George Mason University

In the DC area, if you mention that you went to George Mason University, most people just shrug it off like (yeah, so?). This is because in the DC area, George Mason is considered "the default". There is no real alumni base that you can count on for support because, well, everyone went here. This is where all of the rich parents send their under-achieving kids, they all commute here, (because on-campus housing is ridiculously hard to get) and don't say anything to anyone around them. In short, there's no real campus culture or identity in going to GMU, there's nothing about this school that really distinguishes you.

Now, on the flip-side, if you're not from the area, and you plan to return home with your degree from GMU, you can expect some distinction. People will react, "oh, you went to George Mason University? Okay." GMU is mainly known for its academics, not its culture; its academics are really its only strong suite. Outside of the area, it works in your favor because those same rich morons aren't around, and you find that you're really the only one who went to GMU.

Professionally, since GMU is near DC, the main gimmick that's peddled is to major in Government and then get a government job afterwards. I only have one thing to say in response to that: You better do well in class. You need to be able to apply for federal jobs under the "outstanding scholar" program, or get into a competitively admitted government internship, before you graduate-these end up being full time jobs. Simply having the degree is not enough to qualify for a GS 5, much less 7 job because of the point ranking system that the government uses for selection. Other people will get the jobs because of years of experience doing whatever, and they get the points from that.

And now for the social aspects of GMU. I've saved the worst for last. If you are not from the area, this school makes it pretty clear to you that you here as a visitor.

All you see are people rushing around, talking on their cellphones, and hanging out with their small circles of friends, and you are not welcome.

There is something about this place that makes it so people are just not interested in getting to know you or talk to you. I've been in other places where if you're sitting in class and everyone's waiting for the professor to come in, you might make some comment to a few people around you, trying to spark a conversation, and in most places this works. But at GMU, people would just shrug or say "heh." When class is over, people practically run to their cars. Nobody really sticks around or talks to anyone around them.

As far as the actual people go, these are some of the most soulless people I've ever known. They're shallow, they have no depth, and their parents have all the money in the world. They typically get put up in luxury apartments and get four figure checks written to them each month, which they use to outfit their BMW's with the latest modifications, and their apartments with expensive stereo /high-def equipment. This was the case with a number of students I got to know at Mason. It's sort of like the seedy leftovers from the OC.