George Mason University Top Questions

What is your overall opinion of this school?

Yazeed

The best thing about George Mason is that they care and support all the students no matter where they are from. However, it is not a perfect school that if I have the power to change things on it, I will make sure that support canters such as the math center have more qualify students then there is now. - The size of my school is just right. - When I tell someone that I go to Mason he tell me that it is a good school and some times they say that it is a hard one. - I spend most of my time in the the JW center where the food court is located and the library. Overall, the school is a good school. It is just getting better every single day and the only thing students complain about is that they have to write a lot

Javier

The best thing about George Mason is the size of the campus. It is the largest public university on the state of Virginia. However, the one thing I will change is the strictness about parties on campus. When you look at the so called top tier universities on the U.S.A, most them are ranked on some magazines as the "top college parties." Therefore, to be able to gain more admissions we should take this into account. On the other hand, Mason is only a college town for the basketball team. There are a lot of hardworking student-athletes that do not get recognized by the fans,because men's basketball overpowers any other athletic competition.

Jessica

Amanda

George Mason has a very diverse campus. It's not all white kids, it's not all asians, it's a great mix! With so much culture walking around campus, students can share many ideas and see so many views on everything. One thing I really wish they had though is a football team. I think football teams really bring a university together and school pride is even more apparent. I spend a lot of my time at a place called the Johnson Center. This is the main hang out place for students in between classes. It has a food court and bookstore on the main floor, a library and lots of seating on the upper floors. It's a great place for not only studying, but also catching up with friends and eating lunch/dinner/breakfast together. One of the biggest problems students have is wifi access. The wifi honestly sucks at GMU, especially in the Johnson Center. If you're there during the late morning and afternoon, good luck getting a connection! Overall, George Mason is a great school though, filled with great professors, great students, and a lovely staff.

Ruchi

I absolutely loved this school! One of the best things about this school is that it is huge in diversity. There is a huge Middle-Eastern, East Asian, South Asian crowd. This creates the opportunity to learn about different cultures and take pride in them. There definitely is a lot of school pride. During the basketball games, everyone will get decked out in the school colors green and gold, wear funny green wigs and beads while chanting our Mason cheer song. It is a beautiful campus, and all the buildings are very modernized. It is also fairly new so you don't have too many rundown buildings. It is also currently expanding. One concern about George Mason is that it is a huge commuter school, so sometimes you won't really get the college feeling. I have had moments where I still felt like I was in high school. We don't really have a college town either, we right in the middle of the suburbs of Fairfax County. Since it is a huge commuter school, one of the biggest complaints about it is the availability of parking. The school really needs to add more parking garages, and at an affordable price for university students. The administration is excellent. You have a wide range of professors who actually care about the students, and actually want to teach, instead of being there just for their research like other university professors. Overall, I thought this was an amazing school, it was the number one school to watch in 2008, and the admission rates are increasing every year. I definitely think in ten years, more companies will be impressed if they see you have graduated from George Mason University. Who knows, it may be the next Georgetown.

Maram

Whenever I walk throughout George Mason Campus, I am reminded constantly of beautiful possibility and opportunity everywhere I turn. There is just something about this school that has always given me that feeling; one that no other school may ever replace. George Mason is at a ripe size of 30,000 students; this is due mainly to the fact that there are four campuses located throughout the NoVa area. The Fairfax GMU campus is very nicely sized. With the Johnson Center being the center of school, I find myself spending the majority of my time there - whether sipping a cup of coffee, reviewing for an upcoming exam, or basking in the presence of my friends, there is always something productive to do there. School pride isn't as intense as at other schools. This is because GMU is known as a "commuter school" - many students go to school and go back home every day, and while there is housing available on campus, many students go back home on the weekends. The population of students is predominantly in-state.

