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Summary
George Mason University is a public institution that was founded in 1972. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 20,157, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 806 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. George Mason University's ranking in the 2012 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 138. Its in-state tuition and fees are $9,116 (2011-12); out-of-state tuition and fees are $26,594 (2011-12).
As a distributed university, George Mason University has several suburban campus locations, each not far from Washington, D.C. Freshmen are not required to live on campus, though traditional coed residence halls and suites are available at the school’s Fairfax, Va., campus for those who choose to live in university housing.
Despite a sizable commuter population, the school offers a Weekends at Mason program and events for students who don’t travel home after the school week is over. There are more than 20 fraternities and sororities, which involve close to 15 percent of the student body population, and about 200 clubs and organizations. The school’s Patriots sports teams are members of the NCAA Division I Colonial Athletic Association, and the George Mason basketball team is particularly competitive. The university also has a number of graduate schools and programs, including the well-regarded George Mason School of Law.
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George Mason University is where innovation is tradition! Its prime location just outside Washington, D.C., makes George Mason University's beautiful residential campus the destination for a diverse student body from all over the world, including all 50 states and 135 countries. Mason offers you all the excitement and options of a large college campus while providing small class sizes and individual attention from faculty and staff members. Our professors are well-known leaders in their fields, who you find quoted daily in national media-and they routinely welcome undergraduates to actively participate in their research. Mason offers many leading-edge undergraduate majors and programs that connect expert faculty with the advantages of location to offer you outstanding academic and extracurricular experiences. Distinctive interdisciplinary programs include public health, entrepreneurship, computer game design, forensic science, global affairs, neuroscience, sustainability, bioengineering, and international conflict resolution. Opportunities to advance your career abound both inside and outside the classroom, including internships at nationally and internationally recognized companies and organizations, ranging from National Geographic to the White House. More than 80,000 Mason alumni dominate the D.C. region, and the resulting work and internship opportunities run the gamut: foreign embassies, wildlife preserves, network news programs, and even the Washington Redskins. Mason students lobby Congress on educational issues, pioneer outreach programs for disadvantaged children, and collect oral histories in the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. The prospects of internships, research, and employment here are unmatched anywhere else. Many Mason graduates continue employment with places they interned, or remain in the area to take advantage of the outstanding job market. In addition, Mason has programs in 28 countries, including relationships with universities in Australia, England, France, Germany, China, and Russia. In partnership with Moscow State University, St. Petersburg State University and the Higher School of Economics-top Russian universities-Mason has recently launched several dual-degree programs in areas such as economics, management, and international affairs. Through a first of its kind partnership with the Smithsonian National Zoo, Mason even offers you the chance to take a semester off campus at one of the most advanced conservation research centers in the world-and complete a minor in applied conservation studies in just that one semester! Mason guarantees your freshman housing, and nearly all freshman take advantage of the spectacular residence facilities. Mason is in the midst of a building boom, investing more than $1 billion between 2007 and 2013. The university recently opened a new 40,000 square-foot sustainable dining hall, designed to exceed "green" standards, with an emphasis on recycling and the use of biodegradable products. New buildings on campus include a state-of-the-art Engineering School; performing arts centers, including a new opera house in addition to dance, percussion and orchestra practice space; phenomenal recreation and exercise centers; an expansive School of Art; and a hotel and conference center ideal for visiting students and families. More than 200 clubs and organizations join the large array of on-campus activities, which include free tickets to world-renowned artists at the Center for the Arts, as well as NCAA Basketball and nationally known rock, hip-hop, rap, and country concerts at Mason's 10,000-seat Patriot Center. Mason offers private university quality at a public institution price-rated consistently the best value of any nationally competitive institution in the Washington, D.C., region. |
General Information
| School type | public, coed college |
| Year founded | 1972 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | suburban |
| 2010 Endowment | $44,983,451 |
Applying
When applying to George Mason University, it's important to note the application deadline is January 15, and the early action deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due January 15. The application fee at George Mason University is $100. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 51.7 percent and an early acceptance rate of 74.8 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2010 acceptance rate | 52% |
| Application deadline | January 15 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | January 15 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at George Mason University is 16:1, and the school has 25.7 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at George Mason University include: Psychology, General; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Communication, General; Accounting; and Business Administration and Management, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 85.0 percent.
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| Student-faculty ratio | 16:1 | ||||||||||
| 4-year graduation rate | 39% - Medium | ||||||||||
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Student Life
George Mason University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 20,157, with a gender distribution of 47.7 percent male students and 52.3 percent female students. 27.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 73.0 percent of students live off campus. George Mason University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at George Mason University.
| Total enrollment | 32,562 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
George Mason University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. George Mason University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at George Mason University, 63 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at George Mason University.
| Students who have cars on campus | 63% - Medium |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At George Mason University, 47.0 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $6,909.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| In-state tuition and fees | $9,116 (2011-12) |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $26,594 (2011-12) |
| Room and board | $8,950 (2011-12) - Medium |
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* Overview details based on 2010 data
