<p>I spoke to my friend whose D is finishing her freshman year. D was accepted at GW, Cornell, and Johns Hopkins among others. D chose AU primarily for the merit award. My friend reports that D loves AU and finds her classes (no honors) rewarding and challenging. I thought I would share this after so many past negative posts about the academic rigor at AU.</p>
<p>^thanks for that post hello5. My D will attending and we’d had mixed messages. However overall AU pretty much met all her interests in a college…so I was hoping the academics would be strong.</p>
<p>Ugh! Don’t remind me of all the stuff I have to do before finals!</p>
<p>I have yet to hear a fellow student complain that he or she doesn’t have enough work to do. </p>
<p>What I like about AU is that As are possible-- if you work really hard for them. These grades will help immensely if I end up applying to law or grad school. </p>
<p>Remember, it’s not uncommon to be managing a 20 hour per week internship on top of everything.</p>
<p>I think rigor largely depends on the major. After sifting through 3 major changes and taking many electives I think I am in the position to tell you which majors are rigorous and which majors are not. Ill give you a hint: the highest GPA’s come out of the School of Communication and the School of Public Affairs.</p>
<p>Ryan, you’re honest (as always). Could you give us an idea of your majors and impressions of them?</p>
<p>I agree with ryan2288 and being his girlfriend can attest to his honesty. If you want to challenge yourself at AU, don’t solely follow a communications major or SPA, branch out a little.</p>
<p>Also, take grad school classes as an upperclassman.</p>
<p>Well, all the communications programs require a second major or minor outside of SOC anyway, so as a comm major you will have to branch out no matter what.</p>
<p>Why would the SPA or even SOC programs be less rigorous when those are some of the few areas they specialize in? Wouldn’t they want to make these programs more involved and offer the most that they could?</p>
<p>I don’t know how valid the above info is, based only on the opinions of two posters.</p>
<p>AU has lots of surprises in terms of major programs. Some are definitely harder than others, and they’re not always the ones you’d guess. I can’t speak for most of them, but I would advise new students to look for challenging courses anywhere that seems even remotely interesting. </p>
<p>The graphic design program in the art department is tiny, but is extremely challenging, time-consuming, and rewarding. Likewise, the art history program is tiny as well – but it actually houses some of the foremost feminist art historians in the world!</p>
<p>Not sure how they determine anything like this, but it sounds cool…the list includes students from Ivies and a number of state schools…more evidence of the gravity of AU and its students. Here’s the link: [Student</a> named to USA TODAY Academic All-Star Team | American University](<a href=“http://american.edu/media/news/20090429_Carrie_Johnson_USA-Today_All_Academic.cfm]Student”>http://american.edu/media/news/20090429_Carrie_Johnson_USA-Today_All_Academic.cfm)</p>