Allison

* What's the best thing about this school? This school isn't like any of the other colleges I looked at when determining where I would go to college. The people are very welcoming, friendly and accepting of people from all different backgrounds. The school is large enough to give a big university feel without feeling like you are being lost in the crowd. You really do feel like a person instead of a number. * Name one thing you'd change. The one thing I would change is to have certain buildings on campus (mainly the arts building) open for longer hours. I enjoy walking around campus at night and the arts building has artwork displayed that was created by students on campus. I love wandering around that building to see all of the creativity on this campus. * Is your school too large, too small, or just right? Mason is the right size for me. I never wanted to go to a university that was so large the student body just became a blur of numbers and statistics. I wanted the large university feel but I also wanted a more personal relationship with other students and teachers that would be achieved by a small university. * How do people react when you tell them you go to this school? Most people ask me what I like about the university. The people asking me this are typically high school students looking at Mason or parents who want to know if Mason is a suitable environment for their child to attend. Some of the people I talk to have also gone to Mason and ask how my classes are going and generally how I am enjoying school. * Where do you spend most of your time on campus? Either walking around campus or in one of the dorms because I live on campus. * College town, or "what college town?" Not a huge college town. Fairfax area has a lot of stores and restaurants geared towards college students but the student activity is focused more on campus or in Greek housing. * What's your opinion of this school's administration? I am not well informed on this topic but most of the teachers and advisers I have needed to communicate with have gotten back to me promptly. If they don't have the answer they can usually direct me to the party I need to contact. * What was the biggest recent controversy on campus? There isn't a big controversy on campus that I know of at the moment. * Is there a lot of school pride? Most of the school pride is focused at the basketball games. There is some school spirit but isn't over the top. Also the statue of George Mason is often decorated for the holidays and major events. * Is there anything unusual about this school? It has a very large gay community but that is not all that unusual because the campus is near Washington D.C. * What's one experience you'll always remember? I will always remember touring campus and the tour guides telling me about the superstition of the plaque in front of George Mason's statue. If any student steps on the plaque they will not graduate in 4 years. However, if a student accidentally steps on the plaque they can remove this superstition is by rubbing the toe of the George Mason statue. * What are the most frequent student complaints? Not enough sleep. Or classes depending on the major.

Leonard

My overall opinion of George Mason university is that it is a good school to meet a wide variety of people. The best aspect is its proximity to DC because what ever field of study you are pursuing there is an aspect of that industry in DC. An aspect that I would change would be for the school to have a football stadium. There is a football team but no stadium. The school is just right. People react when I tell them I go to this school by talking about the economic department or the basketball team. I spend most of my time either at the gym or in the classroom. The area around the campus is not a college town. The school administration is concerned about making money more than the students. The biggest recent controversy is the homecoming queen being a gay man and the Westboro Baptist church protesting outside the school. There is a lot of school pride when it comes to the Mens Basketball Team. One experience that I will always remember will be the basketball games. The most frequent student complaints are about the parking ticket fines.

Brittany

Before transferring to George Mason, I attended another school my freshman year. After an entire year, I felt no connection to the school and knew that it was not the school for me. After transferring to Mason, I can truly say that I now know what students are talking about when they say that they love their school. Finally, I have a deep connection and love for my college. Immediately, I felt like the atmosphere was so open and accepting. Students here, for the most part, are eager to learn and contribute. For almost ever class I've had I've particpated in study groups and left with great friends. Stepping on campus for class is actually enjoyable for me and I truly feel pushed to learn and grow. I love spending time in the Johnson Center, the mecca of student life on campus. I grab coffee with my friends or retreat to the upstairs library where I can study and focus for my classes. I've attended multiple concerts at the Patriot Center and saw the Moscow Ballet perform at the Performing Arts Center. There is so much to do here and so much to gain from attending Mason. I'm proud to tell everyone that I am a Patriot.

