WOuld like student's/professors/employers view of which college to go to: Mason or JMU

1. Academics- with IT or computer scinece major
2. CAreer potential/internships/connections/alumni connections
3. Social life
4. Professors- tenure veris adjunct- is it still a major deiffernece between jmu and George MAson
5. 4 year true university- ve3rus loitw of commuegters part tiem, efvenewing students- is there a substsantial difference these days?

Thanks

CS degree eh?

JMU

You need a new keyboard. Buy this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823201010

I went to Mason.

Go to JMU.

Wife and I are GMU grads. Sent kids to JMU.

Dennis Fox Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WOuld like student's/professors/employers view of
> which college to go to: Mason or JMU
>
> 1. Academics- with IT or computer scinece major
> 2. CAreer
> potential/internships/connections/alumni
> connections
> 3. Social life
> 4. Professors- tenure veris adjunct- is it still a
> major deiffernece between jmu and George MAson
> 5. 4 year true university- ve3rus loitw of
> commuegters part tiem, efvenewing students- is
> there a substsantial difference these days?
>
> Thanks

You might want to start with an ESL class at NVCC, sport.

Grammar says you may be more street-smart than book-smart, I'd say go to GMU so you can yell at women in dorm study rooms and make them GTFO.

If you want to talk about how your tiny bball team made the Final Four that one time: Mason. If you want to talk about how your tiny football team beat VaTech that one time: JMU.

Dennis Fox Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WOuld like student's/professors/employers view of
> which college to go to: Mason or JMU
>
> 1. Academics- with IT or computer scinece major

IT is IT, doesn't matter where you went, harvard, cal tech, and ITT. The only difference is that you'll be taught to the ability of your peers.



> 2. CAreer
> potential/internships/connections/alumni
> connections
Both are decent. JMU is more heavily recruited than Mason is, but Mason is local, and many times they don't care who they can get in as an intern, as long as he/she has a pulse.



> 3. Social life
JMU

> 4. Professors- tenure veris adjunct- is it still a
> major deiffernece between jmu and George MAson
As an undergrad it won't matter much. I teach as an adjunct, and the pay isn't worth it, so I do it because it's fun/rewarding. Theoretically a tenured professor only cares about papers and funding for grad students, and teaches undergrad classes reluctantly, but this is not always the case. It's also impossible to get rid of a tenured professor, even if he's worthless and dialing it in. Adjuncts are contract to contract, and can be let go for any reason at any time, so if you've got someone who's been around for a while as an adjunct, they're probably pretty decent. Unless you're at a small, private college that does not have anything past a bacheleors degree where they focus on the students, it won't make a bit of difference.



> 5. 4 year true university- ve3rus loitw of
> commuegters part tiem, efvenewing students- is
> there a substsantial difference these days?
Nope. less than 22% of ALL students gradute in 4 years. It's been my experience that adults/evening students/part-timers with jobs tend to make better students than the traditional 19 year olds streaming into my classes.



> Thanks

Why would anyone go to college for IT...

So that they can compete with H1B Java Developers? LOL

Dennis Fox Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WOuld like student's/professors/employers view of
> which college to go to: Mason or JMU
>
> 1. Academics- with IT or computer scinece major
> 2. CAreer
> potential/internships/connections/alumni
> connections
> 3. Social life
> 4. Professors- tenure veris adjunct- is it still a
> major deiffernece between jmu and George MAson
> 5. 4 year true university- ve3rus loitw of
> commuegters part tiem, efvenewing students- is
> there a substsantial difference these days?
>
> Thanks


I went to JMU for 2 years and to GMU for 2 years. Here is my opinion:

1. Academics - Both are about the same.
2. Career Potential - Both are about the same.
3. Social Life - JMU wins this category hands down.
4. GMU definitely has more commuters, but as for being a true 4 year university, I think GMU has finally caught up to everyone else.

Duke Patriot Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I went to JMU for 2 years and to GMU for 2 years.
> Here is my opinion:
>
> 1. Academics - Both are about the same.
> 2. Career Potential - Both are about the same.
> 3. Social Life - JMU wins this category hands
> down.
> 4. GMU definitely has more commuters, but as for
> being a true 4 year university, I think GMU has
> finally caught up to everyone else.

I went to GMU for one year, then JMU for 3 years, then GMU for 2 more years (grad school, not the 6 year plan).

I 100% agree with the above. As far as education quality items, they are both very comparable. JMU is not so much of a party school as it is a normal college where as GMU still doesn't have the dorm/college town feel and has yet to kill it's commuter school reputation (it was a slight step up from Nova and everyone commuted just 20 years ago).

