Some people say American University is super competitive and others say as long as you have a 3.0 gpa you can get in. I’m just wondering what others think about this schools and if it’s actually hard or easier to get into. And I know it is 35% acceptance rate, but I don’t know exactly what that means.
So, for example, would an “average” student (aka me, I consider myself average) with a 3.7 gpa (all honors/aps), varisty team + her town club team all throughout high school, three clubs with leadership position, and someone able to write a killer essay be able to get in here? And I’m interested in International Relations (which is big there)
The only reason this isn’t on the chance page is because I am just wondering what American’s admissions is like and I just used my stats as an example (sorry if it is on the wrong thread).
So if someone could help me out, that’d be great.
Also, I didn’t put this on the American U thread because I wanted other input, not just on students there who could possibly be bias. Plus I thought more people would see it on here 
What you want is the Common Data Set for American University. Google it and then scroll down to Section C where they post the stats for the admitted students. That’s your best ‘chance me’ info.
And yes, American University is a great place to do IR - and DC is a terrific city in which to be a student. Check out GW and Catholic while you are at it.
American is not as competitive as some other schools. Its 25-75% SAT is Reading 590-680, Math 560-660 and writing 580-670; ACT 26-30. Your GPA would put you around average for that school.
AU is both hard and easy to get into, for a variety of reasons. It’s “easier” to get into for a student to get into, in the sense that the range of test scores and GPAs it accepts is broader than, say, the tippy-top elites. Thus a student with strong, but not perfect, grades and good but not 98th percentile test scores has a very good chance of getting in. Your GPA puts you right on target for AU–and I wouldn’t call a 3.7 average… you must go to one of those schools where a 3.8 is a “bad” GPA LOL. A 3.7 is an above average GPA!
But, a 35% admission rate is still a competitive rate… and AU, specifically is very sensitive to being a “safety” school. There are many, many stories of late that, to protect their yield, AU has rejected anyone they think is only using them as a safety–this is where it can be “hard” to get into AU. They’re looking for people who think they are a safety. (so funny to me because, indeed, when I was applying to college, AU was my safety)
But as long as you have a genuine interest in AU and demonstrate that in your app, depending on your SATs, it’s likely a match school for you.
Interest in going to AU is very important. More important than 4.0 or perfect SAT/ACT. They want to know that you want to go there. My kid got in on decent SAT score and a 3.3 GPA but he applied ED1. He also showed over and over again that AU was his first choice. AU only wants students who want to be there.
I was waitlisted at AU here are my stats
ACT 27, pretty low ik its the lowest point on my app
GPA UW 3.95, my transcript sent in 4.38 but it has increased to 4.698,
Classes; Ive taken all four years of French, one year of Spanish, AP Us, AP Lang, AP Lit. AP Chem, AP Gov, AP Euro AP Calc AP Physics and CP Econ
EC: 4 year cheerleader senior captain and multiple leadership awards,
3 year varsity Gymnast,
Class President Sophomore Junior and Senior year,
Student Council all 4 years,
Key Club (community service group) all 4 years public relations office soph. and junior year, president Senior year, through key club i attended a leadership camp then went back the next year and counseled at it
,Renaissance club 2 years,
Students Against Destructive Decisions all 4 years,
I interned with Ohio Senator Portman and one of my letters of rec is coming from this internship, interned with Children Hunger Alliance feeding inner city kids during the summer
Essays: my common app essay dealt with me wanting to change the inequality in the educational system, how my internship with Children Hunger Alliance helped that and how that led me to starting a BuildOn chapter in my schools.
accepted into mentorship program with 3.5, 28 act and 720 sat us history and 5 on ap exam
I know AU has like an 85% acceptance rate ED and only a 25% acceptance rate RD so if you really love it, I would suggest going ED.