Brittany

Before transferring to George Mason, I attended another school my freshman year. After an entire year, I felt no connection to the school and knew that it was not the school for me. After transferring to Mason, I can truly say that I now know what students are talking about when they say that they love their school. Finally, I have a deep connection and love for my college. Immediately, I felt like the atmosphere was so open and accepting. Students here, for the most part, are eager to learn and contribute. For almost ever class I've had I've particpated in study groups and left with great friends. Stepping on campus for class is actually enjoyable for me and I truly feel pushed to learn and grow. I love spending time in the Johnson Center, the mecca of student life on campus. I grab coffee with my friends or retreat to the upstairs library where I can study and focus for my classes. I've attended multiple concerts at the Patriot Center and saw the Moscow Ballet perform at the Performing Arts Center. There is so much to do here and so much to gain from attending Mason. I'm proud to tell everyone that I am a Patriot.

Carolyn

One of George Mason's biggest assets is it's location! Just outside our nation's capital, it's away from the constant city craziness, but close enough to take advantage of all the opportunities that Washington D.C. has! There's always something to do, whether that's on-campus or in the surrounding area. George Mason is the largest university in Virginia, but there's still a sense of community on campus and among the students.

Carolyn

One of George Mason's biggest assets is it's location! Just outside our nation's capital, it's away from the constant city craziness, but close enough to take advantage of all the opportunities that Washington D.C. has! There's always something to do, whether that's on-campus or in the surrounding area. George Mason is the largest university in Virginia, but there's still a sense of community on campus and among the students.

Brooke

George Mason University provides nearly everything possible from different majors to campus events. The opportunities are endless and never truly runs out. This remains one of George Mason's best qualities. The most common student complaints involve parking, campus dining, advising, and quality of certain departments/ facilities. This university does not offer a college town vibe. This offers an advantage to students who dislike the party atmosphere and desire excellence in school. When I tell people of George Mason, they know the school's name. This shows the school's rising reputation in US news rankings and making it to the Final 4 in 2006. One thing I wish would change is the quality of services and the advising. At times, the quality of what this school offers doesn't always match up to what it offers. The Office of Disability Services doesn't always help students with disabilities the way they should. It has gotten a little better, since they hired someone to specifically work with Autistic students. Still, they have a long way to go to fully satisfy everyone. Also, the advisors offer advising that's more for student's who aren't as organized, or who don't check their classes fulfill major requirements. For those are, the advising is made to pointless and there's less of an incentive for them to go. In other cases, the advisors don't want to see the students at all, even if they send an email for an appointment. This university is very large. In fact, it's has the largest student population in Virginia with over 32,000 students. The school size is great for those who enjoy being independent and can stand to be alone. This students here don't show as much school or get involved in a lot of campus activities. Still, there's always Patriot Day in the fall and Mason Day in the spring. I remember Mason Day the most, because I enjoyed the food, rides, and freebies there. My advice to incoming students: take advantage of what's free.

Colleen

I've had good and bad days at Mason, but overall, it has turned out to be the perfect school for me. For locals, Mason has a bad reputation for being only one step above community college. This can be true, but only if you make it that way. It's important to get involved in some way, whether it's through a student organization, club, or greek life. GMU does not sponsor on campus greek life, but they are still a large presence on campus with high numbers of student involvement. Many people complain that weekends at Mason can be dull, Mason does not have the party atmosphere that you'd find at JMU, Tech, or Radford. However, you can always find a frat party or small parties in dorms to go to. In my opinion, one of the biggest benefits of going to GMU is it's proximity to D.C. On campus buses will take you to the Metro stop, and from there your possibilities are endless. I think the most common problem with bored students on the weekend is their laziness to go out and explore all the opportunities around them. As far as academic life goes, I have overall been very impressed with my professors. Mason prides itself on having professors who have work experience in the subjects they teach, which makes class much more interactive and applicable.

Stephanie

One of the best things about George Mason for me is it's proximity to Washington DC, the nation's capital. There are a large amount of internship and job opportunities available when you're that close to the city. I received an internship over the summer in the area that otherwise I would not have had the opportunity to get. It was with Human Resources at a company called Datatel and I really enjoyed it! I had the opportunity to get a first hand look at working with a company and pursuing communications. I also made amazing connections. George Mason is full of opportunities like this one.