The towns are the biggest difference so it depends what you are looking for.

I transferred from Madison to Mason after two years, mostly for cost reasons so I could commute. I really enjoyed my time at Madison and was expecting a miserable time at Mason, but I have to say George Mason is better than I ever expected.

The classes are just as good, they have a way better set of professors with more notable names and the dining is better than Madison. The night life isn't the same but it's not like there isn't a lot to do in Fairfax and your minutes from a metro that takes you to DC, and a bus does it for free. Overall I'd say both are great schools and in my opinion they are pretty equal when it comes to education. For more of a party atmosphere Madison is better but Mason's location is better for jobs, etc.

Both crap. Doesn't matter. Just go to the one where you can get the most tail.

VEIK Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why would anyone go to college for IT...
>
> So that they can compete with H1B Java Developers?
> LOL

Because a lot of potential IT employers won't give you the time of day if you don't have a degree.

VEIK Wrote:
--------------------------------------------------
-----
> Why would anyone go to college for IT...
>
> So that they can compete with H1B Java
Developers?
> LOL

So that I can earn more money than you straight out of college

im debating about sticking to GMU or possibly going to CA for my IT. Mostly because theres a small change id like to go into A.I.

JMU. Especially because of your list of criteria (tenure vs. adjunct professors, community school vs. commuter school, alumni and support is strong)

GMU in case things don't work out and you can land a job in Northern Virginia's burgeoning adult film industry...

-SBS-_ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> VEIK Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Why would anyone go to college for IT...
> >
> > So that they can compete with H1B Java
> Developers?
> > LOL
>
> Because a lot of potential IT employers won't give
> you the time of day if you don't have a degree.

The climate around here is a bit different though. The same 22 year old coming out of the military with a TS clearance or higher that did IT during those four years has a much better chance of finding a good job.

For students who plan to attend graduate school, depending on the major, I would think that GMU is the better choice. Mason is a much larger university than JMU, with more and better graduate programs. Because of this, an undergraduate offers more and better opportunities for undergraduates to get involved with the kind of research opportunities that graduate schools will be looking for in their applicants. For the student who plans simply to look for a job with the BA or BS degree, I doubt it makes a dime's worth of difference which school he/she attends. I will add, however, that GMU is in a far more advantageous location for students who want to do an internship while taking classes, given its proximity to Washington.

Yabels Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you want to talk about how your tiny bball team
> made the Final Four that one time: Mason. If you
> want to talk about how your tiny football team
> beat VaTech that one time: JMU.

so you goto nvcc???

Top 25 Universities from Rate My Professors:


http://moneywatch.bnet.com/spending/blog/college-solution/ratemyprofessors-25-best-universities/5284/?tag=fd-moreOnMW5

mmoore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Top 25 Universities from Rate My Professors:
>
>
> http://moneywatch.bnet.com/spending/blog/college-s
> olution/ratemyprofessors-25-best-universities/5284
> /?tag=fd-moreOnMW5


--------------

yeah, a list where Georgetown ranks below BYU and Florida State (edit)> there's a realiable list for ya

might as well have had ITT and Lincoln Tech top the list

LoLz



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2011 09:03PM by Gordon Blvd.

This gets asked way too much.

-JMU is a little bit harder to get into (likely due to higher demand).
-As far as academics go, they are about the same.
-People choose JMU because they want to party, have a good college experience, get away from their parents, and the nice girl to guy ratio.
-People choose GMU because you can commute there and live at home and stick by their families.

At JMU you will have a better time and more freedom, but it will cost you room and board as opposed to living with the rents. Jobs are probably scarce down there.

At GMU it will probably end up costing you less with the omission of room and board, but the job opportunities and spots for internships and close proximity to DC would be good for those focused on their career rather than having a good time, not that that is a bad thing.

You can always head over to JMU on the weekends for one of their riot parties.

JMU

GMU

As someone who had to make this decision as well I would say that if you're planning on being a student first who plans on finding jobs and internships during their time in college I'd pick Mason. If you're looking for mainly a good time with an education on the side I'd pick Madison. If you do decide on Mason having fun or a social life/partying isn't impossible it's just not as easy when no one is on campus after 1 on Fri.

You probably couldn't make a living off of the difference between the academics of the two schools.

GMU has a better CS program than JMU.

There's only way to end this perpetual argument. Let the alumni of the two schools duke it out in a neutral stadium.