Arizona State or George Mason for access to Washington, DC

George Mason gives you much more practical access to Washington, DC. Its Fairfax campus is in Northern Virginia, close enough that students regularly commute into DC for internships, events, and networking.

If DC access is a real part of how you want to spend your college years, Mason fits that goal more naturally. You can realistically build a semester around classes plus an internship in or near the capital, attend evening panels or career events, and take advantage of weekend opportunities without turning every trip into major travel planning.

Arizona State is the weaker option for this specific priority simply because its main campuses are in the Phoenix area, far from Washington. ASU does have strong programs, a large alumni network, and some Washington-related opportunities through specific schools or short-term programs, but day-to-day access to DC is not built into student life in the same way.

The student who thrives at George Mason for this reason is someone who wants DC to be part of college, not just an occasional destination. That could mean politics, policy, international affairs, government-adjacent business, media, nonprofits, or any field where being physically near the capital helps with internships and networking.

ASU makes more sense for a student who likes the school for other reasons and sees DC as a periodic goal rather than a weekly or monthly one. You could still pursue summer internships there or use school breaks strategically, but it would not offer the same convenient, frequent access while classes are in session.

So if your question is strictly about real, usable access to Washington, George Mason has the clear edge.