Maryam

It's a very good school, there'a a lot of different both undergrad and Grad programs available to choose from. Mason is one of the most diversified university campuses in the United States and the professors are very friendly and helpful.

Golzar

Starting answering! Offer more weekend and evening classes for undergrad students. Grad school has better reputation than undergrad.

Sarah

I love this school and everything it has to offer. There are so many events and organizations to get involved in! There is a lot of school pride during basketball season and welcome week. The only concern I have is the continuous construction work.

Sydney

I love this school. Selecting GMU is one of the best decisions I could have made and there are a lot of activities and clubs to join. The teachers here are fantastic, also.

Sophia

It was the right size for me. All the academic buildings were inside the circle while living buildings surrounded them

Morgan

I really do enjoy Mason, it is a clean campus and I feel we are provided very nice facilities. However I do feel the burden of sending students to the Prince William campus when they pay out of state to attend GMU fairfax is a litte unfair. I think instead of spening money to build Mason Vale that space could have been better used as a Giant parking lot, and then more classroom buildings built where our current parking is located. Shuttles then could have been provided from this big main lot, so that is one thing I would change. I spend most of my time at the Pool as I am an athlete on the swim team here at Mason. I feel there is pretty good amount of school pride as you can see many students in GMU gear on your regular walks through cmpus. One experience I will always remember will not be one, but many that I have had with my team. The meets, the hangouts, the gruling practices where we had to be in the water at 5 am pushing eachother. I live for that stuff, I will very much miss it when it is over. I feel like one of the biggest complaints about the unvieristy is "there is nothing to do here". College is what you make of it. You have to get out there and make your own fun for you, no one is goign to hold your hand and drag you to the numerous events and social outings. Get up and Go!

Laura

Mason Mentors make it a point to discuss the Mason Community in all of their tours. Feeling welcomed into a community and comfortable at George Mason can help students avoid the dread of feeling misplaced, so they can focus on succeeding academically. I am in the Honors college and pursuing a biochem major. I don't have high recommendations for the chemistry and biology department in guiding their students well (inaccurate advising sheets), as well as selecting the best professors to teach, and tutors to work in the chemistry tutoring center. Overall, professors do have office hours and will try to help if you go to office hours, however, I have had a few who aren't great lecturers and appear unapproachable (bad attitude).

Sonia

Mason is a really big school with lots and lots of students. Its in a great area, Fairfax is a lovely town and DC is very accessible. I think the school administration is quite effective and genuinely cares about their students. At least whenever I've had problems, they have really helped me out.

Matt

No school in the country has come as far as fast as George Mason. The professors are outstanding: George Mason's proximity to Washington, D.C. results in a glut of over-qualified faculty. My 100 level government classes, for example, were taught by retired Washingtonians working on their PhD's - bureaucrats, military, political staffers - so although they weren't full professors they had a career of experience to draw from. The campus is new and rapidly expanding: students can expect new housing and state of the art classrooms. The basketball team is getting ridiculously good recruits and will be ranked in the coming years. Games today are the focus of social life. With a 10,000 person capacity, the Patriot Center is a great college venue.

Rory

Initially when I got to Mason, I was (a) disappointed with the general intelligence of my peers and (b) thrilled with my classes and professors. Turning inward, I focused on my studies (contrary to my high school experience) and got great grades. Since the student populace here is mostly comprised of either non-exceptional kids or brusque and professional in-and-outers, I got involved with my department and the professors I met were very receptive and friendly, as if they were refreshed to see a student who was actually interested in the material he was studying. Eventually, I obtained a job within the department and I was hanging out with professors and grad students more than I was my undergraduate peers, which was made possible by the fact that there are so few students that go to Mason who approach professors outside of class. The scarcity of excellent students also provides ample opportunity to pick up scholarships from the school, and the metropolitan area begets some high paying job offers. Sure, there's the Greek drawl and some menial on-campus activity outside of academics, but all of that is sort of subpar with a few exceptions. I've been to some really excellent parties and have drank a fair amount of beer while on campus, but in low frequency. Usually, you have to have a connection to get into a good party, but they do exist. Obviously, if you're seeking for a party school, go down the road to JMU. I find the campus quite nice; there's a lot of foliage and it isn't sprawling and empty like other campuses I've visited. The point is, if you don't mind being lonely and you're very serious about your studies, Mason is a great place to be. It's easy for a serious guy to stand out. My only gripe, academically, is that a couple of the classes could be harder. I think some of the faculty dumbs the curriculum down a little because of the average intellectual measure.

