CKQ College Profiles: George Mason University

Each quarter, The College Knowledge Quarterly will feature a different U.S. College or University for families to get to know a bit better. The aim is not to tell you about a school you know (or at least you think you know) well, but to introduce you to a school you may have not considered a viable candidate before. In this edition, we are pleased to feature George Mason University.

George Mason (U.S. News ranked T-#140 – National Universities), is a large, public university (approximately 24,000 undergraduate students) in a large town in a suburban environment, about 20 miles southwest of Washington, D.C.

George Mason has been a frequent member of the U.S. News ‘Up and Coming’ list, as the school has grown both their enrollment and endowment, continued long-term construction projects, including lab facilities, with an eye on becoming a renowned research institution. It also has excellent ties with the Smithsonian in D.C.

As I frequently tell my students, don’t judge a book by its cover – or in the case of colleges, don’t judge the quality of a school by its admission percentage. Over four in five students are admitted to George Mason. With GMU being in such close proximity to our nation’s capital, it is no secret that the most popular major at George Mason is political science, followed closely by criminal justice, biology, and information technology.

Another advantage of a George Mason education is that despite the size of the undergraduate population, few classes taught on their main campus have more than 50 students, meaning undergrads can participate in an intimate learning environment, but still have access to the tools and resources of a large, public university.

Internships and Co-op options are readily available, and coursework and programming are tailored toward job development and job placement, which is popular these days.

Professors frequently know their students by name, are available to meet, and encourage their students to participate and to stay in touch with them after class is done.

Student life is somewhat fragmented, as only slightly more than half the students live on campus. That said, it is a somewhat diverse campus, and it boasts an accepting population of students. The school spirit at Mason is hit and miss, but when it’s on, it’s usually focused on the school’s competitive basketball team (NCAA Division 1).

GMU shows balance. Close to the big city, and the power and influence that comes with it, but far enough away for a college town experience. Students express a need to work hard, but manage to have fun too. It’s not a party school, but if you’re looking for it, you can find it.

Much like my experience at UCLA, the overwhelmingly biggest complaint is… parking! If you can avoid having a car in this place, do so. The good news is, you have a pretty decent public transit system to work with, and about 55% of the current students own and use a car – so it’s all about making friends to get around when the bus or train are insufficient.

Fairfax, Virginia is much like the school, balanced. Plenty of shops and restaurants to choose from, but not a traditional college town either. The biggest grab is still the close access to Washington D.C. If there is a weakness, the cost and accessibility of off-campus housing is less than desirable.

Much like the last few paragraphs, the retention rate (88%) speaks to the balance and quality GMU has to offer. Retention rate refers to what percentage of freshman students are still enrolled in the sophomore year. So we believe most students are happy, but do they make any money when they graduate? The out-of-state tuition paying student will find, according to Payscale.com, that GMU does a reasonably good job of getting the money into its students’ hands. The school ranks #159 nationally.

The average admitted student boasts moderately strong grades and test scores (about a 3.65 GPA and a 27 on the ACT). According to the admission office, academic GPA and rigor of high school curriculum are the most important admission factors, followed by: class rank, application essay, recommendation(s), alumni relations, character/personal qualities, talent/ability. Other factors include: standardized test scores, extra-curricular activities, first generation, level of applicant interest, volunteer work, and work experience.

According to the Collegeboard, the school offers a total of 64 majors, has a student-to-faculty ratio of 16-1, and operates on the semester system.

George Mason University offers an Early Action application, due by November 1st. The

regular admission decision deadline is January 15th.

For more information, please visit: https://www2.gmu.edu/