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George Mason University

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Being an out of stater, I quase regretQuite BrightSociology
Being an out of stater, I quase regret choosing here instead of a UMD or even Towson. Everyone here is from Va, they commute here and do nothing on the weekends besides drink in your room or an off campus apartment. Greek life is kicking, but snooty- outside of rush week dont expect much love coming from them. As for the academics, they have not been too challenging. However, I place it more on the students than the professors. I have had very good relationships w/ several great professors who have had to dumb down classes so 1/2 the class will not fail. I plan on transferring to either UNC-Chapel Hill or University of Miami in the fall, but I do have to give the school credit for getting me to this point.
2nd Year Male -- Class 2006
Perceived Campus Safety: A-, Social Life: D+
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I am a senior Communications major at GMU.Quite BrightCommunications
I am a senior Communications major at GMU. I have been going here off and on since 1998, so I can definetly provide you with great advice about GMU, but the cons outweigh the pros.

Pros: GMU is a pretty and well-maintained campus and is near DC. There are many fun events throughout the semester. The food has gotten MUCH better since 1998.

I liked most of my classes and felt challenged by the professors.
Some of my instructors were from different cultures.
Cons: GMU ALLOWED CREDIT CARD COMPANIES TO SOLICIT ON CAMPUS. I do not think it is as rampant as when I was a freshman, but I DO NOT think that is useful to college students!

Some of my instructors were from different cultures.- I List this under pros and cons because it is good to learn about new cultures, but sometimes I could not understand the professor because of the difference. It was language, style of teaching, and thier idea of how students to talk to professors (like they are god ).

The general education classes are way to large, good luck trying to get one on one help with your instructor. Some professors do not have offices on campus and are hard to get into contact with.

ANd if you have required classes, you can ONLY TAKE THEM AT GMU! What if you want to go to summer school and do not live in the area? I live in Va Beach (3 hrs away) they would not allow me to take classes at my local community.

GMU is located in one of the richest county in the US-Fairfax. So if you have to live off campus it is extremly hard to find affordable housing. A one bedroom could cost $1000 +!!! College students cannot afford that!!!

The computer labs are ALWAYS full and many times the printer/computers are inoperable.

People are nice, but GMU is a commuter school, so Fri-Sun are DEAD on-campus. Most people are like me: Go to class and go to work. The only times your on campus is if you HAVE to be.

I lived on campus freshman-junior year. It was fun, but not much to do if you do not have a car to go off campus because nothing says open late for students living oncampus. There are limited places to eat especially on the weekends.

Housing: horrible. If there is ever a maintence problem -good luck!! I remember freshman year, the heater broke in our quad(4-5 people in one dorm room) and it took 2 weeks for someone to fix it!

The last straw was junior year when I lived in the PV (Patriots Village-which are TRAILERS!!!!Yes I am serious). I wanted a single room, so i was assigned one in PV. We went without heat during the winter for 3 weeks. They gave us those portable heaters which I would not use because I heard they were dangerous. So i stayed at another dorm which had heat. The back stairs porch collapsed while I was on it (thank god i wasnt hurt or GMU would have been sued!!). Do you know how maintence fixed the backstairs?? I know because I watched them from my window. THey REHAMMERED the porch with the SAME nails!!! I complained to housing about this, but no response.

Also maintence workers are allowed to come into your dorm, but are supposed to annouced themselves, once a worker knocked but didnt yell MAINTENANCE, like they usually do. Before I could say who is it, they opened the door. Guess what?? I was topless!! I reported this immediately to the Housing Department and complained to my RA, but i do not believe this person was reprimanded!

GMU brags about being the most diverse school, but if you go into the JC one day you will see how diverse GMU is. Yes, GMU is a very diverse school, but everyone is set in there own ethnic, racial, athletic, fraternity/sorority clique. That was EXTREMLY disappointing to me.

There are many intercultural events, but usually the majority of people of that same culture will attend.

Parking is horrible!!!!
So overall, I like GMU, but I have had so many bad situations which have outweighed my first impression about Gmu. I did not realize my experience until i sat down today to write this. I feel disappointed because Ive done everything to feel like a fully rounded student-join clubs, sports teams, & school spirit. But maybe GMU was not the school for me. So do not take this as advice, take my respone as an experience. So all i really care about now is graduating. Sad, right?

4th Year Female -- Class 2005
Surrounding City: A+, Individual Value: D-
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Mason is AWFUL! I have been going hereBrightAccounting
Mason is AWFUL! I have been going here for two years, and have yet to make a friend on campus that I didn't know before I started going here. The only way you can make friends is if you join a greek sorority or a frat. I even joined the Accounting Fraternity thinking that I would make friends, but no one really talks to each other except for the president/treasurer/secretary and their little clique. Other than that, the people who attend the meetings just leave right afterwards and aren't friendly at all.

I, like all other commuters at GMU, am very frustrated at the whole parking situation. I have even had an altercation where someone has actually got out of my car, yelled at me, threatened me, and hit my window for "taking their spot." (Only because she had "asked" another girl on the other side of the lot where she was parking and was no where near the parking spot at all.) You have to follow people walking from class to their cars to even get a spot unless you want to walk a 1/2 mile to get to class. I don't even know why they charge $265 a year for a parking permit because that doesn't guarantee that you'll get a parking spot and be on time to class.

The only good thing that is worth going to GMU for me is their School of Management. While it is a bit rigorous, a lot of teachers know what they're talking about and you do actually get a solid education. Most of the teachers I have had have been excellent and willing to work with you. However, the teachers I've had outside of the School of Management have been awful and not willing to work with you at all! Not to mention extremely hard to get a hold of.

By the way, for any of you who do apply to GMU, you can never take any classes anywhere else. They are so stringent on making sure that they get your $600 per 3 credit class that they make you jump through hoops in order to "prove" to them your need. (Taking online courses through NOVA is a no too!) So I would definitally suggest that you make sure you have all your core requirements done before you get here.If I had a choice whether or not to go to Mason again I would definitally not go. While the teachers are pretty good, it's always a struggle to get to class. I guess I can say one positive thing about the parking situation over here; it has definitally taught me to become a really agressive driver!

2nd Year Female -- Class 2004
Education Quality: C+, Individual Value: F
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