Andy

When I stepped onto the George Mason Campus for a college visit, it just felt right! Despite the massive amounts of construction that is currently taking place due to the growing school population, the campus is beautiful. Students are out and about, walking from class to class or sitting outside in the grass. GMU is known for its diverse student population, but that is not merely a statistic that the school likes to brag about. Not only is the student body diverse in race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender, but those varying students are usually found socializing with one another. This is most defiantly a school where you can learn just as much on the outside of the classroom as you can on the inside.

Nicholas

GMU is well on there way to being one of the top univirsities in the country. The greek world at mason is pretty big. One of our big falls is no D1 football team. GMU police are a little on the annoying side. We are not a college town... I do think we have alot of pride at mason in almost everything we do. Campus is really nice alot of buldings are brand new, along with all upper classmen dorms.

Owen

I like the fact that GMU is right next to DC...you get access to so many different things because of that. The Mason campus is also a great plus...plenty of places to eat..it's pretty huge and modern which is appealing for students. A lot of times the most serious happenings will be students getting busted for drugs or for drinking but other than that nothing too intense. I have to say that Mason Police are horrible...they are most times not helpful when you call them for aid and more often than not they are bored so they give tickets or write people up for random and stupid things.

Heather

GMU is conveniently located to Washington, DC, and with its placement in the city of Fairfax, it's perfectly possible to go through your years at Mason without needing a car. At the same time, the campus is self-contained. So, when you're on campus, you are ON campus. In addition, the city of Fairfax in many ways resembles a suburb, so if you don't like "big cities", then Fairfax is a good compromise. Most students that live campus complain about the food options late at night, or early morning. But, the school is rapidly changing that by providing more options.

Alissa

I can honestly say that George Mason University has become my home away from home. Coming from a small town in New Jersey, not many people have ever heard of GMU (at least not until after our run to the final four!), including myself. It was only by chance that I found out about this university through of friend of the family who attended in the 1970s. Once I set foot on the beautifull Fairfax campus, I fell in love. The first thing that drew me to this campus was its innovative atmosphere. The Johnson Center, our hub of student life, has a very modern design that was unlike any of the other schools I visited. On my campus tour, I started noticing that many of the buildings followed a very similar theme, showing a newer age of campus construction. Now, I watch the new innovation being built right before my eyes. Every day I get to see the progress of new research facilities and arts complexes under construction, making this school any even greater learning space than it already is. Mason's proximity to Washington, D.C. was another factor that drew me to the school. As a Government & International Politics major, being so close to the largest political arena in the country was a priority in choosing where to go to college. I did not, however, want to be directly in the city. I needed a campus that actually felt like a college campus, with grass and trees and a concentrated campus life. I didn't want my college experience to get lost on the busy streets of D.C., tucked away behind government offices and business complexes. However, because Mason is so close to D.C., I can just hop on the metro and head into the city whenever I want, whether it's for an internship, class assignment, or just to walk around the monuments. George Mason University is an amazing place to be. I am proud to be a student here and would not change a thing about my experiences here.

Jess

Mason is one of the largest schools in VA. It's located in Fairfax, VA, but it's not really seen as a college town....yet. I enjoyed going to a school this big because I met and got to know people from all over the world and all different types of cultures.

Tim

GMU is good for students who want to get a job. If you want to "live the college experience," look else where. The police on campus violate every ammendment you have. The school is very strict on their drinking and drug policies and will screw you over with any chance they get. Fairfax is not a college town, I've been looking for a house for 6 months and still haven't found a house an owner will rent out to 19 year olds. GMU could be an amazing school socially, if the cops weren't faggots and the school let you actually LIVE YOUR LIFE.

