I still have a hard time thinking of GMU as anything but a step above a community college. I don't know why - maybe it's only known regionally.

After clicking this thread you should still think the same thing.

Before I clicked on this thread, I thought for sure VT was more prestigious. I'm from NC and knew smart people from high school who went there, but had never heard of anyone going to GMU. I have recently met 2 people who went to GMU - 1 for undergrad and masters, 1 for PhD program. They are both extremely capable and smart, but I still have a hard time thinking of GMU as anything but a step above a community college. I don't know why - maybe it's only known regionally.

Anonymous wrote:Actually it was for engineering, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Yes, it would.

Actually it was for engineering, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Anonymous wrote:I do know someone whose child got rejected from VT earlier this year with a 3.98 GPA.

As I tell my kids, there are no guarantees. Colleges can't accept only the top students across the board; they have to accept a range of students. However, if you look at the scattergrams from most high schools, there is no doubt that most students with a GPA that high AND a good SAT score would have been accepted.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do know someone whose child got rejected from VT earlier this year with a 3.98 GPA.

Why? They accept 70 percent of applicants versus George Mason which is more selective, better location and more prestigious in the DC area.


VT grads are hicks.

As posted earlier. I guess in your defense GMU does select a lower percentage of the much less qualified students that apply.

Didn't go to either school, but I found this question interesting.

They don't report average GPA of entering students, but the average GPA of accepted students had the following range: Middle 50% GPA of students offered admission: 3.84-4.27

I saw on another site that the average GPA of entering freshmen was 3.93; seems reasonable based on the reported range. I'm sure GMU reports a weighted GPA as well.

The kids applying to GMU have significant lower grades and SAT scores than kids applying to VT. That's a much better indication of selectivity than the percentage of admitted students. Based on the scores/GPAs a large number of GMU kids wouldn't get into VT.

Anonymous wrote:Neither

+1!

Anonymous wrote:I do know someone whose child got rejected from VT earlier this year with a 3.98 GPA.

Why? They accept 70 percent of applicants versus George Mason which is more selective, better location and more prestigious in the DC area.


VT grads are hicks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT. I hope this post is a joke.

Ok I just re-read your post and noticed that is said for Economics. I have no idea what either school's ranking for Economics is, but as an overall school tech is definitely better known and more prestigious.

Says you....

I do know someone whose child got rejected from VT earlier this year with a 3.98 GPA.