<p>I got accepted into GMU, and it's where I want to go for sure. But I've kinda wanted to stay on-campus, even though I knew going to GMU wouldn't guarantee that. However, my dad has been mentioning me staying on campus which surprised me so I thought there was a slight possibility.</p>
<p>I live in PWC, so George Mason is about 45 minutes from where I live. But if you live in NOVA, you know traffic is horrible, especially depending on random times i probably will have class, and i've heard parking there is horrible as well. So please try to answer these questions if I can gather my thoughts: </p>
<p>1) Is it smart to take a morning class, afternoon class, and evening class (or just 2) in one day, so I don't have to commute so much? I can just stay on campus all day...but will I get bored to death?</p>
<p>2) If I can influence my parents somehow in thinking living on campus is better, what are some good reasons? Because it'll be a hell of a lot more expensive.</p>
<p>3) Housing stuff is so confusing to understand through the website...but when they describe room and board, what are they exactly? And I see the average is 6k/4k, but how much could it vary?
4) How close are the dorms to the campus? Best dorms with non-communal BRs?
5) How likely is it to get an on-campus apartment as a freshmen with multiple other roommates? are you assigned roommates or can you decide together and pick one out?!
6) Is it wasting my money living on campus when I could just suffer and commute? Even though Ill have a horrible social life?!</p>
<p>Sorry if this is confusing but i obviously need to make up my mind soon! Any advice would help :)</p>
Congratulations on your acceptance, Njarsa. I’m not sure I can answer all of your questions, but here are my thoughts on a few of them as the parent of a GMU student who lives on campus by choice (commuting would be possible).
First of all, if you can swing it without taking it on debt, living on campus will make you feel like much more of a part of the community. Dorms are where so many friendships are made and built upon. Perhaps you could compromise with your parents by asking if you can at least live on campus for freshman year. You could try to get a position as an RA for further years if you want to live on campus without having the expense.
All of the dorms are on campus. Most freshmen live in President’s Park, which you can see on a map on the GMU website. The price range you notice is the difference between various dorms and whether you have a single room or a double, triple, or quad. The 4-6 k cost is for your room and food plan, and the meal plans vary according to how many meals you buy per week. Freshman dorms are generally less expensive than some of the higher-end dorms favored by upperclassmen. Single rooms cost more and freshmen are less likely to get singles. You’ll be assigned a roommate unless you mutually request each other. You can learn a lot more at orientation and through the GMU website.
I believe there is a free shuttle from the Prince William campus to GMU’s Fairfax campus for students.
That could be an alternative to commuting if you decide not to live on campus. http://shuttle.gmu.edu/fxpwshuttle.html
Trust me, don’t live on campus. My cousin went there, and she is paying $700 a month (share with her friend). She said the dorm is dirty and small. Look for a room outside campus, I think it costs around $500 for a big room, private bathroom, garage, etc. You just have to look.