Alex

located close to Washington so perfect for job opportunities

Tiffany

Most people don't realize how large GMU's student population really is. It's HUGE! More than half of the students are commuters, though. Living on campus, it was hard to really meet too many people in my classes because most didn't live on campus and only came around for class. The GMU administration does not seem to have their stuff together. After I had gotten accepted, it was all downhill. The Admissions Office had me as an out-of-state student, which affected my Financial Aid. It's funny though, because I've never lived outside of Virginia!! Each and every semester I have had to RESEND my high school transcript because they claim they haven't gotten it. How could I be accepted without it?! Exactly, they just can't keep track of things. In a short story, they are all very unorganized, and none of the offices are combined. If you have a problem with the Financial Aid office that also has to do with the Student Accounts, both will send you to the other office. Neither want to deal with it, and neither talk to each other about it. Don't let this keep you from attending Mason, just make sure that you stay ON TOP of your paperwork. Don't wait for them to bring your attention to anything.

Claire

There is no "typical" student at George Mason University. We are a highly diverse campus with students from over 130 countries. It's very easy to find a good group of friends when you immediately step foot on campus because so many students are interested in so many different things. The administration really cares about students and wants to do everything in their power to help us really love living and studying and working at George Mason University. When I tell people that I go to George Mason University, they say "Didn't you all go to the Final Four a few years ago?" I tell them "Yes. We're very proud of that. But there's also a lot more that happens at Mason. Did you know we're going to cure cancer in the Research I lab?" There are opportunities for EVERYONE here.

Bevan

GMU is a fun school. There aren't that many parties but you can always find a party on friday or saturday night. Everyone there is really chill and nice. Politically, most people are very apathetic but a few student organizations are working on changing that at the moment.

Jordan

Well the best thing about GMu as a whole is the community the school has. I feel a community within my major between the students and the students and faculty. I feel a connection between the fairfax community anf the school. I also feel a connection between all mason students.

Sara

GMU is known as a commuter school by many students. Many students commute, therefore the campus life is not very active and busy. I think the size of the school is just right. I spend most of my time at the Johnson Center or at my dorm. There is a good amount of school pride, especially with the GMU basketball team. The most student complaints is the parking situations and the quality of food on campus.

Tate

Beautiful campus, great professor that are very helpful. Very good Art Program. Good food and fun activities on campus.

Emily

I'm in New Century College and through NCC I've met some of my best friends on the first day of classes. It's a community within the university which is nice because you can always count on seeing someone you know at any given point in the day. GMU is a large commuter school, which sometimes makes it hard to meet different people, but NCC has helped me meet a lot of people whom I share the same interests. The administration I've been in contact with at GMU have been amazing. I know most of the professors in New Century College and am getting to know the staff working in my minor department. There are some departments I've had to go through to get things signed and they weren't as helpful as others, but I guess they all can't be great. One thing about Mason that is somewhat of a downer is the fact that the are of Fairfax is pretty spread out. It's a pain to drive to campus in traffic and it's also a pain on weekends, you have to drive EVERYWHERE to get to where you want to go.

Alex

GMU is probably the most eclectic school in the east coast. Thought I haven't had the chance to visit every school on the east coast, I doubt any other school has a higher level of diversity that Mason does. I believe in some recent survey, Mason is the second most diverse college. It's not Ivy-League school, but the pride displayed at Mason seems to grow more and more as I join events that take place at Mason. Being a Commuter myself, it's difficult get to know people and make friends, rather than acquaintances here and there. But, Mason's hospitality and the accepting students make it difficult to go about your day without stopping and spending a half hour talking to classmates on the way to the library to go study.

Scarlet

When I tell people I go to GMU they pretty much always ask- "That's near DC, right?" and every once in a while someone will mention basketball...that's about it. It's a large school is getting bigger all the time, but can feel smaller if you take the time to connect with the people living around you. A really great thing about GMU is that it isnt stuck in the past like a lot of other well established schools. There is constant metamorphosis and growth with a real passion for what's new and cutting-edge. School pride is growing with the success of our basketball team. One thing that needs to change is the lack of advertisements for events. So many things are going on that no one knows about- except those in direct contact with those involved.

Gene

The best thing about GMU is its location. George Mason University is only about a 20-30 minute drive to Washington DC and you can always take the metro if you don't have a car. Parking and the constant construction at Mason is a problem, so if you are going to be a freshman you may not want to take your car. I usually spend most of my time at the CCM chapel on Roberts Road or at the Johnson Center, or at Ikes, the late night diner in President's Park. George Mason is a great school and I highly recommend going here.

Jordan

What's the best thing about GMU? - Being near DC Name one thing you'd change - Residential/Commuter Ratio Is your school too large, too small, or just right? - Mason feels small since there are so few residential students but than it has the benefits of a big school Where do you spend most of your time on campus? - Johnson Center What college town is right! Is there a lot of school pride? There's pride among the residential students but not the commuters there anything unusual about GMU? "Distrubuted Campus" What's one experience you'll always remember? The Basketball Games!!! What are the most frequent student complaints? Parking!!!!!

Amy

this school is too commercial. Too many people coming and going that you don't know. Not a typical "college feel".

Jessica

Mason is a really good school. It's a big commuter school so people in this area dont tend to take it as seriously but its not an easy school to get into so you just need to ignore that reaction. They dont mean it to be rude, Mason is just a school that a lot of kids around here go to. It's definitely NOT a college town. I mean you can have fun but its not like some universities you may have visited. Um as for administration...the school is just TOO big. There are too many students to be able to make things personal. I havent had to deal much with admin. but i have had to deal with ad visors and its nit the easiest process ever. But you go to a big school its kind of expected. most frequent complaint?? --> PARKING. Parking is ridiculous. I cant say it any diferent than that...RIDICULOUS. Its literally horrible. There is so much building going on and really it feels like the admin doesnt care. They have their parking spaces up front they dont seem to see a problem. But yeah if youre going to be a commuter i would just be ready for the situation.

Alicia

This is not a college town at all. I have been to many and walked around, there need to be more things students can walk to and more food services that are delivered to dorms. Also Frat and Soroity houses need to be installed.

Renee

Mason is technically the biggest school in Virginia, but it frequently feels tiny. The campus physically is a great size: not too small, but not overwhelmingly large. Perhaps because the on-campus community is smaller, it often feels like a small school where everyone winds up being liked a lot more closely than you think. Basketball is the big sport here, especially since we went to the Final Four a few years ago. In my opinion, nothing will top that season, and our success was due mostly to the quality and combination of players that particular season, so basketball games have somewhat lost their appeal since that year. The professors at GMU are good, but much of the other faculty members are less than satisfactory. Good luck finding a competent advisor. I've actually found that some of the other members of the department may be more dependable advisors than the "advisors" themselves. Good luck with traffic. Construction is everywhere. The school is a lot of fun if you find the right people for you, and if you make an effort to make your time here worthwhile. It's not a campus-wide drunkfest every Saturday night like Penn State, but you can find parties (or have your own) and definitely have a good time.

Alex

There are quite a few things I would change about GMU. The biggest problem is the school is adding all the dorms and such to transform themselves from a commuter school to a more traditional college, but have NOTHING on the weekends. There is hardly any food open on campus and nothing to do. Because there is nothing to do or eat on campus on the weekends, the people who live close often go home, and those that don't have no reason to leave their room, so campus is DEAD. I would really like more things to be open.

Kelly

The school size is just right and it is a kept secret. People always ask if they hear that I go to GMU if I commute or stay on campus. There are many interesting things about Mason and I love all the experiences that I have had since coming to Mason. There is a lot of school pride. Students complain about the food choice on the weekend.